Monday, September 27, 2004

Har HaBayit B’yadenu


September 27, 2004

Shalom.

For the past few days we’ve been hearing commentators discuss the probable catastrophe that will occur should Muslim Ramadan prayers take place on a particular section of Temple Mount, called Solomon’s stables.

Perhaps an introduction is in order. In just over three weeks, on the 15th of October, (which is the last day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei), the Arabs celebrate the beginning of the month of Ramadan. According to Muslim faith, it was during the month of Ramadan that the Koran ‘was sent down from Heaven.’ Moslems ostensibly fast from sunup to sunset daily, for the entire month. According to once source, “Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.” [http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/story.htm]

I might add, it is also a time that Arabs living around here use to try and kill Jews.

Where, at all, is the Muslim connection to Jerusalem and Temple Mount? According to Lebanese Arab journalist Joseph Farah, it is not true that “the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem represent Islam's third most holy sites.  In fact, the Koran says nothing about Jerusalem.  It mentions Mecca  hundreds of times.  It mentions Medina countless times.  It never mentions Jerusalem! With good reason. There is no historical evidence to suggest Mohammed ever visited Jerusalem.  So how did Jerusalem become the third holiest site of Islam?  Muslims today cite a vague passage in the Koran, the seventeenth Sura, entitled "The Night Journey."  It relates that in a dream or a vision Mohammed was carried by night "from the sacred temple to the temple that is most remote, whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him our signs."  In the seventh century, some Muslims identified the two temples mentioned in this verse as being in Mecca and Jerusalem.  And that's as close as Islam's connection with Jerusalem gets -- myth, fantasy, wishful thinking.

And he concludes, “Meanwhile, Jews can trace their roots in Jerusalem back to the days of Abraham.” ”[http://www.masada2000.org/templemount.html]

In an essay by Lambert Dolpin, “In A.D. 691 Caliph Abd el-Malik commissioned the best architects to build the Dome of the Rock. His plan was based upon a Fourth Century Christian shrine on the Mount of Olives marking the site of Jesus' Ascension. The Caliph's new shrine was deliberately built as a political, economic, and religious counter attraction to Mecca. Medina and Mecca, the two cities holy to Islam, were under the control of a rival Caliph. Abd El-Malik sought to build up the importance of Jerusalem as an Islamic center for pilgrimage and worship. The holy spot of Judaism was now to be identified with the spot where Mohammed's horse ascended to heaven.

Another indication that Jerusalem was not considered of great importance to the Muslim armies is the fact that it was one of last cities taken by the Syrian Muslims after the death of Mohammed. It was conquered by a mediocre commander, and not by Omar himself. The Arabs first called the city Ilya (Aelia Capitolina) rather than Beit el-Maqdas (the holy house). An early Muslim proverb says, "One prayer in Mecca is valued as ten thousand prayers; a prayer in Medina is valued at one thousand prayers; and a prayer in Jerusalem at five hundred prayers."

Although Abd El-Malik had commissioned the structure, it became known as "The Mosque of Omar." The structure, however, was not (and is not today) a mosque, but rather a shrine.
” [http://www.templemount.org/allah.html]

In any case, literally tens, and even hundreds of thousands of Arabs worship at Har HaBayit,  Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Ramadan, especially on Friday afternoons.

Recently, studies conducted by engineers, including a team from Egypt, concluded that the supports in the area called Solomon’s Stables, (named as such during the Crusader period,) are very weak and will likely collapse in the event that  tens of thousands of people fill the site. According to Israeli sources, the area can suitably hold up to 30,000 people, yet during Ramadan prayers, that number is multiplied several times over.

There are several reasons for this weakened condition. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, over the past few years, the Waqf, or Muslim religion trust, has conducted unauthorized and unsupervised construction in that vicinity, in an attempt to expand Arab control of Temple Mount. This has caused tremendous deterioration of the structural supports.

An Ha’Aretz newspaper article concerning illegal work at the area states: "At the end of November 1999, the Waqf tricked the government of Israel, and under the pretext of opening an emergency exit to the Solomon's Stables mosque - which had been built illegally and inaugurated in December of 1996 - the Waqf took advantage of the negligence of the government of Israel and its indifference to the fate of the archaeological remains on the Temple Mount, dug a huge 2,000-square meter pit beneath the Temple Mount some 13 meters deep, and opened a main door to the Solomon's Stable mosque 10 meters wide and 13 meters high.

During the excavation, Waqf workers using three bulldozers removed some 12,000-15,000 tons of earth filled with antiquities from all periods, without IAI supervision and without any sifting of the soil to locate and remove archaeological artifacts." [http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/474445.html]

In addition, the recent earthquake which shook Israel also weakened these supports.

The result of these studies points to, not a possible collapse, rather an almost certain disintegration of the floor, causing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of casualties.

So what is Israel doing in order to prevent this calamity, which almost inevitably would be blamed on the Jews?

The State of Israel sent high-level representatives of the police force to speak with members of the Jordanian government, trying to convince them of the seriousness of the impending disaster. They are also pleading with Waqf leadership to restrict the number of visitors allowed on Temple Mount during Ramadan.

Of course, Arab reaction to Israel’s begging has been that of derision and scorn. Israel’s pleas are nothing more than a hoax in an attempt to keep Arabs from worshiping at their ‘holy site.’ Any effort by Israel to prevent Muslims from praying on Temple Mount will result in nothing less than jihad!

What should Israel do? First of all, we should never plead or beg about what is rightfully ours. Temple Mount is the most sacred place in the world. The First and Second Temples were constructed on Temple Mount hundreds and thousands of years before Muhammad was born. This site has been politicized by our enemies in an attempt to delegitimize  Israel’s most basic claims to our land, Eretz Yisrael. The Arab world in general, and most specifically the Waqf, is a declared enemy of the State of Israel and rejects our very existence in our land. Why should Israel negotiate with them?

Why must Israel send ‘police representatives’ to speak to the Jordanians? Temple Mount falls within the sovereign jurisdiction of the State of Israel. It is the undeniable heart and soul of Jewish spirituality. Why must we get down on our knees before any foreign nation, concerning anywhere in our land, and particularly, Temple Mount?

What Israel must do is clear. Har HaBayit – Temple Mount must be immediately closed to all visitors. Jewish law forbids anyone from treading on this sacred ground. And if that is difficult for some to swallow, the possibility of tens of thousands of people buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed floor should be enough to convince anyone needing convincing. We need not ask anyone, we need not appeal to anyone.

By means of contrast, the Statue of Liberty in New York City was closed for a number of years, due to structural faults and security problems. Did the United States ask the French, who gave Lady Liberty to the Americans in the 1800s, if they minded? Did the U.S. ask anyone in the free world their opinion – after all, the Statue of Liberty represents freedom, democracy and international friendship. Closing such a monument is an insult to the entire Western World!

Drivel and gibberish! No greater nonsense could possibly be spouted! So why must Israel bend over backwards to spew out such idiocy. In June 1967, Moshe Dayan exclaimed, “Har HaBayit b’yadenu” – “Temple Mount is in our Hands.” Almost 40 years later, the time has come to apply these words in actions, showing the nations of the world, and proving to ourselves: Har HaBayit b’yadenu!

With blessings from Hebron.

Drivel and Gibberish


Drivel and Gibberish
September 27, 2004

Shalom.

For the past few days we’ve been hearing commentators discuss the probable catastrophe that will occur should Muslim Ramadan prayers take place on a particular section of Temple Mount, called Solomon’s stables.

Perhaps an introduction is in order. In just over three weeks, on the 15th of October, (which is the last day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei), the Arabs celebrate the beginning of the month of Ramadan. According to Muslim faith, it was during the month of Ramadan that the Koran ‘was sent down from Heaven.’ Moslems ostensibly fast from sunup to sunset daily, for the entire month. According to once source, “Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.” [http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/story.htm]

I might add, it is also a time that Arabs living around here use to try and kill Jews.

Where, at all, is the Muslim connection to Jerusalem and Temple Mount? According to Lebanese Arab journalist Joseph Farah, it is not true that “the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem represent Islam's third most holy sites.  In fact, the Koran says nothing about Jerusalem.  It mentions Mecca  hundreds of times.  It mentions Medina countless times.  It never mentions Jerusalem! With good reason. There is no historical evidence to suggest Mohammed ever visited Jerusalem.  So how did Jerusalem become the third holiest site of Islam?  Muslims today cite a vague passage in the Koran, the seventeenth Sura, entitled "The Night Journey."  It relates that in a dream or a vision Mohammed was carried by night "from the sacred temple to the temple that is most remote, whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him our signs."  In the seventh century, some Muslims identified the two temples mentioned in this verse as being in Mecca and Jerusalem.  And that's as close as Islam's connection with Jerusalem gets -- myth, fantasy, wishful thinking.

And he concludes, “Meanwhile, Jews can trace their roots in Jerusalem back to the days of Abraham.” ”[http://www.masada2000.org/templemount.html]

In an essay by Lambert Dolpin, “In A.D. 691 Caliph Abd el-Malik commissioned the best architects to build the Dome of the Rock. His plan was based upon a Fourth Century Christian shrine on the Mount of Olives marking the site of Jesus' Ascension. The Caliph's new shrine was deliberately built as a political, economic, and religious counter attraction to Mecca. Medina and Mecca, the two cities holy to Islam, were under the control of a rival Caliph. Abd El-Malik sought to build up the importance of Jerusalem as an Islamic center for pilgrimage and worship. The holy spot of Judaism was now to be identified with the spot where Mohammed's horse ascended to heaven.

Another indication that Jerusalem was not considered of great importance to the Muslim armies is the fact that it was one of last cities taken by the Syrian Muslims after the death of Mohammed. It was conquered by a mediocre commander, and not by Omar himself. The Arabs first called the city Ilya (Aelia Capitolina) rather than Beit el-Maqdas (the holy house). An early Muslim proverb says, "One prayer in Mecca is valued as ten thousand prayers; a prayer in Medina is valued at one thousand prayers; and a prayer in Jerusalem at five hundred prayers."

Although Abd El-Malik had commissioned the structure, it became known as "The Mosque of Omar." The structure, however, was not (and is not today) a mosque, but rather a shrine.
” [http://www.templemount.org/allah.html]

In any case, literally tens, and even hundreds of thousands of Arabs worship at Har HaBayit,  Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Ramadan, especially on Friday afternoons.

Recently, studies conducted by engineers, including a team from Egypt, concluded that the supports in the area called Solomon’s Stables, (named as such during the Crusader period,) are very weak and will likely collapse in the event that  tens of thousands of people fill the site. According to Israeli sources, the area can suitably hold up to 30,000 people, yet during Ramadan prayers, that number is multiplied several times over.

There are several reasons for this weakened condition. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, over the past few years, the Waqf, or Muslim religion trust, has conducted unauthorized and unsupervised construction in that vicinity, in an attempt to expand Arab control of Temple Mount. This has caused tremendous deterioration of the structural supports.

An Ha’Aretz newspaper article concerning illegal work at the area states: "At the end of November 1999, the Waqf tricked the government of Israel, and under the pretext of opening an emergency exit to the Solomon's Stables mosque - which had been built illegally and inaugurated in December of 1996 - the Waqf took advantage of the negligence of the government of Israel and its indifference to the fate of the archaeological remains on the Temple Mount, dug a huge 2,000-square meter pit beneath the Temple Mount some 13 meters deep, and opened a main door to the Solomon's Stable mosque 10 meters wide and 13 meters high.

During the excavation, Waqf workers using three bulldozers removed some 12,000-15,000 tons of earth filled with antiquities from all periods, without IAI supervision and without any sifting of the soil to locate and remove archaeological artifacts." [http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/474445.html]

In addition, the recent earthquake which shook Israel also weakened these supports.

The result of these studies points to, not a possible collapse, rather an almost certain disintegration of the floor, causing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of casualties.

So what is Israel doing in order to prevent this calamity, which almost inevitably would be blamed on the Jews?

The State of Israel sent high-level representatives of the police force to speak with members of the Jordanian government, trying to convince them of the seriousness of the impending disaster. They are also pleading with Waqf leadership to restrict the number of visitors allowed on Temple Mount during Ramadan.

Of course, Arab reaction to Israel’s begging has been that of derision and scorn. Israel’s pleas are nothing more than a hoax in an attempt to keep Arabs from worshiping at their ‘holy site.’ Any effort by Israel to prevent Muslims from praying on Temple Mount will result in nothing less than jihad!

What should Israel do? First of all, we should never plead or beg about what is rightfully ours. Temple Mount is the most sacred place in the world. The First and Second Temples were constructed on Temple Mount hundreds and thousands of years before Muhammad was born. This site has been politicized by our enemies in an attempt to delegitimize  Israel’s most basic claims to our land, Eretz Yisrael. The Arab world in general, and most specifically the Waqf, is a declared enemy of the State of Israel and rejects our very existence in our land. Why should Israel negotiate with them?

Why must Israel send ‘police representatives’ to speak to the Jordanians? Temple Mount falls within the sovereign jurisdiction of the State of Israel. It is the undeniable heart and soul of Jewish spirituality. Why must we get down on our knees before any foreign nation, concerning anywhere in our land, and particularly, Temple Mount?

What Israel must do is clear. Har HaBayit – Temple Mount must be immediately closed to all visitors. Jewish law forbids anyone from treading on this sacred ground. And if that is difficult for some to swallow, the possibility of tens of thousands of people buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed floor should be enough to convince anyone needing convincing. We need not ask anyone, we need not appeal to anyone.

By means of contrast, the Statue of Liberty in New York City was closed for a number of years, due to structural faults and security problems. Did the United States ask the French, who gave Lady Liberty to the Americans in the 1800s, if they minded? Did the U.S. ask anyone in the free world their opinion – after all, the Statue of Liberty represents freedom, democracy and international friendship. Closing such a monument is an insult to the entire Western World!

Drivel and gibberish! No greater nonsense could possibly be spouted! So why must Israel bend over backwards to spew out such idiocy. In June 1967, Moshe Dayan exclaimed, “Har HaBayit b’yadenu” – “Temple Mount is in our Hands.” Almost 40 years later, the time has come to apply these words in actions, showing the nations of the world, and proving to ourselves: Har HaBayit b’yadenu!

With blessings from Hebron.

Monday, September 20, 2004

The Ultimate Tshuva


September 20, 2004

Shalom.
At the time of this writing, Monday morning, I’m sitting and listening to the radio. Usually when I write I turn everything off; it’s difficult to write and listen to someone talking, simultaneously. This morning is an exception to the rule.
Only a few days ago was the beginning of the New Year. We say, ‘the old year and its curses is behind us, the new year and its blessings are before us. Yesterday was Tzom Gedaliah – a fast day occurring annually immediately after Rosh HaShana. (See “Reserved for Arik – May 26, 2003 [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=2326].) Despite the prayers, hopes, and perhaps even expectations of a real, substantive change of heart were quickly dashed. It almost wants to make you cry.
What’s at the top of the news? The Committee to Abandon Eretz Yisrael, otherwise known as the ‘disengagement authority’ – under the traitorous leadership of Yonatan Bassi, is on the verge of sending one thousand seven hundred letters to Gush Katif residents. This letter is a ‘personal notification’ from Bassi to these thousands of brave souls, notifying them of the impending eviction and expulsion from their homes, jobs and land.
Following a short discussion about this letter, the radio discussion turned to an interview with people connected to the ‘Shabas,’ short for ‘Sherutai Batei HaSohar’ – or, in plain English, the Israeli prison system. The topic of conversation: How the Shabas is preparing for mass arrests and incarceration of hundreds and thousands of ‘extremists’ who oppose Sharon’s acquiescence to the terrorists. Perhaps they will try and squeeze us all into existing cages. If there is not enough room, maybe they’ll construct camps in the Negev. And, in truth, it wouldn’t surprise me if they utilize British-initiated methodology: conceivably they’ll evict ‘extremist leaders’ from the country, possibly to Africa. With this regime, anything is possible.
But, of course, in order to understand the above-mentioned paragraphs, it is mandatory to be familiar with the ‘extremist leadership. So www.ynet.com provides us with a ‘who’s who of the extreme right’ [in Hebrew -http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/1,7340,L-2942745,00.html], which includes, among others, a picture of a bearded fanatic praying and of Torah-giant, Hebron-Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi, Dov Lior. Rabbis and believers are always the first to go.
Well, happy New Year.
So where does this leave us? What can be said that hasn’t been said before? In my opinion we have little choice but to continue on the same path, going in the same direction. For example, this coming Succot, Gush Katif must be flooded with people. The roads should be clogged like they were on Yom HaAtzmaut – Independence Day. All of Yesha as well, should be overflowing with people. Especially the communities in north Shomron, also slated for destruction. Ariel Sharon and his cronies must know that we are not giving up, and will never throw in the towel. Eretz Yisrael belongs to us and we will never abandon our homeland.
In Rosh HaShana interviews Sharon declared that ‘it pains him too’ to ‘disengage’ from Gush Katif. We must repeat, like a mantra, that it ‘pains us’ to verbally attack Ariel Sharon and ministers in his government. It hurts to define certain Israelis as ‘collaborators’ and ‘traitors.’ I’m sure Women in Green leader Nadia Matar wasn’t laughing as she wrote to Yonaton Bassi, in reply to his letter to Gush Katif “I am including a document chillingly similar to the letter you are about to send, in essence, all you have to do is change the date from 1942 to 2004, and the place of expulsion from Berlin to Gush Katif, and here, your letter is ready…Yonaton, know that there is no escape from the simple truth: Everyone who takes part in the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif and northern Shomron, is participating in an anti-Semitic act and will be remembered in disgrace for eternity. You can still resign from you disgraceful job, entering into Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment, unsoiled and with a clear conscience, without being part of the modern Judenrat – the expulsion authority.”
I have absolutely no doubt that Nadia did not write these words with joy or delight in her heart. But what can you do – the truth must be told, loud and clear.
Excuse me if I seem to divert for a moment – but there are events that cannot be ignored and are, one way or another, connected to the above-mentioned current events.
For the past few days Israel has been in an uproar over our latest visitor. An L.A. Times headline reads: Madonna's Pilgrimage Throws Israel Into a Tizzy [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg madonna20sep20,1,4892492.story?coll=la-home-world]. An Israeli headline, quoted in the paper, screams: “Hail to the Queen.” Last night she participated in a special “Kabbalah” conference in Tel Aviv.
Now, anybody with anything more than a basic knowledge of Judaism knows that “Kabbalah,” otherwise known as ‘Jewish mysticism’ is one of the most sacred realms of Jewish religious thought and culture. The enigmas of Judaism were carefully concealed by our Sages, ages ago, and are uncovered only to those suitable, people of a purified, sublime character and observance. It is very difficult for a Jew to reach such spiritual heights. But Madonna and Kabbalah – this is a true contradiction. For example, again, from the L.A. Times, “Some observers noted no small measure of irony in the fact that an entertainer who made a name for herself by combining religious imagery and sexual provocation is now engaged in what those around her describe as a deeply personal and heartfelt spiritual journey.” On the one hand, she “made a candlelit visit to the grave of a Jewish sage, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, the author of a revered Kabbalah commentary,” but on the other hand, the report describes her as “clad in a slinky, low-cut, leopard-print dress.”

It goes without saying that one of the foundations of religious Judaism is modesty, exemplified by modest dress for everyone, but especially stressed concerning women’s apparel. How can such a non-Jewish woman, dressed in clothing described as ‘slinky and low-cut’ have anything to do with the holy of holies of Judaism?
The worst of this is the fact that Israeli ministers fell over backwards to make her feel at home, including Ehud Olmert, who spoke at last night’s ‘Kabbalah conference’ and Gideon Ezra, who thanked her for coming to Israel.
So, what does this have to do with abandoning Gush Katif? Unfortunately, everything. When trying to fathom how a state’s leadership can decide to chop itself up, uproot its citizens and abandon its land to enemies, we must look around, and see a larger picture. When a country’s leadership can participate in idolizing an anathema to Jewish thought and tradition, a person who represents the very opposite of true Jewish culture, it is not difficult to understand how they can decide to rid themselves of what really is important and significant to our people.
It is truly ironic that the Madonna circus, together with Bassi’s Gush Katif letter, should be born on the days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, the holiest days of the year. I call on our leadership, no, not only our leadership, I call on all of us to do a ‘heshbon nefesh,’ a deep internal searching of our souls, to seek out who and what we really are, and with that, perform the ultimate act of ‘tshuva,’ of repentance, to ask G-d to forgive us for repelling His goodness, for rejecting the supreme gift He granted us after two thousand years of exile, for giving us back our land, our holy land, our Eretz Yisrael.
With blessings from Hebron.

Monday, September 13, 2004

The Mother of the Sons is Happy


The Mother of the Sons is Happy
September 13, 2004

Shalom.

Today I want to tell you a story that I heard a few days ago. It is such an amazing episode, and a fitting way to begin the high holy days of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

Just in case you are wondering, the following account is 100% true. It happened to my son-in-law’s sister, Mina, and her husband Yoav, who live in Kiryat Arba. I heard it from Yoav on Friday night.

One day Mina was in Jerusalem, running around, doing errands. As she started to get onto a bus in the city, a woman in front of her turned around and attacked her. She hit her, kicked her, and viciously beat her. It was a very ugly event, and it left Mina hurting, physically and emotionally.

When the event finally concluded Mina made her way to her husband Yoav’s place of employment. Yoav is an expert scribe. He writes Torah scrolls by hand on fine parchment. Arriving at his office, Mina related what had happened to her a short time before. Of course, hearing the story, Yoav was quite upset and decided to approach an important Rabbi to ask his advice about what to do.

At that time, Rabbi Shamai Gross, a Torah scholar and judge was visiting Yoav’s office. Yoav approached him and repeated Mina’s story, asking his council. The rabbi, after hearing the story, told Yoav and Mina to sit down in the office, and in a few minutes he would come speak to them. A few minutes later he sat down with them and told them about a tremendous argument that had occurred in his community between two men, which threatened to tear the neighborhood apart. In the midst of the ongoing quarrel the Rabbi approached one of the men involved and said to him: “I want you to fully forgive the other person, absolving him of all blame. If you do this, you will receive a present from G-d, whatever you want. All you have to do is exonerate the other person.”

When the man finally agreed to forgive the other person, he had a very small list of requests, being childless for twenty years. He had of course, only one desire.

Nine months later his wife gave birth to their first child, a son.

The Rabbi concluded by saying, I just arrived back from this child’s brit milah – ritual circumcision.

“Now,” said Rabbi Gross to Mina, “if you agree to fully pardon the woman who attacked you, no questions asked, you can have whatever you want.” G-d will grant your wish.

Mina, her head still spinning from the recent attack, and also stunned by the story and the Rabbi’s promise, agreed, fully forgave the other woman, and left for home. The Rabbi looked at Yoav and said, “Yoav, I see you didn’t understand.” Yoav, startled, asked, “what didn’t I understand?”

“Yoav,” answered the Rabbi, “now, right now, go home, make your decision. This minute, leave work, leave everything. Now!”

So, Yoav went home to Kiryat Arba and sat down in the living room with a cup of coffee. “So Mina,” he said, “what do you want? You have an open contract with G-d.”

Mina looked at Yoav and said, “I want a son.”

Yoav, slightly shocked, responded, “but Mina, we have eight children. Isn’t that enough?”

“We haven’t had a child in five years and I want a baby, I want a son, with the following characteristics,” and she detailed exactly what she wanted. Yoav looked at her and said, “if that’s you want, so be it.”

And nine months later Mina gave birth to a baby boy.

However, that’s not the end of the story. Once the baby was born he had to be named. Yoav had a secret dream: to name a son after a famous rabbinic scholar who had been killed during the Holocaust, Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtel. Rabbi Teichtel had written and extensive treatise about the value of Eretz Yisrael, and was known to be a genius. However, such a name is not common in Israel and Yoav didn’t know exactly how to approach suggesting the name to Mina.

Following the birth, Yoav spoke to Mina and suggested: “We were so fortunate to have such a miracle, perhaps we should give thanks to G-d, and maybe represent that in the baby’s name. Maybe a name like Yisachar (which, in Hebrew) incorporates the word ‘sachar’ which means reward), would be appropriate.

He then continued, “we could call him Yisachar Shlomo, after the author of the famous book about Eretz Yisrael.”

Mina’s reaction was very lukewarm. “It’s such a long name, and very ‘heavy.’ I’m not sure that I like it.

Yoav replied calmly that she could name the baby whatever she liked, he would be satisfied with whatever she chose, and left it at that.

In the meantime, it was doubtful whether the baby would be circumcised on the eighth day following his birth, because the bilirubin count in his blood was very high. Yoav was sure the brit would be delayed and they’d have more time to decide on a name.

Two days before the brit was supposed to take place, the moyel or ritual circumciser, notified Yoav that he had broken his finger and would not be able to perform the ceremony. However, he suggested someone else, who could replace him. Yoav called him and set up a time to meet and allow him to examine the baby, to determine whether or not the brit could take place on time.

Yoav and Mina drove to the man’s home, at a community between Hebron and Jerusalem, called Beitar. As they took the baby and left their car, they looked up at the street sign. To their shock, it was the same name as Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtel’s book about Eretz Yisrael – the Land of Israel. On the spot they decided that this could not be coincidence, and decided to name the baby after the great Rabbi.

Within a day, the baby’s bilirubin count dropped from 15 to 7, an almost unheard of reduction, and the brit took place on the eighth day, as scheduled. The sandak, the person honored to hold the baby during the ceremony, was none other than Rabbi Shamai Gross, who had, nine months earlier, promised Mina whatever she so chose, if she agreed to forgive the woman who had attacked her. The baby’s name: Yisachar Shlomo.

The story doesn’t end here.

This past Saturday afternoon, we attended a wedding meal of a friend married a few days earlier. One of the participants at the meal was Rabbi Shmuel Yaniv, a well-known Torah scholar who has written a number of books about Torah, the Hebrew alphabet and the letters’ numerical equivalents (gematriot). Following the meal Mina approached the Rabbi and asked for a blessing for her family and children.

The Rabbi, who knew nothing of the above-told story, looked at her, blessed her, and concluded his blessing with the words, “you are ‘the happy mother of the sons.’ This phrase, which is in Hebrew, Em HaBanim Smecha, is also the name of the book about Eretz Yisrael, written by her baby son’s namesake, Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtel, zt”l, hy’d.

That, my friends, is the strength and power of forgiveness.

With blessings for a happy, healthy and sweet New Year, a year of joy and good, from Hebron.

Monday, September 6, 2004

A Glorious Past, Present and Future


A Glorious Past, Present and Future
September 6, 2004

Shalom.

Last week I was invited to participate in a ‘debate’ to be held before a group of 16 Israel activists. Most of them, in their early twenties, were from Europe. Two-thirds of the group were Jews, and the others Christian, excepting one man, a Turkish Muslim.

My opponent during the debate was Teddy Katz, introduced as a ‘historian.’ Prior to the event, I did some basic internet research to see who I was up against. A ‘leader’ of what is called ‘Gush Shalom’ or the ‘Peace block,’ Katz has, as I quickly discovered, a very colorful history. Let me briefly quote to you from two articles I discovered during a ‘search’ for Teddy Katz:

Teddy Katz, a doctoral candidate at Haifa University was found guilty in a Tel Aviv District Court of making false accusations against the Alexandroni Brigade, a Haganah platoon from the 1948 War of Independence.
The salient facts are these: On May 22, 1948, the Alexandroni Brigade under the command of Bentz Pridan, was ordered by the Haganah High Command to take the Arab village of Tantura, a vital link in the coastal supply route. The elders of the village wished to negotiate a truce but the younger men in the Arab town insisted on a fight. Bitter house-to-house combat followed, leaving 14 Israeli soldiers and 70 Arab villagers dead. The Arab wounded were evacuated and treated in Israeli hospitals.
But Katz had deep suspicions about the official history. His analysis of events, drawn from first hand and supposedly unimpeachable sources, uncovered the slaughter of 200 defenseless Arabs in one of the worst depredations of the war. So confident was he of his thesis that he gave extensive interviews to the press and his story was syndicated by Reuters.
The Brigade's survivors, infuriated by Katz's assertion that they had perpetrated a cold-blooded civilian massacre, filed suit to challenge his version. They claimed that Katz had made up the entire story, and that the brigade had conducted its military operations lawfully, appropriately and with honor.
The Court agreed with the plaintiffs and found that not only had Katz fabricated the story, but that much of the Arab testimony he produced to defend his case, contradicted his claims. Cassettes of his interviews were handed to the prosecution who found that in response to questions about the massacre, his interview inquiries had been so leading as to collapse in self-mockery. The court demanded that Katz publicly apologize to the Brigade's survivors and awarded unspecified damages.

This was written by Avi Davis in November, 2001.

And a second source:
It was revealed in September 2002 that former Palestinian Authority minister Feisal Husseini paid $8,000 for the legal defense of Teddy Katz… He indicated, however, that he does not believe there have to been anything wrong with taking money from Husseini.” [http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=203871&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y]
So, knowing that a historic liar was going to be sitting opposite me gave me the shivers. He was obviously going to lie through his teeth. The question is, how to approach such an opponent.
I prepared several of my most recent articles to hand out to the group, as well as the above-quoted paragraphs. In truth I planned on reading this to the group at the end of the session in order to prove to them who they were listening to.  However, as it turns out, I didn’t have to. He basically did all the dirty work himself.
First of all, he came on very very strong – much too strong. I certainly didn’t mince words and let my opinions be known in the strongest of terms. However, Katz went overboard. From reactions I received later, it became clear that he quickly lost credibility with the listening audience. Of course he had nothing good to say about anyone, from David ben Gurion to our present Prime Minister. But what were his biggest mistakes? First, he claimed that the newly born state of Israel ‘had all the advantages during the War of Independence,’ because they had ‘so long to plan it.’ This as opposed to the Arabs, who, in his eyes, were taken by surprise. I asked him how this could possibly be true, keeping in mind that only three years before Jews had been shoveled into ovens at Aushwitz, as well as the fact that all Arab countries in the world had declared war on the fledgling state, which was hungry not only for food, but also for man-power and weapons.
Katz claimed that Israel had ‘wiped out’ over 550 Arab villages, of which ‘only 50 had taken any military actions against the State.” This was followed by two extraordinary statements: 1) “If I had a choice between this (i.e. – removing Arabs from their homes and villages), or giving up, I would give up”, i.e. relent on the idea of a Jewish state.” 2) Israel is the second largest ethnic-cleansing country in the history of the world, second only to Nazi Germany.
I think these two remarks really blew everyone away. But his last remarks, while summing up, were the real winners. He asked these foreign visitors, and I paraphrase his statements,  ‘to go back home and tell your governments that we have problems here, that we don’t know how to take care of ourselves. They should send over their armies and make order here.’
If I hadn’t been sitting down I think I would have fallen down.
At this point I won’t repeat everything I said – those of you that hear me or read my articles know exactly what I think, and I certainly didn’t say anything contrary to my basic beliefs about our rights to the land of Israel.
What is interesting were some of the reactions. As I left the building to drive home, a young man followed me, introduced himself and told me that he is a Muslim from Turkey. One of the subjects that had been broached during the discussion was UN resolution 181 from November 1947, which would have created an Arab majority and Jewish minority, an idea which Teddy Katz did not oppose. Speaking about this, the man said to me, “you know, I’m not an Arab, but I am a Muslim, so I have the opportunity to speak to Arab Muslims freely. You should know that they have all told me the same thing: they would never allow a Jewish minority to live together with an Arab majority.” In other words, they would kill everyone.
Later on, during a group discussion about the debate, one of the group leaders again said that the two people speaking represented the far left and the far right. Again, the Turk raised his hand to comment: ‘What do you mean, far right. I didn’t hear anything far-right. I agreed with just about everything he said, he didn’t say anything wrong and he sounded pretty mainstream to me.’
The end result was that most of these 16 Europeans viewed the representative from Hebron as much more ‘mainstream’ than Teddy Katz, who represented the Arabs much more than he represented Israel. And this was without publicly denouncing him as a proven fraudulent historian. I hope, after reading the material I gave them, the rest of the truth sank in.
This experience left me with two contradictory feelings. On the one hand, I was happy that my presentation was more acceptable to those listening than the ideas presented by my adversary. On the other hand, it was very upsetting to hear such distortions, being delivered as ‘Israeli history’ by an Israeli born Jew, whose views can only be described as ‘self-hatred.’ Teddy Katz must despise himself, belonging to such a ‘terrible people,’ who have committed such ‘horrid crimes.’ After all, we’ve survived.  I can only but feel sorry for such people, whose real knowledge and understanding of their people is virtually non-existent, a Jewish people with a past, present and future gloriously second to none.
With blessings from Hebron.