Righting the wrong before Rosh Hashana

The Short Vort

by 

Ron Yitzchok Eisenman, Rabbi, Congregation Ahavas Israel, Passaic, NJ 

Tip: SK

Today is Sunday the 5th of Elul 5774 and August 31, 2014

*Righting the Wrong*

Today in 1935 Rav Avraham Yitzchok HaKohen Kook Zt”l passed away.
His actual Yahrtzeit was on the third of Elul (which was Friday),
however, the secular date that year was August 31, 1935.

Rav Kook who lived from 1865-1935 was the first Chief Rabbi of
Palestine in the twentieth century.
He was a great Talmudic scholar, halachik adjudicator, teacher,
thinker and a compassionate and kind and beloved Rav.

Many of his followers study his works and attempt to emulate his
personality as seen through his teachings and his students.
However, the tragedy of Rav Kook Zt”l is that through a
‘revisionism' of the past and because of those who resort to
Orwellian techniques to rewrite history, many average Frum Jew when they hears the name of Rav Kook, the image which pops up in their mind is a sandal wearing, perhaps guitar strutting ‘semi-observant' ‘rabbi' who might be sporting Bermuda shorts and whose Talmudic learning is limited to reading translated portions of Gemara in English while trimming his fashionable goatee and wearing a bottle-cap size yarmulke covering his right ear as it tips precipitously off his head.

He is too often portrayed as a Rav who interested in finding all types of questionable halachik leniencies which have minimal if any halachik substance.
He is thought of as a cavalier and careless rabbi who vacillated
between true Orthodoxy and those other denominations whose halachik acceptability is shaky at best.
However, worst of all, is the fact that outright untruths and vicious
lies have been promulgated about him that during his life time, the
‘true' and authentic Torah leaders of his time distanced themselves
from him and dismissed him as second rate rabbi of no consequence.

One gets the impression after listening to these revisionists that if
we would be transported back to Yerushalayim of the 1920s we would find Rav Kook surrounded by a cadre of secular followers with maybe a handful of lukewarm Orthodox ignoramuses sitting and half listening to his far fetched and perhaps semi-heretical ideas about Torah and Judaism.

People have disseminated the ‘fact' that the real ‘Gedolim' of
Eretz Yisroel had no contact with this ‘radical' and they will even
claim that his books were banned because of their heretical content.

*Nothing could be further from the truth.*

*And this is a ‘wrong' which must be ‘righted'!*

Let me be clear, I do not study too often his works because of their
difficult and what I find almost cryptic language.
Let me also disclose from the outset, that my Rabbeim rarely used his Seforim as his scholarly approach to Talmud and Jewish thought was clearly not your standard Lithuanian bent.

His approach certainly bordered more on the Chassidic and on the
Kabbalistic and neither of these important disciplines were part and
parcel of your typical Lithuanian styled yeshiva curriculum in which all of my Rabbeim were educated in (and are still not).
therefore, I am not advocating the study of his works per se, as I
am no equipped to make that determination.
However, what I am advocating is the following.
Irrespective of his unique and semi-Chassidic/Kabbalistic approach to Torah and Judaism 

*one wrong must be righted./*

And that is the clear and unchallenged fact that he was considered in his lifetime as a true and authentic Gadol.
Indeed, ‘the righting of this wrong' is one of greatest testimonials
to truth that a person can contribute to today's misunderstanding of
this great and beloved and respected Gadol HaDor.

Please do not take my word on the issue.
Please allow his ‘peers' to do the talking for me and then you can
decide on your own.

Here is a list of ten ‘authentic' Gedolim and what they said or
wrote about Rav Kook Zt”l.

1. **The Imrei Emes *
/(HaRav Avraham Mordechai Alter (25 December 1866 - 3 June 1948), also
known as the *Imrei Emes*, was the third Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger, a position he held from 1905 until his death in 1948. He was one of the founders of the Agudas Israel in Poland and was influential in establishing a network of Jewish schools there. It is claimed that at one stage he led over 200,000 Hasidim. Wikipedia)/
He refers to Rav Kook as an *“Ish HaEshkolos”* which is a title
reserved for someone who contains ‘everything' (Torah, Mishna,
Talmud, and Aggadah). (See Shir HaShirim Raba 1:60).
It is title given to some who has Torah, Middos and Chesed (see T.B Temurah 15a and T.B. Sota 47b).
It is a title reserved for Moshe Rabbeinu and Rabbi Akiva!
And it is the title which the Gerrer Rebbe referred to Rav Kook with in an open letter to his Chassidim in 1924 (page 78 “Osef Mechtavim of Admor M'Ger”) 

2. *Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski* : 
"Our friend, the Gaon, our master and teacher, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, shlita" and "The Glory of Honor, My Dear Friend, Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon, Ha-Gadol, the Famous One... The Prince
of Torah, Our Teacher, Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Kohen Kook Shlit”a..."

3. *Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz*:
 "The true Gaon, the beauty and glory of the generation, the tzaddik, his holiness, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak, may his light shine, may he live for length of good days and years amen,
the righteous Kohen, head of the beis din [court] in Jerusalem, the
holy city, may it soon be built and established"

4. *Rav Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn of Lubavitch*: 
"The Gaon who is renowned with splendor among the Geonim of Ya'akov, Amud HaYemini, Patish HaChazak..."

5. *Rav Chatzkel Abramsky*: 
"The honored man, beloved of Hashem and
his nation, the rabbi, the Gaon, great and well-known, with breadth of knowledge, the glory of the generation, etc., etc., our master Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, shlita, Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel and the head of the Beis Din in the holy city of Jerusalem"

6. *Rav Yitzchok Hutner*: 
"The glorious honor of our master, our teacher and rabbi, the great Gaon, the crown and sanctity of Israel,
Maran [our master] Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, shlita!"

7. *Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer and Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein*: 
"Our honored friend, the great Gaon and glory of the generation, our master and teacher, Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen, shlita"

8. *The Brisker Rov- Rav Yitzchok Zev HaLevi Soloveitchik*: “To his honor the Rav, the great and famous Gaon, and the honor of the generation…Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim…”

*9. **The Satmar Rebbe- Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum- *
When asked why he refused to meet with Rav Kook- the Rebbe answered: “I certainly won't be able to influence him, and on the contrary, /I am afraid that he might influence me/.” 
(The Rebbe; Rabbi Dovid Meisels; page 43).
From this honest admission from the Satmar Rebbe we see how even he realized how great and persuasive and what erudition Rav Kook possessed as the Satmar Rebbe was not known as a man to back away from his position.
(One has to question how honestly the Satmar believed in his own
worldview if he refused to meet with someone who would and ostensibly /could /change his entire worldview; however, that is for another discussion.)

*10. **Rav Zvi Pesach Frank -* Rav of Yerushalayim. 
As is well known Rav Frank was active in establishing the office of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and was instrumental in appointing Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi.
I believe these ten Gedolim speak for all of us (or certainly should)
in establishing the fact that even if many of the aforementioned
Gedolim did not necessarily embrace the views of Rav Kook,
nevertheless, they respected him and accepted him as their peer and
their fellow Gadol.

If there is one aspect of Teshuva we can all engage in during this
month of Elul as we prepare for the Day of Judgment and we all desire to be judged fairly, let's begin by ‘judging' someone who deserves the reverence and admiration that our teachers and great Torah leaders accorded him during his life time.

It is high time that all of us when we mention the name of Rav Kook we should do it with the same love and respect we show to all the Gedolim of the last generation.

In the merit of ‘righting this wrong' and judging he who truly
deserves respect and love and reverence ‘fairly', may Hashem judge
all of us with compassion and mercy.

/“If Not Now- Then When?”- Hillel/
Ron Yitzchok Eisenman, Rabbi, Congregation Ahavas Israel, Passaic, NJ

Chodosh Ellul is here: Bobov 45 questions the Hechsherim of Tartikov

Rosh Chodosh Elul arrived in full force, and I guess, teshuvah is for the regular zhlubs like us. The Rabbis, since they are the Tzaddikim and have Ruach Hakodesh, don't need Elul! 
Elul for the Rabbis is a time to strangle your opposition!

 Last week, Reb Mordechai Dovid Ungar, lost the psak din against his uncle Reb Benzion,  and can no longer call himself Bobov, he has to preface the Word Bobov with something else, for example, "Shmendrik Bobov" ,"Satmar Bobov" or TuchesLeker Bobov"

Obviously, he didn't take it too well, so the "sore loser" came up with a brilliant idea, "why don't we boycott all products with  the Hashgacha of the Rabbi who sat on the Bais Din that favored Reb Benzion?"
This will teach everyone that goes to a Bais Din, a lesson, not to pasken "al pi Torah' but "al pi intimidation"

So the "chachamim" of the big "talmud chochum,"  Reb Mordechai Dovid Ungar, got together in a Chelm-like meeting, and came up with the idea to plaster all of the tri-state area with posters questioning that particular  Hashagacha. 
And so that it doesn't look like they are advocating a "boycott" (Chas V'esholom) they write that "this is not a boycott, just a reminder to check the hechsher"

and so the Bobov saga continues....
Reb Shlomo Bobover, where are you?

Satmar Attempts to Annex Parts of Monroe while Israel adds 4000 dunams in West Bank

Ha Ha Ha, LOL, Ha,Ho Ho 
I can't stop laughing while I'm writing this post..... the sheer irony!

One of the Satmar "complaints" against the State of Israel, is the Torah Violation of "Hisgarois B'umois," which basically means that we shouldn't do things to antagonize the gentiles. Satmar's chief complaint is whatever the State does, antagonizes the world, so they should basically all live in shelters and allow the Hamas murderers to rain missiles down on all of Israel! 
The fact that the State of Israel must defend itself, means absolutely nothing to those who live in their comfortable homes in Williamsburg, Monroe and now Bloomberg.
Satmars' shitah is that the very existence of the State, violates this "prohibition." 

I can't wait to read this weeks Satmar Newspapers berating Israel for adding 4000 Gush Etzion dunams in the West Bank, to eventually build much needed settlements!

Now, this violation of "Hisgarois B'umois"  does not apply exclusively to Israel, but in fact this violation was actually put in place in the Midbar in Chutz L'Aretz, it may not even apply to Eretz Yisroel.

So what do the Satmar hypocrites do? 
Ahhh! You took the words straight out of my mouth.
They filed a petition to the Monroe Town Board to annex land to expand Monroe!

Read this:

" A standing-room audience waited more than two hours to address the Monroe Town Board Monday night at the latest packed board meeting since tumultuous town elections in November and then the prospect of a major expansion of Kiryas Joel through an annexation petition property owners filed in December.

Speakers vented frustration with limitations on public comments, the failure to fill a board seat vacant since January and other issues. But Laura Rainoff of Tuxedo drew the loudest applause from the frustrated audience when she raised the annexation prospect that has stoked strenuous opposition at Monroe's raucous board meetings."

Personally, I'm all for Satmar annexing much needed land in Monroe, and the hell with the neighbors. But, I'm also for Israel annexing much needed land for their citizens.

So what is the difference if Satmar violates the dictum of  "Hisgarois B'umois," or if Israel does it?

Slonimer Rebbe Says that except for 17 year olds, everyone must report to IDF induction centers

Last week it was reported that the Slonimer Rebbe, instructed his chassidim not to report to draft centers, adopting the fanatical policy of Rav Shmuel Auerbach. 

A clarification is now being announced.

The Rosh Yeshiva of Slonim, has now issued a clarification that the restriction prohibiting one from reporting to an induction center applies only to bochrim, not to the older talmidim and avreichim. 

The Rosh Yeshiva explained the fear is that 17-year-old talmidim reporting for a first induction order may be “damaged” or persuaded by military authorities and therefore the Rebbe prohibits them from doing so. 

This does not apply to anyone other than these bochrim, fearing the latter may be influenced by the surroundings due to their young age.

The Rebbe’s words were disseminated in the chassidus by his son, Rosh Yeshivas Slonim.

 The Rebbe is a member of the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Agudas Yisrael.

Shas takes Ethiopian Shul while the Ethiopians were serving in Gaza!

When the heads of the shul serving the Ethiopian community of Kiryat Gat returned from Operation Protective Edge they were shocked to learn their Beis Knesses was given away to a chareidi nonprofit, affiliated with Shas. The shul leaders were among the tens of thousands called up to emergency military service and when they returned it became clear to them that they lost their shul.

According to a Srugim News report, Moshe Solomon, a leading figure in the city’s Ethiopian community  received a notice, a couple of months ago, for a 70,000 shekel debt to the electric company.
 “The building is the city’s and the latter is responsible to pay the electric bill. After a few days, without any notice, the electricity was turned off”.

Moshe and his colleagues tried their best, turning to Israel Electric Company to get the power turned on. Officials explained to them they did not initiate the cutting off of the service to the shul but a request was received from Kiryat Gat City Hall to turn off the power.

Moshe then turned to City Hall in the hope of reaching the truth and having the power restored. He also asked to have the building transferred to the nonprofit that runs the shul since the structure was built to serve as a shul for the Ethiopian community. 

Moshe explains, to his sorrow, that nothing was done to assist him and the kehilla. He explained that the community could not raise the funds to pay the electric bill since they just used the money they had, to refurbish the shul.

Moshe adds that Deputy Mayor Shulamit Salu is a member of the local Ethiopian community but she too did not appear willing to assist him and the kehilla. He insists she signed the letter that was sent to Israel Electric asking to have service cut off. He accuses her to spearheading the campaign against them because she has “her own agenda”.

“At the end, we paid the debt with 10 post-dated checks of 10,000 shekels, hoping we would raise the money one month at a time to cover the checks."

However Moshe’s troubles did not end. He explains that a day after the electric debt was paid, the shul was handed over to a chareidi nonprofit affiliated with Shas. He admits they learned of the city’s actions too late and were therefore unable to take action to prevent it. Letters went unanswered and they found themselves without anyone of authority willing to assist.

Moshe emphasizes it did not end there, for city officials arrived to change the locks to keep Moshe and his kehilla out. 
“We arrived for minyan and we couldn’t get in” he explained. “I simply cannot understand the hate, davka now, in Elul”.


When asked to comment, Deputy Mayor Salu told Srugim that the shul was unable to pay its electric bill which it was responsible to pay and this compelled the city to act. She denies allegations of prejudice or hate towards the local Ethiopian community. She added that the shul had many other problems pertaining to the proper running of the shul, seeking to justify her actions.

BDS against SodaStream backfires as headquarters moves to Southern Israel causing 900 Palestinians to lose their jobs

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) campaign against West Bank based company SodaStream, backfired as it announced the move of its headquarters to Southern Israel.

While the BDS crowd will be happy with this move, since SodaStream will now be based in an area of ​​Israel that is not disputed by the Palestinians, there is a very real possibility that the 900 Palestinians employees will lose their jobs as a result.

The company will move its entire factory sometime next year, and while it will continue its practice of equal opportunity hiring, there is a high probability that the Bedouin and African communities in the region will be the lucky recipients of employment in SodaStream instead of Palestinians.

SodaStream produces home carbonation systems that enable users to convert tap water into sparkling water in more than 100 flavors.

A Palestinian worker slammed the BDS movement, saying that the group is only harming Palestinians by causing them to lose their high paying jobs at Israeli companies operating in the West Bank.

Unlike Satmar, Abbas Blames Hamas For 2,100 Dead, 10,000 Injured, 50,000 Homes Destroyed

It seems that Abbas is moving away from the Satmar Shita, that the Zionists were responsible for  the war between Israel and Gaza.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Hamas of needlessly extending fighting in Gaza, causing a high death toll.

Abbas told Palestine TV in remarks broadcast Friday that “it was possible for us to avoid all of that, 2,000 martyrs, 10,000 injured, 50,000 houses (damaged or destroyed).”
Israel and Hamas terrorists fought for 50 days before reaching a truce on Tuesday.

More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed, including hundreds of civilians. Seventy one people on the Israeli side, including six civilians, were killed.

Several Egyptian mediated cease-fire attempts failed. Hamas eventually accepted almost the same truce offered at the beginning.

Abbas’ Palestinian Authority formed a unity government backed by Hamas earlier this year. Abbas questioned the future of that arrangement in the interview.

Cell Phones For All Students In Israel, No Black Hats And No Jackets On Hikes Says Hatzoloah

Why anybody has to be told that, I'll never figure out, but the Roshei Yeshivos who don't go on hikes, banned cell phones for their students. 

Now! because of the terrible tragedy, they are singing a new tune!
These Torah leaders, instead of being pro-active, wait for a tragedy to react.

Parents should tell their children that a phone is a must, whether they are in Israel or the USA. We now live in a new world order, where a phone is no longer a luxury but could actually save your life.
And if Aron Sofer would have had a smart phone with a GPS app, he would be learning  in Yeshiva now!

In the aftermath of Aaron Sofer’s death, United Hatzalah founder and president Eli Beer urged Israeli yeshivos to make sure that all Students carry cell phones with them whenever they leave the yeshiva in an interview that aired Thursday night on Zev Brenner’s Talkline radio program.

“Today carrying a phone could be a lifesaving situation,” said Beer. “A phone today is not just a tool of business or pleasure.”

Sofer did not have a phone with him when he left Rav Tzvi Kaplan’s yeshiva on Friday to go for a hike in the Jerusalem Forest. Beer hopes that future tragedies could be averted by insisting that all students carry cell phones with them whenever they leave school grounds.
“You dont go to a places like a desert of forest or wherever it is without a phone,” said Beer. “I’m not here to advertise phones, but I’m saying that it could save lives.”

United Hatzalah offers an SOS app that sends out a distress call to United Hatzalah and tracks the user’s location via GPS technology. While the app , which was released after the kidnap and murder of the three Israeli teens in June, is currently available on United Hatzalah’s website for all major smartphones, plans are underway to have it loaded onto kosher phones as well.
“We are looking into new technology and are working with all the major phone companies so that we can pack it into all phones so that every Israeli student can have it,” Beer told VIN News. “I’m not saying that yeshiva students should use their phones every day. But a phone isn’t a luxury. It is a lifesaver.”

Beer noted that with the possible exception of some desert areas, phones with the SOS app should be able to send out distress signals anywhere in the country.
“The majority of the country has cell phone servicBeer also noted that it is crucial to follow safety rules when hiking, which include dressing properly for the Israeli heat and sun.
“Proper shoes are a must,” said Beer. “Dress shoes that you wear in yeshiva have slippery soles and you can’t wear shoes like that to go hiking. You wouldn’t go ice skating in dress shoes and you shouldn’t wear them to go hiking either.”

Beer suggested that anyone going hiking carry a minimum of four liters of water with them to prevent dehydration, something that can be further exacerbated by the typical garb worn by yeshiva students.
“You need clothing that is lighter than the regular clothing you would wear in the beis medrash,” said Beer. “You don’t realize how heat eats you up from the inside when you are wearing black, which collects the heat.
People don’t realize just how hot it gets here and you get dehydrated very, very fast. You need to fight that by wearing white clothing and light clothing. You need a hat, even a baseball cap, but it has to be light colored.”

Finally, Beer added that cell phones are a must-have on any hike.
“If you don’t feel well, chas v’shalom, or if you get lost or for anything that happens, having a phone can save your life,” said Beer.

The SOS app, which is available for free, has been downloaded by 60,000 people since its release, according to The Jerusalem Post. It is for use in Israel only and can be downloaded at http://sos.nowforce.com/?locale=en-us.e, but even in a place where there is no service, police could still search where the phone last had reception further narrowing the search area,” explained Beer.

Saul Klausner of 5 Towns drowns in Vacation Village Pool

 Five Towns man died yesterday afternoon after being found at the bottom of a Loch Sheldrake swimming pool.

Saul Klausner reportedly spent approximately 30 minutes in a hot tub at Vacation Village before going into the swimming pool. He was found at the bottom of the pool at approximately 5 PM by a teenage girl who ran to get help.

Hatzolah, Fallsburg police and New York State troopers all responded to the emergency call and Hatzolah began CPR at Vacation Village. Klausner was transported to the Loch Sheldrake fire station where he was airlifted to St. Francis hospital in Poughkeepsie, where he was pronounced dead.

“They worked on him extensively for a while,” Yanky Meyer of Misaskim who was on the scene told VIN News. “They got a pulse, lost the heartbeat while they were flying and got it going again on the way to St. Francis.”

Klausner, a chazzan who lived in Lawrence  was 71 years old.
Residents of Vacation Village were distraught as word of Klausner’s death spread over Shabbos.
“He was a fine man and it was a pleasure to know him,” said Vacation Village resident Naftali Faska.

Klausner is survived by his wife Susan and two children. The levaya will take place on Sunday at noon at Boulevard-Riverside Chapel in Hewlett

Satmar says that Israel started all the wars with the Arabs!

This week's Der Goy (Der Yid), the Yiddish News weekly published by the Zalonie Faction of Satmar, says, that  all the wars since 1948 until 2014, between Israel and the Arabs, 
were started by the Zionists. 
This they write as a matter of fact. 

Just to be very clear, this is the view of all anti-Semites and the murderous Arab world! Not only that, this is the view of the liberal Reform and Conservative Jews as well.
In fact, there are a lot of similarities between Satmar and the Reform movement, both of them reject Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. The first thing that the Reform movement did was to remove the word Tzion from their siddurim.

So Satmar is now aligned with all haters of Jews!

I will loosely translate the 2 paragraphs of the above article published this weeks issue,Parshas Shoftim!

My comments in red!

" We had previously explained in an earlier article, that all the wars that the State of Israel had with their Arab neighbors, resulted in the spilling of blood, and could have been avoided in most cases.  
(DIN: Tell us one case that any war that Israel had with the blood thirsty Arabs could have been avoided?
1948? When the Arabs attacked Israel? 
1967? When Israel was surrounded by thousands of tanks and Egypt blockaded the Gulf of Akaba?
Read what surrounded Israel on the eve of the 67' war...

When Egypt massed approximately 100,000 of its troops in the Sinai, including all of its seven divisions (four infantry, two armoured and one mechanized), four independent infantry brigades and four independent armoured brigades. No fewer than a third of them were veterans of Egypt's continuing intervention into the Yemen Civil War and another third were reservists. These forces had 950 tanks, 1,100 APCs, and more than 1,000 artillery pieces.

Syria's army had a total strength of 75,000 and amassed them along the Syrian border.

Jordan's army had 55,000 troops and 300 tanks along the Jordanian border, 250 of which were U.S. M48 Pattons, sizable amounts of M113 APCs, a new battalion of mechanized infantry, and a paratrooper battalion trained in the new U.S.-built school. They also had 12 battalions of artillery and six batteries of 81 mm and 120 mm mortars.

Let's skip to the present Gaza war... Hamas was throwing missiles at Israel for over 10 years!

What would Satmar do, if Belz threw missiles from Woodberry Commons at Monroe?

Or if Lubavitch threw Missles into Williamsburg?)

There were many opportunities  [to avoid war],
(DIN: When, tell us when?) but the Zionist haughtiness, drove them to needless war, to show [the world] their prowess, and their ambition. All this [going to needless wars] knowing in advance that this cannot be accomplished without the spilling of blood, and would cost the life of Jewish souls, and that Jewish blood would be spilled.

The Zionist propaganda machine, manipulated the news in their favor, to the Jews living in other parts of the world.
(Din: what are they smoking? The entire media was against Israel)
The victories of the IDF, was magnified and trumped up, but they hid the cost of how many Jewish souls this victory actually cost! How much needless Jewish sacrifices, just for the glory of the politics of an IDF general that led them like sheep to the slaughter.
(Din: Don't get me started on, who led who, "like sheep to the slaughter." Ask thousands of murdered Hungarian Jews who were advised by the Satmar Rebbe to stay in Europe, while Hitler's armies were rounding up all Jews)
And because of this [the action of the IDF general] Jews living in Chulz L'aretz were swayed to the Zionists, they became intoxicated with the false IDF victories and successes , and were caught in the storm of the street, and danced and celebrated."
(DIN: What a sick and perverted comment)

ISIS Commits MASS SLAUGHTER – Murders HUNDREDS of Syrian Soldier Prisoners

Remember the words of  President Hussain Obama

"The most beautiful sound I have ever heard is the Muslim call to evening prayer." 

ISIS TERRORISTS COMMIT ANOTHER MASS SLAUGHTER–
The violent jihadists captured hundreds of Syrian soldiers, marched them mostly naked into the desert and slaughtered them.

Aaron Sofer found dead in Yerushalyim.

The body of Aron Sofer, the 23 year old yeshiva bochur who went missing on Friday, has been found in the Jerusalem Forest in Ein Kerem.

It  has been confirmed that Sofer’s body was located by United Hatzolah volunteers who were among the many that took part in the massive search for the missing Lakewood resident.
“We were going through a completely new area that we hadn’t searched before,” Eli Beer, founder of United Hatzolah told VIN News. “This was east, towards Ein Kerem a few miles away. After about two hours of searching one of our volunteers found him near a tree and he called for help. Other volunteers came and they saw he wasn’t alive, hadn’t been alive for a while.”

Initial reports say that Sofer’s body shows no signs of violence. While Beer said that no details were being released at this time and that it was too early to say whether or not terrorism played a rule in Sofer’s death, it appears not to have been a factor.
“It is impossible to know at this time why he passed away,” said Beer. “He was found whole, on the floor, and had not been alive for some time. There was a small cliff nearby. It could be he fell, it could be he was dehydrated. It is too early to rule anything out but it looks like it was not terrorism.”
Police, Hatzolah and Zaka are all on scene at the location where Sofer’s body was found.

Sofer’s parents were brought to United Hatzolah headquarters in Romema where they were told of their son’s passing.
“He was found a long way from where he disappeared,” said Beer. “No one ever thought that this area was even a possibility.”

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed to the media that authorities were in the process of identifying the body.
Rosenfeld would not say whether there were any signs of foul play.

Reb Mordechai Dovid Ungar, Rebbe from Bobov 45 Wants Peace! Video

Maybe Moshiach will finally come!

 Reb Mordechai Dovid Unger the "Bobover Rebbe" of 45th Street lost the Din Torah, and will no longer be called Bobover Rebbe. Inside reports suggest that he is ready to accept the Bais Din's decision and wants Shalom with his uncle, Reb Ben Zion Halberstam, the Bobover Rebbe from 48th Street!

The pressure is now on the Satmar Brothers to make peace, but I hear that they will sooner make peace with the Zionists before they talk to each other!
I'ts not in their DNA to make Shalom, since none of their ancestors going all the way up to Yerovom ben Navot, ever entertained making peace with any of the presumed enemies!
So if that ever happens, I will grab my wide gartle, and purple socks and run towards the guy on the donkey and yell at the top of my lungs "Moshiach, You are finally here!"

Video of Aaron Sofer taking Light Rail to Hike!

It's not Iron Dome [saving us] it's Hashem

By Guest Writer :The Jewish Worker

So writes Chaim Cohen in a column on the Charedi website Kikar Shabat. He is upset that all we hear about in the news is praise for Iron Dome and that no one gets up and says that we are being saved by Hashem in the merit of our Torah learning and mitzvos. He even claims that Hamas believe this quoting an interview on CNN where he claims that someone from Hamas said that their rockets are very accurate and that 80% of the rockets are diverted to uninhabited areas by your god.

I have a few issues with this article
.
1. Why is it that when it comes to the good things done by the government they always come from Hashem but yet the bad things are always from the government? 

If you really believe that Iron Dome has little to no role in protecting us, it is all from hashem then where is that faith when it comes to other things like government money? 

Why scream, kick and yell when the government cuts funding, after all that also comes from Hashem? 

Why bring in the top heart specialist to treat R' Elyashiv (see Should we go to the best doctor?) when everything is from Hashem?


2. As many people pointed out in the comments on Kikar Shabbat, there was no such interview on CNN, it looks like he simply made it up. The claim that their rockets are accurate is laughable and ridiculous. Everyone knows that their rockets are very inaccurate especially the home made ones and therefore 80% landing in uninhabited areas is perfectly reasonable.


3. Where is the Hakaros Hatov to the soldiers and the defense establishment? 
Soldiers are dying in Gaza protecting him and his family and is pontificating about having faith.


4. His argument is silly. He can claim anything but he has no way to prove it.

Updated 10:30PM

R' Aviner has what I believe is a much truer Torah perspective. He says that we need to understand that Iron Dome is from Hashem. He quotes a Ran in his Derashos (10) where the Ran explains that in truth a person should be able to say that כחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה because we see that different people have different talents and some people are truly gifted. However, the Torah tells us that we need to remember that these כוחות are from Hashem and therefore ultimately it is all from hashem. This is the way that we need to look at Iron Dome, Hashem gave the Jews who built the system the intelligence and skill to build it. Therefore, Iron Dome is itself a נס  and worthy of praise.

Part 2

The article  It's not Iron Dome [saving us] it's Hashem, where Chaim Cohen claimed that Hashem is diverting the Hamas rockets to non-inhabited areas and that our hishtadlus (Iron Dome) has little to no effect, started me thinking about this question. 

The article is perfect example of the current Charedi approach that a leaf doesn't fall without it being decreed from heaven (see my post Hashgocha Pratis, what does it mean? for an elaboration of this). I believe that this shita has taken over the Charedi world in the last 50 years for the following reasons:

1. It is theologically simple. It is a very black and white answer which fits into the current Charedi mindset and it promotes emuna peshuta
2. It is as the Chinuch wrote far-removed from the intellect, which fits the current anti-intellectual climate
3. It fits very well with a Torah only mindset. If everything (even a leaf falling) is from Hashem then Torah only makes a lot of sense. Everything else doesn't count anyway.

While this shita is certainly legitimate and has it's sources, it creates a lot of serious questions about man's role in the world. 

Basically, according to this shita, man has no real role in the world. This world is simply a test and nothing that man does has any real effect (see R'Dessler). 

The problem is that we see with our own eyes that this isn't true. Of course R' Dessler says that we are simply mistaken and it is all a test, but I think that most people have a very hard time with this. We see that people take initiative and do things and do have success. People work hard and get promoted for their hard work, get good grades and based on that get high paying jobs, etc. While this shita may have made sense for people in earlier times when man had basically no control over anything, today, when we do have limited control, and we can see the direct results of our actions this shita is much more difficult to accept.

In fact, even in the real Haredi world we find that this shita is not accepted when it comes to certain things, medicine for example. 

Haredim many times move mountains to see the top specialist in the field (for a famous case see Should we go to the best doctor?). However, according to R' Dessler (and the Chazon Ish) this really should be considered too much השתדלות and a lack of בטחון.After all, Hashem is doing the healing not the surgeon and once we have done our השתדלות, going to the doctor and having the surgery, why should it matter whether the surgeon is the best in the world or simply Joe surgeon who is competent? As long as we do our השתדלות to avoid requiring a נס, the rest is a גזירה מן השמים. If the גזירה is that the surgery will be successful, then it will be successful even if done by the average surgeon, and if the גזירה is that it won't be successful then it won't help that you have the best surgeon.

In fact, what does it actually mean that someone is considered the best surgeon? After all, הכל בידי שמים, our success is actually an illusion to make it look like it is our skill. In fact, our success in worldly matters is simply a גזירה מן השמים so the fact that he successfully operated is not due to his skill but due to the גזירה מן השמים. This is essence Chaim Cohens claim against Iron Dome, all hishtadlus is simply an illusion and doesn't really matter.

There is however, a different approach, that while there certainly is hashgacha in the world, man also has the ability to take initiative and accomplish things. As I pointed out yesterday, the Ran in his Derashos (10) explains that in truth a person can say that כחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה as long as he recognizes that his raw talents come from Hashem. because we see that different people have different talents and some people are truly gifted. With this approach, Hashem has given every person certain כוחות and it is up to us to use those כוחות in the world. According to this approach, Iron Dome itself is from Hashem because he gave the designers and implementers the intellect and skill to build it. However, it didn't just come down from heaven, people had to actually use their initiative and skills to make it happen.

This is much more theologically complex position, but ultimately one that fits in much better with the way we see the world working and I believe gives more meaning to what we do in our lives.

Hamodia reader very upset that the newspaper referred to the Israeli Army as כוחותינו, our forces

Translation in English

"The Real Power"

"As subscribers to your important newspaper, Hamodia, the newspaper of Charedi Jewry, I was very surprised to see time after time during the military operation the words, "our forces" ...

It is important to point out that we never relied on or put our trust in flesh and blood and our true forces are -- only Torah learning and the students who learn Torah.

The Jewish Worker Blog 

Says that  this letter is idiotic for a number of reasons:

1. The fact is that whether you like it or not, the soldiers are fighting for every Jew who lives in Israel and if given the chance Hamas would slaughter the Haredim just as much as they would slaughter any other Jews.
2. Did Moshe Rabbenu not raise an army to fight Amalek, Midyan, etc.? Did Yehoshua, Dovid Hamelech etc. not fight wars? Why didn't they just sit and learn? The answer is very simple, we need to do our hishtadlus when it comes to war (just like anything else) and that means having an army and fighting. Why does the writer see a contradiction between our army and faith in Hashem?
3. Why can't the writer show a little hakaros hatov to those who are putting their lives on the line so that he can sit and learn?

Source: Kikar Shabbat

New York City: Anti-Semitic thugs rough up Jewish couple, drive off flying “Palestinian” flags

Islamic Jew-hatred is becoming increasingly open, increasingly violent, and increasingly common. 

What will Mayor de Blasio do? 
Convene a task force to combat “Islamophobia”?

“Thugs rough-up Jewish couple, drive off flying Palestinian flags,”
by Aaron Feis, New York Post, August 26, 2014:

A gang of anti-Semitic thugs roughed up a Jewish man and his wife on the Upper East Side on Monday evening before fleeing in cars flying Palestinian flags, police sources told The Post.

Two cars and multiple motorcycles pulled up to the couple on East 63rd Street near Third Avenue just after 8 p.m., and the assailants began yelling “anti-Jewish statements,” the sources said.

One of the goons threw a water bottle that hit the wife, and the 27-year-old husband was punched in the side of his head when he came to her defense, according to law enforcement sources.

Police sources said the creeps then raced back to their waiting vehicles, some of which bore Palestinian flags, and took off.
The victims, who live in the area but were not identified by authorities, were not seriously injured and refused medical attention at the scene.

The hate crimes task force is investigating the assault, and police sources said that the victim may have been targeted because he was wearing a yarmulke.

There were no arrests as of early Tuesday morning and a description of the suspects was not immediately available.

Jimmy Carter To Give Keynote Speech At Muslim Convention In Detroit

On Monday, The Toledo Blade reported that former President Jimmy Carter, the same President who accused Israel of practicing apartheid and called for the U.S to "legitimize" Hamas, will be giving the keynote speech at the 51st annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) held in Detroit this Friday, September 1st.

The speech will be held at a luncheon August 30th.

That very same evening, a session will be held titled, "Generations Rise: Elevating Muslim-American Culture," the same title as the conference's theme, where ISNA's outgoing President, Imam Mohamed Magid and four other Muslim speakers will offer ideas over Muslim-American advancement over the next five years. 

A "secret special guest" is also billed to appear, no indications are made whether that will be Carter or not.

At the convention's opening session Friday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, the national leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will make remarks. 

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim member of Congress, will also be speaking Saturday.

Missing American yeshiva student’s family demands IDF intervention

Three days after being reported missing in the Jerusalem Forest while hiking with a friend, the family of 23-year-old American yeshiva student Aaron Sofer said they are dissatisfied with the progress of the search, and demanded military intervention.

Despite hundreds of police officers, volunteers and the emergency response and rescue organizations ZAKA and United Hatzalah actively searching for Sofer since Saturday, no clues as to his whereabouts have surfaced as of Monday evening.

“A physically, mentally and emotionally healthy young man does not go missing for 72 hours,” said Sofer family spokesman, Dov Hirth on Monday. “The family is not satisfied with the way the search and rescue operation has been handled thus far.”

Moreover, Hirth cited the Muhammad Abu Khdeir murder in the same forest last month, allegedly by Jewish assailants, compounded by heightened tensions with Palestinians, as cause for alarm.

“It’s well known that a murder took place in that forest, and especially with the ongoing tensions with Palestinians, we feel there should be a military presence and involvement in the search for Aaron,” he said.

Sofer, who is haredi and from Lakewood, New Jersey, was last seen in the Beit Zayit area of the woods Friday morning, before he and a friend became separated while navigating a steep incline.

Concerned after not reuniting with him several hours later, the unidentified friend contacted police to file a missing person’s report, which led to the intensive manhunt, as well as Sofer’s parents flying to Israel to aid in the growing search.

While the manhunt initially generated numerous headlines, Hirth said the family is now concerned that the story has since lost traction.

“The fact of the matter is we have a young man missing for no apparent reason, and it was on page one of all the newspapers and then the coverage just stopped,” he said. “This needs to continue to be a major story.”

Police describe Sofer as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, slender, with a close-cropped red beard, wearing glasses, a white shirt, yalmuka and black trousers at the time of his disappearance.

Anyone with information that may assist in locating Sofer has been asked to call 02-5391520, or the Israel Police hotline at 100.

Neo-Nazis don't like herring, Video

Maybe they think herring is a Jewish fish.

A group of neo-Nazis complained that they were assaulted with herring during a rally in Sweden.

The party of the Swedes held three rallies over the weekend without much opposition.

However, in Gothenburg, the public threw stinky herring at some members. A large police force guarded the event. Officials estimate that about 2,300 people showed up at Gotaplatsen Square to protest.

On Saturday, a demonstration against the neo-Nazi party spiraled out of control as police and protesters clashed leading to several injuries.

Ten people were taken to a hospital, five with serious injuries with one of them requiring treatment in the emergency room. Police arrested six people after taking dozens into custody.

An estimated 1,500 people gathered at Limhamn Square in Malmo, to protest a planned appearance by the leader of the party of the Swedes.

Finally the conclusion of the Bobov Psak Din

Reb Shlomo center, with his 2 sons, Reb Naftalche on left, Reb Benzion right

Reb Mordacha D Ungar left with Reb Benzion right, in better days

This fight is over 9 years old.

Reb Benzion Halberstam the son of Reb Shlomo Halberstam took his brother-in-law Reb Mordechai Dovid Unger to secular court, because R' Ungar called himself the "Bobover Rebbe". 
Reb Benzion, felt, that since he was  the son of the Reb Shlomo, he had the exclusive right to call himself "Bobover Rebbe".

So here is a bit of history made very simple:
Reb Shlomo Halberstam, had two sons: Reb Naftalche who was the B'chor, and Reb Benzion.

When Reb Shlomo was niftar in the year, 2,000, naturally Reb Naftalche became Bobover Rebbe. 
Reb Benzion the other son and brother, was called "Rav Hatzoer" "the younger Rebbe." 

But then, just 5 years into his reign, Reb Naftalche passed on without any sons; he only had daughters.

His youngest son-in-law, Reb Mordechai Dovid Ungar, now claimed that he was next in line to be Bobover rebbe,
 Reb Benzion said "no dice" "I'm the Rebbe, period!"

Followers of  both sides began to grab the Bobover properties, worth in the millions of dollars. 
There were fist fights between the followers of both camps. 

So finally, Reb Benzion took his brother-in-law to Bais Din, but Bais Din wasn't coming to any resolution's that was satisfactory to any of the parties, and Bais Din was dragging their feet, so they went to Secular Court, in violation of our Holy Torah in Parshas Mispatim!
But the Gentile Judge told the Holy Rabbis, that as Holy Rabbis they should go to Bais Din to resolve their differences!

So each side appointed one Rabbi and both of these Rabbis appointed an impartial third Rabbi to adjudicate the case!

After 9 years they concluded that Reb Benzion is the genuine Bobover Rebbe, and Reb Mordachi Dovid Unger can no longer call himself Bobover Rebbe, Reb Benzion keeps all the properties, just that Reb Benzion must give 6.5, million dollars to Ungar payable over 5 years.

Of course, Reb MD Ungar's camp is screaming "fowl" and says that the Bais Din was biased, even though he himself chose a Rabbi to advocate his position and that this Rabbi chose the third impartial Rabbi!


The following are some of the important highlights:

· Only R' Benzion Halberstam Shlita, the son of R' Shloime Halberstam Zatzal, can be called the "Bobov Ruv and Bobov Rebbe".

· R' Mordechai Dovid Unger and R' Shia Rubin may not be called "Bobov Ruv and Rebbe". This applies to the US and everywhere else in the world.

· It is the responsibility of Rabbis Unger and Rubin to make sure that they are not so called in any way shape or form. They must inform all newspapers and make sure that they are never so announced at weddings or anywhere else.

· It is further their responsibility to make sure that whenever someone refers to "Bobov", it is understand unequivocally to mean the faction of R' Halberstam.

· R' Unger and Rubin have the option to call themselves with an additional name of a town along with the name of Bobov, so long as the new town name comes before "Bobov". (For example they may choose to be called "Sanz Bobov" or "Rupshits Bobov". They also have the option to choose to call themselves "Bobov 45"). They must quickly choose their name. Once their choice is made, that name will become final and they may never change to a different name along with the name Bobov.

· The Unger faction may not call their Moisdos and Corporations by any of the names being currently used by Bobov. Including but not limited to: Kehal Sharei Zion, Yeshivah Bnei Zion, Bnos Zion, Mesivta Eits Chaim, Kollel Zichron Chaim, Ameidei Zion, Camps Shalva and Gila.
·
· The Unger faction must change their Emblems. And they may not use the same uniform for the girls as Bobov is currently using.

· EVERY SINGLE Bobov asset belongs to the faction of R' Halberstam. Including but not limited to the following buildings: New Beis Medrash, Old Beis medrash, Yeshiva buildings on 48 and 42nd streets, Mesivta buildings, Bnos Zion Buildings, Kerem Shloime Building, Mesivta camp in the Poconos, Camps Shalva, Kerem Shloime and Camp Gila.

· The Unger faction shall receive $6.2 million - to be paid out over a period of 5 years. 

R' Yoel Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe said that it's far better to Violate the Shabbos or to bow to a cross than to vote in Israeli Elections!

Loose Translation of a conversation with R' Yoel Teitelbaum z"l in reference to Israeli elections!

They were trying to convince the Rebbe, to give his blessings to have  his followers vote, so they would have more influence in Israeli politics.

"As soon as the Rebbe zy"a heard these words, he became totally enraged. His holy face became red like fire, and banged hard on the table and said with a holy fire:

"This is final, I won't speak any further, It is prohibited to vote in the elections! Do you know why?

Because the holy Torah say so!"

While uttering these words, the Rebbe again banged very hard on the table and fell back into his chair.... and said:

"Do you know what I am going to tell you" the Rebbe raised his holy hand and pointed with his finger and said:

"better to smoke 20 cigarettes on Shabbos then to vote once in the elections."

The Rebbe continued, and again raised his hand :

  "And I will add one more thing, better to bow down 5 times to a cross then to vote once in the elections."

Then the Rebbe pointed with his fingers toward the 3 book shelves and said: "The Holy Torah says this!""

DIN: I just did a Bar-Ilan search on the entire Torah, and didn't see anywhere that you cannot vote in the Israeli Elections!

What I did find is that one is prohibited to violate the shabbos and one is prohibited to bow down to the avodah zara.

And what I did see is that the Agudah (Moetzes Gedoilei Ha'Torah) required every one to vote and so did Rav Shach, who had his own party. Ger, Belz, Chabad, Kloizenberg, Bobov, Rav Ovadia Yosef who had his own party, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Eliyashav, Reb Chaim Kanievsky all advocated voting in the elections!

So did they all violate the non-existent Halacha? 

Or was the Satmar Rebbe the only one at Har Sinai, and in his Torah it says, that you cannot vote in Israeli Elections?

Or was the Satmar Rebbe at Har Sinai and the rest of us on another mountain? 

5-Year-Old Child Struck & Killed By Vehicle In Woodridge UPDATED!

Tragedy has struck the Catskills on Sunday afternoon, when a 5-year-old girl, Rivka Weinman,  was struck and killed by a vehicle in the town of Woodridge.

 The child was struck by a vehicle in front of Village Park Bungalow Colony on Tabaczynski Road around 3:00PM.

Catskills Hatzolah rushed to the scene and did everything they could to save the child’s life. 

Unfortunately, she was Niftar shortly after arriving at Catskill Regional Medical Center (Harris Hospital).
The Woodridge Police Department is on the scene investigating the incident. They are being assisted by the Sullivan County Sheriff Department and the NY State Police.

UPDATE: 

The Levaya of Rivka Weinman A”H will tentatively be taking place at 11:30 PM this evening in Lakewood at the 7th Street Chapel.

Police launch intensive manhunt in Jerusalem Forest for missing American yeshiva student

Less than 48 hours after being reported missing Friday evening in the Jerusalem Forest, helicopters, canines and hundreds of police officers and volunteers are scouring the area to search for 23-year-old American yeshiva student Aaron Sofer.

According to police, Sofer, who is haredi and from Lakewood, New Jersey, had been hiking in the Beit Zayit area of the woods with a friend Friday morning when they reportedly became separated while navigating a steep incline.

Concerned after not finding Sofer several hours later, the unidentified friend contacted police to file a missing person’s report, which has led to the intensive manhunt, as well as Sofer’s parents flying to Israel on Sunday to aid in the growing search.

Asked if police suspect the Torah Academy student’s disappearance may be terrorist related, national spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said “all directions are being looked into.”
“It’s not clear yet as to what has happened,” he said. “In the meantime, police have set up a command center at the foot of the forest to aid in the search.”

Emergency response and rescue organizations, ZAKA and United Hatzalah, have also joined the manhunt in the woods since Shabbat. Additionally, surrounding neighborhoods, including Ein Kerem and Bayit Vegan, are being searched.

Police describe Sofer as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, slender, with a close-cropped red beard, wearing glasses, a white shirt, yalmuka and black trousers at the time of his disappearance.

The Jerusalem Forest made international headlines last month after the badly burned corpse of Muhammad Abu Khdeir was found there following an alleged revenge murder for the three yeshiva students murdered by Hamas operatives in June.
Police have requested that anyone with information that may assist in locating Sofer call 02-5391520, or the Israel Police hotline at 100.