"I Want to See the Priest of this Synagogue" 12/22/2009
The Holtzberg's Role in Bhagirath Prasad's Long Journey Home By Mirish Kiszner Dr. Abraham near the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Israel. "Who are you?" the custodian questioned the stranger walking into the synagogue. "Why are you here?" "I want to see the priest of this synagogue," the visitor, a young doctor, replied. "Are you a Jew?" "No." The non-Jewish caretaker replied, "No, you can't come in here." Disappointed, Dr. Abraham began to make his way down the stairs, but blocking his path was an elderly gentleman. Every home he'd visit boasted several idols"Young man," he said in a kind voice, "I heard that conversation. Come, come, tell me what you want. My name is Freddy. Freddy Sofer." The elderly man ushered Dr. Abraham into a small room and ordered tea and snacks from the caretaker. "Come sit down, have a bite, and let's talk." The doctor, feeling more at ease, fixed Mr. Sofer with a hopeful gaze. "I want my son to be circumcised," he blurted out. The elderly man nodded kindly. "I see," he said. "So tell me about yourself." Dr. Abraham began to relate his story. The road leading to Bina, a rural village in India, is rough and ragged, but the local villagers seem happy. Against the backdrop of the scenic landscape, the tribal residents take pride in their traditions and rituals. Yet, the tempest within the heart of Bhagirath Mohandas Prasad, then a young man of about twenty-two, refused to abate. The storm began when, at eighteen, Prasad, emerging from his sheltered childhood, began to question his religious roots. Every home he'd visit boasted several idols which the families worshiped, and the inquisitive lad, the youngest of five children, couldn't help but doubt their authenticity. He sought answers in newspapers, books, and educated people. What was the use for these rituals? The explanations he received didn't calm the tempest either. The silent statues only emphasized his profound frustration. Until one day, compelled by something he couldn't quite define, Prasad lifted the figurines of stone and wood and hurled them across the floor where they remained lying in a broken heap. Fearing his father's anger and the likelihood of a beating, young Prasad decided to run away. He escaped to Bhopal, about two hundred kilometers from Bina, where he continued his medical education. A job in the government health services secured him enough money to visit the big city of Mumbai where he could learn English and live among people from disparate cultures and geographical backgrounds. He craved a life of honesty, if a simple oneAnd still, the storm in his heart wouldn't cease. He witnessed one too many episodes of corruption, exploitation, and unabashed bribery. Prasad became convinced that this system was not for him. He craved a life of honesty, if a simple one. If he couldn't proffer goodness, at least he wouldn't spread evil. He turned to Christianity, but was quickly deterred, though he continued to treasure the Bible he received from his would-be teachers. At the time, Prasad was employed in a nursing home, working the night shift. A young nurse noticed his interest in the Bible and they shared many nocturnal talks. Prasad was amazed at her wide knowledge of the Bible and delighted in the answers that were always on her tongue. Her name was Rani, which, in the Hindi language, means "queen." It wasn't long before the two got married, with Rani continuing to teach Prasad, and Prasad continuing to read the Bible. The Ten Commandments held a magnetic pull for Prasad, but Rani wasn't very pleased. She sent Prasad to several learned people to talk him out of his obsession but they quickly gave up, thinking Prasad a fool. Of course, this caused a tussle between the couple, but Prasad continued to insist on the Torah's authenticity. Dr. Abraham and his children at the Chanukah celebration in Mumbai. When the couple's first son was born, Prasad decided that his son would have no connection to his background. Since every Indian child carries his father's name as well as his own, Prasad began to look for a new name, a name from the Bible. "For my first name, I chose Aaron, after the High Priest, and Abraham as my surname after our forefather Abraham who, like me, searched for G‑d. My wife, Rani, became Malka, which means "queen" in Hebrew. She was fascinated by the Biblical Samuel, so we gave that name to our son. We changed all our legal papers so that nothing remained of our past." "Do you know a Jewish family?" he asked the librarianWhen Dr. Prasad, now Dr. Abraham, read about the idea of circumcision, he was set on having his son circumcised. "I had been circumcised medically, so I thought I was fine. I didn't know that a medical and Jewish circumcision differed," he explained. The desire to circumcise his firstborn led Dr. Abraham to search for the Mumbai Jewish community, his only clue a Jewish library. "Do you know a Jewish family?" he asked the librarian. "No." "Do you know of a Jewish church, then?" he tried again. "No, no. Don't call it that. Jews call it a synagogue and, yes, there's one right across the road. It's closed now at 8:30 PM, but you can go there anytime during the day." And that's how it happened that several weeks later, one Shabbat afternoon, Dr. Abraham climbed the steps to the synagogue only to be stopped by the caretaker. "I want my son circumcised," Dr. Abraham told the elderly man. Mr. Sofer leaned back in his chair and regarded Dr. Abraham with gentle eyes. "Dr. Abraham, your story is very interesting. But it's not that easy, my friend. According to Jewish law you have to convert in order to be circumcised. If you want to convert, you will have a very tough life. It's not easy to live as a Jew." But these words didn't discourage the young doctor. He felt prepared for the drastic change, for the tough life, if only to become part of a people that believed in One G‑d. The years passed in a whirl of Hebrew studies and mitzvah observanceThe years passed in a whirl of Hebrew studies and mitzvah observance, learning and growing, community volunteer work, attempts at conversion and painful rejections. Still, Dr. Abraham and his wife, who by then shared her husband's commitment, didn't give up. When his dream of visiting Israel was fulfilled, the longing in his heart intensified, and yet, his application for Israeli citizenship was refused. Rabbi Gabi Holtzberg joyful after finishing to build the sukkah. But in 2003, an extraordinary young couple, Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivky Holtzberg, arrived in Bombay. "One of their boys was sick and brought into the hospital where I worked," Dr. Abraham recalls. "It was Friday, and I saw Gabi felt strained. I understood that he was worried about Shabbat so I offered to stay with the child. After Shabbat, he approached me with a thick bundle of Indian rupees, but I insisted that what I did was not for the money, but for Shabbat. He tried to push me to accept the money but when I refused, he brought me a set of Torah books, a gift that became very precious to me." The Holtzberg's taught Dr. Abraham and Malka Hebrew language and Jewish law. They wouldn't make a move without consulting the Holtzberg's, spending every Shabbat and holiday in the Holtzberg's Chabad House. In 2008, Rabbi Holtzberg wrote a letter to the head of the conversion committee in Israel, vouching for the Abraham's sincerity. "The Holtzberg's were totally devoted to Chabad and the Jewish nation. He always welcomed us graciously. 'Come, bring your wife and children,' he always told me. We built a sukkah together, celebrated Chanukah together, joined his Passover seder. He was so kind to the Israeli tourists, the backpackers who were often robbed by the Indians. Rabbi Gabi helped them in every way; he provided shelter, food, money… whatever they needed until they received their immigration papers from the Israeli Consulate." Many people returned to Jewish practice through Rabbi Gabi. Once, a young Israeli entered the Chabad House disturbed and depressed. He said to Rabbi Gabi, "Where is G‑d?" Rabbi Gabi heard his problems, assured him all would be well, and gave him a place to stay. This fellow stayed with Rabbi Gabi for about two weeks, observing Rabbi Gabi's practice of Judaism. He prayed with Rabbi Gabi and put on tefillin daily. He left a different person, stable in mind and committed to a Jewish lifestyle. "They never discriminated… they treated everybody equally"Another young Israeli tourist who suffered from medical problems once contacted Rabbi Gabi, telling him he wasn't feeling well. Rabbi Gabi immediately went to visit him, brought him to the hospital and paid the advance deposit of $300 to cover medical costs. "They never discriminated… they treated everybody equally. Rivky worked tirelessly in the kitchen, preparing large quantities of food, supervising the dishes, personally taking care of everything. "The Holtzberg's told us that when we move to Israel, they'd miss us terribly, but would share our joy. And then, this terrible, unfortunate terrorist attack happened. It's a loss for everybody, but our lives were shattered." Dr. Abraham's daugher, Sharon, playing with Moishie Holtzberg. In the aftermath of the tragedy, an Israeli reporter formed a connection with Dr. Abraham and urged him to send his son, Shmuel, to Israel where he arranged for him to learn in Yeshivat Machon Meir in Kiryat Moshe, Jerusalem. When the Abraham's aliyah – immigration to Israel – was finally approved, this same journalist helped the family find a place in his own city of Kiryat Arba. My meeting with Dr. Abraham was coming to an end when an urgent look appeared on Dr. Abraham's face. He leaned forward and told me, "Please write these words." "If someone is sincere to G‑d, He will never forsake you, as my experience has taught me. G‑d sent me help through many angels, including Rabbi Gabi and Rebbetzin Rivky. It took me twenty years to come to live in Israel, so, please, never give up hope, and be sincere to G‑d's will and His Torah." from Chabad.org Amazing Video 11/05/2009
This video, in Hebrew, is Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak at a speech. A Jew who grew up ultra-orthodox in Jerusalem, converted to Christainity and began to argue with R. Yitzchak. The video is amazing what happens to him and how you should never give up on a Yid no matter what ! Drop Your Bags! 09/25/2009
A new video from NCSY on Aish.com An Ear for Teshuva 09/25/2009
When I was young, I had a dog. He was a Miniature Schnauzer, who never grew higher than 18 inches off the ground. One day I took him to the park and removed his leash to give him some long desired running room. No sooner was the leash off my dog than he ran like the wind away from me, across the huge park. I was delighted to see him enjoy his freedom, until a massive dog, about four times his size, casually strolled across the same park. I expected my dog to put his tail between his legs and high-tail it back to me. However, instead, he ran right for the big dog, which could have consumed my dog for breakfast. In astonishment, I watched my dog first sniff noses with the big dog, and then if you can believe it, stand up and put his paws on the big dog's head. I don't remember what I thought then, but, it was probably along the lines of, "Okay, what kind of dog would I like to get next?" because, I thought this dog would make cat food out of my mine. Instead, though, this big brute of dog, having no patience for a Miniature Schnauzer's antics, simply flung his big head down and up, and, it was enough to toss my dog on his side for a roll in the grass. As my dog recovered himself and prepared for a new run at this dog, I frantically called for my dog and chased after him with my leash. I didn't catch him, but it was enough to force him in a different direction, away from the bigger dog. Now, some twenty-five years later, I wonder if that story is, in fact, a good analogy for the Jewish people, who seem to have more self-confidence than is good for us. We seem to have no problem having more belief in the incomplete, and often mistaken, philosophies of man, than in the possibility that G-d is REALLY there, and, that His Torah is REALLY true. Is it stiff-neckedness? Take on G-d? Is it chutzpah? When all He has to do His shake His head, so to speak, and send us flying in all directions? Is it sheer stupidity? Imagine the following dialogue: Angry Secular Person (ASP): I hate religious Jews! Rabbi: Wow, that's a strong statement! Why do you feel so strongly? ASP: Because, they're always imposing their ways on others, and, they think that anyone who is not as religious as them is not as Jewish as them! Rabbi: That's not quite accurate. They will be the first to tell you that anyone born from a Jewish mother is as "Jewish" as the next person who is born from a Jewish mother, or, who has converted according to halachah, for that matter. I think what you mean is that they consider a person who does not practice Torah "less observant." ASP: Whatever! It still amounts to the same thing They look down on others, and, they want every Jew to be like them and, they make a big deal and interfere politically if we're not. They're holding us back from being like the rest of the world in this modern era! Rabbi: Do you think for one second that they would do any of that if they didn't believe that Torah applies to ALL Jews, and that until ALL Jews uphold Torah, redemption for the world cannot come? ASP: I don't care! They can believe in whatever fantasies they want, but they can't impose their dreams on people like me! What right have they to impose their values on me?! Rabbi: Because, they believe it's what G-D wants ASP: What do they know about G-d? I'm not even sure He exists, and, even if He does exist, I can't believe that He thinks too highly of people who can't even integrate into society. I mean, what value can there be in people who sit around learning all day and dress in black! Rabbi: I see. So, you think that modern man has all the answers is the wisest man has ever been, and knows what's best for the future of the world? ASP: Well, not all of the answers But look at what we've accomplished with technology! We may not have ALL the answers, but, a lot of them far more than people who keep their hands stuck in ancient texts and still believe in myths. Rabbi: You mean, G-d giving the Torah at Mt. Sinai? You believe that it is only a myth? ASP: What else can it be, if not a myth? Rabbi: It can be TRUE. Why do you insist that it is a myth? ASP: Because, there is no archeological evidence to support the claim Rabbi: Yet. There is no archeological evidence YET. And, even that is not necessarily true. Anyhow, what is lacking archeologically can be made up for from other areas of thought. Would you like to discuss some of those? ASP: Yea, well, if they're right, how come so few people follow their ways? Rabbi: What do you mean? The world's biggest religions are based upon the Torah being true, and, even the American Constitution is based upon many Torah ideas. ASP: Well, what about the Holocaust? Rabbi: There is an answer for that as well. The answers existed in the Torah and its commentaries long before the Holocaust ever occurred. I can't tell you why the Holocaust happened when it did and where it did, and why this person died while this person survived. But, the general rules that govern this universe and our history are laid down in detail. We know a little about the cause-and-effect relationship in history. You want to learn what we know and understand it? ASP: So, what's wrong with technology? Rabbi: What do you mean? ASP: Why can't Orthodox Jews use technology, and get involved in the business world? Rabbi: Well, many do. But think about it for a moment. Imagine for a second that G-d is really there, and, He really gave the Torah. Let's say the Torah contains the axioms of creation, and, that G-d has told us that He values its study above and beyond anything else. Let's even say that the learning of it in detail is so exhilarating, even more than a good novel that you can't put it down ASP: I learned a little bit of the Bible I didn't find it exciting at all! Rabbi: Did you learn the Jewish version? Did you learn it with Rashi, and the Ramban ASP: Who? Rabbi: Famous Torah commentators. Did you ever learn Talmud with Rishonim? Did you ever taste the sweetness of Kabbalah? Did you even meditate on the profundity of the words of the Zohar? ASP: Ah, well, of course not. It's not for me I have a wife and family to support I have to be a responsible member of society Rabbi: Of course you do. The Torah says so. And, the Torah tells you how to do it. You know, societies come and go. What was right in one secular society becomes wrong in the next. Torah is timeless. It is the undercurrent to history, it runs through history, and, it rises above it. Could it be that those people whose backwardness you hate are just living in a different realm, sailing the undertow of history? Could they know something you have yet to learn, and, because you have yet to learn it, you have difficulty relating to their way of life? ASP: I find that hard to believe. Rabbi: I also did, until I stumbled into Torah Judaism myself. ASP: You were once like me? Rabbi: Not only was I once secular, but, I was an ANGRY secular person like you, espousing the same gripe against the Orthodox community. I'm even a Harvard graduate in business administration. ASP: I don't believe you. No one walks away from a future like that. Rabbi: Unless they see something more important to believe in a higher value to pursue. ASP: I still find it hard to believe that so few people who seem to know so little about this world can be so right, with so little evidence to support their point of view And, if we're all wrong, then, why doesn't G-d say something already? Rabbi: Funny you should ask. Both your questions are answered in one verse from the Torah. In Parashas Nitzavim, the posuk said: G-d, your G-d, will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your descendants, so you may love G-d, your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, in order that you may live. (Devarim 30:6). Now, the Hebrew for the words, "your heart and the heart" is: es levavecha v'es l'vav. The Torah commentator, the Ba'al HaTurim, points out that, if you take the first letter of these four words, they spell the word "Elul," the name of the month that precedes Rosh Hashanah. This, says the Ba'al HaTurim, is an allusion to the need to begin saying Selichos (special prayers and liturgy designed to prepare us for the atmosphere of the Aseres Yemai Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance) early in the morning from Rosh Chodesh Elul on, as the Sephardim indeed do (Ashkenazim begin the week before Rosh Hashanah only). You see, there is something, be it psychological, be it emotion, be it spiritual, that is blocking our clarity of vision. If we take Torah seriously, and look once again in the direction of G-d, and humble ourselves a little bit, then, Torah begins to make more sense to us. This is what the verse, "The corruption: it is not His; the blemish is His children a crooked and twisted generation." (Devarim 32:5), means. The explanations are all there, well, at least for the most part. We have to stop making assumptions, and start pursuing truth. Secular Person: It sounds good in theory. But, there are people harder to reach than me How are you going to get to THEM? Rabbi: The Ba'al HaTurim answers that question too. He adds that "es levavecha v'es" has total numerical value of that which is equal to "this is (the period of) the days of Moshiach, in Hebrew, of course SP: You really believe all that stuff? Rabbi: I really believe all that "stuff." You want to find out why? Some answer yes, but most answer no, and, as the Ba'al HaTurim points out, it may take Moshiach to tip the scales in the opposite direction. Fortunate is the one with an ear for teshuvah. (Author, lecturer, and scholar Rabbi Pinchas Winston is the director of ThirtySix.org) from breslov.co.il Never Too Old to Learn 08/30/2009
by Ben Clayman My grandfather started learning Torah when he was 80 years old. I recently graduated from university. It is a major identity change. Going from student to graduate out of college is a major step in life. I thought how I got here. My parents, teachers, friends, rabbis, and then one person really popped out -- my grandfather, may his memory be a blessing, William Bernard Clayman. On October 16th, 2006, at the age of almost 82, my grandfather passed away. Saba used to always dress impeccably, was on time to everything, and considered one of the greatest duties in life to be responsible in everything you do. He grew up in the small town of Nile,Ohio, one of four Jewish children in his entire school system. He liked to tell the story why he was born in Youngstown, Ohio, some 20 minutes away from Niles. The Klu Klux Klan had their largest rally in the area on November 3 and his mother was staying with her family outside of Niles. This is just one of many childhood events that began to forge an breakable connection with Judaism. He grew up with a minimal Jewish education in a third generation American family. He was a boy scout, worked in his father's scrap yard during the summer, and was an altogether normal Depression-era lower-middle class all-American boy. He went to Oberlin College to become a history professor. Almost any conversation with him would include either a quote of Shakespeare, a Roman battle, or Colonial American history. Saba was also plagued by depression his entire life. After a year at Oberlin, he came back home due to his illness. My great-grandfather, Morris Clayman, gave him a pick-up truck and told him to start buying and selling scrap metal. Saba told me that saved him life, the feeling of accomplishment by earning an honest living kept him going throughout even the worst periods of manic depression. At the age of 28, he got married to my grandmother, Hilda Fish, may she live until 120. They had four sons, Gary, David, Joel (my father), and Michael. David inherited the same mental illness and died at the young age of 19. The shocking event did not stop my grandparents or make them bitter, it inspired them to help others. This is the necessary background to the real story... Rabbi Noach Weinberg, may his memory be a blessing, was fond of telling the story of Rebbe Akiva and how he only started learning Torah when he was 40 years old. He was a very successful businessman, running the operation of his future father-in-law's herds which were the greatest in all of Israel. He believed anyone could come and learn about Judaism regardless of their age or background. My grandfather was 80 years old before he set foot into a yeshiva to learn. Starting from an early age, against his parents political views, he became an ardent Zionist and later a supporter of all kinds of Jewish-oriented projects from arts and cultural of Jewish life to Israeli scientific research to investment in emerging Israeli companies. His home, a modest place where he did not move from for 50 years, was literally overflowing with books on Israel, Jewish culture, and history. When I was 15, I asked him what made him care so much about a country so far away? He answered me with a dead serious tone, staring me straight in the eye, "I'm a Jew and I'm a romantic. I believe in the Jewish people." Rabbi Noach Weinberg would ask me every time I'd come to Israel how my grandparents were and he would send them his best regards. My grandfather understood Rabbi Weinberg's mission -- to invigorate the Jewish people to reach their potential – and stood behind it. My grandfather and parents suggested I go to Aish HaTorah right after I turned 17 for the summer. I came back from the three-week Essentials program with a greater commitment to Judaism and the Jewish people. My grandfather was excited and wanted to talk of nothing but Israel and learning in yeshiva. With God's loving kindness, I was blessed with approval to attend Aish HaTorah's Intermediate Program the following year. My grandparents, both aged 80, not able to walk so well, with no family in Israel other than me, decided that it was their turn to delight in their heritage and learn more about Judaism. Realizing you're never too old to learn, he called Baruch Rabinowitz of Aish HaTorah, asking for his help to arrange a stay in Israel to learn in yeshiva and spend the High Holidays there. They arrived soon after me, and the very next day, my grandfather was the oldest yeshiva student while I was the youngest, learning side-by-side. He told me it was the greatest trip of his life, the fulfillment of dreams and aspirations. His learning partners all said he was very bright; he was one of the first students in yeshiva to learn every day. He was there for the month of Elul, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur. During Chol HaMoed Sukkot, my parents and younger sister came to Israel and we celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in Jerusalem. Saba got sick during Sukkot and came back after the holiday to America for tests. He wanted to almost exclusively reminisce about his time at Aish HaTorah and his love of being in yeshiva in Israel. He died exactly a year after his return on the 25th of Tishrei. He never got to graduate university or spend more time in yeshiva, but when I walked down the aisle to accept my degree, he was there with me. And later that day, when I finish the sixth and final section of Mishnah at my graduation party/Siyum HaShas, it was in his merit and honor. Ben Clayman is a student of Yeshivas Aish HaTorah. Whenever he is psychically not in Jerusalem, he is still always trying to get back to Yeshiva. He graduated from the University of Chicago and is now travelling, training for a marathon which his rabbis at Aish inspired him to do, and working at a start-up company, His online digest/blog is AkivaSociety.com. This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/jw/id/56175082.html The Essence of a Jew 08/16/2009
By Tuvia Bolton During the closing days of Israel's 1982 "Peace in Galilee" campaign in Lebanon, I was one of a group of ten Chabad Chassidim who got permission from the army to enter Beirut to cheer up the soldiers. The soldiers welcomed us as though we were announcing the end of the war. The entire night we went from group to group, singing, dancing, talking, laughing, and of course making L'Chaims. There was no time to sleep. At the crack of dawn we got our tefillin out of our bags and began asking soldiers if they wanted to do a mitzvah and put them on for a minute. At that hour of the morning most of the soldiers were still asleep. I walked around looking for "customers" and happened upon a line of about ten open jeeps with two soldiers seated in each. Their motors were running and they were waiting in the chilly morning to go out on a mission. It must have been some sort of combat foray, because they were armed to the teeth and were wearing bulky bulletproof vests and steel helmets. I approached the first jeep and asked them if they wanted to put on tefillin and one soldier agreed. When he finished, I moved on to the next one and asked the driver the same question, but was in for an unpleasant surprise. He just listened, looking straight ahead, and didn't even react to my question. So I just stood there and waited for a reply. After a few seconds of silence, he turned to me and said (loose translation): "Get out of my sight, you parasite religious scum! If you don't get out of my face I'll tear you to pieces! I hate you vermin!" I understood that the answer was no. I tried to force a smile and figure out something to say, when suddenly the driver of the next jeep in line called out to me in a desperate tone of voice: "Rabbi, Rabbi! Come here. I want to put on tefillin." I turned, happy to get away, and began to walk toward the third jeep in the line. "Tell me Rabbi," he called nervously after I had taken a few steps and was still quite a distance from him. "If... if I put on tefillin will G-d protect me?" It was obvious that the man was very worried. Yesterday he was probably sitting in his hardware store selling pipes and tools when they called him up to reserve duty, and suddenly here he was about to enter the front lines. "Listen, my friend," I assured him, "G-d will protect you whether you put on the tefillin or not. Don't worry. He loves you because you are a Jew. But if G-d protects you for free, so why not do something for Him for free, and put on tefillin?" It seems that the soldier in the second jeep -- the one that had cursed me out -- had heard all this, because when I finished putting on the tefillin on this soldier he called out, "Hey Rabbi! Come over here!" I turned around to see him rolling up his sleeve like he wanted to put on the tefillin and motioning me to come over. I took a few steps towards him. "What do you want? What happened?" "Listen!" he replied "What do you care? I want to put on the tefillin, too." I gave him a look and an Israeli hand motion as if to say, "Are you for real?" And he replied: "Listen, my friend. To put on tefillin in order to go to heaven or to be religious, that's not for me. But to put on tefillin for no reason... That I'm willing to do!" This is the essence of the Jewish soul in action. A Jew may reject all reasons, all explanations, including mystical explanations, for doing a mitzvah, but will embrace the deed itself. Because a Jew inherently wants to do what G-d wants; s/he is one with G-d not only spiritually, but also -- and even more so -- through his or her everyday physical life. Editor's Note: G-d, our loving Father, watches and protects all His children. That said, our Sages clearly state that wearing Tefillin offers a great measure of added protection against enemies. This is not only true for the soldier who puts on Tefillin, but for any Jew anywhere in the world who fulfills the mitzvah of Tefillin--he is adding to the collective protection of the Jewish nation. from Chabad.org By Tuvia Bolton More articles... | A popular teacher, musician and storyteller, Rabbi Tuvia Bolton is co-director and a senior lecturer at Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, Israel Gossip: The Triple Murder Threat 08/06/2009
The sages teach that each time someone speaks badly of others, it is like killing three people. Who is dying? 1. THE PERSON SPEAKING In whose eyes is this happening? On one level, the person speaking is being killed in the eyes of God. The Almighty has given that person the gift of speech, and he or she is using it to pit one person against another, to put others down and to speak of other people's private business. On another level, he or she is being killed in the eyes of all those who are listening. When you have "the goods" on some-one and say to a group of people, "Guess what? I heard the real story about so-and-so's marital breakup," what happens? Everyone leans in to hear the juicy gossip, and you become the center of attention. You are, in a sense, being crowned! You become the queen or king of this moment. But it's just a moment. If you are known as the type of person eager to speak badly of others or quick to share "the dirt" at any given time, you will not be the person others come to for advice or with whom they entrust their lives. After all, if you are so quick to speak badly of others, everyone knows that soon they will be fodder for your social hobby. If you are quick to speak badly of others, everyone knows they will be fodder for your social hobby. When Bob was a television newscaster, he was also an avid speaker -- as well as listener -- of gossip. According to Bob, "When I was with certain people, it felt like we were best friends; as though it were the two of us against the world. But I also knew that the same was true for whomever my ‘friend' was with at the time. If they talked about others so viciously, what did that tell me would be said about me when I wasn't the ‘best friend of the moment'?" Interestingly enough, not only did most of Bob's coworkers not trust people like this, but they didn't like them either. Of course, that didn't stop anybody from listening to all the juicy gossip. The truth is that at any moment you can be the popular one, but in the long run, you are lessened in everyone's eyes if you gossip. When you speak badly of others, it is like committing slow suicide. Did you ever wonder why gossip is called "the low down" and "the dirt"? Let's face it, putting others down only brings us down. Some time ago, someone in my evening class on ethics shared the following story with everyone in attendance: I was attending a ceremony at our house of worship and my sister-in-law walked in dressed very inappropriately! She was wearing a revealing top and I just couldn't believe it. I pointed this out to my husband and told him that his sister had done it again. When will she ever learn? But my husband did not respond. He just stood there and stared at me. It's maddening. He does it every time I speak about people. Don't you think he should say something to his sister, or perhaps I should? I responded by saying, "First, do not say anything to your sister-in-law. She won't be able to hear it from you. If you have that type of relationship, chances are she won't be able to hear the weather report from you, let alone a comment about her choice of dress -- as this can often be a challenging relationship. "Second, when you speak negatively about others, who is being lessened in your husband's eyes?" The woman didn't have to think long. "I am," she whispered. "You've got a good guy there," I answered. "Don't just hang on to him. Learn from him." 2. THE PERSON YOU ARE SPEAKING ABOUT The person who is the topic of discussion at hand is obviously being killed. Such people are going about their business innocently, oblivious to the fact that you are speaking about them and affecting the way others view them. Irreparable damage can be done with every word, whether the information is true or not. Money can be earned back easily, but a reputation developed over years can be wiped away instantly. A person's reputation -- their good name -- is certainly a major part of his or her joy of existence. Money can always be earned back fairly easily, but a reputation for honesty, integrity, and kindness, for being a loving husband, a good parent, a charitable and righteous person, while developed over years, can be wiped away instantly in a flash of evil speech. Depending upon the circumstances, it may be nearly impossible to restore it to its original level. The Japanese have a term that describes very well what happens when a person's reputation is damaged: The person is said to have "lost face," as if they no longer exist. 3. THE PERSON LISTENING The Talmud says that the person who is damaged most of all is the one who is listening. Worse than gossiping is listening to gossip! We all know deep down that, although almost everyone does it, speaking badly about people is plain wrong. The person you are slicing up is being harmed to no end. Yet, we wonder, why in the eyes of God is the passive listener the one who is doing the most harm? The answer lies in the word passive. Of all three parties, the listener is the only one who has the ability to stop the evil speech in its tracks. The speaker has already made the decision to speak badly of others. The one being spoken about has no control over the situation. The listener is the only one who has the power to change the course of the conversation, which is why God puts the onus on the listener. Reading gossip is even worse than listening to it. My son pointed out to me that reading gossip is even worse than listening to it! Sometimes, he said, we are in a situation in which someone will blurt out something negative about a person, and we have heard it before we have had a chance to block it. However, reading gives us time to decide whether or not this is something we want to know about. If an article is a juicy exposé on a person's life -- exposing private details that are surely embarrassing and damaging to that person's reputation -- why do we spend even one second of our lives reading it, other than for a momentary thrill or as a sick form of entertainment at someone's expense? There can be no excuse that we couldn't help hearing something that was suddenly blurted out. Clearly we would have made a conscious choice to "listen" to things we shouldn't. Reputations are destroyed, marriages are ruined, partnerships are broken -- there is no end. Are you beginning to understand why Bob and I are so emphatic about one of the world's favorite pastimes? Keep in mind that these biblical laws apply not only to talking about people, but also about organizations, groups of people and an individual you probably never expected -- you. Yes, you are not allowed to speak badly about yourself! If you put yourself down, you are transgressing these laws. By doing so, in essence you are saying that God blew it. God doesn't blow it. He made you in His image, and God doesn't make junk. So forget the self-deprecating dialogue. You are unique. You are special. You have potential for greatness. Now use that potential for good. THE TEN PATHWAYS OF POSITIVE SPEECH Better pointed bullets than pointed speech. Otto von Bismarck The Ten Pathways of Positive Speech
from Aish.com Excerpted from "Gossip -- Ten Pathways to Eliminate It From Your Life and Transform Your Soul," by Lori Palatnik and Bob Burg Simcha Press). Available at Amazon.com. The Special Path 08/04/2009
By: Alice Jonsson The Seven Noahide Commandments, Part 1 Breslev Israel is happy to present our readers with a week by week basic introduction to the Seven Universal Commandments. The emphasis will be in explaining these laws in a clear way so that non-Jews new to Judaism and to Torah will have an easier time navigating the complexities of taking on a new (yet extremely old) way of living given by our Creator to all of the nations of the world. In Judaism, there is no demand that a non-Jew convert in order to connect with his or her Creator, to make the world the best place it can be, and to live a moral, enriching, tranquil, and joyous existence. In fact, there is a special path for Gentiles. The Noahide laws, sometimes called the Seven Universal Commandments or the Seven Mitzvot Bnei Noach (The Seven Commandments of the Children of Noah) are derived from Chapter 9 of Genesis, part of the five books of Moses, which are part of the larger Torah. The Torah is not just the Five Books of Moses. In fact the Torah is not just one book. In the most expansive definition, it is the Five Books of Moses, the Bible (such as Psalms and Proverbs), Oral Torah (the Talmud, made up of the Gemara and the Mishna), Midrashim, various responsa (fleshed-out analysis of Bible law), and the Zohar. The Seven Universal Laws are: 1. Not to engage in idol worship. 2. Not to blaspheme. 3. Not to murder. 4. Not to steal 5. Not to engage in illicit sexual behavior. 6. To establish courts of justice. 7. Not to eat the limb of a living animal. Six of these laws have existed and were known since the time of Adam and Eve, but the seventh regarding proper treatment of animals was given after the flood to Noach and his family, who were chosen to repopulate the earth, much like Adam and Eve. They are basic laws, some see them as categories, that are for all of the people of the earth, after all, we all descend from Noach and his family to whom they were given. Until the Jews received the Torah at Sinai, they too followed these laws. If we non-Jews (or Gentiles) follow these laws, there is a place for us in Olam Haba, or the World to Come. However it is crucial to understand and embrace the fact that the emphasis in Judaism is not on the next world, but on living correctly in this one. Following the Seven Universal Commandments connects us with the Creator here and now, thus enormously enriching our lives and the lives of those around us, and the world we live in. It also makes us partners with Jews in repairing the world, but in a way that was especially designated for Gentiles. Following the Seven Universal Commandments connects us with the Creator here and now... The Torah requires that Jews follow 613 mitzvot, or commandments. From a Torah perspective, the job of a Jew is different than that of a Gentile. To put it in very simple terms, to do our job as non-Jews we really only need to follow the six commandments given to Adam and Eve and the seventh given to Noach and his family. Within Orthodoxy there are varying opinions about the degree to which Gentiles should go beyond the Seven Universal Commandments. This can be very confusing for Bnei Noach, Gentiles who commit to living by the Seven Universal Commandments. Some rabbis emphatically state that Gentiles should not go at all beyond a limited interpretation of the Seven Laws. On the other extreme there are rabbis who argue that Bnei Noach can live by other laws in the Torah, in certain ways and under certain circumstances. It is best for a Ben or Bat Noach, a son or daughter of Noach, to get his or her own rabbi and to proceed carefully under his guidance. Simply believing in the truth of Torah does not make you or me a Jew. For a non-Jew to become a Jew, he or she must convert to Judaism. Until then we are Gentiles and should live in a manner appropriate for us. You need not convert from your old way of living, whatever that was, to become a Ben or Bat Noach. You are one simply by accepting the Seven the Laws and embarking on a life guided by them. Some Bnei Noach may choose to live a rigorous religious life, learning a great deal of Torah in a manner that is appropriate to non-Jews, committing significant time to prayer, working closely with rabbis, honoring the Sabbath in a manner appropriate for Gentiles, and celebrating some Jewish holidays, again in a manner appropriate for Bnei Noach. These people may choose to build fellowship with the Jewish community, participate in the development of burgeoning Bnei Noach communities and institutions, learn Hebrew, etc. Unlike many religions, there is no obligation for believing Gentiles to attend a house of worship and we do not have religious ceremonies per se. The more rigorous path can be enormously enriching, but is not without pronounced challenges. Many rabbis have never focused a great deal on the Seven Universal Commandments in their training, thus making it difficult for them to conscientiously guide us. Finding community can be very tough given our small numbers. And how we might fit in with Jewish communities in an appropriate manner is really yet to be determined. To put it in more direct terms, a Ben or Bat Noach can be seen as a real can of worms to an already over extended Orthodox rabbi, and I say that with all due respect. Other Bnei Noach may choose to live a more simple religious life. They use the Seven Universal Commandments as a basic framework for living an upright life. They use simple prayer in their own words to connect with God, to stay grounded, to enjoy the immense beauty of the world that God created for us. This is also a wonderful and totally valid existence for the Gentile. There is no obligation for us to live the complex religious life of an Orthodox Jew to please our Creator. At this point in time, this is a much easier approach to living by the Seven Laws given that the numbers of Bnei Noach are extremely small and dispersed all over the globe and given the complexities from an Orthodox perspective of Jews and Bnei Noach living in close community with one another. from Breslov.co.il G-d in High School 08/03/2009
By Moshe Goldman Question: I know that everything I do can be meaningful. My rabbi says that everything we do has to be an act of preparation for Moshiach. But how can studying for my high school diploma be a preparation for Moshiach? Response: Dr. Paul C. Rosenbloom was a religious Jew and a professor of mathematics. He once told the Rebbe about a rabbi who had visited his home and expressed disapproval of the bookshelves. "How can you keep secular books together with Torah books on the same shelf?" the rabbi lamented. The Rebbe replied that to place Torah in one world and science in another borders on having more than one G‑d. Rather, all knowledge should have the same purpose, to further our awareness of the one Creator of All Things. So, too, your high school studies are a way that you can further your awareness of G‑d. And since Moshiach means a time when G‑dliness will be obvious, furthering your awareness of G‑d and making Him more obvious in your life fits right in to the preparations for Moshiach. Here are some suggestions on how to find G‑d in your studies: When you study biology, you can marvel at the complexity, detail and precision of G‑d's creations. How can a person praise G‑d without contemplating the many miracles of life? When you study history, you can ponder the Divine Providence with which G‑d ran the show at that particular period, and His mysterious reasons behind it. When you study English, you can think about how G‑d split the world up into many different languages at the time of the Tower of Bavel, and how prior to that there was a unity prevalent among all mankind—which we need to bring back. These are all just examples. Do the same with every subject—find the point in it that you can use to connect it with something G‑dly. When you open up your books, don't think "I hate this pointless stuff that has no connection to Judaism or anything real," rather think that "I am now going to dig until I find something that is real here, and then I will focus on that and make it the most important aspect of this subject for me." from Chabad.org By Moshe Goldman More articles... | Rabbi Moshe Goldman is the Director of Chabad of the Waterloo Region in Waterloo, Ontario. He is also a member of the Chabad.org Ask the Rabbi team. Deja-Vu 07/29/2009
A Tisha B'Av wake-up call from Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. Esther Jungreis was eight years old when, as an inmate of the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, starved and humiliated, she would hear the daily shouts of the Nazi officers: "Line up, you Yudishe shwinehunt [pig-dogs]!" And, as she obeyed their commands, little Esther would think: "I'm glad I'm a daughter of the people who stood at Sinai and sealed a covenant with God to be his eternal people and live by his Torah. I'm glad I'm not a daughter of this nation of brutes." "The atmosphere in Europe today is just like it was in 1938. In every country I went to, Jews told me that they are afraid." This summer, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, one of the most charismatic speakers in the Jewish world, did a speaking tour of Europe. "I'm sorry to tell you," she declared last week in a Jerusalem interview, "that the atmosphere in Europe today is just like it was in 1938. In every country I went to, Jews told me that they are afraid, that they are experiencing virulent anti-Semitism." Her words are underscored by last week's judicial verdicts in France of the Muslim thugs who tortured Ilan Halimi to death because, in the words of the gang leader, "he was Jewish." Most of the co-defendants got off with such light sentences that France's Minister of Justice was embarrassed into calling a retrial. But perhaps even more ominous was the audacious statement of the French prosecutor, who accused the defendants of turning "normal anti-Semitism into hateful anti-Semitism." What, indeed, defines the line between "normal" (therefore ostensibly acceptable) anti-Semitism and the "hateful" variety? Had his Muslim attackers killed Ilan without torturing him for 24 days, would that have been acceptable in 21st century France? "Europe is becoming Eurabia," Rebbetzin Jungreis avows. "The continent is being dominated by radical Muslims who are vehemently anti-Israel. And," she cautions, "anti-Israel means anti-Jewish. It's politically correct today to be anti-Israel or anti-Zionist, rather than anti-Semitic. But if anyone has any doubts about the intentions of radical Islamists, just remember Daniel Pearl. He was not a settler, nor an Israeli, nor even actively involved in Judaism. In fact, he was married to a non-Jew. What was his crime? What his murderers made him say before they decapitated him: ‘I am a Jew.'" The word "afraid" cannot be applied to this petite powerhouse of a woman, who at age 73 can speak on four different continents in a week and whose teaching, writing, and counseling schedule, on less than three hours of sleep a night, would wear out a person half her age. Yet, as a Holocaust survivor, Rebbetzin Jungreis is clearly troubled by a sense of déjà-vu as she regards a world silent in the face of rising anti-Semitism. "Before and during the Holocaust, there was not one nation who spoke up for us. And today there is not one nation speaking up for us. The whole world is negotiating with despicable dictators. The more vicious the Muslim nations become, the more olive branches are thrown at their feet, and the more pressure is placed upon Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. This pressure emanates not only from traditional anti-Semitic sources, but from our American government as well. The concessions that Washington demands of Israel are nothing short of suicidal. And yet, very few seem to care. Additionally, the administration has given the green light to Iran's nuclear power program, provided, of course, it is used only for peaceful purposes! If it weren't so tragic, it would be laughable. Don't they realize that we....nay, the entire world, heard Ahmadinejad openly proclaim his intention to wipe Israel off the map?" The Iranian dictator's canards differed from Hitler's similar diatribes only by replacing the title "Juden" with "Zionists." Rebbetzin Jungreis cites Ahmadinejad's September, 2008, speech to the United Nations General Assembly, in which he proclaimed: "The dignity, integrity and rights of the American and European people are being played with by a small but deceitful number of people called Zionists. Although they are a miniscule minority, they have been dominating an important portion of the financial and monetary centers as well as the political decision-making centers of some European countries and the US in a deceitful, complex and furtive manner... This means that the great people of America and various nations of Europe need to obey the demands and wishes of a small number of acquisitive and invasive people. These nations are spending their dignity and resources on the crimes and occupations and the threats of the Zionist network against their will." Although the Iranian dictator's canards differed from Hitler's similar diatribes only by replacing the title "Juden" with "Zionists," not one member nation of the United Nations (except Israel) walked out of Ahmadinejad's speech. In fact, points out Rebbetzin Jungreis, Columbia University invited Ahmadinejad to speak. "Can you imagine inviting Hitler to speak at Columbia University?" she asks ruefully. The very night following his U.N. invective, Ahmadinejad appeared on Larry King Live. Rather than challenging Ahmadinejad's accusations, Larry King (himself a Jew) amiably asked his guest, "How old are you? You look so young, but you already have married children." Rebbetzin Jungreis, her voice soft but her eyes flashing fire, declares: "I would have asked him some very different questions." WHAT CAN YOU DO? If you were a Jew in Europe in March, 1939, and somehow, magically, you knew all the horrors that were about to be perpetrated against Europe's Jews—the ghettoes, the starvation, the cattle cars, the concentration camps, the gas chambers, the death marches--, what would you do to stop it? This was the question I recently asked a group of American college students being primed for leadership in the Jewish community. One woman raised her hand and answered, "I would alert world leaders." I replied: "The world leader who was most sympathetic to the Jews was FDR, but as late as 1944, when he knew the worst, even FDR, as we now know, refused to bomb the train tracks to Auschwitz, an act that would have saved hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Jews." I turned to the group and asked: "How many of you think that the Jews could have been saved by alerting world leaders?" Not a single hand went up. I invited other suggestions, and a young man offered: "There were mercenary armies in those days. I would have used Jewish money to hire a mercenary army to defend us." "A mercenary army? Not a single standing army in Europe could defeat Hitler's juggernaut. How many of you think that the Jews could have been saved by a mercenary army?" Not a single hand went up. "I would have warned the Jews of Europe to flee," a young woman suggested. "To where?" I asked. "We all know that not a single country in the world, including the United States, was willing to take Jews who could still get out of Germany in 1938. Besides, numerous accounts attest that the Jews who were warned by those who escaped from cattle cars and death camps simply refused to believe that it was possible, in the 20th century, in enlightened Europe, for Jewish men, women, and children to be murdered in factories of death. As we continue to see today, the Jewish capacity for self-deception as to the intentions of our enemies is limitless." The college students sat there silently, looking grim. We had just viewed a clip from "The Third Jihad," a documentary about the dangers of militant Islam. "I wasn't really asking you how you could have prevented the Holocaust," I explained. "Really, I was asking you how you'll prevent the next holocaust. Is there anyone here who thinks that diplomatic or military solutions can save the six million Jews of Israel who will imminently face an Iranian nuclear bomb?" The group was silent. REBBETZIN JUNGREIS'S SOLUTION The approaching fast day of Tisha B'Av commemorates the core tragedy of Jewish history: the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem. Not only was Tisha B'Av a spiritual tragedy, for the Divine Presence retreated into the inaccessibility we all experience, but also all of the physical tragedies of the 2,000-year exile, all of the Inquisitions, Crusades, pogroms, and holocausts issue from the calamity of Tisha B'Av. The sages of the Talmud posed a curious question: What caused the Temple's destruction? These sages were chronologically as close to the destruction of the Temple as we are to the Holocaust -- a single generation. They all knew that the Romans had set fire to the Temple. Yet, they understood that whatever befalls the Jewish People is determined by God in response to our own actions. Thus the sages famously concluded that the Temple was destroyed because of our spiritual failure, because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred among Jews. A loving father will discipline his child when he has to -- not out of anger, but out of genuine care for what's best for the child." Likewise, Rebbetzin Jungreis points to a spiritual solution for our dire predicament. When asked how Jews today can use the rising anti-Semitism to embrace their Judaism instead of running away from it, Rebbetzin Jungreis replies: "If a Jew tries to escape his covenant with God, then God takes out wanted ads in all the newspapers: ‘WANTED: ANTI-SEMITES TO REMIND MY PEOPLE WHO THEY ARE.' And unfortunately there are always millions of volunteers. In every country, wherever you go, you will find anti-Semitism. No matter what a Jew does, his obligation to the Covenant will pursue him. Many Jews in Hungary before World War II had converted to Christianity. When we were being shoved in the cattle cars a woman was screaming to the Nazi guard, 'I'm not a Jew!' He just pushed her with his rifle butt into the cattle car." "God is not punitive; He's corrective," Rebbetzin Jungreis explains. "A loving father will discipline his child when he has to -- not out of anger, but out of genuine care for what's best for the child. God is our loving Father. We are experiencing the tragedy of a nation that has forgotten who they are, so God uses anti-Semitism to remind us." She illustrates with a searing example: According to the Talmud, one of the reasons God saved us from bondage in ancient Egypt was that we didn't change our Hebrew names. "Fast forward," Rebbetzin Jungreis declares, pointing out that in Germany before the War assimilation and intermarriage were rampant. Most Jews forgot about Hebrew names. They became Otto and Eva. Then, in 1938, Hitler passed the Nuremberg Laws. One of those laws demanded that all Jews must assume a Jewish name, that every Jewish man must add the name "Israel" and every Jewish woman must add the name "Sarah." Thus, if a Jew's name was Otto Schwartzbaum, he had to become Otto Israel Schwartzbaum. Jews had forgotten who they were, but Hitler reminded them. "Jews had forgotten who they were, but Hitler reminded them." "Fast forward to 2009," Rebbetzin Jungreis says. "When I speak on college campuses, I give out my books gratis, and I inscribe each book to the recipient. I ask each student, ‘What is your Jewish name?' Most of them reply, "I don't know.' I tell them, ‘You have to find out your Jewish name.' If they don't have a Jewish name, I tell them to go to their rabbi and ask for a Jewish name, or I give them a Jewish name. Because your Jewish name is not simply a name. Your Jewish name is your roots, your heritage, your identity. Through your Jewish name you are linked to your life's mission." A few years ago, she was invited to meet with ministers of the Hungarian parliament. One of the ministers asked her: "Are you angry?" Rebbetzin Jungreis inquired, "What do you mean?" The minister explained: "During the Holocaust, this same Hungarian parliament passed all those anti-Semitic laws." The Rebbetzin replied: "We are not a nation that indulges in anger. But let me tell you a story. My ancestors in ancient Egypt suffered slavery and degradation. If you had asked who has the greater chance of surviving the millennia, the Israelite slaves or the Egyptian empire, everyone would have laughed at you. But all that is left of the Egyptian empire is relics in the British Museum, and we, the Jewish People, are still here. And this holds true for all the mighty empires of the world, from the Babylonians to the Romans. The great Roman Empire killed hundreds of thousands of Jews. The Emperor Titus built a victory arch in Rome to commemorate the conquest of the Jews. I moved through the Arch of Titus going from Hitler's concentration camps on our way to freedom. Hitler claimed to give the world ‘the final solution.' He even built a museum in Prague to exhibit the artifacts of the extinct Jewish people. But his ‘thousand-year Reich' survived 12 years, and we Jews are still here." Jewish survival, explains Rebbetzin Jungreis, is God's part of the Covenant. Our part is to keep the Torah's commandments. "If we would only allow a moment of truth to illuminate our hearts," grieves Rebbetzin Jungreis, "we would readily concede our pitiful state. Just consider that we, the nation that taught a pagan world about God, we, the nation that introduced the language of prayer to humanity, we, the nation that has lent meaning to the concept of faith and trust, has forgotten how to turn to God, how to trust Him, how to have faith in Him." With obvious pain, she quotes a recent article in the New York Times. The article maintained that in these depressed economic times people cannot afford to go to psychotherapists, so instead they go to their religious counselors. A Muslim businesswoman interviewed by the journalist complained that it's difficult to find a good place to pray five times a day when she's in the business world. A Catholic woman complained that the sexual mores of the Church are very restrictive. What was the complaint of the Jewish woman? She finds it very stressful to have a Jewish last name and to be identified with Israel. So she assures her date that she eats pork and that Israel has nothing to do with her. "What has become of us?" laments Rebbetzin Jungreis. "God looks upon His children and weeps." Rebbetzin Jungreis ends on a powerful note: "Hitler needed ghettos. I know. I was in one. "Hitler needed cattle cars. I know. I was in one. "Hitler needed concentration camps. I know. I was in one. "Hitler needed gas chambers. I know. I was in one, although that time it sprayed water instead of gas. "Ahmadinejad doesn't need ghettos, nor cattle cars, nor concentration camps, nor gas chambers. He can accomplish the same thing just by pressing a button. Heaven forbid!" What will you do to stop him? Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis is the founder and president of Hineni, and author of four best-selling books: Jewish Soul on Fire, The Committed Life, The Committed Marriage, and Life Is A Test. For Rebbetzin Jungreis's schedule of appearances,click here. This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/h/9av/aas/51471282.html | AuthorA group of young, motivated students and young professionals blogging Torah, inspiration, and our thoughts. ArchivesMarch 2010 CategoriesAll |
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