Swine Flu Alert: Stop Kissing Mezuzot

A Guest Post by Jameel

From YNET:

"Wednesday morning, Israel's Assaf Harofeh Medical Center announced it would limit visits to maternity wards for fear of having patients and newborn babies infected with swine flu, and now, one of the hospital's doctors has also recommended people refrain from kissing mezuzot in public places.

Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar also addressed the issue, saying, "If a specific order is given in the matter, the mezuzah must be kissed from the air, to ensure that the custom is not forgotten."

The H1N1 epidemic is a cause of major concern worldwide, and ultra-Orthodox media has not overlooked it. Haredi reporter Ozel Vatik interviewed seven doctors - including Emergency Room directors and specialists on infectious diseases – on the risks of contracting the virus from kissing a mezuzah – a custom that is highly common among religious and traditional Jews.

The doctors unanimously agreed that bacteria leave high levels of residue on such objects, but six of them refused to comment on mezuzot in particular, "so as not to get in trouble with the rabbis"."

I remember as a child hearing someone ask the Rabbi, "Why are you telling me not to kiss the mezuza, it's a mitzva, isn't it?"

(edited by Jameel due to piousness and respect for the blog) The Rabbi answered, "Not every "mitzva" needs to be kissed."


Search for more information about [topic] at 4torah.com.

Israel starts to defend itself against Gaza

Shabbat Morning in Israel -- IAF jets attacked Gaza and the operation has begun (I got my first pager message during Shabbat Lunch, and the followup during early mincha "Shmona Esreh")

Jameel is war-blogging again; get the latest up-to-date news at The Muqata.

Shavua Tov, Chodesh Tov, Chanuka Sameach.

--Jameel

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Buy DovBear's book already. (please)
Buy DB's wife a gift (please?) Come on, it's Chanuka...

The Closing of Volozhin; Jewish Urban Legend?

A Guest Post by Jameel. Cross-posted to The Muqata

It's impossible to traverse chareidi circles without hearing that the famous Volozhin Yeshiva was closed by its Rosh Yeshiva, the "Netziv" (Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (נפתלי צבי יהודה ברלין) -- because he would rather close the Yeshiva than for his students go to University and study secular subjects. This mantra is often repeated as a primary reason to avoid Yeshiva University, any combination of Yeshiva and College studies, or secular studies in general.

In May 1988, looking for a donation, the Lakewood Cheder School sent me a copy of the book, "My Uncle the Netziv" -- written by R' Baruch HaLevi Epstein (author of the Torah Temima) and nephew of the Netziv. The book was adapted into English by R' Moshe Dombey and under the general editorship of Artscroll Mesorah Rabbis and Publishers Nosson Sherman and Meir Zlotowitz. The book's jacket states, "This is the sort of book that cannot -- and should not -- be put down."



I enjoyed the book at the time, and found the life and times of the Netziv to be an interesting read. A few months later the Lakewood Cheder School sent me a bizarre letter (pictured at left) in which they sincerely apologized for sending me such an offensive book. They insisted the book not be read -- and they even offered to refund any donation I may have sent them.

Why was the book recalled and banned? What was so terrible in the book that caused such a radical reaction from Lakewood? The recall letter was rather vague about what was wrong with the book, but as a teenager I realized if they were recalling the book, it was worth keeping.

There are a few possibilities for the ban, but in my opinion there are 2 primary reasons.

1. Background into the closing of Volozhin
2. Women and Learning. (I wont address this point in this post).

Concerning "worldliness" of the students of Volozhin, and the value of secular education at Volozhin, R' Epstein writes:

Anyone with eyes in his head could see that the students of Volozhin were quite knowledgeable in secular studies: they took an interest in science, history and geography and knew many languages. In fact, those students who desired to pursue these disciplines succeeded in learning twice as much as any student at a state institution. In Volohzin, Torah and derech eretz walked hand in hand, neither one held captive by the other. It was the special achievement of the Volozhin student that when he left the yeshiva, he was able to converse with any man in any social setting on the highest intellectual plane. The Volohzin student was able to conquer both worlds -- the world of Torah and the world at large. A well-known adage among parents who were trying to best educate their children was, "Do you want your child to develop into a complete Jew, dedicated to Torah and derech eretz? Do you want him to be able to mingle with people and get along in the world? Send him to Volozhin! (page 204)

R' Epstein debunks the story that college and Volozhin could not mix, by stating -- in direct contradiction to the chareidi myth -- that the Netziv explicitly agreed to the introduction of secular studies to Volozhin at the 1887 Petersburg Congress, by incorporating the study of mathematics and the Russian language within the framework of the yeshiva program. The amount of time and part of day when these 2 subjects were to be taught was left entirely to the discretion of the Rosh Yeshiva. This continued for 5 full years prior to the yeshiva's closing in 1892. (pages 207, 208)

So what did college have to do with the closing of the Yeshiva? Assuming we accept the premise that the yeshiva was indeed closed over something connected to "secular studies", R' Epstein explains what was actually proposed, which caused his uncle to close the yeshiva.

On the twenty second of October 1891, the Minister of Education certified a system of changes to be established in the Volozhin Yeshiva, four of which struck at its main life-giving arteries and imperiled its existence. They consisted of the following:

1. The general studies program shall take place between nine o'clock in the morning and three in the afternoon.

2. There shall be no [yeshiva] studies at night at which time the yeshiva building shall be closed.

3. The entire study program shall be no longer than ten hours per twenty four hour period.

4. The Rosh yeshiva and all the instructors shall possess an educational degree.

The result of all this was that during the winter months no time at all would remain for studying the Talmud. Even in the summer, considering that the general studies program would finish at three in the afternoon followed by lunch, only minimal time would remain for Torah study. The students would also be exhausted from 5 or 6 hours of general studies, and thus the best hours of the day would have been wasted.

It is clear that these conditions, capped by the impossible demand that every single teacher from the Rosh yeshiva down to the instructor of the lowest shiur, have a degree, left my uncle with very little choice. "Under these conditions what do I need the yeshiva for and for what does the yeshiva need me? This will no longer be a yeshiva but a school. Aren't there enough schools in this country already? (pages 206-207)

The point of the maskilim, who pressed the issue in the first place to the Russian government, was to close the yeshiva -- and in the week of Parashat Bo, 1892, the yeshiva was closed.

R' Epstein's version of the story leaves little room for misinterpretation. The Netziv was not anti-secular studies, the students of Volozhin studied (at least) mathematics and Russian within the scope of the Volozhin curriculum, and the closing of the yeshiva was due to the outrageous order reducing yeshiva studies to a bare minimum (or none), with secular studies taking up the vast majority of the students' time.

While the majority of this posting is based on the actual book "My Uncle the Netziv", I came across some additional sources and good additional reading material as well:

Sources:
My Uncle the Netziv, Chapter 13, "An Act of Satan", pages 206-209.

Additional Reading:
Founding (1803) and Closure (1892) of Yeshivat Etz Hayyim of Volozhin. Michtavim Blog, Menachem Butler
"Haskalah, Secular Studies, and the close of Yeshiva of Volozhin in 1892", YU Torah, by Dr. Jacob J, Schachter

In closing, I must quote from Menachem Butler's post about a newly researched twist on the entire story...

Professor Shaul Stampfer of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discusses "The Closing of the Yeshiva of Volozhin" [Hebrew], in his Hebrew-University-dissertation-turned-volume, Ha-Yeshivah ha-Lita'it be-Hithavutah (Jerusalem: Merkaz Zalman Shazar, 1st ed., 1995; 2nd ed., 2005), 208-250, with an appendix to chapter eight published in the updated (2005) edition on pages 251-266, including a half-dozen never-before-published correspondences from newly available sources from Russian government archives (and he reprints a [Russian] document on page 253), in Hebrew translation, pointing that the closure was related to "in-fighting" (my wording) amongst the administration of Yeshivat Etz Hayyim, rather than simply a disagreement over the government inclusion of secular studies into the institutional curriculum.

SchoolTime in Sderot

Its the second day of school in Sederot, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Education Minister Yuli Tamir promised that it would be safe for Israeli schoolchildren to go to school.

This morning on their way to school, the "Color Red" missile warning system blared, sending children scampering to safety in the school building. The Palestinian Qassam rocket landed only 100 yards from the entrance to the school.

This video is being released on DovBear's blog (and the Muqata) -- the first showing in the JBlogosphere.

Uploaded with permission by the Sderot Media Center


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

Refusing Orders

CrossPosted at the Muqata.

In the [Israeli 1948] War of Independence, I served as an infantry soldier in the religious platoon in the 22cnd division of the Carmeli Brigade. Our company commander assembled the company, and announced the that IDF and Hagana Chief of Staff had ordered us to squash an insurgence by the “Etzel” – a boat full of ammunition and Etzel soldiers was arriving. He threatened us that we needed to follow every single order, including opening fire, if so commanded. Insubordination would be dealt with extremely harshly.

The religious platoon was the only one in the company, perhaps the only one in the Brigade. We inspired shock and awe. I will mention that our company, specifically our platoon were very battle experienced. We labored tirelessly, with unparalleled mesirut nefesh, and through the help of Hashem we had many successes -- the conquests of Haifa, Ako, Bazet, Ramat Yochanan, the Hula Valley, and more. Afterwards, we fought in the Jordan Valley, Jenin and others. We all served in the “Hagana” and were drafted in January 1948. Our platoon was the pride of the company and brigade, and we paid for that honor with the lives of our fighters and many wounded.

The orders about the “Altalena” reached us when we were up North, far away from Tel Aviv. Our platoon got on the bus in silence. There was no rabbi or spiritual leader that told us to refuse orders. The refusal was not as a collective, but each and every one individually, according to their conscience. I will note that Religious Zionism at the time (Mizrachi and Hapoel Mizrachi) was aligned with Mapai, specifically, “Red Haifa.” The leaders of the Religious Zionist movement saw eye to eye with Mapai on matters of security, settlement and social welfare.

During the ride on the bus to the Altalena, I contemplated the predicament, and deicded that I would not fight against my brothers, and if G-d forbid the time would arrive [and the order came] I would remove the firing pin from my rifle. Our luck improved and the drive from the North to Tel Aviv was drawn out, so that when we arrived at Tel Aviv, the Altalena was already burning. Every explosion [from the ship] flayed our skin, as we knew that the [destroyed] weapons and ammunition were desperately needed for the war [of Independence]. In the Hagana camp across from the Altalena, thousands of soldiers arrived from all battlefronts. There were fierce Palmach fighters, bearded and dirty, battle scarred “Negev Fighters” who arrived for this holy mission with rejoicing and merriment. The education they received from their mother’s womb was a hatred of religious Jews, the Etzel, the Lechi, and anything that had the fragrance of an international anthem: “The old world will be destroyed to its foundations.” Their faces beamed with happiness when they saw the boat explode and hundreds of Etzel soldiers taken captive and imprisoned in the camp. I saw the young innocence on the faces of the captives, scarred by fire -- they came with the ship to fight for the Jewish State. I heard that many of them died in battle after being conscripted into the IDF – thrown into battle without knowing the language and without appropriate training.

We returned back to our regular duties, and we didn’t discuss the subject, but our hearts were broken.

Printed in this past week's Makor Rishon by Chagai Segal -- a letter received from Ben Zion Abudi, an 80 year old Yerushalmi who served in the Hagana. The impetus for this letter was the refusal of IDF soldiers to evict Jewish families from Jewish owned property in Hevron. [The Hebrew article is not online yet, I translated it from the printed copy]

Points to ponder:

1. Mapai's intense hatred of religious soldiers and religion -- even at the expense of losing Jerusalem in 1948 to the Jordanians. Sixteen unarmed Jewish Etzel soldiers were killed while swimming to shore.

2. Religious soldiers don't need a Rabbi to dictate what's right or wrong -- and are perfectly capable of drawing their own conclusions.

Rashi writes on the pasuk, Yosef was thrown into a pit by his brothers that was "empty and had no water in it." Why the double language, obviously if the pit is empty, it has no water in it. Rashi answers, "there was no water in the pit...but there were snakes and scorpions in it." Nature abhors a vacuum -- if you don't fill a pit with it's natural filler (water), then it will be filled with other things. (hat-tip; R' Shlomo Riskin)

If Eretz Yisrael isn't filled with Jews who strive to observe the Torah and mitzvot (or at a minimum, love their fellow Jew as themselves), then it will be filled with others.

You too can be part of the solution.

Shana Tova,

Jameel @ The Muqata.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

Coffee and Chemo

A guest post from http://muqata.blogspot.com/

Some of the JBlogosphere's biggest cynics, skeptics and bashers comment here at DovBear's blog. You know who they are. We all do.

Granted, they keep things entertaining -- but the JBlogosphere is far from being only them; not everyone is infected by their pessimism. While their ranting occasionally drowns out the good, I would like to share some of the positive. [Ed note: The views expressed here do not reflect the opinions of the management. We heart the comments. ]

The following is from my friend's blog, CoffeeandChemo.

I am still on speaking terms with God.

That's not to say that I'm not having a bit of a crisis. But, so far, no major crisis of faith...

I don't understand why this is happening. But, as I always say, things could be worse. So I am grateful that the cancer was discovered when it was and that I live in a time when there are really good drugs that can keep me alive for a long time.

Still, I wanted to do something more.

I wanted to respond to my situation in a religious way. I already asked everyone I know to pray for me. And I am on a number of Tehillim lists (groups who say recite all of Psalms in someone's merit).

But what should I do? What could I take on without it being too much for me at this time?

I didn't want to take on something that I couldn't keep up. So, I decided that I would focus on something that I do already, and try to do it "better". So, I am trying to say brachot (blessings) out loud and with more kavanah (focused intention).

Many years ago, when I was in college, I accompanied a friend to her family's home for Shabbat. After I said a bracha (blessing) quietly, her father asked why I had said the bracha quietly and denied him the ability to answer "amen", which would give him the merit of having participated in the bracha. I didn't have an answer then, and that question has stayed with me for years.

I still feel a little silly, saying the brachot out loud. But I am working on it.

When you want to take a break from the cynics and appreciate a fresh breathe of optimism and emuna, visit her blog after your daily (hourly?) read at Dovbear.

Wishing RivkA bat Tirzel a Refuah Shelaima. [Ed note: Omein, vchen yehi rotzon]

Jameel @ TheMuqata

(And of course, thanks again to DB for the posting rights -- that's another reason for optimism.)

Bad Guesses

Rabbi Ovadya Yosef is a Talmud Chacham, a master of Jewish law, lore and tradition. He is said to know everything, and anyone who respects intellectual gifts respects him.

Unfortunately: as someone put it to me in ana email: "The Chareidi-Sepharadi radio station Kol HaEmet broadcast a program where listeners were told that the late Rav Ben-Zion Abba Shaul (died in 1998) said that Mashiach will come after the death of the "despot of Iraq"This revelation is now making waves here in Israel as people excitedly anticipate Mashiach's arrival based on this prediction.

On the flip side, last year, Rav Ovadia Yosef announced that the Mashiach was going to come during Pesach, and even instructed his followers not to fly out of Israelfor Pesach, so as not to miss Mashiach's arrival. When Mashiach didn't arrive, Rav Ovadia said the reason was because of those who embarrassed a talmid-chacham, one Ovadia Yosef."

Source

How often does this happen? Frequently. In every culture, in every tradition, in every time and every place there are people who hurry to say that the end is nigh, and when the deadline passes, and their calculations are revealed to be faulty, there's always an excuse. Always.

Hat-tip, my friend, the really bad actor, Jameel

Corrections: I received most of this post by email, and made the mistake of assuming that what was, in fact, one person's commentary, was the actual translated text of the article. This has been fixed.
Also, as a commenter has made clear, it was not ROY who thought Moshiach would arrive last Pesach but Rav Abba Shaul; RAS was also the one who said Moshiach changed his mind because people were rude to ROY.

How the Gedolim could have avoided the strike that caused the shabbos desecration that led to a boycott

Potential ultra-Orthodox boycott threatens to cripple El Al airlines

The story of the miracle flight that didn't crash, but spit smoke from its engines soon after takeoff and had to return to the airport is in the newspaper this morning.

So let me ask again: Why was the plane full of religious people in the first place if R' Shteinman told them not to fly El Al? And I ask again, how did they summon the nerve to call R' Shteinman himself from a crippled El-Al plane to ask him for help?

And finally, as I learned from Jameel, this whole case is further evidence of the ritualization of Judaism. Laws that touch on rituals matter - alot. Laws that relate to social justice? Not so much. Here's the back story:

El Al had to fly on shabbos because the airports were recently crippled by a strike. Why were they on strike? Because the Israeli government, in violation of the law, had refused to pay municipal workers for FIVE MONTHS. This (halanat schar) is a straight de'oyraysa. Did the Rabbis complain about this violation of Jewish law? Did they organize marches? Did they petition the government? Did they utter even one public word as the bills piled up, and the children went unfed? No, no, and no again. Only after El Al landed a plane on shabbos -an act that caused no obvious harm to anyone - did they arise from their slumber.

Maybe if the Gedolim had concerned themselves with the needs of the people who were forced to go without their salaries for five months, the strike could have been averted, and with it the shabos desercration that followed.

What difference does it make to God whether one slaughters from the front of the neck or the back of the neck? Rather the mitzvot were given in order to refine the creatures (letzaref bahem et habriyot) -- Midrash

"Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can't bear with evil assemblies.14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.15 When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.16 Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow." -- Isaiah 1

Jameel on the secret prisons

Here:
DB: Surprisingly enough, when the Israeli Shabak started going after right wingers during Oslo, and started using the same tactics that they use on Palestinians, many Israelies who never cared before about what the Palestinians claimed, realized that the Shabak can be pretty awful.Some of their wonderful tactics include; Administrative Detention (imprisonment without trial for long periods of time...and when there is a trial, "secret" information is presented to the judge, wich the defence is not allowed to see...phone taps abound...mail is routinely opened and scanned...) etc, etc, etc.

Gradually, gradually, everyone starts to understand but sometimes its too late.

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller

Dear DovBear

I had a hard time deciding what to call this post. My first thought was “A Passionate Yearning for Zoboomafoostan”, but decided to leave that for my reply to XGH.

Dear DovBear,

Keeping your mantra in mind of “trying to run an interesting blog”, I decided the best way to reply to your excellent fisking of my Eretz Yisrael posting would be a personalized letter to you instead of starting a fiskathon. By excellent, I mean that in terms of blogging standards, you definitely win high marks for style, diction, iambic pentameter and spelling – it was entertaining to read, yet I think you missed the point…which is why I’m writing this.

Most importantly, it should be obvious to all, that using blue and white underwear as a statement of one’s allegiance (or not) to the Zionist “nation-state” entity, cannot possibly be construed as anything but a joke, regardless of being said by you, myself, or others.

However, you seem to have me all wrong. Not once in my posting did I write anything about “Zionism”…the passion I wrote about was for the land of Israel…and that there’s a glass that’s two-third’s full when it comes to the Judaism of the people living here. One doesn’t have to be a “Zionist” to live in Israel, or have the passion for the land and it’s people.

You don’t have to be a “Zionist” at all to appreciate where we are now…just look at the Jewish people over the past two thousand years and compare it to now to see what great shape we’re in!

When you wrote that had Rav Yehuda HaLevi been able to see the future creation of the nation-state in 1948, he probably would have been disappointed – how do you think Moshe Rabbeinu viewed the Jewish people when they left Egypt? I would bet that the Jews leaving Egypt highly resembled a scene from the central bus station of Tel-Aviv.

Exile does have it’s problems for a Jew’s spiritual health – be it Egypt or Babylon or Budapest or Boropark -- and it will take time to revitalize the Jewish people in Israel to the realization of proper observance.

I’ll even let you in on a secret – I didn’t really grow up waving an Israeli flag. The yeshivot I went to for junior-high and high school never said Hallel on Yom Haatzmaut, (they said tachanun), they never sang Hatikva, and they didn’t plant JNF trees either. I don’t even know what sort of “Zionist spark” you thought I was looking for you to find – I wanted to provoke, prod, goad, encourage you to write about Israel, (be it the land, Jerusalem, the nation-state, Zionism, or anything in-between).

On a serious note, G-d forbid that I may have inadvertently implied that only the 2 groups I mentioned before are dedicated and fierce fighting soldiers – there are many great soldiers fighting for Israel’s defense from many parts of the country. However, in the last 2 weeks of the war, many articles were written in the Israeli press, many radio stations discussed the issue (I heard Razi Barkai discuss it on 3 different occasions on IDF radio) – that there is a disproportionate amount of representation of kibbutznikim/moshvanikim and religious-nationalists in combat units, and that a minimum of 40% of the IDF combat officer’s courses, are kippa wearing soldiers. Manpower Division commander, Elazar Stern also reported this in the media, and got a lot of flak for saying that Tel-Aviv had very little representation in combat units. Those are the statistics from the IDF, not from me. (And I apologize, if anyone understood otherwise – and I thank every soldier who serves in the IDF, defending the country so that Jews can live in Israel).

The key point I was making in my post was that with all the problems that Israel has, (and Ehud Olmert as Prime Minister disgusts me more than you, trust me), was that regardless of being less than perfect, there’s still something about the place that evokes a passion. Even a DovBear like you wants your kids to learn Hebrew – the reinvented language by the frei maskilim, even you said that you would like to live in Israel (you wrote that in a MEME last year)...

The points I raised were about the unity that was evident over the past month during the war. The volunteerism I wrote about was NOT the conscripted soldiers (though I know many soldiers who volunteered to fight in Lebanon without waiting for a tzav-shmoneh), but about the volunteerism of Magen David Adom emergency service or all those who don't have to volunteer but still went up North, and helped out. Those who baked and cooked for volunteers or for those less fortunate who didn't have enough. Those who went from bomb shelter to bomb shelter to offer food and aid to elderly, and puppet shows for kids. Those who put up "strangers" from the North in their homes. Lots and lots of chessed. And seeing it all -- experiencing it all was very special, and Jews from all around the world "felt something" and wanted to help as well.

Admit it. You love Israel even with all it's problems -- you wouldn't bother writing about it otherwise.

And regarding Judaism in Israel -- it's like the pit that Yosef's brothers threw him into. Rashi says it was "empty and had no water in it", and the redundancy teaches us it was full of snakes and scorpions -- nature abhors a vacuum. If Jews don't move to Israel and fill it with Torah, morality and justice -- then it will be filled with other less desirable things.

As this Elul starts -- I just wanted to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year. And I hope you forgive me for anything I may have written that insulted or annoyed you (except for the blue and white underwear line).

Kol Tuv!

Jameel.

PS: I was taught about Manifest Destiny in High School, and even though our secular studies department was less than stellar, we did have an excellent History teacher -- the head of the History from a nearby university (he decided that his contribution to Judaism was to teach us). His take on Manifest Destiny was that it was an expression of religion.

A Passionate Yearning for Palestine

Jameel writes about his (and the Jewish people's) passionate yearning for Eretz Yisrael:

It may be intangible, yet the passion for Eretz Yisrael still lives on in our people.

In our heart of hearts, the vast majority of us know it to be true.

I assume Jameel realizes that Palestinians have a passion for Palestine, Iraqis for Iraq, Kenyans for Kenya, Croatians for Croatia, and so on. Many peoples have a passionate, even mystical attachment to their homeland. This is sometimes hard for us Westerners to grasp (except in the context of Eretz Yisrael), since we tend not to have deep roots in our diaspora countries. But it is true for many peoples, especially deeply rooted cultures. Judaism might be somewhat unique in that the passion survived 2000 years of exile, but then all that passion hasn't really pursuaded millions of very passionately faithful Jews in Europe and the US to actually make Aliyah. And of course many hundreds of thousands of Israelis have made or would like to make yeridah.

So much for passion.

I'm afraid this 'passion' is just another example of irrational, emotional faith.

Answering Jameel.

Jameel snuck a post onto the blog during my absence and it's filled with mistakes. Not that I don't love Jameel with my whole heart, but here's the fisking he deserves.

Despite DovBear's assertion, one doesn't need to wear blue and white underwear, madly dance on Yom HaAtzmaut, or even hate Arabs to feel a passion for Eretz Yisrael.

My actual assertion was this: "I'm missing the intangible passion, the bit of madness that makes people want to rally and march and dance on Yom Haatzmaut. I put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, but not Israel." It said simply that I didn't feel passion in my own heart for Israel, the nation state. I said nothing about Eretz Yisreol, and the remark about blue and white underwear was a joke I used to describe myself. I did not, as Jameel implies, direct the comments about underwear and Arabs at anyone but me.

I doubt that Rav Yehuda HaLevi met any of the above criteria, but without doubt his yearning for Zion and his spiritual craving for Eretz Yisrael burned deeply in his soul when he wrote "My heart is in the East, yet I am in the end of the West."

And what would Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi had said about the nation of Israel which was created in 1948? Do you imagine he had the ability to see 900 years into the future and it was Ehud Olmert he longed for? Was he eagerly awaiting a day when most of the Jews in Israel spend Yom Kippur on the beach? Where the most tortured halachic reasoning is used to deny Arabs their homes and their humanity? Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi loved the idea of Eretz Yisroel; the state we have today is a pale reflection. For Zionists like Jameel that's enough. For the Haredim of Brooklyn and Lakewood, it isn't. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, I bet, would have been similarly disapointed had he lived to see the creation of Israel.

It's interesting to see this symmetry in action over the past month – unquestionably, the fiercest and most dedicated fighters in the IDF emerged from two groups: the members of Kibbutzim and Moshavim, and those from the national-religious community.

Unquestionably? What sort of survey instrument did you use to reach this rock-solid conclusion? It sounds swell, and certainly supports your cherished belief, but where's the evidence?

Seemingly an odd combination after so many years of being told that "the secular have abandoned the country" – the secular, don't look for me in a shul, even on Yom Kippur, 'cause I'm eating my ham sandwich" kibbutznik, fought shoulder to shoulder in Lebanon with religious, kippa wearing, "don't throw anyone out of Gush Katif orange wrist banded" soldiers.

What about the Israelis who are neither entirely secular, nor entirley religious? Don't they exist? Weren't they in Lebanon, too? And again, if you are going to continue to insist that their fighting was neither fierce nor dedicated, I'm going to demand some evidence. It's not nice to belittle their sacrifice simply because it doesn't support your thesis.

The homeland of the Jewish people needed defending, and both groups volunteered, with their lives, to protect it.

Volunteered? Isn't Israeli military service compulsary?

Yet our quest to live in Israel, based on our faith, is no less valid a right than the existence of the United States through the principle of Manifest Destinty which founded the US

Please don't misuse historical terms on my blog. Manifest Destiny (per Wikipedia) was a phrase that expressed the belief that the United States had a mission to expand, spreading its form of democracy and freedom. The US was not "founded" on Manifest Destiny (the phrase belongs to the 19th century) and Manifest Destiny was not rooted in religion. It's hard to even argue that it was an expression of faith. Anyway, who says it was valid? It's easy to find historians who object to Manifest Destiny on the exact same grounds that XGH uses to object to Israeli expansion. Two wrongs don't make a right, Jameel.

Eretz Yisrael offers something else, a connection to our past and future which was missing in the US... blah... blah blah blah... blah.

Very good. You've explained why you feel passion for Israel. And because you're a good writer and I'm in possesion of a decent imagination I can emphasize with your reasons, and understand your point of view. But these reasons are still your reasons, not mine. And as an argument they aren't very convincing.

Trying to pursuade me to love Israel using this approach is a little like pursuading me to love your wife. I'm sure your reasons for loving her are perfectly valid, and I'm sure I can emphasize with them and appreciate them, but they aren't going to win me over. I'm not going to suddenly fall madly in love with your wife, and reading your reasons for loving Israel hasn't kindled the Zionist spark in my heart either. Perhaps I'm too rational or too much the contrarian, or prehaps there was some great failing in my early education. As a child, I suppose I was brainwashed to hate pork, but not to love Israel, and I fear its too late to change. Sorry

A Passionate Yearning for Eretz Yisrael

by Jameel ... (cross-posted on DovBear and The Muqata)

Despite DovBear's assertion, one doesn't need to wear blue and white underwear, madly dance on Yom HaAtzmaut, or even hate Arabs to feel a passion for Eretz Yisrael.

I doubt that Rav Yehuda HaLevi met any of the above criteria, but without doubt his yearning for Zion and his spiritual craving for Eretz Yisrael burned deeply in his soul when he wrote "My heart is in the East, yet I am in the end of the West."

It's understandable that after 2000 years of exile this passionate spark is slightly dampened in so many. Where should it, where could it emerge from, burning brightly in this day and age to ignite the passion and pathos of "If I forget thee Jerusalem…if I forget you on my day of celebration?"

How many really have the destruction of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash on their minds when they have a day of celebration? As mortals, we can't imagine ourselves around the clock standing in front of our Creator – the human brain can't deal with it, and we seek additional metaphors to understand the G-d/human relationship – the
father/son one works best for me. Yet, there are many Jews in Israel and around the world, for which "If I forget three Jerusalem" is still a living part of their daily lives.

The posting a few days ago on DovBear's blog, "How Deep is your Faith?" challenged many of us – if the basis for our faith is unproven, then our actions need to be carefully measured when plotting the course of Israel, and a large dose of humility thrown in for good measure.

The Torah could not agree more; we are warned explicitly to be wary of the pitfalls of arrogant military supremacy, "Kochi v'Otzem Yadi Asa Li Et HaChayil HaZeh", that "our own strength and might did for us this army." As people of faith, we need to understand that at the end of the day, our military prowess, success or failure, comes from Divine Providence. For those of us with less faith, the importance of
morality and ethics is just as important.

It's interesting to see this symmetry in action over the past month – unquestionably, the fiercest and most dedicated fighters in the IDF emerged from two groups: the members of Kibbutzim and Moshavim, and those from the national-religious community.

Seemingly an odd combination after so many years of being told that "the secular have abandoned the country" – the secular, don't look for me in a shul, even on Yom Kippur, 'cause I'm eating my ham sandwich" kibbutznik, fought shoulder to shoulder in Lebanon with religious, kippa wearing, "don't throw anyone out of Gush Katif orange wrist banded" soldiers.

For the first time in many years, the common denominator between these 2 types of Jews was glaringly apparent. The homeland of the Jewish people needed defending, and both groups volunteered, with their lives, to protect it. The issue of whether or not we could logically prove our cause was totally irrelevant -- our homeland was under
attack, our soldiers kidnapped, and the vast majority of us realized inherently that we needed to fight back.

Clearly, those soldiers have a passion for Israel, yet from where does the lack of passion for Israel come from? DovBear appreciates Israel, will teach his children Hebrew, and cares about Israel – yet at the end of the day, wants to watch from America. XGH seemingly chides us to be humble in our fight for survival, apparently implying we need to tread lightly when defending ourselves [or building the land] as we end up "land grabbing", "occupying another people" and "bombing the Lebanese" based on an unproven faith, that we believe we should live in Israel. After all, how are we any different from Hizbolla?

Yet our quest to live in Israel, based on our faith, is no less valid a right than the existence of the United States through the principle of Manifest Destinty which founded the US. To even question a Jew's right to live in Israel and defend himself – while writing from the United States which was built upon the foundations of Manifest Destiny is to blatantly ignore history, and might I add, rather haughty and audacious. Or more succinctly, the pot calling the kettle black.

But I digress.

Passion for Israel is not necessarily rooted in nationalism…or blue and white…or kibbutz socialism… Personally, when I spent my first year in Yeshiva in Israel, I didn't have "the passion" at all. Yet, by the end of the year, a quick poll in my yeshiva showed that 99% of those who came for the year would be interested in staying…in some sort of framework…many even permanently.

What drives the passion? Why does spending time in Israel – either in yeshiva, seminary, kibbutz, college, or army – why does it usually evoke a passion for Israel? I spent a summer in England's Lake District, which as stunningly beautiful as it was, didn't ignite any passion within me to want to live there. I grew up in the United
States in a frum community that catered nicely to an Orthodox lifestyle: good Jewish schooling, Kosher food, an eruv (agreed to by most), shuls, a mikva, and a suburban surrounding of grass, trees, culture and little league – yet after a year in Israel, the US and my community lost it's appeal.

Eretz Yisrael offers something else, a connection to our past and future which was missing in the US. And not only from a religious perspective – I recently walked around Raanana and was amazed at the number of secular anglo olim at the Raanana municipal park. What brought them to Israel? Why are they ALSO here in Israel? And yet…they definitely have the passion as well.

I spent time in Northern Israel during the war this past month, and was astounded by the volunteering spirit and togetherness of Israel. Families in Cental Israel's upper middle class regions were hosting families from the North…Magen David Adom, Hatzala, the Fire Department, Auxiliary Police, social workers, all had volunteers swarming to help provide reinforcements…and the amounts of food donated for Shabbat meals for these volunteers was simply overwhelming. The feeling of unity and commonality in purpose as volunteers left their families to fight in Lebanon, to volunteer, to
help, to serve, to distribute food was without a doubt, one of our finest moments as a country. That politics and differences could be put aside for a common goal was heart warming.

And this feeling crossed the boundaries of Israel and could be felt everywhere across the globe, as concerned Jews – some with more faith, some with less – but all bound up with some difficult to prove or scientifically catalog – unity, helped reignite a passion for Israel.

It may not exist for everyone, but the longing for Israel, the passion for Zion is bound up within the spiritualiy of Judiasm. It's there – so many people felt it over the past month – impossible to explain, but I would bet dollars to donuts that many, many of you reading this posting, know exactly what I'm writing about. XGH and DovBear may scoff and dismiss this posting – it's unscientific, not provable, maybe even G-d forbid just the messianic rantings of a fanatical settler.

Yet I still believe that majority of the readership here felt the stirring of the passion for Eretz Yisrael over the past month…the longing for Zion…and the unity of our people emerged with a clarity that had been missing for a long time.

It may be intangible, yet the passion for Eretz Yisrael still lives on in our people.

In our heart of hearts, the vast majority of us know it to be true.

SUVs are for weanies

Do you drive an SUV? According to the new Hummer Ad this is proof positive that you're a weak-wristed girly-man with something to hide.

I can't say I'm surprised. It's long been my opinion that a man who lives on a cule-de-sac only purchases a giant car for ego and image purposes. In the suburbs they serve no other purpose.

I feel the same way about tables in shuls, incidently. Though I admit it's comfortable to have a place to rest your books and your bags, the real reason people like tables in their shuls is because when you are sitting at one, surrounded by stacks of books, it's easy to deceive yourself into thinking that you're a scholar in a study hall. I don't own an SUV, but I bet that sitting in the cockpit of those monsters offers a similarly heady experience. In a shul full of tables a yeshiva alum who hasn't read a word of Aramic in 20 years can pretend that he's unmarried, unruined and immersed in the study of torah; behind the wheel of an SUV, its owner can pretend that he's something other than overwight, middle-aged and far less virol then he once was.

Bloggers who certainly don't own SUVs
MoChassid*
PsychoToddler*
Treppenwitz
ChayyaiSarah
Ren Reb
OrthoMom
Gil*
BOTH

Bloggers who might own SUVs
Ezzie*
GodolHador
Chaim Rubin
Joe Settler
Akiva*
Jameel*
Mirty

*Probably has tables in his shul

Tikun Moonbats Under the Sun.

Michael Lerner's most recent Tikun Magainze article is making the rounds -- it's already linked on over 10,900 websites. From "Radio Left" (which bills itself: Now in our 6th year driving the right-wing nuts. Internet talk radio for Liberals and Democrats) to Air America (which needs no introduction), Lerner demonizes Israel's right to defend it's sovereign borders from terror attacks.

One of the more annoying paragraphs was the following:

For Israeli militarists and the settlers, Hamas recognition of Israel, however partial, would have been a dramatic propaganda defeat. Within days Israelis began shelling inside Gaza (allegedly to stop Hamas' firing of Qassam rockets against Israeli population centers). One such shell landed on a Gaza beach, killing a family of eight who were simply enjoying the sun and water. A few days later, a Hamas group captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and Israel used this as its excuse to implement a plan it had developed months before to re-enter Gaza and destroy the Hamas infrastructure.

He posits:

1. Israeli settlers would face a dramatic propoganda defeat were Hamas to recognize Israel. Actually, most settlers don't really care if it's Hamas or Fatah running the Palestinian Authority or if they recognize Israel. In the Middle East, its facts that make a difference, and we've all seen over the past 10 years that it doesn't matter who's running the Palestinian Authority -- the bottom line is that they want to kill Jews. the Palestinian Authority is not really interested in Peace with Israel. Not every Arab wants to kill Jews, it's just that regardless of who is running the PA, the terror is still the same. For an enlightening (yet depressing) post on the subject -- a liberal Egyptian blogger has the following to say comparing Israel's Left and the Arab Left:

"But then I rememberd that we- the majority of us anyway- don't want peace with Israel, and are not interested in any real dialogue with them. We weren't then and we are not now. The Entire peace process has always been about getting the land back, not establishing better relations. Even when we do get the land back, it's not enough. People in Egypt lament daily the Camp David treaty that prevents us from fighting. In Gaza they never stopped trying to attack Israel. In Lebanon Hezbollah continued attacking even after the Israeli withdrawel. And the people- the majority of the arab population- support it. Very few of us are really interested in having any lasting Peace or co-existance. I mean, if our left is asking for war, what do you think the rest of the population is thinking?

I think that the Israeli want peace with us because they don't want their lives disrupted. They don't want to have the IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza, rockets coming into their towns from Hamas or having to go to wars against Hezbollah to get their soldiers back. I think they want peace because they want their peace of mind. They view us as if we were a headache. We view them as if they are a cancer.

And this is why there will never really be any peace in the middle-east."

2. One such [IDF] shell landed on a Gaza beach, killing a family of eight who were simply enjoying the sun and water.Despite the empirical and factual evidence that the IDF was NOT responsible for the death of 8 Palestinians in this particular incident, Lerner uses this lie anyway to bash Israel.

3. Everything Israel does is either an excuse or an alleged response...and Lerner offers Israel no credit for any military action.

Is this guy really representative of Liberal Democrats or is he off the deep end?

A good week to us all,

Jameel

The Muqata

A Radical Dvar Torah

We read at the end of this past week's parasha, the shocking story of Pinchas -- the grandson of Aharon the Cohen Gadol, the high priest. The Jews in the desert were tempted to prostitution and idolatry by the daughters of Moav, and then -- one of the leaders of the tribes, Zimri, and Cuzbi a Moabite princess started "going at it" for all to see.

Moshe, Aharon, the Elders were all horrified into shell shock. Not able to stand the offense, Pinchas grabbed a spear, and stabbed Zimri and Cuzbi -- impaling them both. Only then did G-d's wrath subside...and in return, Pinchas is granted by G-d, a covenant of peace for him and his future generations.

In Israel, there's a common expression - "Oh Tzalash, Oh Tarash" -- which means, either a medal of honor...or the bottom of the barrel. You break the rules and face the consequences; either receive a medal and the mantle of leadership...or you are relegated to the garbage pail of history.

One example that comes to mind is Ariel Sharon. He disobeyed direct orders in the Yom Kippur war, yet managed to lead the IDF to victory. Had he failed, he would have been demoted and I doubt we would have heard from him again.

Dr. Baruch Goldstein is another example -- many claim that he was trying to save the Jewish people in Hevron when he opened fire on a room full of praying Moslems in the Machpelah Cave. Had a videotape shown that the Arabs were planning an attack on the Jewish community, and this was their final prayer before going out to massacre the Jews...and a cache of 30 automatic weapons had been found under their prayer rugs...then Dr. Goldstein would have been viewed by all as a hero. Instead, he is currently destined to the trash basket of history by the majority of Jews, as the settler doctor who killed 2 dozen Moslem worshippers.

Perhaps the real explanation of the Israeli expression is, "The ends justify the means."

And surprisingly, this would appear to perhaps be the same lesson from Pinchas. All the rabbinic literature claims that being a kanna'i, a radical, is a bad thing -- since they operate outside the fold of normative rules. If everyone ignored the rules, there would be chaos...which is obviously unacceptable.

However, the ends apparently do justify the means -- and Pinchas the radical, is so overwhelmed by this blatant desecration of G-d's name...that he acts and kills these 2 people with no tribunal, no warning, and no chance to defend their actions.

And yet, the proof that the ends could justify the means, would be that in the end...G-d rewards Pinchas with a covenant of peace.

Jameel

The Muqata

Now its time to say good-bye to all our company...

... except for Charlie, who got a late start.

How about a big round of applause for Krum, CA, Naftuli, BOTH, Mis-nagid, TTC, Noyam, PinchasGiller, Akiva, and Jameel.

Thanks boys. You did a great job.

Your regular programing resumes shortly.

Kugel and The Pentagon.

Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel

Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel
Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel Kugel

Last Friday at my son's impressive graduation from second grade, they served...Yerushalmi Kugel. I must admit, that eating kugel on any day of the week except for Shabbat is definitely bizarre (almost as bad as eating chulent on a Tuesday), but it never occured to me that it would be served on a Friday morning at my son's school.

It tasted excellent as well -- not the sweet kind, but the mouth- watering, peppery type that makes you have to eat another piece.

However, the Pentagon seems to have a problem with Kugel. Or more specifically, with Jews who have relatives in Israel who like Kugel.

Defense Dept. imposes loyalty test on American Jews

The Pentagon has banned security clearance to Americans with relatives in Israel. Government sources and attorneys said the Pentagon has sought and succeeded in removing security clearance from dozens of Americans, mostly Jews, who either lived, worked or have relatives in Israel. Official documents report that American Jews were asked by Pentagon examiners whether they would join a U.S. attack on Israel if the Jewish state was threatened. Web Source: Insight Magazine

That's enough to give anyone heartburn.


Jameel

Mis-Nagid: Was that different enough a posting?

What's in a picture?

Far away from the galactic center of the Milky Way, I found this blog "The R Factor" with an interesting picture from here in Israel:

Reuter's captioned the picture as follows:

"Israeli soldiers sing and dance as they prepare to enter the Gaza Strip at the Rafah border crossing area on the Israeli-Gaza border June 28, 2006. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis (ISRAEL)"

R-Factor brings up some interesting questions:

1) Is this caption accurate? I.e. Was this photo really taken of soldiers celebrating their return to Gaza?

2) Guess which newspaper/news agencies will probably post this picture in their online/print editions today and tomorrow?

3) What is your reaction to such a picture?

Having had my picture taken a few times while wearing an IDF uniform, I can vouch that not every single one them is the perfect image of seriousness (nothing inappropriate, but some are silly). I'm not exactly sure of the circumstances that this picture was taken, but I have a hard time believing it was what the caption describes. The pictures over here are much more in line with what's really going on.

In any event, Israel is now mourning for 18 year old Eliyahu Asheri, the 18 year old Israeli who was kidnapped and brutally shot in the head by Palestinian terrorists, immediately after his abduction.

Most pictures you'll be seeing from Israel over the next few days will be full of grim determination.

Jameel
The Muqata

PS: DovBear, Sorry I haven't been more cheery the past few days. I'll see if I can come up with something on the lighter side a bit later.

Can Israel Win?

Two articles I read today indicate that Israel will be hard pressed to win the current war in Gaza. Batya Melamed writes in YNET that Israel has no faith in the justice of its cause or its actions.

A moment before we lose more kids, God forbid, in the coming battle in Gaza, we must ask the Israeli government to stop the tanks, ground the planes, call the battleships back to port and silence the artillery. We must do more than ask: We must plead with our government not to go out to this extraneous battle.

Just let us avoid this war. It is doomed to failure from the start.

There are two reasons for this: One, because our weak spot was been revealed for all to see during hostage crises in the past, and Israel's "diplomatic attempts" to bring about the release of hostages in the past. Those who had anything to do with those negotiations (both families and negotiators) now admit our government has been weak of hand and weak of will when dealing with murderers.

Secondly, they will not succeed because when we compare Israel's military power to that of our neighbors – we never talk about the main point. We compare weapons, or talk about the lack in technological advancement between the two sides.

But no one measures the power of the most important weapon a country who wants to live, who is dedicated to defeating its enemies, can have: Faith in the justice of its cause and its actions. The ability to walk upright, and even the willingness "to die for one's country."

Melamed may be right that on a political level, Israel lacks faith in the justice of it's cause or actions. However, on a strategic level most Israelis are resolute that the current incursion into Gaza is the most moral and just mission possible; the rescue of IDF soldier Gilad ben Aviva Shalit, and ensuring the cessation of Qassam rocket attacks against Southern Israel. Whether the political echelons will allow the IDF to fully complete this mission is another story, but you would be hard pressed to find an IDF soldier who would not want to satisfy these 2 objectives.

Daniel Pipes explains Israel's attitude towards war is that of management & containment, not victory. Pipes feels that Israelis don't understand the concept of total victory and therefore they always stop before it is achieved or worse, never try to achieve it in the first place.

Wars are won, the historical record shows, when one side feels compelled to give up on its goals. This is only logical, for so long as both sides hope to achieve their war ambitions, fighting either continues or potentially can resume. For example, although defeated in World War I, the Germans did not give up their goal of dominating Europe and soon again turned to Hitler to try again. The Korean War ended more than a half century ago, but neither North nor South having given up its aspirations means fighting could flare up at any time. Similarly, through the many rounds of the Arab-Israeli conflict (wars in 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982) both sides retained their goals.

Those goals are simple, static, and binary. The Arabs fight to eliminate Israel; Israel fights to win the acceptance of its neighbors. The first is offensive in intent; the second is defensive. The former is barbaric, and the latter civilized. For nearly 60 years, Arab rejectionists have sought to eliminate Israel via a range of strategies: undermining its legitimacy through propaganda, harming its economy through a trade boycott, demoralizing it through terrorism, and threatening its population via WMD.

Rather than seek victory, Israelis have developed a lengthy menu of approaches to manage the conflict.

These include: [updates by Jameel]

Unilateralism (building a wall, partial almost complete withdrawals): the current policy, as espoused by Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, and the Kadima Party.

Lease for 99 years the land under Israeli towns on the West Bank: the Labor Party of Amir Peretz

Palestinian Arab economic development: Shimon Peres.

Territorial compromise: The premise of Oslo diplomacy, as initiated by Yitzhak Rabin.

Outside funding for the Palestinian Arabs (on the Marshall Plan model): U.S. Representative Henry Hyde.

Retreat to the 1967 borders: Israel's far left center to left.

Push the Palestinian Arabs to develop good government: Natan Sharansky (and President Bush).

Insist that Jordan is Palestine: Israel's right. [JATM: haven't heard this one in a while]

Transfer the Palestinian Arabs out of the West Bank: Israel's far right.

These many approaches are very different in spirit and mutually exclusive. But they have a key element in common. All manage the conflict without resolving it. All ignore the need to defeat Palestinian rejectionism. All seek to finesse war rather than win it.

In simplistic terms, Israel has no long term vision. The Israeli left believes in short term solutions and hope things will work themselves out over time (even if they don't, like Oslo and the Disengagement). The Israeli right believes in not offering serious solutions at all -- and if they do, they are often for election campaigning only and not for implementation. A serious rightwing proposal is here...but it was from a think-tank, and never considered by a rightwing politician.

As Israel breathlessly stands together today praying for the safe return of IDF soldier Gilad ben Aviva (Shalit), kidnapped Israeli Eliyahu ben Miriam (Asheri), and the success of the IDF mission into Gaza, I pray that Israel find unity in the belief in the justice of it's cause, and that we are worthy of leaders who can lead Israel together towards unity.

Once we stand united, as a people and nation -- will victory be assured.

Cross-posted to The Muqata

Wherever I may go, my blog always turns towards Eretz Yisrael