Nazi Murderer of Jews Living Peacefully In Queens

Jakiw Palij (left) is seen outside his Queens home in 2006. At age 92, he's the last known former Nazi concentration camp guard still living in the U.S.

They have not forgotten. 

The Queens home of Jakiw Palij — the last known Nazi concentration camp guard still living in the United States — was the site Monday of a massive demonstration by yeshiva students commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Students from the Long Island-based Rambam Mesivta, a private Jewish high school in Lawrence, L.I., protested in front of Palij’s two-story, brick Jackson Heights home.

“It is outrageous that a Nazi who is involved in killing thousands of innocent men, women and children should be able to walk the same streets that we do,” said Rambam Mesivta senior Benjamin Kattan, 17, who helped organize the protest.

While Palij, 92, lives on Social Security checks on a quiet Queens street, victims who suffered in concentration camps continue to have nightmares about their horror.

“That these events took place generations ago when neither I nor my classmates were born, does not take away from our obligation to remember what evil is and to forcefully speak out against it,” Benjamin added.

Though local residents describe Palij as a nice elderly man, demonstrators reminded neighbors that Palij was a cog in the evil wheel of genocide, guarding a death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland in 1943 where 6,000 Jews were killed.

Eli Rosenbaum, the nation’s top Nazi hunter who directs a special justice department investigation unit, once called Palij “an essential component in the machinery of annihilation.”

Palij, who worked at the Treblinka concentration camp in Poland, was adjudicated in U.S. courts as a Nazi war criminal.

The Justice Department said Palij also worked at the nearby Trawinki training camps for secret service troops who would carry out the extermination of Polish Jews.

A federal judge ordered Palij deported in 2004, but none of the three European countries to which he could be sent — Germany, Poland and Ukraine — wanted to take him.

He moved to the U.S. in 1949, claiming at the time to be a farmer. He became a citizen in 1957.

In court papers, Palij has denied any wrongdoing — claiming he and other young men in his Polish hometown were coerced into working for the Nazi occupiers.

Palij did not appear to be home during Monday’s protest and could not be reached for comment.

People who live near Palij — some weary of the protests that have become a ritual over the years — described Palij as a good neighbor.

“I knew he was a Nazi,” said one neighbor, a 31-year-old man who did not want to be named. “You hear things. I wasn’t surprised since the protesters come every year. I see him sometimes. He’s old, you know? I try to help him sometimes. He usually stays inside. He’s a nice guy. He’s always been a nice guy to me.

“Just because he was in the war doesn’t mean he hates people. He doesn’t do nothing around here. He doesn’t harm anyone. He barely comes out. We’re all puppets. I’m a puppet, you’re a puppet. Maybe his country just made him do those things. Who knows, man.”

The school’s dean, Rabbi Zev Friedman, said he isn’t swayed by time or age — especially as the window for justice is closing.

“He’s 92,” Friedman said. “People will ask me, why not leave him alone? He was 20 years old when these crimes took place. I view him as a 20-year-old murderer that got away with crimes for 72 years, not a 92-year-old nice old man.

“If Osama Bin Laden moved into the neighborhood, we wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, he’s an old man, leave him alone.’ He’s a murderer!” 

Throw Away the Food that a Fly Lands On!

Spring and summer may herald warm weather and sunshine, but it also harks the arrival of irritating flies that try to land on your food.

And it turns out there are some very good reasons why most people try to shoo them away before they can land on a dish.

Though many people just think they are a minor annoyance, it turns out the insects are actually loaded with germs that could pose a serious threat to your health.

Not only that, a fly will almost always vomit on your food when it lands on it.

Flies on average carry more than 200 forms of harmful bacteria thanks to the disgusting things they tend to land on, such as rotting food and fecal matter, a pest control expert has revealed. 

It's the thousands of tiny hairs on the arms and legs of a fly that mean those dangerous germs can transfer to your food if a fly lands on it.

'They only need to touch your food for a second for their legs or the tiny hairs all over their bodies to transfer germs from all those nasty things they eat onto what you are eating,' said Ron Harrison, an entomologist and technical services director at Orkin pest control.

'And since flies can transfer serious, contagious diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, it is probably best if you avoid eating things that a fly lands on.'

That's not to mention what a fly actually does when it lands on your food.

You may have heard that the creatures relieve their bowels when they land on their food. 

But what they actually do is just as disgusting.

Flies will almost always vomit on your food if they land on it. 

The insects can't chew, so they eject digestives enzymes onto the food before eating it up again.

So next time a fly lands on your food, it's best to cut off the part it has touched and just throw it away to avoid consuming the insect's germs. 

A Miracle Staring Us In The Face

by Shmuel Sackett, chairman of Zehut International.

Try this test. Ask 100 fellow Jews the following simple question; What’s the next Jewish holiday? I would imagine that 90 of them will answer, “Shavuot” while nine will say, “Lag B’Omer.” That would amount to 99 wrong answers.

The real answer is: Yom Ha’Atzmaut. 

This year, this very special holiday will be celebrated on May 2, just two weeks afterPesach. And contrary to what you may have learned, this is a very holy day on which we must thank Hashem and, without a doubt, sayHallel. Some people follow the halachic opinion that Hallel should be said with a beracha, while others maintain it should be said without it. I have no problem with those who follow the latter opinion. What I do have a problem with are people who omit Hallel completely – because it is not just Hallel they are ignoring but all the miracles Hashem performed for our nation since 1948.

How can we be so stubborn and blind? How can one not see Tanach’s prophecies coming true? How can so many religious Jews deny the events of the last 70 years and simply brush them off like dandruff? How can we be so ungrateful to our Father in Heaven? Simply put, I believe that not recognizing the establishment of the modern State of Israel as a heavenly miracle constitutes one of the greatest desecrations of G-d’s Name in history. We were given a gift and threw it back in G-d’s face. Our people experienced a national “revival of the dead” yet we crawled back to the grave. What a horrible thing we did.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that today’s Israel is perfect but I see it as a new baby that was given, after many years, to a childless couple. How many tears did the couple shed? How many prayers did they say? How many dreams did they have? And then – finally – after so many years, a child is born! What joy! What praises to Hashem! But wait… the child doesn’t walk and he doesn’t talk. He can’t even add 1+1… why are the parents so happy?

One word: potential. The parents thank Hashem for giving them the gift of life and the trust and responsibility that they will turn that life into a loyal servant of the King of Kings. They look at their little baby and see the amazing potential he/she has. With the right education and values, that spitting, diaper-wearing, crying baby will turn into a full-fledged Torah observant Jew who can change the world… and they have been put in charge to make it happen. How can’t they be happy and thank Hashem?

I see the modern State of Israel as the exact same thing – but on a national level. How many tears did our people shed asking – no, begging – Hashem for Him to bring us back home? How many prayers were said – when Jews meant every word – to end the bitter exile? And then, that childless nation that cried for 2,000 years was given the gift of life. A return to Zion! Hashem put His trust in us that we would take His precious gift and turn it into the land of milk and honey. Hashem knows that we can do it! Yes, this “child” is still an infant (what is 69 years when compared to the age of other countries?), but what an incredible job we have done!

Consider this: There is more Torah learning today in the State of Israel than ever before in Jewish history! A new Jewish baby is born in Israel every four minutes! Biblical prophecies have come to life! Towns where our forefathers lived, such as Hebron, Bet El, and Shilo, are replete with children, shuls, mikvehs and thousands of fruit trees! A Jewish army has been established – the first in 2,000 years – where every base is kosher. In Israel, 97 percent of boys receive a bris, 80 percent of Jews fast on Yom Kippur, 90 percent had a seder on Pesach, and 100 percent of the banks, businesses, stock markets, and government offices are closed on all Jewish holidays! Perfect? No. But deserving of praise to our Father who gave us this gift? Definitely yes!

That is why Yom Ha’Atzmaut is a holiday – a real holiday on which we should dress accordingly and thank Hashem with words of Torah, prayers, song, and, of course, Hallel. But wait… there’s actually a second holiday between Pesach and Shavuos and it’s called Yom Yerushalayim. This year, Yom Yerushalayim comes out on May 24, one week before Shavuos. This year, we will be thanking Hashem for 50 years since His holy messengers – the IDF – liberated the city from the enemy during the Six-Day War. In addition, it is also 50 years since we have control of Yehuda and Shomron! Fity years since we liberated the Jordan Valley and the Golan Heights! More thanks to Hashem are necessary! Once again, we must say Hallel on this day to praise and thank our King for allowing us to enter more of His palace than before.

Dearest friends, we need to live with our eyes open to see the wonders of Hashem. Today’s modern State of Israel is a living, breathing miracle of the highest order. To not recognize and acknowledge the priceless gift that Hashem gave us is one of the biggest crimes we can commit. I shake when I think of the punishment that will come to those who “return” this gift to the store. Make sure you are not one of those people. On these two days – these two Yom Tovs – increase your Torah learning, praise Hashem with Hallel and extra prayers, dress like Shabbos, and have a festive meal with wine. In that spirit, may Hashem give us part II of His amazing gift: the Beit HaMikdash and the restoration of the Davidic dynasty. May it happen soon!

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU FULL ONE-ON-ONE EXPLOSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SEAN HANNITY

Auerbach Terrorist "Rabbi" Spokesman Says ‏'Better for your children to die than to join the IDF'

Rebbitzen Friedman

A "rabbi" affiliated with the Peles Faction stupidity declared Thursday night that it was preferable for one’s child to die rather than to see them enlist in the IDF.

R' Tzvi Friedman, a member of the anti-Zionist Terrorist Yerushalmi Faction, spoke at a gathering of parasites in a makeshift yeshiva outside of Army Prison 6, near Atlit on the northern coast.

The Yerushalmi Faction eschews not only haredi service in the IDF, but encourages its followers not to seek deferments from service as yeshiva students, breaking with the mainstream haredi approach to the draft.

Since the establishment of the state in 1948, full-time yeshiva students have been given deferments from army service, allowing most haredi men to avoid enlisting. Religious women are exempt from service.

Now, however, the Terrorist Yerushalmi Faction, under the aegis of the aging terrorist Shmuel Auerbach, has called upon yeshiva students not to recognize the army induction offices and to decline to register for deferments, and to instead allow themselves to be arrested.

A number of yeshiva students who answered the Yerushalmi Faction’s call have been arrested in recent months as draft-dodgers, and sent to military prisons across Israel, including Prison 6.

The Yerushalmi Faction has used the arrests as the pretext for mass demonstrations and road blockings across Israel.

During his idotic talk with terrorist supporters at the yeshiva outside of Prison 6,Friedman espoused a hardline stance against service in the IDF, telling parents enlistment was a worse fate for their children than death, Kikar Hashabbat reported.

“Every mother in Israel needs to know that if her son or daughter goes to the army, death would be preferable,” Friedman, the dope, said.

Friedman also bizarrely compared Israel to authoritarian communist regimes like North Korea and Cuba.

“We all feel like we’re in the prison, this only happens in lowly communist countries.”

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Pit Bull Whose Owner Was Warned Mauls Frum Monsey Boy

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A shocking video posted to social media appears to show a dog brutally attacking a 3-year-old boy on a upstate New york street Thursday afternoon.

The toddler can be seen in the footage playing with a group of friends outside a residence in Spring Valley in Rockland County when a black dog suddenly charges at him from across the street.

The friends scatter in fear as the black dog chomps down on the boy and drags him along the pavement, leaving him with a bloody puncture wound on his neck and deep scratches on his cheek, a photo posted to Twitter shows.

The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital where his condition was unknown late Thursday, according to News 12.

The dog was reportedly returned to its owner. The Spring Valley police department is looking into the bloody incident to determine whether the dog has a history of violence.

The unidentified victim is a young Jewish boy, according to the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council of Hudson Valley.

The dog's owner has let it out without a collar multiple times in recent weeks, the council said in a statement.

"Neighbors say they have called the Spring Valley PD about this multiple times but little action has been taken," the council said, identifying the dog as a pit bull.

The Holy Quran!

Chareidi Father Of 8 Delays El Al Takeoff From Tel Aviv Over Movie Screens

It seems that the Matza has gone directly to the heads of crazy mishigoim. 

A chareidi father of eight detained a flight from Tel Aviv to Kiev as it was preparing for takeoff. 

The flight was a low-cost El Al affiliate, UP, which was scheduled to fly to Kiev. The flight was delayed for over an hour as he insisted the cabin crew close the movie screens which was visible.

Passengers explain that some on board worked to persuade the man to back down, as did members of the cabin crew but he persisted despite all efforts to allay the situation.

The passengers add there were many chareidim on board, and they told him “sit down because you are making a major Chilul Hashem” but he would not adhere to their words.

At the end, he agreed to wear his eye mask, and he was given sufficient number for all of his children as well.

El Al officials confirm it was UP flight LY2654 to Kiev and that the passenger was insistent regarding demands to fold down the screens. When the passenger finally agreed to be seated the flight could take off as he and his family members had their eyes covered.

Auerbach Calles On his Terrorists to Fight a "Milchemes Mitzvah" To Continue To Disrupt the Lives of Frum Jews!

All the Reporters of the Nazi Auerbach Rag "Hapeles" are in Jail awaiting arraignment, but they managed to put out one page announcement encouraging the sheep to continue the battle to disrupt ambulances from getting to victims or to hospitals.

Orthodox Families Won’t Identify Mohels Who Gave Babies Herpes, NYC Health Spokesman Says ....Don't Care if Other Babies Get Brain Damage

The New York City Health Department said it cannot complete an investigation into who infected four infants with herpes through an Orthodox circumcision rite because the boys’ families will not identify the mohels.

“Unfortunately, some in the community are resistant to sharing the name of the mohels,” Health Department spokesman Christopher Miller told DNAinfo New York on Tuesday. “This is a very insular community.”

According to DNAinfo, six families in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, have seen children contract herpes since 2015 from metzitzah b’peh, which involves the ritual circumciser, or mohel, cleaning the circumcision wound by oral suction. Among the six families, only two have provided the names of their mohels, Miller said.

In March, the city ordered those two mohels to stop performing metzitzah b’peh. A herpes infection in a newborn baby can cause brain damage and death.

Rabbi David Niederman, head of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn, told DNAinfo that the community was “fully cooperating” with the investigation. However, an unnamed source said the community is skeptical about the allegations against the two named mohels because it believes the city wants to make all metzitzah b’peh illegal.

“That’s why we’re not willing to give out the mohels. We know the city is going to ban them without giving them due process,” the source said. “There is not proof that they actually infected the baby.”

Eida Hachreidis Gives Hashgacha On Chumetz

This candy bar has an Hashgacha of the "Bedatz" an offshoot of the Eida Hachreidis..... We all know that that all Hashgacha scandals are perpetrated by the Chareidishe Hashgachos and here is another example of their incompetence .....

See the "Kosher Le'Pesach" label on the right and see the ingrediants listing "20ppm Gluten" ...

Gluten and Water are Chumetz!

Here in the USA, anyone with a brain would not rely on "Heimishe Hashgachos" the Mashgichim are by in large clueless, cannot read English....have no knowledge in the science of food and rely on the OU!

But if you ask the big beards of the Hisachdus Ha'Ganuvim, they would say that OU is treif.....

People have been fed the "Heimishe Hashgacha" lies, that they are the only reliable hashgacha ...... 

The truth is that this is a huge business that is basically run by Fakes, Frauds & Phonies ......... if the restaurant has a Heimishe Hashgacha ...run for your life ..... 

The Nirbarter that calls himself the best hashgacha became a multi millionare  on the backs of the naive sheep that follow his hashgacha..

The Nirbarter will not except Rav Weismandel's Hashgacha, Rav Steinmetz's Hashagacha, eventhough they are all Heimish ......

To him Gefen and Lieber Products are Chazir Treif because he is not the Baal Hamachshir .....

Insist on an OU .....

3 Jewish Youths Lost At Sea For Six Days Found Dead At Kinneret, Funeral Held

Funerals were held on Tuesday for Nachman Itach, 21, and Liron Karadi, 17, who drowned in Lake Kinneret last week and whose bodies were found on Monday.

Meanwhile, police located the body of the last missing youth, Itamar Ohana, 19, on Tuesday.

“Nachman, where did you go Nachman? Who will look after me?” Itach’s mother said at the Har Hamenuhot cemetery in Jerusalem.

“Death came from the window, like a thief. From where did this blow come to us?” Itach’s uncle, Yaakov, said at the funeral.

Hananel, Itach’s sister, told Army Radio on Monday that, “We know that he is no longer alive; we only want a grave to visit him.”

Itach and his girlfriend were swept away on an inflatable mattress, which flipped over. A civilian on a jet ski rescued the woman but failed to rescue Itach.

The three youth went missing in separate incidents while lounging on inflatable mattresses on Lake Kinneret last Wednesday.

Hundreds attended the funeral of Karadi, in Or Akiva, who left behind his parents and two brothers.

“What did you do to your father? I waited for you day and night by the water, waiting for you to arrive,” Karadi’s father, Ofer, said. “God in heaven, answer me, why take him? How could such a thing happen? Why, the Creator, why did you do this to me?” Karadi was lounging with friends when they drifted out to sea and their inflatable mattress exploded, police said. One of them was rescued by one of the same civilians on a jet ski. Karadi’s body was located on Monday at a depth of approximately 25 meters.

On Tuesday, Ohana’s parents spoke to Channel 2 as they anxiously waited on the shore of the Kinneret for updates on the police search effort. “What’s going on with Mom? Mother does not sleep, we do not sleep, we are barely eating, barely drinking, it’s hard,” Ohana’s mother, Rachel said. “We try to stop the tears because there are other brothers here; we are trying to calm the emotions.”

Ohana was with two other teenagers when they were swept away by the strong winds. The two others were able to save themselves, police said, but Ohana drowned.

According to Ohana’s parents, their son helped save the two others. “The boy did a holy job here; he saved two of his friends,” Ohana’s father, Shimon said.

“I never let him go alone, he always went out with us,” Shimon said. “He asked to go and said, ‘I have a birthday party.’ I told him I had cut the cord.”

The search for Ohana concentrated on the eastern side of the lake, where the teenager was last seen.

A navy crew using sonar joined the search effort on Sunday, which led to the discovery of the three bodies.

The sonar was used in conjunction with a police helicopter, boat, mounted and diving units, as well as ZAKA rescue units and volunteers.

On Monday night, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan expressed his condolences to the families.

“Along with the joy of the holiday, it was also a sad evening in which the bodies of Liron Karadi and Nachman Itach were found. I am very sorry that the search has ended like this. My sincere condolences to the families.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the Northern District Police reiterated safety warnings for those enjoying the lake.

“In general, it is advisable not to enter the water alone, but with an additional adult, especially for small children,” the statement read.

Auerbach Crazy Leaders & Activists Arrested in Isru Chag Police Wave of Arrests

Israel Police spokespersons report that in a predawn wave of arrests in a number of cities around the country; 28 leaders and activists of the Crazy Auerbach Peleg Yerushalmi faction have been arrested. 

The raid took place on isru chag in Eretz Yisrael Pesach, as police, Yassam commandos, border police and detectives armed with arrest and search warrants arrived at homes and offices of the suspects. 

In some cases, documents and computers were confiscated. The streets of chareidi areas of Yerushalayim were abuzz with people during the predawn hours as police vehicles arrived in Meah Shearim, N’vei Yaakov and other communities.

Targeted in the arrests were senior Peleg Newspaper officials as well as faction leaders. Some of the charges include incitement (referring to faction’s ‘Peleg’ affiliated newspaper) while others will face charges related to the many illegal protests nationwide in recent weeks as well as assault against chareidi soldiers as well as police during the recent protests. There are also charges of threatening and attempting to extort senior officials in large Israeli companies by newspaper officials in an effort to get them to advertise.

Also in custody are operators of the ‘Kav HaMa’avak’ (the faction’s hotline phone) as well as faction leaders and organizers.

About 250 police were involved in the operation and arrests were made in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Modi’in Illit, Ashdod, Rechasim, and Hadera. Some of the suspects are being questioned by officers in the 433 Unit, Israel’s equivalent of the FBI.

Among those taken into custody are; HaPeles Editor Nati Grossman, Assistant Editor Yeshayahu Wein, Shmuel Yavrov, Shraga Yavrov, Shmuel Elyashiv, Moshe Viner, Yisrael Tropper, Mordechai Krauss, and Shabtai Fein. Menachem Carmel was injured.

A protest followed the arrests made in Bnei Brak. Stormy protests are expected during the day in response to the widespread police action.

Auerbach "Savages" Attack Frum Soldier On Motzei Yom Tov

Once again, a religious soldier was attacked by frum Yidden in Yerushalayim, for at least the third time within two weeks. This latest assault came on motzei the first day Pesach when a religious soldier in uniform passed the area of Bar Ilan and Shmuel HaNavi Streets as a Peleg protest was taking place. 

It does not appear that the soldier was physically injured.

In the past weeks there were at least two attacks against soldiers, both taking place in Meah Shearim, and both leading to the arrests of perpetrators.

Not everything must have a kosher for Passover certification

Medicines On Pesach

The general rule regarding medicine on Pesach is that if the medicine is tasty, such as a syrup or lozenges, one must check if it is kosher for Pesach. As long as it is not known that it is kosher for Pesach, swallowing it is forbidden. Only someone who is dangerously ill, and whose medicine has no equivalent substitute, is permitted to swallow it, because ‘pikuach nefesh’ (the saving of life) overrides the prohibition of eating chametz.

A tasteless medicine, however, does not require kashrut, because even if chametz that was previously edible was mixed in the medicine, since now it is not fit to be eaten even ‘b’shat ha’dachak’ (in times of distress), because it is unfit even for animal consumption, it no longer has the prohibition of chametz.

Some meticulously observant people try to avoid even bitter medicines that contain chametz. They show concern for the opinion of the few poskim who maintain that medicine is not considered unfit for animal consumption since we deem it significant, and it is thus rabbinically prohibited. But according to the opinion of most halakhic authorities, it is permitted to swallow without checking a medicine that is not fit to be eaten.

It should be added that the chances of medicines containing chametz are very slim, and even more so today when many people are sensitive to gluten, and ingredients containing grains are not mixed into medicines by drug companies without cause, and they prefer substitutes that are gluten-free.

Consequently, the thick pamphlets that the HMOs publish are superfluous, and should be focusing on the flavored medicines. By not doing so, they prove the rule: “tafasta merubeh, lo tafasta” (“If you have seized too much, you have not seized” - i.e. if you overdo it, you miss the main issue). Because of their preoccupation with tasteless drugs, no effort is being made to clarify the composition of the flavored medicines, the only ones for which clarification is important.

Poskim disagree whether body ointments that contain chametz may be used on Pesach. While soaps, shampoos, and creams are not made from chametz, they sometimes contain grain alcohol or other chametz derivatives, leading to queries about their status on Pesach.

Poskim disagree whether body ointments that contain chametz may be used on Pesach. While soaps, shampoos, and creams are not made from chametz, they sometimes contain grain alcohol or other chametz derivatives, leading to queries about their status on Pesach.

Some say that applying an ointment is equivalent, by rabbinic enactment, to drinking. Consequently, even if the chametz in these products is not fit for a dog’s consumption, it retains the status of chametz because it is suitable for anointing, and thus it is forbidden to use them on Pesach. Accordingly, one must use soaps, shampoos, and creams that are kosher for Pesach.

Others maintain that the Sages only equated the application of ointment to drinking with regard to Yom Kippur and anointing with oil consecrated as teruma (priestly gift). All other Torah prohibitions relate to eating alone, not anointing. 

Although it is forbidden to derive benefit from chametz, the chametz in these products was rendered unfit for a dog’s consumption even before Pesach began and thus lost the status of chametz. It is therefore permissible to derive benefit from them and apply them to the body during Pesach.

In practice, even if we know that chametz not fit for a dog’s consumption was mixed in these products after Pesach commenced, since it is a ‘safek d’Rabbanan’ (rabbinic law that is not incontrovertible), the halakha goes according to the lenient view. In practice, the vast majority of cosmetic products produced in Israel do not contain wheat-derived alcohol (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 8:9).

Toothpaste and Lipstick

Toothpastes and lipsticks must be certified kosher for Pesach because they are flavored, and thus like any other food product.

Be Careful of Products that Look like Chametz

Just as our Sages forbade baking bread with milk lest one come to eat it with meat and transgress the prohibition of the Sages (the prohibition from the Torah is only when meat and milk are cooked together), similarly it is forbidden to eat products whose ingredients are kosher for Pesach but look like chametz products – lest one err, and come to eat chametz products themselves.

Therefore, wafers and cookies, which do not have a very significant change in their shape, even if they have kashrut for Pesach certification, should not be eaten on Pesach. In this matter, credit goes to the kashrut department of the Chief Rabbinate, which insisted on clarifying the halakha, and applying it. However, sometimes it takes years for all the factories to comply with the directive, and in the meantime, consumers have to be careful.

Dishwashing Liquid

There is no need for kosher for Pesach dishwashing liquid. Although it comes into contact with food utensils, because its taste is completely foul, even if chametz was mixed in it, it is no longer prohibited. True, if a person intends to eat chametz that is unfit for a dog’s consumption, since he considers it as food, he thus transgresses a rabbinical prohibition; but in this case, since no one is interested in tasting the dishwashing soap, even if the dishes were not rinsed well and taste of the soap remains on the dishes, there is no prohibition.

Consequently, the kashrut bodies that provide kosher for Pesach certification for dishwashing liquid mislead the public and make their Torah “a spade with which to dig” - i.e. using Torah for financial profit.

The Foundation of Freedom

Sometimes it seems that values ​​of religion clash with values of freedom, to the point where 

for many people the value of freedom seems alien to Judaism. But the truth is that the value of freedom is the foundation of the Torah, and the entire exodus from Egypt and Pesach – ‘z’man cherutainu’ (the time of our freedom) – is meant to reveal the value of freedom: that through freedom, the soul that God instilled in man can be revealed, and by means of it, one is able to choose good, reveal the image of God within him, and become a partner with God in repairing the world.

The value of freedom is so important that to be properly understood, the people of Israel had to emerge out of the terrible enslavement in Egypt, which the Torah describes as “the house of bondage”, in order to fulfill the great and awesome Divine mission – to redeem the world from its servitude, and repair it with kindness and truth.

Between Freedom and Free Will

However, the difference between ‘freedom’ and ‘free will’ must be understood. A free person is a person who has no external power forcing him to behave in a particular way, but in practice, such a person is not truly free because he is enslaved to his visceral inclinations and public opinion. He can be convinced that he himself has made all of his own decisions, but the decisive influence of his predispositions and that of public opinion on his decisions, can easily be detected. In contrast, a truly free person is one who is able to choose his path according to his own free will. The person with ‘free will’ is swept away with the flow, while the truly free person shows the way, and shapes the flow.

The Torah Grants Freedom

The Torah gives man the ability to be free, consequently, the follow-up of the Exodus is the giving of the Torah, as our Sages said (Avot 6: 2) concerning the verse: ‘The Tablets were made by God and written with God’s script engraved on the Tablets’ (Exodus 32:16): “Read not “engraved” (charut) but “liberty” (chairut) – for there is no free individual, except for he who occupies himself with the study of Torah.” Only through the absolute and eternal word of Hashem, which is engraved and fixed on the tablets, can man be released from the enslavement to his desires and public opinion.

HowHowever, it is not sufficient to simply fulfill the Torah, but it must also be learned, because as a result of such study a person renews himself, his soul is enlightened, and consequently, he receives inspiration and ideas on how to add good, and improve the world.

The Goal of the Exodus is to Enter the Land

Receiving the Torah and learning it are not enough – all this must take place in Israel. 

Therefore the goal of the Exodus and the giving of the Torah is for Israel to inherit the Land promised to our forefathers, for only in the Land of Israel can the nation of Israel live in freedom, and create its own unique lifestyle, and as a result, shower blessing to the entire world, as Hashem said to Moshe: “I have indeed seen the suffering of My people… I have come down to rescue them from Egypt’s power. I will bring them out of that land, to a good, spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…” (Exodus 3:6-7). In contrast, in exile we are enslaved, as it is stated: “There you will serve gods that men have made out of wood and stone” (Deuteronomy 4:28).

Therefore, the vision of the exodus from Egypt is entirely related to the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel, as stated in the response to the wise son: “In the future, your child may ask you, ‘What are the rituals, rules and laws that God our Lord has commanded you?’ You must tell him, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… to bring us to the land He promised our fathers, and give it to us” (Deuteronomy 6:20-25).

This is because in the Land of Israel the nation of Israel is able to reveal the unifying ‘emunah‘ (faith), to connect heaven and earth, faith and action, to reveal their talents and to be a blessing to all peoples, as God said to Abraham: “Go away from your land…to the land… I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you great. You shall become a blessing… all the families of the earth will be blessed through you”(Genesis 12: 1-3). The Torah also says: “Now Israel, listen to the rules and laws… so that you will remain alive and come to occupy the land… safeguard and keep these rules, since this is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations. They will hear all these rules and say, ‘This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:1-8). The Sages taught that “wisdom and understanding” refers to the secular knowledges that receive their positive blessing from ‘emunah’, Torah and mitzvot (Shabbat 75a).

Thus, precisely through the acceptance of the yoke of Torah and mitzvoth, the Jewish nation is capable of finding the true meaning of life in this world. This “yoke” does not entail the closing-off of possibilities, but rather, the opening of innumerable potentials, because Divine goodness is revealed in countless expressions and varieties, and man must choose which areas to invest his energies in ‘repairing the world in the Kingdom of God’.

Religious Institutions and Freedom

Sometimes, in an effort to preserve the path of Torah and mitzvot, we forget the value of freedom. This situation is a carry-over from the burden of ‘galut‘ (exile) and impulses. For many generations we had to direct almost all our energies to guard ourselves from any foreign influences, and we forgot how to reveal the good thoughts in our souls, for the glory of Torah and the world.

In order to free ourselves from the yoke of ‘galut‘, we must strengthen the vision of Israel’s life in its land, and as a result, the value of freedom will receive its important standing, and encourage initiative and creativity stemming from ‘emunah’ based on the goodness of Hashem, and a sense of mission to repair the world. The more successful the heroes and pioneers of ‘emunah‘ are, the more people will follow in their path. And all the people of the world will know and realize that precisely within a religious framework, true freedom emerges in its most profound and original way, redeems man from his material enslavement, visceral inclinations and distress, and gives him the opportunity to reveal his Divine soul. And as a result, we will merit complete redemption, speedily in our days.

This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper, and was translated from Hebrew. 

A Charedi writer's open letter to anti-IDF rioters

by Isaac Kohn 

Dear Yerushalmi Faction member:

Let's understand each other before you read any further.

I am considered Charedi, my children are considered Charedi and so are my grandchildren. As such, no one is in a better po‎sition to look carefully at who you are, what you represent, what your goal is and what you are really accomplishing.

Basically speaking, let's face it: you are a hooligan, a law-breaker and a wretched model of what a Yeshiva Bochur (yeshiva student, ed.) should not be. How dare you! Your wild and reckless rioting will never result in the army rescinding its draft guidelines. Your ugly shenanigans perpetrated against the rest of the innocent public will only cause the full extent of the law to come crashing down around your ears.

And so it should be. And the sooner the better.

I always tried to compare 'our' children to those who live in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority-administered territories. I always marveled at the wide schism of normal and human be‎havior exhibited by 'our' children in comparison to the youth across the border. Ours were taught manners, respect, decency, kindness and the relationship between man and G-D. We were taught that as human beings, our lives need to emulate that of the One Above. They, on the other hand, are taught that life has no value, decency is non existent, politeness is a waste of time and their Allah is an angry, blood thirsty deity.

And then you came along, exposing yourself to the world as a spoiled, useless piece of work who doesn't care about the rest of society. Just who do you think you are? Your name in Hebrew, Peleg Yerushalmi, using the word peleg, says it all. Peleg means to divide, to split up, to shatter. Shame on you.

I've been watching you all these weeks. I saw you following the precepts and orders of leaders who are detached from reality. I noticed that you and your fellow hoods truly believe that the world is yours. You've been blocking traffic, threatening, pushing, kicking and rioting in order to accomplish... what?

I watched you and your little brothers, the 8,10,12, and14 year-olds, harass drivers and innocent by-standers only because you don't agree with their attire. You insulted, cursed and physically mauled a woman who happened to walk by while you were displaying your ugliness on the streets of Jerusalem. You disgust me. Shame on you!

You are a disgrace. As a Charedi, I am telling you that you are an unworthy imitation of a frum [religious] Jew who needs to be taught a swift, harsh lesson. I strongly believe that the army and police are treating you with too much compassion, with kid gloves. I believe the time has come for the authorities to engage you as the terrorist you are. Because you are.

It's only a matter of time until the frustration you are creating for drivers by blocking and delaying them will explode in your face. It will only be a matter of time until a frustrated driver runs you down. That anger was demonstrated already in the city of Bnei Brak as a furious driver came out swinging with a stick. How much longer before someone cracks your head? And deservedly, too.

In addition to your grotesque be‎havior, you are a total hypocrite. You are demonstrating against the draft because the Torah is what you are concerned about. Right? Not so fast.

What you really want is to be left alone to continue on your merry way of doing absolutely nothing with your life. Because you are obviously not learning. Seeing the hundreds of hours you've wasted, learning is the last thing on your mind. How many precious hours, days, 

weeks have you already squandered in this manner? How many enemies to the Torah way of life have you created during that wasteful time? Can't count, can you?

The audacity and ugliness which you portray, have no limits. In your audacious chutzpa you have no qualms about calling our soldiers and police officers the vilest of names. How dare you spit the word Nazi and hurl it at a Jewish son, my nephew, your neighbor? These are the same 'Nazis' – you moron - who'd sacrifice their lives to protect your worthless one. These are the same 'Nazis' who will not hesitate for a second to save you, the one who vilifies them with vile epithets. When you need them, you appreciate their presence and sacrifice, don't you? Shameless ingrate.

Were I in a position to do so, I would treat you quite differently, my young idiot. I would give you an hour ultimatum, sixty minutes exactly, to cease and desist and if you don't, I would then follow up with riot-control methods you haven't yet experienced. Believe me, your eagerness to riot and damage and sit in front of cars will quickly dissipate as you and your colleagues disappear like smoke in the wind.

And then....I would send my 'Nazis' to knock on your door and your friend's and his buddy.........every single, rioting young man. There will be no more extensions or postponements for you and the rest of your gang. You will be drafted immediately and sent for training, not to be furloughed for the next number of years. You will be cured of your sickness, believe me.

And your brother, when he reaches the draft age, will meekly, politely and precisely sign the registration papers without a whimper.

That time is coming.