André Moshe Pereira
Pres. Comunidade judaica Or Ahayim, Porto
Numa sociedade como a nossa em que são considerados no espaço e esfera públicas o universo tipográfico, o livro e a imprensa, a sociedade pós-industrial, os media de massa, a pós-televisão e os novos media emergentes, o direito à intimidade consiste na faculdade que tem cada indivíduo de obstar a intromissão de estranhos na sua vida privada e familiar, assim como de impedir-lhes o acesso a informações sobre a privacidade de cada um, e também impedir que sejam divulgadas informações sobre esta área da manifestação existencial do ser humano e no entanto tudo é infinitamente poroso e volúvel com a liberdade que os media e o tempo presente promovem com as novas tecnologias.
Os conceitos de intimidade e vida privada, constitucionalmente consagrados, apresentam grande interligação, porém, diferenciam-se por ser, o primeiro, menos amplo que o segundo, encontrando-se, portanto, no âmbito de incidência deste. Desta forma, o conceito de intimidade refere-se às relações subjectivas e de foro íntimo das pessoas, como as relações familiares e de amizade. Já o conceito de vida privada engloba todos os relacionamentos das pessoas, inclusive os objectivos, como relações de trabalho, estudo, conhecimento, interrelação social e afectiva. Mas mais ainda as tecnologias parecem tomar o lugar do humano e das suas mediações sensíveis e inteligentes.
O poder que os media exercem sobre as pessoas é impressionante e, muitas vezes, devido à arbitrariedade, aleatoriedade e ritmo e grandeza com que se apresenta, causa danos irreparáveis, pois não há um código de ética que defina os limites da sua actuação prática.
Como se não fossem suficientes os ilimitados poderes que a imprensa em particular e os mass-media em geral conferem a si mesmos, existem casos de informações falsas, forjadas, que expressam claramente a manipulação política dos media, que além de exagerar factos, os falseia.
Tome-se o caso dos meios de comunicação de massa na difusão do gosto estético e dos hábitos culturais: de repetição e também de algum gozo melómano que a orquestra tem em representar infinitamente ao nosso exclusivo querer e que as tecnologias trouxeram até ao ouvido do último habitante da Terra ou do longínquo mundo de Baudolino: “a música clássica desempenha um amplo papel nesta nova presença cultural do som. Segundo creio, está a entrar cada vez mais nas vidas, nos hábitos de atenção e resposta de homens e mulheres que outrora se ligariam às letras. Em muitas casas de família, os aparelhos de alta‑fidelidade e o gira‑disco ocupam o lugar da antiga biblioteca. A alta‑fidelidade e o LP são algo mais do que um progresso técnico. Abriram‑nos e tornaram‑nos facilmente acessível um vasto território musical, de formas e tonalidades perdidas, anteriormente reservadas ao conhecimento dos arquivistas. [...] O LP transformou as relações do ouvido e da duração musical. Uma vez que podem ser passadas de um só fôlego, ou com intervalos mínimos, as obras de mais longa duração – uma sinfonia de Mahler – ou sequências ordenadas como as Variações de Goldberg podem hoje ser integralmente ouvidas em casa, e até repetidas ou segmentadas conforme o gosto e a exigência de cada um. Esta relação flexível entre o tempo escrito do trecho musical e o fluxo temporal da vida individual do ouvinte pode tornar‑se em simultâneo arbitrária ou esclarecedora. [...] Enquanto os vitorianos publicavam livros de bolso para amantes, grinaldas de prosa e verso que os apaixonados liam mutuamente em voz alta ou murmuravam em segredo, nós dispomos de discos de sedução, destinados a serem ouvidos na altura em que o lume esmorece na lareira. Se Dante escrevesse hoje o verso que cristaliza a paixão absoluta e a rejeição do mundo, penso que seria qualquer coisa como: «E nada mais ouviram nesse dia»”. (George Steiner, In Bluebeard’s Castle. Some Notes Towards the Re-definition of Culture, London/Boston, Faber & Faber, pp.84-98).
A complexidade, a totalidade, a resistência que se transforma em índices, como chave aporemática de leitura e reinterpretação da “Geopolítica da Cultura”, que por exemplo Armand Mattelart explora desde os meados do século XIX, ou na explicitação no surgimento de uma sociedade de massas baseada numa sociedade mais alargada de sociedade de consumo de produtos, imagens, narrativas e pós-narrativas, a virtualização da consciência, a educação virtual que contradita a noção vertical de homem gutemberguiano, assim como o aparecimento, instalação, crescimento, amadurecimento, concreção e proliferação de companhias transnacionais e a internacionalização das agências de publicidade, que passam a dominar o termo “comunicação” a nível dos media, empresas e organizações. A. Mattelart coloca constantemente a questão da possibilidade ou da necessidade, de traçar um caminho diverso, múltiplo sobre as lógicas comerciais que tentam pautar e uniformizar o que se deve consumir, numa uniformidade que é medida pelo processualismo de canais que chegam a todo o receptor universal, e na afirmação da sua posição (de Mattelart) de resistência, tenciona traçar linhas de recuperação do passado que ajudem a completar e construir o todo que une os distintos tempos e momentos num paradigma complexo quanto à busca da superação de respostas e causas unidimensionais.
Como estamos longe dessa evocação que George Steiner faz da transcrição e da vida de reflexão e conhecimento, das páginas íntimas que consagram o ímpeto e a voz singular, nossa, única, entre mass-mediatização dos fenómenos-mundo: “E quem de entre nós se dá ao incómodo de transcrever, de registar para satisfação pessoal e para gravar na memória as páginas que mais directamente lhe falaram, que o «leram» de modo mais penetrante? A memória é, evidentemente, o pivot. […] Le Philosophe lisant, tal como os homens cultos que o rodeiam, numa tradição que vem desde a antiguidade clássica até aproximadamente à Primeira Guerra Mundial conhecem textos de cor […]. Sabem de cor partes consideráveis das Sagradas Escrituras, da liturgia, da poesia épica e lírica. […] A competência para citar as Escrituras, para recitar de memória extensos passos de Homero, de Virgílio, Horácio e Ovídio, para declamar no momento uma citação de Shakespeare, Milton ou Pope, produzia o tecido partilhado de ecos, de reconhecimento e reciprocidade intelectuais e emotivos em que se fundamentou a linguagem da política, da lei e das leis britânicas. (George Steiner, No Passion Spent. Essays 1978‑1996,London/Boston, Faber & Faber, 1996, pp.1‑19; trad.port., Lisboa, Relógio d’Água, 2003, pp.15‑32).
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
FRACCIONANDO EL ALMA
por Rav Michael Laitman
A nadie le gusta encontrase atascado en medio del tráfico, deambular entre un gentío de compradores en un shopping mall" o esperar por siempre en la fila hacia la caja en el supermercado. ¿Por qué existen estas muchedumbres?Quizá estemos dispuestos a compartir el mundo con amigos o parientes, con docenas o centenas de personas; la necesidad de compartir con los otros siete mil millones, sin embargo, está menos clara. ¿Por qué entonces, hay tanta gente en el mundo?
Café de Brasil y relojes suizos
El sentido común nos demuestra que tener relaciones recíprocas con la gente nos conviene. Si estuviéramos solos en el mundo, comer incluso una rebanada de pan requeriría un gran esfuerzo y afán. O sea, sembrar el trigo, hacerlo crecer, cosecharlo, molerlo, amasarlo, y hornear el pan. Incluso tendríamos que construir el horno.
En lugar de esto, podemos ir a la panadería más cercana, comprarlo con poco dinero, y seguir disfrutando de la vida sin perder más que unos minutos en la compra. Es decir, trabajamos varias horas al día y gozamos de los productos del resto del mundo. Gozamos del gran chocolate belga, del fast food" americano, los relojes suizos y el café brasilero. Los chinos hacen los autos de juguete para nuestros niños, y los japoneses fabrican los autos verdaderos que nosotros conducimos.
¿Pero es ésta una buena razón para que tanta gente exista? ¿Si hubiera mil millones de personas menos en el mundo, sentiríamos su ausencia?
En el reino del deseo
Los cabalistas dicen que todos provenimos de una sola alma, llamada ``el alma de Adam haRishón'' (el primer hombre), que fue creada por el Creador con el deseo general de recibir placer y deleite, una naturaleza completamente opuesta a la de Él, que es de total entrega y amor. La tarea del alma de Adam haRishón es la de asemejarse a la naturaleza del Creador, y ser tan afectiva y dadora como Él, alcanzando así la cima de todos los placeres, el goce infinito.
Placer antes del contacto
Según la Cábala, cuando el alma de Adam haRishón fue creada, tenía una relación con el Creador que le causaba un placer limitado porque no se había esforzado independientemente en alcanzarlo.
El Creador quiso que el alma de Adam haRishón se desarrollara por su propio medio. Exponiéndola entonces, en un acto premeditado, a mayores placeres, ésta recibió los placeres, y empapándose de regocijo, perdió toda noción del Creador -quien le había proporcionado el deleite- y todo contacto con Él.
Es como una persona que reza por ganar la lotería, prometiendo donar la mitad del triunfo a la caridad. Pero una vez que realmente gana, el placer al que se expone la supera y sus prioridades cambian. Se ``olvida'' de su promesa, y encuentra repentinamente muchas mejores alternativas de inversión, que donar el dinero.
Fragmentos del placer
Como resultado del olvido" de la relación con el Creador a causa del gran placer, el alma de Adam haRishón fue apartada del mundo espiritual, fragmentándose en múltiples partes llamadas ``almas particulares'', que luego fueron bajando a este mundo arropándose" en cuerpos humanos individuales, para poder aprender gradualmente cómo recibir el placer predeterminado, en porciones manejables, sin perder el contacto con el Otorgante del placer, el Creador.
De igual forma, si deseamos mover un peso de una tonelada, no podemos pedir que una sola persona lo haga. Pero si dividimos la tonelada en mil pequeños pedazos de un kilogramo, y damos una sola pieza a cada una de las mil personas, podríamos fácilmente mover este peso.
Este proceso se expresa concisamente en una parábola de Baal HaSulam: ``Había un rey que quería enviar una gran suma de monedas de oro a su hijo, que vivía muy lejos. Lamentablemente, todas las personas en su país eran ladronas y embaucadoras, y el rey no tenía ningún mensajero leal. ¿Qué hizo? Dividió las monedas en peniques y las envió con muchos mensajeros, así, no valdría la pena manchar su honor por el placer de robar''. Árbol de la vida, Baal HaSulam.
Dejar de reencarnar
Hoy, nos encontramos en el estado de post rotura, en donde cada uno de nosotros es un mensajero del rey que lleva consigo un penique del gran tesoro del Creador. Nuestra misión es hacer lo que pidió el rey y volver a reestablecer la conexión con Él, mientras estamos vivos. Hasta que no llevemos la moneda a su lugar, continuaremos volviendo a este mundo.
Los cabalistas que ya han atravesado este proceso, se refieren a él como Tikún (corrección). Ellos nos enseñan cómo corregir nuestro penique-placer" individual, para llegar a la cima de la Escalera Espiritual, y no tener que reencarnarnos más en este mundo.
El conjunto es (mucho) más que la suma de sus piezas
El propósito del estudio de la Cábala es ayudar a cada uno de nosotros -partes individuales del alma de Adam haRishón- a restaurar nuestra unidad de la manera más rápida y útil posible. Cuando cada uno corrija su parte, estaremos realizando la meta para la cual vinimos a este mundo, y finalmente podremos disfrutar en conjunto de los enormes placeres que el Creador diseñó para nosotros en el Pensamiento de la Creación.
Subida a Rav Laitman deste Blog por reverência de A. Moshe Pereira, Pres. Koah e Director de Centro E. Israelitas, Porto
A nadie le gusta encontrase atascado en medio del tráfico, deambular entre un gentío de compradores en un shopping mall" o esperar por siempre en la fila hacia la caja en el supermercado. ¿Por qué existen estas muchedumbres?Quizá estemos dispuestos a compartir el mundo con amigos o parientes, con docenas o centenas de personas; la necesidad de compartir con los otros siete mil millones, sin embargo, está menos clara. ¿Por qué entonces, hay tanta gente en el mundo?
Café de Brasil y relojes suizos
El sentido común nos demuestra que tener relaciones recíprocas con la gente nos conviene. Si estuviéramos solos en el mundo, comer incluso una rebanada de pan requeriría un gran esfuerzo y afán. O sea, sembrar el trigo, hacerlo crecer, cosecharlo, molerlo, amasarlo, y hornear el pan. Incluso tendríamos que construir el horno.
En lugar de esto, podemos ir a la panadería más cercana, comprarlo con poco dinero, y seguir disfrutando de la vida sin perder más que unos minutos en la compra. Es decir, trabajamos varias horas al día y gozamos de los productos del resto del mundo. Gozamos del gran chocolate belga, del fast food" americano, los relojes suizos y el café brasilero. Los chinos hacen los autos de juguete para nuestros niños, y los japoneses fabrican los autos verdaderos que nosotros conducimos.
¿Pero es ésta una buena razón para que tanta gente exista? ¿Si hubiera mil millones de personas menos en el mundo, sentiríamos su ausencia?
En el reino del deseo
Los cabalistas dicen que todos provenimos de una sola alma, llamada ``el alma de Adam haRishón'' (el primer hombre), que fue creada por el Creador con el deseo general de recibir placer y deleite, una naturaleza completamente opuesta a la de Él, que es de total entrega y amor. La tarea del alma de Adam haRishón es la de asemejarse a la naturaleza del Creador, y ser tan afectiva y dadora como Él, alcanzando así la cima de todos los placeres, el goce infinito.
Placer antes del contacto
Según la Cábala, cuando el alma de Adam haRishón fue creada, tenía una relación con el Creador que le causaba un placer limitado porque no se había esforzado independientemente en alcanzarlo.
El Creador quiso que el alma de Adam haRishón se desarrollara por su propio medio. Exponiéndola entonces, en un acto premeditado, a mayores placeres, ésta recibió los placeres, y empapándose de regocijo, perdió toda noción del Creador -quien le había proporcionado el deleite- y todo contacto con Él.
Es como una persona que reza por ganar la lotería, prometiendo donar la mitad del triunfo a la caridad. Pero una vez que realmente gana, el placer al que se expone la supera y sus prioridades cambian. Se ``olvida'' de su promesa, y encuentra repentinamente muchas mejores alternativas de inversión, que donar el dinero.
Fragmentos del placer
Como resultado del olvido" de la relación con el Creador a causa del gran placer, el alma de Adam haRishón fue apartada del mundo espiritual, fragmentándose en múltiples partes llamadas ``almas particulares'', que luego fueron bajando a este mundo arropándose" en cuerpos humanos individuales, para poder aprender gradualmente cómo recibir el placer predeterminado, en porciones manejables, sin perder el contacto con el Otorgante del placer, el Creador.
De igual forma, si deseamos mover un peso de una tonelada, no podemos pedir que una sola persona lo haga. Pero si dividimos la tonelada en mil pequeños pedazos de un kilogramo, y damos una sola pieza a cada una de las mil personas, podríamos fácilmente mover este peso.
Este proceso se expresa concisamente en una parábola de Baal HaSulam: ``Había un rey que quería enviar una gran suma de monedas de oro a su hijo, que vivía muy lejos. Lamentablemente, todas las personas en su país eran ladronas y embaucadoras, y el rey no tenía ningún mensajero leal. ¿Qué hizo? Dividió las monedas en peniques y las envió con muchos mensajeros, así, no valdría la pena manchar su honor por el placer de robar''. Árbol de la vida, Baal HaSulam.
Dejar de reencarnar
Hoy, nos encontramos en el estado de post rotura, en donde cada uno de nosotros es un mensajero del rey que lleva consigo un penique del gran tesoro del Creador. Nuestra misión es hacer lo que pidió el rey y volver a reestablecer la conexión con Él, mientras estamos vivos. Hasta que no llevemos la moneda a su lugar, continuaremos volviendo a este mundo.
Los cabalistas que ya han atravesado este proceso, se refieren a él como Tikún (corrección). Ellos nos enseñan cómo corregir nuestro penique-placer" individual, para llegar a la cima de la Escalera Espiritual, y no tener que reencarnarnos más en este mundo.
El conjunto es (mucho) más que la suma de sus piezas
El propósito del estudio de la Cábala es ayudar a cada uno de nosotros -partes individuales del alma de Adam haRishón- a restaurar nuestra unidad de la manera más rápida y útil posible. Cuando cada uno corrija su parte, estaremos realizando la meta para la cual vinimos a este mundo, y finalmente podremos disfrutar en conjunto de los enormes placeres que el Creador diseñó para nosotros en el Pensamiento de la Creación.
Subida a Rav Laitman deste Blog por reverência de A. Moshe Pereira, Pres. Koah e Director de Centro E. Israelitas, Porto
Keren Hayesod
DA DIVISÃO DE COMUNICAÇÃO E MARKETING
Boletim Informativo
No. 392 - 26.10.07
Milhares de famílias israelenses acompanham os novos imigrantes
A Agência Judaica e as empresas Osem e YNet conclamaram as famílias dos israelenses veteranos para se unir ao programa da Agência Judaica, “Juntos, em Casa”, B’bayit B’yachad. Este apelo pede voluntários para acompanhar os novos olim em seus primeiros passos em Israel, ajudando-os a superarem os problemas de integração, burocracia, orientação social, moradia e emprego, entre outros. Até o momento, milhares de famílias veteranas em Israel já se alistaram no programa. Agora, convidamos vocês, também, a fazê-lo!
Ynet 10.09.07 www.ynet.co.il
Dezenas de milhares de novos imigrantes, de todo o mundo, chegam anualmente a Israel. Para constituir um novo lar no país, eles deixam para trás apartamentos, bons empregos, ambientes conhecidos, família e contatos sociais cultivados ao longo de uma vida. Os problemas de integração que os novos imigrantes são forçados a enfrentar nesse estágio de transição não são fáceis. Incluem aprender um novo idioma, encontrar emprego, enfrentar problemas de moradia, estresse financeiro e mesmo as simples tarefas do dia-a-dia, tais como fazer compras de supermercado, abrir uma conta bancária, pagar uma conta de telefone, submeter-se a um check-up médico e muitos outros mais.
Universitários imigrantes e veteranos da Universidade
Hebraica (Cortesia da Agência Judaica)
O processo de absorção envolve isolamento social e alienação ambiental. Os soldados sós, por exemplo, que imigraram a Israel sem a família, geralmente preferem passar os fins de semana em sua base militar, pois não têm familiares aonde passar o Shabat. O trauma do período de transição pode durar vários anos.
Dezenas de milhares de novos imigrantes estão em posição semelhante, em Israel, mas a maioria dos israelenses somente tem contato com eles no supermercado ou no posto de gasolina, mas quase nunca em uma conversa descontraída, na sala de estar de suas casas. Para mudar esse cenário, a Agência Judaica deslanchou o programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, “Juntos, em Casa”.
Ponto inicial de contato
O conceito que sustenta o programa é simples: “casar” famílias de israelenses veteranos com novos imigrantes, visando um relacionamento contínuo, para que a família veterana possa acompanhar os recém-chegados, seja uma família imigrante ou um soldado só, e guiá-los em seus primeiros passos em Israel.
Os membros da família os ajudam a lidar com os problemas de integração ligados à burocracia, busca de emprego e solução de moradia, através da rede de conexões sociais que cada um de nós tem, onde vive. O contato direto que se forma entre as famílias, veteranas e imigrantes, no programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, permite aos imigrantes expandir sua rede social em Israel e se integrar de maneira mais suave na sociedade israelense.
Conexão pessoal através de áreas comuns de interesse
A localização e o alistamento de participantes para o programa “B’bayit B’yachad” são realizados por coordenadores regionais que operam em todo o país. O “casamento“ pessoal entre as duas famílias geralmente é feito após várias reuniões entre grupos de israelenses veteranos e novos imigrantes, mediante os quais as famílias têm a oportunidade de se “escolherem” mutuamente. Mais tarde, após as devidas apresentações, as famílias são acompanhadas e guiadas pelos membros do programa e participam juntas de atividades em grupo, tais como saraus de canto, viagens curtas etc.
O contato pessoal entre as famílias recém-imigradas e as veteranas é alcançado através do pareamento de áreas de interesse comum. Vizinhança, profissão, hobbies, idade dos filhos e idioma de origem são alguns dos pontos de contato inicial entre as pessoas. Os veteranos que tenham interesse em se voluntariar para ajudar os novos imigrantes em áreas mais específicas, sem o envolvimento de sua família, podem se registrar como “voluntários de missão” no programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, isto é, “Juntos, em casa”. Eles podem ajudar os imigrantes a preparara seus currículos, encontrar um emprego adequado, estudar hebraico e outros.
Programa social nacional
“B’bayit B’yachad” não é apenas um programa que conecta pessoas, permitindo que qualquer pessoa estenda a mão amiga a alguém que esteja passando por problemas em sua integração. É, também, um programa social-nacional que visa ajudar na absorção de novos imigrantes, encurtando as distâncias entre os grupos. Ademais, promove o aumento da imigração para Israel, mediante o contato entre os novos imigrantes e seus familiares na Diáspora, que talvez estejam também pensando em emigrar para Israel. O programa dá a famílias de israelenses veteranos a oportunidade de contribuir à sociedade, de se expor a novas culturas e de expandir suas conexões sociais e familiares.
A família Grant com Natalia Hadek, da Ucrânia,
e Kanau Adema e Dabes Chakel, da Etiópia
O programa “B’bayit B’yachad” é supervisionado por um conselho público dirigido por Ofra Strauss. Até hoje, umas 15.000 famílias de israelenses veteranos, famílias de imigrantes e soldados sós já se inscreveram no programa. Cerca de 1.700 voluntários adicionais estão ajudando os novos imigrantes no período de sua integração em base individual.
Campanha pública para alistar mais famílias voluntárias
De modo a expandir o programa, a Agência Judaica e a empresa Osem estão lançando uma ampla campanha pública, na qual as famílias israelenses são convidadas a se unir ao programa “Juntos, em Casa”, através de alistamento voluntário, para acompanhar olim chadashim nos estágios iniciais de sua absorção em Israel.
Como incentivo adicional, a Osem oferecerá um festivo pacote de produtos a todas as famílias israelenses que se inscrevem como voluntárias no programa para acompanhar uma família imigrante.
Boletim Informativo
No. 392 - 26.10.07
Milhares de famílias israelenses acompanham os novos imigrantes
A Agência Judaica e as empresas Osem e YNet conclamaram as famílias dos israelenses veteranos para se unir ao programa da Agência Judaica, “Juntos, em Casa”, B’bayit B’yachad. Este apelo pede voluntários para acompanhar os novos olim em seus primeiros passos em Israel, ajudando-os a superarem os problemas de integração, burocracia, orientação social, moradia e emprego, entre outros. Até o momento, milhares de famílias veteranas em Israel já se alistaram no programa. Agora, convidamos vocês, também, a fazê-lo!
Ynet 10.09.07 www.ynet.co.il
Dezenas de milhares de novos imigrantes, de todo o mundo, chegam anualmente a Israel. Para constituir um novo lar no país, eles deixam para trás apartamentos, bons empregos, ambientes conhecidos, família e contatos sociais cultivados ao longo de uma vida. Os problemas de integração que os novos imigrantes são forçados a enfrentar nesse estágio de transição não são fáceis. Incluem aprender um novo idioma, encontrar emprego, enfrentar problemas de moradia, estresse financeiro e mesmo as simples tarefas do dia-a-dia, tais como fazer compras de supermercado, abrir uma conta bancária, pagar uma conta de telefone, submeter-se a um check-up médico e muitos outros mais.
Universitários imigrantes e veteranos da Universidade
Hebraica (Cortesia da Agência Judaica)
O processo de absorção envolve isolamento social e alienação ambiental. Os soldados sós, por exemplo, que imigraram a Israel sem a família, geralmente preferem passar os fins de semana em sua base militar, pois não têm familiares aonde passar o Shabat. O trauma do período de transição pode durar vários anos.
Dezenas de milhares de novos imigrantes estão em posição semelhante, em Israel, mas a maioria dos israelenses somente tem contato com eles no supermercado ou no posto de gasolina, mas quase nunca em uma conversa descontraída, na sala de estar de suas casas. Para mudar esse cenário, a Agência Judaica deslanchou o programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, “Juntos, em Casa”.
Ponto inicial de contato
O conceito que sustenta o programa é simples: “casar” famílias de israelenses veteranos com novos imigrantes, visando um relacionamento contínuo, para que a família veterana possa acompanhar os recém-chegados, seja uma família imigrante ou um soldado só, e guiá-los em seus primeiros passos em Israel.
Os membros da família os ajudam a lidar com os problemas de integração ligados à burocracia, busca de emprego e solução de moradia, através da rede de conexões sociais que cada um de nós tem, onde vive. O contato direto que se forma entre as famílias, veteranas e imigrantes, no programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, permite aos imigrantes expandir sua rede social em Israel e se integrar de maneira mais suave na sociedade israelense.
Conexão pessoal através de áreas comuns de interesse
A localização e o alistamento de participantes para o programa “B’bayit B’yachad” são realizados por coordenadores regionais que operam em todo o país. O “casamento“ pessoal entre as duas famílias geralmente é feito após várias reuniões entre grupos de israelenses veteranos e novos imigrantes, mediante os quais as famílias têm a oportunidade de se “escolherem” mutuamente. Mais tarde, após as devidas apresentações, as famílias são acompanhadas e guiadas pelos membros do programa e participam juntas de atividades em grupo, tais como saraus de canto, viagens curtas etc.
O contato pessoal entre as famílias recém-imigradas e as veteranas é alcançado através do pareamento de áreas de interesse comum. Vizinhança, profissão, hobbies, idade dos filhos e idioma de origem são alguns dos pontos de contato inicial entre as pessoas. Os veteranos que tenham interesse em se voluntariar para ajudar os novos imigrantes em áreas mais específicas, sem o envolvimento de sua família, podem se registrar como “voluntários de missão” no programa “B’bayit B’yachad”, isto é, “Juntos, em casa”. Eles podem ajudar os imigrantes a preparara seus currículos, encontrar um emprego adequado, estudar hebraico e outros.
Programa social nacional
“B’bayit B’yachad” não é apenas um programa que conecta pessoas, permitindo que qualquer pessoa estenda a mão amiga a alguém que esteja passando por problemas em sua integração. É, também, um programa social-nacional que visa ajudar na absorção de novos imigrantes, encurtando as distâncias entre os grupos. Ademais, promove o aumento da imigração para Israel, mediante o contato entre os novos imigrantes e seus familiares na Diáspora, que talvez estejam também pensando em emigrar para Israel. O programa dá a famílias de israelenses veteranos a oportunidade de contribuir à sociedade, de se expor a novas culturas e de expandir suas conexões sociais e familiares.
A família Grant com Natalia Hadek, da Ucrânia,
e Kanau Adema e Dabes Chakel, da Etiópia
O programa “B’bayit B’yachad” é supervisionado por um conselho público dirigido por Ofra Strauss. Até hoje, umas 15.000 famílias de israelenses veteranos, famílias de imigrantes e soldados sós já se inscreveram no programa. Cerca de 1.700 voluntários adicionais estão ajudando os novos imigrantes no período de sua integração em base individual.
Campanha pública para alistar mais famílias voluntárias
De modo a expandir o programa, a Agência Judaica e a empresa Osem estão lançando uma ampla campanha pública, na qual as famílias israelenses são convidadas a se unir ao programa “Juntos, em Casa”, através de alistamento voluntário, para acompanhar olim chadashim nos estágios iniciais de sua absorção em Israel.
Como incentivo adicional, a Osem oferecerá um festivo pacote de produtos a todas as famílias israelenses que se inscrevem como voluntárias no programa para acompanhar uma família imigrante.
Postagem: Andre Moshe Pereira, Presidente KOAH, Director Centro de Estudos Israelitas, Porto-Gaia.
Parashat Chayei Sarah
Rabbi Aron Tendler
Summary of The Weekly Torah Reading:
Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person "goes up" to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading.
1st Aliya: Avraham negotiates with Ephron the Hitite to purchase the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah. Tradition says that this is also the burial place of Adam and Chava.
2nd Aliya: Avraham sends Eliezar, his trusted servant, to Aram Naharayim, (between the Tigris and the Euphrates) to find Yitzchak a shiduch - a bride.
3rd Aliya: Leading a caravan of supplies and riches, Eliezar arrives in Nachor. While resting by "the well", he devises a test to ascertain the worthiness of a potential mate for Yitzchak. Rivkah (Yitzchak's 1st cousin once removed) meets all the criteria and Eliezar presents her with the appropriate gifts.
4th Aliya: Eliezar is invited into Bisuel's home (Rivkah's father) and he rela tes the entire story of his mission and his encounter with Rivkah. Eliezar asks for her hand in marriage to Yitzchak. Bisuel and Lavan (Rivka's brother) agree.
5th Aliya: Rivkah express her desire to depart immediately. Her family blesses her, and Eliezar brings her to Canaan. Yitzchak marries Rivka in the year 2108.
6th & 7th Aliyot: Avraham marries Keturah (some say she was Hagar) and has 6 more sons. Avarham dies in 2123 - 1638 b.c.e. at the age of 175. His two sons Yitzchak and Yishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. Yishmael's 12 sons are listed and Yishmael dies at 137.
Summary of The Haftorah:
Haftorah Chayei Sarah
This week's Haftorah is from the first chapter of Kings 1. Dovid Hamelech (the King) is old and must confront the inevitable succession of the throne. His 40 year reign as King of Israel had been blessed with great success, and he had secured the security and sovereignty of the nation. Yet, in his personal life he had suffered great tragedies and hardships. Having already survived the rebellion of his son Avsholom, he must now confront the rebellion of his son Adoniyahu, and his trusted General, Yoav.
The Haftorah relates the foresight and courage of Batsheva, the mother of Shlomo, and the help of Nasan the Navi, in guaranteeing the succession of Shlomo to become the next King.
The relationship of this story to our Parsha is the planned succession of the throne. Just as Dovid must plan for the next stage of Israel's leadership; so too must Avraham accept the inevitable end and look to Yitzchak's future. Just as Dovid oversees the succession while s till living, and steps aside to guarantee a proper and secure change; so too does Avraham take the necessary steps of securing Jewish national development while he is still alive and in a position to continue teaching and directing.
Summary of The Weekly Torah Reading:
Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person "goes up" to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading.
1st Aliya: Avraham negotiates with Ephron the Hitite to purchase the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah. Tradition says that this is also the burial place of Adam and Chava.
2nd Aliya: Avraham sends Eliezar, his trusted servant, to Aram Naharayim, (between the Tigris and the Euphrates) to find Yitzchak a shiduch - a bride.
3rd Aliya: Leading a caravan of supplies and riches, Eliezar arrives in Nachor. While resting by "the well", he devises a test to ascertain the worthiness of a potential mate for Yitzchak. Rivkah (Yitzchak's 1st cousin once removed) meets all the criteria and Eliezar presents her with the appropriate gifts.
4th Aliya: Eliezar is invited into Bisuel's home (Rivkah's father) and he rela tes the entire story of his mission and his encounter with Rivkah. Eliezar asks for her hand in marriage to Yitzchak. Bisuel and Lavan (Rivka's brother) agree.
5th Aliya: Rivkah express her desire to depart immediately. Her family blesses her, and Eliezar brings her to Canaan. Yitzchak marries Rivka in the year 2108.
6th & 7th Aliyot: Avraham marries Keturah (some say she was Hagar) and has 6 more sons. Avarham dies in 2123 - 1638 b.c.e. at the age of 175. His two sons Yitzchak and Yishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. Yishmael's 12 sons are listed and Yishmael dies at 137.
Summary of The Haftorah:
Haftorah Chayei Sarah
This week's Haftorah is from the first chapter of Kings 1. Dovid Hamelech (the King) is old and must confront the inevitable succession of the throne. His 40 year reign as King of Israel had been blessed with great success, and he had secured the security and sovereignty of the nation. Yet, in his personal life he had suffered great tragedies and hardships. Having already survived the rebellion of his son Avsholom, he must now confront the rebellion of his son Adoniyahu, and his trusted General, Yoav.
The Haftorah relates the foresight and courage of Batsheva, the mother of Shlomo, and the help of Nasan the Navi, in guaranteeing the succession of Shlomo to become the next King.
The relationship of this story to our Parsha is the planned succession of the throne. Just as Dovid must plan for the next stage of Israel's leadership; so too must Avraham accept the inevitable end and look to Yitzchak's future. Just as Dovid oversees the succession while s till living, and steps aside to guarantee a proper and secure change; so too does Avraham take the necessary steps of securing Jewish national development while he is still alive and in a position to continue teaching and directing.
Fast-Food Judaism
Chapter 1, Mishna 15(c)
Rabino Dovid Rosenfeld
"Shammai said, make your Torah study fixed, say little and do much, and receive everyone with a cheerful countenance."
Thus far we have studied Shammai's first two statements. His final words of advice are that we receive everyone cheerfully. This advice is simple enough. What is more striking, however, is that Shammai the personality is always portrayed in the Talmud as far from easygoing, as one who appeared to have little patience for others.
Recently (www.torah.org/learning/pirkei-avos/chapter1-12.html) we quoted the passage in the Talmud (Shabbos 31a) in which would-be converts approached both Shammai and Hillel, Shammai's colleague, asking to be converted to Judaism only if certain outlandish conditions be met. (One asked that he be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot, another asked provided he be appointed High Priest.) Shammai promptly threw the would-be converts out, seeing in them little true appreciation of the greatness of the Torah. Hillel, however, dealt gently with them, teaching them a basic and inspiring principle of the Torah, and all the men eventually became true and sincere converts. Shammai, however -- seemingly ignoring his own advice -- exhibited no such love and patience with the Gentiles. Had Hillel not been there to show them the way, they would have been lost forever to the Torah and to Judaism.
It is important to recognize, however, that Shammai was not merely exhibiting impatience and short-temperedness. He certainly did believe in greeting others cheerfully. Yet at times it is necessary to speak up for one's values. A person who wants to become Jewish in order to wear the High Priest's impressive vestments is seeing Judaism as nothing more than a stepping stone towards fashion and high society (this was an era in which much of the priestly class formed an aristocracy, fashioned after Hellenistic society) -- much as, centuries later, Jews would see baptism as the ticket to European society. (And sadly, the Church was far less discriminating in its willingness to accept less-than-sincere Jewish converts.)
Likewise, a person who expects to be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot is in effect stating that in his mind the Torah is so shallow it can basically be condensed into a few meaningless generalities. The fellow was clearly looking for fast and easy inspiration, some quick-and-dirty spirituality which he could pick up through no effort of his own. (Kind of reminiscent of the recent absurdity known as "kabbalah for dummies" -- as if there's some magical way of getting right down to the deep and transcendental stuff without the years of toil actually required.)
Regardless, the fellow was hardly seeking what Judaism does offer: a comprehensive but rigorous guide for personal growth and meaningful living. He was looking for pleasantries, perhaps some inspiring-sounding but meaningless Biblical prose. He wanted expertise without struggling through the users' manual, well-roundedness through the Readers' Digest, proficiency through Cliff Notes, effort-free inspiration, religious fast-food. (We can come up with more metaphors (or even make up a few new ones), but the picture is clear. The man, perhaps even sensing that Judaism does contain some depth and profundity, wanted to have some of it, but was simply not willing to put in any real, "two-legged" effort -- as if someone else can take "meaning" and just hand it to you.)
Shammai's answer was as blunt as the fellow deserved: If you're looking for serious effort and meaningful growth, you've come to the right place. If you recognize that life requires toil and effort, that one can have no meaning and accomplishment without serious study and commitment, we'll talk. If you're willing to make the effort, I'll spend as much time as you require describing Judaism's precise prescription for fulfillment. If, however, you're just looking for some quick and painless way of alleviating your religious guilt-pangs, if you want inspiration without serious study and reflection -- as if religion is sitting back in a theater watching an inspiring film, if you're looking for sweet generalities and platitudes -- an enjoyable Saturday (or Sunday) morning service (perhaps followed with lox and bagels or a game of Bingo) and then back to your old life the rest of the week, something to aspire to but not really make any tangible difference in your life, then for get it. You're looking for what most of mankind wants out of religion but you're not looking for Judaism.
Shammai was hardly being impatient. He was simply standing up for what matters. In his mind, he had just witnessed a terrible affront to Judaism and all it stands for. And he was quick to tell the fellow that coming to a rabbi looking for sweet religious nothings basically misses (or attempts to ignore) the entire point of Judaism.
As we mentioned above, Hillel exhibited much more patience with the would-be converts, and the results were far more encouraging. Hillel's greatness was that he saw the potential for goodness even in the very casual interest of these would-be converts. Their flippancy aside, they were still coming to us; they're looking for something. And so, said Hillel to the man who wanted the Torah while standing on one foot: You want an easy and simple rule? Try this: "What you do not like yourself do not do unto others." If all you want is some sort of feel-good recipe for ecumenical light-and-easy inspiration -- something you could have just as well read on the back of a sugar pack -- Judaism can give you that as well. The Torah is no less insightful than Poor Richard's Almanac. The Rabbis coined their share of aphorisms. And if that's all you care to see, fine. You will have gotten something for your efforts (or lack thereof).
If, however, from there you begin to recognize that there is more to life than empty moral directives, if you understand that interpersonal relationships -- as everything else -- require effort and careful consideration, you may one day become ready for the real stuff. Take this one rule to mull over. You might stop right there, or it may turn into the first step of many more -- in a very meaningful direction.
Thus, we are presented with two worthy and legitimate responses to a Gentile's mockery of Judaism. In truth, the Talmud concludes that one should learn from Hillel's softness and humility rather than Shammai's strictness and exactitude. We must be understanding of others and of the world from which they come. Most people are not ready for serious commitment. Religion to them is politically-correct, feel-good platitudes. But if that's all they can handle, at least give them that -- and perhaps one day they will become conditioned for the real McCoy.
Yet Shammai was hardly wrong; he was not simply intolerant. He was standing up for principles which are far too often overlooked. If we do not at times stand firm on our principles, sooner or later there will be nothing left for which we stand -- no red lines of decency and morality which outweigh all other considerations of etiquette and tolerance. In war, in politics, in almost any area, ambivalence and over-tolerance in the face of wickedness is not generally viewed as niceness but as a lack of resolve and a lack of commitment to the good. The world must know where we, the Children of Israel, stand and how far we will go for our beliefs -- and we ourselves certainly must know it. For only through the proper balance between zealousness and tolerance can we be true to our ideals yet a shining beacon unto mankind.
Postagem: Andre Moshe Pereira, Presidente Koah, Director Centro Estudos Israelitas, Porto
Rabino Dovid Rosenfeld
"Shammai said, make your Torah study fixed, say little and do much, and receive everyone with a cheerful countenance."
Thus far we have studied Shammai's first two statements. His final words of advice are that we receive everyone cheerfully. This advice is simple enough. What is more striking, however, is that Shammai the personality is always portrayed in the Talmud as far from easygoing, as one who appeared to have little patience for others.
Recently (www.torah.org/learning/pirkei-avos/chapter1-12.html) we quoted the passage in the Talmud (Shabbos 31a) in which would-be converts approached both Shammai and Hillel, Shammai's colleague, asking to be converted to Judaism only if certain outlandish conditions be met. (One asked that he be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot, another asked provided he be appointed High Priest.) Shammai promptly threw the would-be converts out, seeing in them little true appreciation of the greatness of the Torah. Hillel, however, dealt gently with them, teaching them a basic and inspiring principle of the Torah, and all the men eventually became true and sincere converts. Shammai, however -- seemingly ignoring his own advice -- exhibited no such love and patience with the Gentiles. Had Hillel not been there to show them the way, they would have been lost forever to the Torah and to Judaism.
It is important to recognize, however, that Shammai was not merely exhibiting impatience and short-temperedness. He certainly did believe in greeting others cheerfully. Yet at times it is necessary to speak up for one's values. A person who wants to become Jewish in order to wear the High Priest's impressive vestments is seeing Judaism as nothing more than a stepping stone towards fashion and high society (this was an era in which much of the priestly class formed an aristocracy, fashioned after Hellenistic society) -- much as, centuries later, Jews would see baptism as the ticket to European society. (And sadly, the Church was far less discriminating in its willingness to accept less-than-sincere Jewish converts.)
Likewise, a person who expects to be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot is in effect stating that in his mind the Torah is so shallow it can basically be condensed into a few meaningless generalities. The fellow was clearly looking for fast and easy inspiration, some quick-and-dirty spirituality which he could pick up through no effort of his own. (Kind of reminiscent of the recent absurdity known as "kabbalah for dummies" -- as if there's some magical way of getting right down to the deep and transcendental stuff without the years of toil actually required.)
Regardless, the fellow was hardly seeking what Judaism does offer: a comprehensive but rigorous guide for personal growth and meaningful living. He was looking for pleasantries, perhaps some inspiring-sounding but meaningless Biblical prose. He wanted expertise without struggling through the users' manual, well-roundedness through the Readers' Digest, proficiency through Cliff Notes, effort-free inspiration, religious fast-food. (We can come up with more metaphors (or even make up a few new ones), but the picture is clear. The man, perhaps even sensing that Judaism does contain some depth and profundity, wanted to have some of it, but was simply not willing to put in any real, "two-legged" effort -- as if someone else can take "meaning" and just hand it to you.)
Shammai's answer was as blunt as the fellow deserved: If you're looking for serious effort and meaningful growth, you've come to the right place. If you recognize that life requires toil and effort, that one can have no meaning and accomplishment without serious study and commitment, we'll talk. If you're willing to make the effort, I'll spend as much time as you require describing Judaism's precise prescription for fulfillment. If, however, you're just looking for some quick and painless way of alleviating your religious guilt-pangs, if you want inspiration without serious study and reflection -- as if religion is sitting back in a theater watching an inspiring film, if you're looking for sweet generalities and platitudes -- an enjoyable Saturday (or Sunday) morning service (perhaps followed with lox and bagels or a game of Bingo) and then back to your old life the rest of the week, something to aspire to but not really make any tangible difference in your life, then for get it. You're looking for what most of mankind wants out of religion but you're not looking for Judaism.
Shammai was hardly being impatient. He was simply standing up for what matters. In his mind, he had just witnessed a terrible affront to Judaism and all it stands for. And he was quick to tell the fellow that coming to a rabbi looking for sweet religious nothings basically misses (or attempts to ignore) the entire point of Judaism.
As we mentioned above, Hillel exhibited much more patience with the would-be converts, and the results were far more encouraging. Hillel's greatness was that he saw the potential for goodness even in the very casual interest of these would-be converts. Their flippancy aside, they were still coming to us; they're looking for something. And so, said Hillel to the man who wanted the Torah while standing on one foot: You want an easy and simple rule? Try this: "What you do not like yourself do not do unto others." If all you want is some sort of feel-good recipe for ecumenical light-and-easy inspiration -- something you could have just as well read on the back of a sugar pack -- Judaism can give you that as well. The Torah is no less insightful than Poor Richard's Almanac. The Rabbis coined their share of aphorisms. And if that's all you care to see, fine. You will have gotten something for your efforts (or lack thereof).
If, however, from there you begin to recognize that there is more to life than empty moral directives, if you understand that interpersonal relationships -- as everything else -- require effort and careful consideration, you may one day become ready for the real stuff. Take this one rule to mull over. You might stop right there, or it may turn into the first step of many more -- in a very meaningful direction.
Thus, we are presented with two worthy and legitimate responses to a Gentile's mockery of Judaism. In truth, the Talmud concludes that one should learn from Hillel's softness and humility rather than Shammai's strictness and exactitude. We must be understanding of others and of the world from which they come. Most people are not ready for serious commitment. Religion to them is politically-correct, feel-good platitudes. But if that's all they can handle, at least give them that -- and perhaps one day they will become conditioned for the real McCoy.
Yet Shammai was hardly wrong; he was not simply intolerant. He was standing up for principles which are far too often overlooked. If we do not at times stand firm on our principles, sooner or later there will be nothing left for which we stand -- no red lines of decency and morality which outweigh all other considerations of etiquette and tolerance. In war, in politics, in almost any area, ambivalence and over-tolerance in the face of wickedness is not generally viewed as niceness but as a lack of resolve and a lack of commitment to the good. The world must know where we, the Children of Israel, stand and how far we will go for our beliefs -- and we ourselves certainly must know it. For only through the proper balance between zealousness and tolerance can we be true to our ideals yet a shining beacon unto mankind.
Postagem: Andre Moshe Pereira, Presidente Koah, Director Centro Estudos Israelitas, Porto
Sobre o Egoísmo
Advierte rabino sobre egoismo que impera en la humanidad.
October 30th, 2007 @ 4:44pm
México, 30 Oct (Notimex).- La crisis que vive la humanidad es una "oportunidad" para que los hombres y los gobiernos venzan el egoísmo que los guía y puedan pensar en los demás, consideró hoy aquí el rabino Michael Laitman, quien participará a partir del jueves en el Consejo Mundial de Sabios que se celebrará en este país.
En entrevista con Notimex, a propósito de su participación en la reunión que organiza el Forum Universal de las Culturas de Monterrey, el especialista lamentó que ese egoísmo persista en las altas esferas del poder mundial, las cuales sólo atienden sus aspiraciones de dominio y enriquecimiento.
El egoísmo, afirmó, "se expresa en que el ser humano quiere más cosas para su cuerpo, su orgullo, el deseo de dominar más, de saber más y controlar más y ordenar todo para su beneficio; la crisis se expresa cuando los niños dejan la casa a edades tempranas, hay muchos divorcios, la primera enfermedad es la depresión, no hay sentido en la vida".
Además, estimó, la mitad de la humanidad usa drogas y "no podemos planear nada para mañana ni podemos controlar el sistema económico, estamos dependientes unos de otros pero no nos preocupamos por los demás".
Ningún político del planeta, sostuvo, gobierna el mundo, "aunque nos parezca que ellos gobiernan".
"Las personas que están en la política alta -dijo- no quieren escuchar, son muy egoístas, no les interesa nada, su interés es sólo controlar y que el mundo se acabe", pero "la crisis es la salvación para la humanidad, es una oportunidad de pasarse a un nivel más alto y de conectarse uno al otro, de hacer un paraíso en la Tierra".
Laitman, quien es fundador y presidente del Instituto Bnei Baruch de Enseñanza e Investigación de la Cábala, con sede en Israel, participará como orador del Consejo Mundial de Sabios (Word Wisdom Council) del que forma parte y que se llevará cabo del 1 al 4 de noviembre próximo en la ciudad regia.
Entre los miembros del distinguido grupo se encuentran líderes como el premio Nobel de la Paz, Wangari Maathai; el ruso Mikahail Gorbachev y otras personalidades como el Dalai Lama o la naturalista Jane Goodall, entre otros.
La visita al Forum, señaló Laitman, "es resultado de la crisis que se está desarrollando en el mundo, desde hace años, de año en año empezamos a reconocerla más y más, resulta que hoy en día esta crisis tanto en lo individual como en lo general empieza a tener unas dimensiones muy dramáticas que resultan amenazantes para la existencia". Sigue.
Advierte rabino/dos/existencia.
Drogadicción, divorcios en las familias, crisis ecológicas y financieras, están acabando con la humanidad, "Bush está declarando que estamos enfrentando una tercera guerra mundial, por todas estas cosas estamos perdiendo el futuro; el mañana, la idea es discutir qué podemos hacer para mejorar nuestro estado".
Los ejes centrales de la discusión en Monterrey serán las conferencias "Creando una nueva civilización: la visión, el camino, la meta", así como "Gobernabilidad global para un mundo sustentable en lo social, político y ambiental".
En el Consejo de Sabios, agregó, "confluyen filósofos, personas de religión, premios Nobel y políticos que se preocupan por el futuro de la humanidad" y que llevaran la discusión desde su particular punto de vista.
En el caso del estudio de la Cábala, explicó Laitman, se hablará de que "toda esta crisis que estamos pasando, ya estaba escrita hace miles de años, y que al final del siglo XX la humanidad iba a llegar a una crisis general muy dramática hasta que va tener que pararse a pensarlo".
Hasta el momento, enfatizó, "actuamos con el egoísmo y de generación en generación el egoísmo va creciendo y aventándonos a un callejón sin salida, el egoísmo no nos está llevando a la felicidad, ni a un estado bueno del mundo, estamos perdiendo la esperanza de que mañana será mejor, nuestros hijos no tendrán una nueva vida".
De acuerdo con la ciencia hebrea de la Cábala, agregó, "la humanidad debe empezar a reconocer que esta en un pueblo pequeño y global y que dependemos uno del otro y que tenemos que empezar a vernos como hermanos".
Todo ello, explicó, proviene de la antigüedad, "de Babilonia, donde hace cinco mil años estuvimos como un solo pueblo, pero ahí estalló el egoísmo y nos dispersamos por toda la Tierra creando países y alejándonos uno del otro".
Ahora, lo que nos queda, finalizó, "es descubrir todo el cuadro general y nadie hará cosas malas en el mundo, (la Cábala) es una sabiduría muy práctica, muy real, pero el acto más serio que se puede hacer es simplemente contarles a todos en el mundo, seguir contando" la situación en la que se encuentra la humanidad.
October 30th, 2007 @ 4:44pm
México, 30 Oct (Notimex).- La crisis que vive la humanidad es una "oportunidad" para que los hombres y los gobiernos venzan el egoísmo que los guía y puedan pensar en los demás, consideró hoy aquí el rabino Michael Laitman, quien participará a partir del jueves en el Consejo Mundial de Sabios que se celebrará en este país.
En entrevista con Notimex, a propósito de su participación en la reunión que organiza el Forum Universal de las Culturas de Monterrey, el especialista lamentó que ese egoísmo persista en las altas esferas del poder mundial, las cuales sólo atienden sus aspiraciones de dominio y enriquecimiento.
El egoísmo, afirmó, "se expresa en que el ser humano quiere más cosas para su cuerpo, su orgullo, el deseo de dominar más, de saber más y controlar más y ordenar todo para su beneficio; la crisis se expresa cuando los niños dejan la casa a edades tempranas, hay muchos divorcios, la primera enfermedad es la depresión, no hay sentido en la vida".
Además, estimó, la mitad de la humanidad usa drogas y "no podemos planear nada para mañana ni podemos controlar el sistema económico, estamos dependientes unos de otros pero no nos preocupamos por los demás".
Ningún político del planeta, sostuvo, gobierna el mundo, "aunque nos parezca que ellos gobiernan".
"Las personas que están en la política alta -dijo- no quieren escuchar, son muy egoístas, no les interesa nada, su interés es sólo controlar y que el mundo se acabe", pero "la crisis es la salvación para la humanidad, es una oportunidad de pasarse a un nivel más alto y de conectarse uno al otro, de hacer un paraíso en la Tierra".
Laitman, quien es fundador y presidente del Instituto Bnei Baruch de Enseñanza e Investigación de la Cábala, con sede en Israel, participará como orador del Consejo Mundial de Sabios (Word Wisdom Council) del que forma parte y que se llevará cabo del 1 al 4 de noviembre próximo en la ciudad regia.
Entre los miembros del distinguido grupo se encuentran líderes como el premio Nobel de la Paz, Wangari Maathai; el ruso Mikahail Gorbachev y otras personalidades como el Dalai Lama o la naturalista Jane Goodall, entre otros.
La visita al Forum, señaló Laitman, "es resultado de la crisis que se está desarrollando en el mundo, desde hace años, de año en año empezamos a reconocerla más y más, resulta que hoy en día esta crisis tanto en lo individual como en lo general empieza a tener unas dimensiones muy dramáticas que resultan amenazantes para la existencia". Sigue.
Advierte rabino/dos/existencia.
Drogadicción, divorcios en las familias, crisis ecológicas y financieras, están acabando con la humanidad, "Bush está declarando que estamos enfrentando una tercera guerra mundial, por todas estas cosas estamos perdiendo el futuro; el mañana, la idea es discutir qué podemos hacer para mejorar nuestro estado".
Los ejes centrales de la discusión en Monterrey serán las conferencias "Creando una nueva civilización: la visión, el camino, la meta", así como "Gobernabilidad global para un mundo sustentable en lo social, político y ambiental".
En el Consejo de Sabios, agregó, "confluyen filósofos, personas de religión, premios Nobel y políticos que se preocupan por el futuro de la humanidad" y que llevaran la discusión desde su particular punto de vista.
En el caso del estudio de la Cábala, explicó Laitman, se hablará de que "toda esta crisis que estamos pasando, ya estaba escrita hace miles de años, y que al final del siglo XX la humanidad iba a llegar a una crisis general muy dramática hasta que va tener que pararse a pensarlo".
Hasta el momento, enfatizó, "actuamos con el egoísmo y de generación en generación el egoísmo va creciendo y aventándonos a un callejón sin salida, el egoísmo no nos está llevando a la felicidad, ni a un estado bueno del mundo, estamos perdiendo la esperanza de que mañana será mejor, nuestros hijos no tendrán una nueva vida".
De acuerdo con la ciencia hebrea de la Cábala, agregó, "la humanidad debe empezar a reconocer que esta en un pueblo pequeño y global y que dependemos uno del otro y que tenemos que empezar a vernos como hermanos".
Todo ello, explicó, proviene de la antigüedad, "de Babilonia, donde hace cinco mil años estuvimos como un solo pueblo, pero ahí estalló el egoísmo y nos dispersamos por toda la Tierra creando países y alejándonos uno del otro".
Ahora, lo que nos queda, finalizó, "es descubrir todo el cuadro general y nadie hará cosas malas en el mundo, (la Cábala) es una sabiduría muy práctica, muy real, pero el acto más serio que se puede hacer es simplemente contarles a todos en el mundo, seguir contando" la situación en la que se encuentra la humanidad.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
SEMBLANZA DE UN GAUCHO JUDÍO
Dr. Guido Maisuls
Transcurriendo la primavera argentina del año 1977, en mis juveniles 25 años, tuve el privilegio de llegar a conocer, a los que yo llamo hoy, un autentico Gaucho Judío. En la pujante ciudad de San Salvador, Entre Ríos, tuve el placer de charlar por primera vez con Adolfo, un hombre maduro y agradable, de tez morena y curtida por el sol del campo, que con una sonrisa serena y bondadosa me da un calido apretón de manos como bienvenida. Luego de una breve y cordial charla, me invita a compartir un asado criollo al día siguiente, un esplendido y soleado domingo, en el amplio y verde patio de su hogar acogedor.
Nos reunimos a media mañana, alrededor de un fogón ya encendido, donde una abundante cantidad de leña, la reseca y dura madera de ñandubay que abunda en los campos entrerrianos, comenzaba a arder con un sonido chirriante y abrasador, mientras las llamas rojas y azuladas purificaban a fondo una oscura y amplia parrilla metálica del mas puro estilo campestre. Nos sentamos en cómodos y bajos taburetes de madera rustica y mientras me preguntaba por mis estudios y mi familia, arrimaba al fuego una negra pava de agua a calentar y preparaba su mate porrón con una generosa y verde porción de yerba fuerte y aromática mientras una plateada bombilla metálica relucía con todo su esplendor, por el fuego y por los esplendidos rayos del sol que se obstinaban en colarse a través de las tupidas y verdes ramas de un paraíso añoso y robusto.
Entre mate y mate, comenzó a contarme cosas de su vida, de su calido y culto hogar natal, de sus padres inmigrantes judíos de Odessa, de sus juveniles y soñadores años de juventud, de su trabajo duro y fecundo en el campo, de sus amigos de toda la vida, de su amor profundo por esta negra y fértil tierra entrerriana y de sus profundas y ancestrales raíces judías que las proyectaba como legado a sus dos hijos varones y a su invalorable tesoro, a su adorada y hermosa hija.
Su conversación era sencilla y directa, sin rodeos ni volteretas, me pregunto si yo quería hacer el asado, le conteste que para mi era un honor y mientras el fuego se aplacaba y las brazas blanqueaban el fondo del fogón, irradiando un intenso calor, comencé a acomodar sobre la parrilla caliente una anchas y tiernas tiras de asado de ternera. Mientras la delicada carne comenzaba a dorarse regada cada tanto de una exquisita salmuera criolla continuamos esa charla sencilla y profunda, condimentada con algo en común que nos unía en el fondo, yo también era descendiente de esos gauchos judíos.
Su vida fue una autentica simbiosis, un entrelazado muy fuerte y profundo de culturas y vivencias. La corriente judía ashkenazi que venia de la vieja Europa, que la trajeron sus cultos e intelectuales padres, que cuando se instalaron en la colonia Berro, a solo ocho kilómetros de San Salvador, en el patio de su casa plantaron rosas y árboles frutales mientras que con sus vecinos judíos y hermanos de los mismos barcos en que llegaron construyeron una sinagoga, un lugar de culto, de encuentros sociales y de actividades culturales. Este legado original se fundía inexorablemente con la indómita, virgen y fértil tierra entrerriana, con los auténticos vínculos de sus entrañables amigos gentiles, gente de otras culturas, de los criollos del lugar , de los descendientes de los alemanes del Volga y de los inmigrantes de la madre patria de España; vivencias que como ríos caudalosos desembocaron en el, conformando un autentico gaucho judío, con las profundas raíces de su pueblo ancestral pero con las libres alas de una nueva generación comprometida con su tierra, con su entorno y con su gente.
Se iluminaban con un brillo de alegría sus verdes y grandes ojos soñadores, cuando recordaba la vida de la colonia donde nació, la escuela de campo donde se llegaba a caballo luego de un largo y cotidiano viaje, la convivencia con sus queridos hermanos y hermanas, las románticas e inocentes travesuras de su juventud, las grandes festividades judías, los 25 de mayo y los 9 de julio en la colonia, las largas y alegres travesías a través de las distancias para llegar a las fiestas de casamiento, brit mila y bar mitzva, en carros tirados por caballos llevando a sus numerosos amigas y amigos a estos ineludibles e inolvidables acontecimientos en búsqueda de los alegres bailes llevados por la música de freilaj y tijeras, donde se intensificaban los vínculos de la amistad y del amor.
Una parte inseparable de su vida lo constituía un concepto quizás hoy algo extraño a nuestros oídos y lo era indudablemente el amor al trabajo, como fuente de sustento para su familia pero fundido con el sentimiento de alegría, afecto y orgullo de lo que producía con su mente y con sus propias manos, un día de trabajo era un día de jubilo, levantarse muy temprano, el frugal desayuno con el inseparable mate y la fecunda jornada con las vacas y los cultivos en su amada tierra prometida, su establecimiento rural de colonia Berro, que lo sustentaba tanto espiritual como materialmente, al cual viajaba cotidianamente en su Citroen pero en los imposibles y lluviosos días invernales, era el típico sulky tirado por un brioso caballo el que lo trasladaba a través de esos difíciles y anegables caminos entrerrianos.
La otra gran pasión de Adolfo fue la gente, la vida social era para el un alimento espiritual insustituible, era un personaje muy popular y conocido en el pueblo, el tramite bancario o la rutinaria compra de algo necesario eran una excelente oportunidad para saludar y charlar extensamente con sus innumerables amigos y conocidos; comerciantes y gente de campo; letrados y gente sencilla; ricos y pobres; jóvenes y viejos; criollos, españoles, árabes, alemanes y judíos. Todos eran sus hermanos y sus amigos, sin ninguna distinción, cualquier lugar era el correcto: el banco, el correo o la farmacia. Sencillamente amaba a su gente y amaba a su pueblo.
Querido Adolfo Presman, te fuiste muy temprano de nuestras vidas, pero ahora y a través del tiempo y de las distancias te quiero agradecer profundamente por tres cosas valiosas que me legaste: tu ejemplo de vida en el cual me reflejo en las inevitables horas difíciles que a veces atravesamos; tu querida hija, que es mi inseparable compañera de la vida y madre de mis hijos y no quiero olvidarme de ese inolvidable y exquisito asado que compartimos en esa hermosa mañana de septiembre.
Transcurriendo la primavera argentina del año 1977, en mis juveniles 25 años, tuve el privilegio de llegar a conocer, a los que yo llamo hoy, un autentico Gaucho Judío. En la pujante ciudad de San Salvador, Entre Ríos, tuve el placer de charlar por primera vez con Adolfo, un hombre maduro y agradable, de tez morena y curtida por el sol del campo, que con una sonrisa serena y bondadosa me da un calido apretón de manos como bienvenida. Luego de una breve y cordial charla, me invita a compartir un asado criollo al día siguiente, un esplendido y soleado domingo, en el amplio y verde patio de su hogar acogedor.
Nos reunimos a media mañana, alrededor de un fogón ya encendido, donde una abundante cantidad de leña, la reseca y dura madera de ñandubay que abunda en los campos entrerrianos, comenzaba a arder con un sonido chirriante y abrasador, mientras las llamas rojas y azuladas purificaban a fondo una oscura y amplia parrilla metálica del mas puro estilo campestre. Nos sentamos en cómodos y bajos taburetes de madera rustica y mientras me preguntaba por mis estudios y mi familia, arrimaba al fuego una negra pava de agua a calentar y preparaba su mate porrón con una generosa y verde porción de yerba fuerte y aromática mientras una plateada bombilla metálica relucía con todo su esplendor, por el fuego y por los esplendidos rayos del sol que se obstinaban en colarse a través de las tupidas y verdes ramas de un paraíso añoso y robusto.
Entre mate y mate, comenzó a contarme cosas de su vida, de su calido y culto hogar natal, de sus padres inmigrantes judíos de Odessa, de sus juveniles y soñadores años de juventud, de su trabajo duro y fecundo en el campo, de sus amigos de toda la vida, de su amor profundo por esta negra y fértil tierra entrerriana y de sus profundas y ancestrales raíces judías que las proyectaba como legado a sus dos hijos varones y a su invalorable tesoro, a su adorada y hermosa hija.
Su conversación era sencilla y directa, sin rodeos ni volteretas, me pregunto si yo quería hacer el asado, le conteste que para mi era un honor y mientras el fuego se aplacaba y las brazas blanqueaban el fondo del fogón, irradiando un intenso calor, comencé a acomodar sobre la parrilla caliente una anchas y tiernas tiras de asado de ternera. Mientras la delicada carne comenzaba a dorarse regada cada tanto de una exquisita salmuera criolla continuamos esa charla sencilla y profunda, condimentada con algo en común que nos unía en el fondo, yo también era descendiente de esos gauchos judíos.
Su vida fue una autentica simbiosis, un entrelazado muy fuerte y profundo de culturas y vivencias. La corriente judía ashkenazi que venia de la vieja Europa, que la trajeron sus cultos e intelectuales padres, que cuando se instalaron en la colonia Berro, a solo ocho kilómetros de San Salvador, en el patio de su casa plantaron rosas y árboles frutales mientras que con sus vecinos judíos y hermanos de los mismos barcos en que llegaron construyeron una sinagoga, un lugar de culto, de encuentros sociales y de actividades culturales. Este legado original se fundía inexorablemente con la indómita, virgen y fértil tierra entrerriana, con los auténticos vínculos de sus entrañables amigos gentiles, gente de otras culturas, de los criollos del lugar , de los descendientes de los alemanes del Volga y de los inmigrantes de la madre patria de España; vivencias que como ríos caudalosos desembocaron en el, conformando un autentico gaucho judío, con las profundas raíces de su pueblo ancestral pero con las libres alas de una nueva generación comprometida con su tierra, con su entorno y con su gente.
Se iluminaban con un brillo de alegría sus verdes y grandes ojos soñadores, cuando recordaba la vida de la colonia donde nació, la escuela de campo donde se llegaba a caballo luego de un largo y cotidiano viaje, la convivencia con sus queridos hermanos y hermanas, las románticas e inocentes travesuras de su juventud, las grandes festividades judías, los 25 de mayo y los 9 de julio en la colonia, las largas y alegres travesías a través de las distancias para llegar a las fiestas de casamiento, brit mila y bar mitzva, en carros tirados por caballos llevando a sus numerosos amigas y amigos a estos ineludibles e inolvidables acontecimientos en búsqueda de los alegres bailes llevados por la música de freilaj y tijeras, donde se intensificaban los vínculos de la amistad y del amor.
Una parte inseparable de su vida lo constituía un concepto quizás hoy algo extraño a nuestros oídos y lo era indudablemente el amor al trabajo, como fuente de sustento para su familia pero fundido con el sentimiento de alegría, afecto y orgullo de lo que producía con su mente y con sus propias manos, un día de trabajo era un día de jubilo, levantarse muy temprano, el frugal desayuno con el inseparable mate y la fecunda jornada con las vacas y los cultivos en su amada tierra prometida, su establecimiento rural de colonia Berro, que lo sustentaba tanto espiritual como materialmente, al cual viajaba cotidianamente en su Citroen pero en los imposibles y lluviosos días invernales, era el típico sulky tirado por un brioso caballo el que lo trasladaba a través de esos difíciles y anegables caminos entrerrianos.
La otra gran pasión de Adolfo fue la gente, la vida social era para el un alimento espiritual insustituible, era un personaje muy popular y conocido en el pueblo, el tramite bancario o la rutinaria compra de algo necesario eran una excelente oportunidad para saludar y charlar extensamente con sus innumerables amigos y conocidos; comerciantes y gente de campo; letrados y gente sencilla; ricos y pobres; jóvenes y viejos; criollos, españoles, árabes, alemanes y judíos. Todos eran sus hermanos y sus amigos, sin ninguna distinción, cualquier lugar era el correcto: el banco, el correo o la farmacia. Sencillamente amaba a su gente y amaba a su pueblo.
Querido Adolfo Presman, te fuiste muy temprano de nuestras vidas, pero ahora y a través del tiempo y de las distancias te quiero agradecer profundamente por tres cosas valiosas que me legaste: tu ejemplo de vida en el cual me reflejo en las inevitables horas difíciles que a veces atravesamos; tu querida hija, que es mi inseparable compañera de la vida y madre de mis hijos y no quiero olvidarme de ese inolvidable y exquisito asado que compartimos en esa hermosa mañana de septiembre.
Monday, October 29, 2007
VIVIR DE UNIFORME, MORIR DE CIVIL
por Mario Linovesky
Al moderno Estado de Israel, aunque de cortísima existencia, no le faltan próceres, sino que por el contrario los tiene y en cantidad superlativa; muchos de los cuales gracias a Dios siguen vivos y escribiendo esta historia que tanto nos enorgullece. Sin embargo, no son estos últimos los que motivan la presente nota, sino aquellos que en algunos casos los precedieron y en no pocos fueron sus compañeros de lucha, pero que ya no están en este mundo. Con todos ellos, absolutamente, nuestra Mediná y su población están en deuda y son merecedores de cuanto homenaje se les hizo, haga o siga haciendo. Sin embargo, hay uno en especial que descuella por su trayectoria, y, además, que merece una especial evocación por la forma infame en que murió. Su nombre es (lo pongo en tiempo presente porque los insignes de verdad jamás mueren del todo) Itzjak Rabin, del cual el próximo 4 de noviembre se cumplirán doce años de su asesinato vil y al que la inmensa mayoría del pueblo judío habrá de honrar como sólo se honra a los más grandes, cuando se tiene con ellos un inmenso compromiso de gratitud.
Rabin nació en Jerusalem, en tiempo que la zona estaba bajo mandato inglés, y creció y se desarrolló en medio de los pioneros que desde finales del siglo XIX habían llegado a esa tierra abandonada para construir sobre ella, previo secar los pantanos que la enlodaban e infectaban, pueblos, ciudades, moshavim y kibutzim. O sea, hacer un país de la nada. Hombres y mujeres que se propusieron por meta convertir en realidad ese sueño de los sionistas que en 1897 se habían reunido en Basilea y exigido al mundo un hogar nacional permanente para el perseguido pueblo judío. Y vaya si lo hicieron. Sobre un suelo yermo y dejado a la deriva, encontraron la forma de crear industrias y también fertilizar la tierra y forestarla, forjando así un oasis en medio del inhóspito desierto levantino, que maravilló al mundo de aquel entonces. Pero eso ocurrió de 1948 en adelante, cuando ya era un Estado independiente. Antes de ese año su lucha por asentarse fue asaz cruenta, además de presuntamente quimérica, puesto que no se contaba con organización ni armamento y lo único que primaba era la ilusión de aquellos hombres por tener su propio suelo. Rabin fue uno de aquellos hombres y su biografía habla por sí misma de la importancia de su actuación:
“Itzjak Rabin nació en Jerusalén el 1 de marzo de 1922. Completó sus estudios en la Escuela de Agricultura de Kaduri. Reclutado en la Haganá por Moshé Dayán, participó en las batallas con el Palmaj (acrónimo de Plugot Majatz; traducido: Fuerzas de Choque) en Siria (1941). Más tarde fue ascendido a líder de pelotón y, en 1945, fue subcomandante de la operación que liberó a 200 inmigrantes “ilegales” del campo de detención de Atlit. En junio del año siguiente, Rabin fue arrestado junto con cientos de líderes judíos por los británicos, en lo que pasó a ser conocido como "sábado negro". Fue enviado al campo de detención británico de Rafiaj por seis meses. En octubre de 1947, Rabin fue nombrado subcomandante del Palmaj, sirviendo directamente bajo órdenes del mítico General Igal Alón. En la primavera de 1948 comandó la Brigada Harel que, en la Operación Najshón, abrió paso de la carretera a la Jerusalén sitiada y liberó los barrios de Katamón y Shej Jarrah. Bajo el comando de Alón, Rabin participó también en las batallas de Lod y Ramle y, como jefe de operaciones del frente del sur, condujo la Operación Jorev, la contraofensiva en la que se tomó el control de Neguev y Eilat. Fue miembro de la delegación que firmó los acuerdos del armisticio de los estados árabes en Rodas (1949). Rabin se graduó en el Staff College en Inglaterra (1953). Desde 1954 hasta 1956 fue jefe del Cuerpo de Entrenamiento y fue ascendido al grado de brigadier general. Sirvió como Comandante de la Zona Norte durante 1956-1959; fue asimismo jefe del Cuerpo de Operaciones durante 1959-1960 y, en 1961, fue nombrado subjefe de Estado Mayor. En enero de 1964 se convirtió en el séptimo jefe de Estado Mayor de las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel. En su función de jefe de Estado Mayor, Rabin condujo al Tzahal (las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes) a la victoria en la Guerra de los Seis Días. Se retiró del ejército el 1 de enero de 1968”.
Hasta aquí tenemos al Rabin de uniforme. Y desde aquí, al servidor público vestido de civil. Ya por esos años el Estado de Israel estaba asentado militar y económicamente y, aun cuando le quedaban muchas batallas por delante, de cualquier modo poseía la capacidad para defender eficazmente sus fronteras y continuar bregando cada vez con mayor ímpetu en su expansión interna. Vale decir que ya era un país semi consolidado al que solo le quedaba, como asignatura pendiente, firmar la paz con esos belicosos vecinos que lo atacaban ininterrumpidamente. Y fue por esos años, desaparecida la incertidumbre de ser borrado del mapa, que, entre los miles de sabras que nacían en su suelo seguro y estable, uno de ellos fue un tal Igal Amir y tendría por ominoso destino echar a la tierra al glorioso combatiente, que ahora obraba en su nueva faz de político. Sigue la biografía de Rabin:
“Fue nombrado embajador en Estados Unidos, donde sirvió durante cinco años. En la primavera de 1973, Rabin volvió a Israel. Comenzó a activar en el Partido Laborista. Fue elegido miembro de la Kneset (Parlamento) en diciembre de 1973 y, cuando Golda Meir formó su gobierno en abril de 1974, fue nombrado ministro de Trabajo. Luego de la renuncia de Golda Meir, el 2 de junio de 1974, la Kneset expresó su confianza en un nuevo gobierno encabezado por Itzjak Rabin, al que nombró Primer Ministro. Durante ese período de Rabin, el gobierno puso especial énfasis en el fortalecimiento de la economía, la solución de problemas sociales y el reforzamiento de las FDI. Con la mediación norteamericana, se firmaron acuerdos de separación de fuerzas con Egipto y Siria (1974), seguidos de un acuerdo interino con Egipto, en 1975. Más tarde, se firmó el primer Memorando de Entendimiento entre los gobiernos de Israel y Estados Unidos (1975). En junio de 1976, el gobierno de Rabin emitió la orden de realizar la Operación Entebbe, liberando a los pasajeros secuestrados del vuelo de Air France por comandos terroristas palestinos y alemanes. Rabin renunció al cargo de Primer Ministro en abril de 1977. Luego de las elecciones (mayo de 1977) y hasta la formación del Gobierno de Unidad Nacional (septiembre de 1984), Rabin sirvió como miembro de la Kneset por el Partido Laborista, entonces en la oposición. Fue miembro de la Comisión de Asuntos Exteriores y Defensa. Durante los gobiernos de unidad nacional (1984-1990), Itzjak Rabin sirvió como Ministro de Defensa. En enero de 1985 presentó la propuesta de la retirada de las FDI del Líbano y el establecimiento de una zona de seguridad, para garantizar la paz de los asentamientos a lo largo de la frontera norte de Israel. Itzjak Rabin fue elegido presidente del Partido Laborista de Israel en sus primeras primarias nacionales (febrero de 1992) y condujo el partido a la victoria en las elecciones a la Kneset en 1992. En julio de ese año, Rabin formó el 25º gobierno de Israel, ocupando los cargos de Primer Ministro y Ministro de Defensa. Su período de gobierno fue señalado por los siguientes hitos en el proceso de paz. 13 de septiembre de 1993, durante la firma de la "Declaración de Principios Israelo-Palestina", en el prado de la Casa Blanca, el Primer Ministro Rabin y el Presidente de la O.L.P., Yasser Arafat, se dieron por primera vez la mano. El 26 de octubre de 1994, en la frontera jordano-israelí, firmó el "Tratado de Paz entre el Estado de Israel y el Reino Hachemita de Jordania". El 28 de septiembre de 1995, fue suscriptor del "Acuerdo Interino Israelo-Palestino en la Margen Occidental y la Franja de Gaza". Rabin fue galardonado con el Premio Nobel de la Paz en diciembre de 1994, junto al canciller Shimón Peres y el Presidente de la O.L.P., Yasser Arafat”.
El 4 de noviembre de 1995, en la Plaza Malkei de Tel Aviv y ante más de 100.000 personas que manifestaban a favor de la paz, el premier Rabin pronunció el siguiente discurso:
"Este Gobierno, el cual tengo el privilegio de dirigir junto a mi amigo (el Ministro de Exteriores), Shimon Peres, ha decidido darle una opción a la paz. Una paz que solucionará la mayoría de los problemas del Estado de Israel. Fui un militar durante 27 años, he librado guerras cuando no había la posibilidad de lograr la paz. Creo que hoy existe una opción para la paz, una oportunidad única que debemos aprovechar para quienes están aquí hoy y para quienes no lo están y ellos son muchos. Siempre he creído que la mayoría del pueblo quiere la paz y quiere darle una oportunidad a la paz. Y Ustedes, viniendo a esta manifestación, prueban que el pueblo quiere realmente la paz y se opone a la violencia. La violencia afecta a la base misma de la democracia israelí. Es necesario condenarla, borrarla con inteligencia, y aislarla. La violencia no es el camino del Estado de Israel. La democracia existe. Pueden haber conflictos, pero el resultado será determinado por elecciones democráticas. La paz no está solamente en los rezos..., sino que es el deseo del pueblo judío. Existen enemigos del pueblo. Tratan de atacarnos para entorpecer la paz. Quisiera decirles a Ustedes: hemos encontrado un socio entre los palestinos con quien es posible realizar la paz: la OLP, quien solía ser un enemigo, quien ha dejado de lado al terrorismo. Sin socios para la paz, no hay paz. También con Siria, habrá una oportunidad para alcanzar la paz. Esta manifestación debe transmitir al público israelí, al público judío del mundo y a muchos en occidente y en el mundo exterior, que el pueblo de Israel quiere la paz y apoya la paz. Muchas Gracias."
Entre la multitud estaba el sabra Igal Amir. Era en apariencia uno más de los que manifestaban a favor de la paz tan ansiada. Ninguno de los que lo circundaban, hubiese sospechado que portaba un revólver y mucho menos sobre sus intenciones funestas. El ambiente festivo no daba para recelos, puesto que era una reunión de hermanos con un mismo fin. Aprovechando ese relajo, Igal Amir se deslizó entre la guardia de Rabin cuando se producía la desconcentración del acto y, sin hesitar, lo asesinó cobardemente a tiros para enseguida ser detenido. Pero... ¿quién era en definitiva ese muchachito de aspecto inofensivo?. He aquí lo que se sabe de él:
“Se dio en él todo un proceso, que fue perfectamente detallado en un libro del periodista David Horowitz. El proceso fue una mezcla de la nueva educación del movimiento juvenil sionista religioso Benei Akiva, del cual Igal Amir era egresado, y en parte también de una corriente ideológica muy cuestionable que se ha apoderado totalmente de la Universidad de Bar Ilán. Hay que señalar algunas pautas de comportamiento de Igal Amir. A partir del primer acuerdo entre Israel y los palestinos en 1993, él habló repetidas veces de que “Rabin y Peres son dos cabezas de la misma culebra. Hay que matarla, hay que aplastarla”. Sus exabruptos tampoco eran aislados. Igal Amir no era un indigente de la calle sino un “niño bien” de una familia de buen pasar en Hertzlía. También era estudiante de leyes, es decir que no era el criminal de la calle, sino el buen abogado, y ésto es muy importante, porque fue entonces la educación que recibió Amir la que lo llevó a cometer su acto, con el apoyo tácito de su gente y con el apoyo activo de otros que le suministraron cantidades nada despreciables de armas y explosivos, descubiertos en su cuarto y el de su hermano. Las mismas iban a ser utilizadas en distintas oportunidades para matar a Rabin, a Peres, una masacre de gente de Paz Ahora y para matar árabes. Ahora bien, para Igal Amir, las acciones de Itzjak Rabin
contradecían la palabra de Dios, y él se veía como agente de Dios. En este sentido, él es idéntico al terrorista de Hamas. Uno está actuando por las órdenes de Alá, el otro por las de Elohim. Esta filosofía, unida con la nueva politización derechista de Benei Akiva, a lo que se suma la radicalización de la derecha israelí incluyendo a miembros del Likud, es lo que allanó el camino de Igal Amir. Es verdad que no fue el resultado de una conjura o conspiración. Esa teoría es una estupidez diseminada por un periodista, otra vez yanqui, llamado Barry Hamish, basado en las teorías de conspiración para matar a J.F. Kennedy. Pero sí hay que ver el marco social del que partió Amir. Y este marco social, a partir de Oslo, fue tomando actitudes cada vez más violentas, y entraron en el fragor de una dinámica muy asesina. Como ejemplo, una manifestación de la que Biniamín Netaniahu también participó, en la que se llevaba un ataúd con el nombre de Rabin a un lado y el de Peres al otro. Eso era directamente un llamado al crimen. Este proceso fue cada vez más en aumento. En 1994 militantes del Likud colgaron carteles con la imagen de Rabin con keffiyah (pañuelo tradicional árabe), con la insinuación de que Rabin era un vendido al terrorismo de la OLP. Otro cartel mostraba a Peres convirtiéndose en Arafat, y otro, una calavera cuyas órbitas vacías estaban ocupadas por la bandera palestina, y debajo las palabras Rabin en una órbita y Peres en la otra. Y estos cartelitos tan simpáticos no fueron colgados por la ultraderecha, sino por la juventud del Likud. De todo eso surgió Igal Amir, que a diferencia de Baruj Goldstein no fue militante del Kaj, sino un chico bien, calladito, buen estudiante de abogacía, como quiere toda mamá judía. Goldstein ya era un lunático político y era famoso por serlo. Igal Amir no. Una anécdota cuenta que Igal Amir se postuló para ser acompañante social de grupos en el Área de Liderazgo de la Agencia Judía y una coordinadora lo rechazó, gracias a Dios, por su “falta de habilidad para entablar relaciones comunicativas en su lugar de trabajo”. Es una anécdota muy interesante, existe incluso su expediente. Goldstein, entonces, fue un militante que recibió capacitación política al participar de todos los campamentos y seminarios de Kaj. Igal Amir no, era el “intelectual flotante”, que en todo caso fue el producto de la radicalización de Benei Akiva, donde la Tierra del Gran Israel se convirtió en valor supremo. Al respecto se podrían mencionar miles de fuentes judaicas que dicen y abogan por lo contrario. Inclusive se puede citar al Rambam Maimónides, quien solía decir que la paz es, bien visto, un valor superior a la mismísima Torá. Igal Amir pensaba lo contrario y estuvo dispuesto a matar a un hermano para demostrarlo”.
Rabin murió asesinado el 4 de noviembre de 1995, luego de pronunciar un discurso a favor de la Paz y cantar junto a la multitud. Murió vestido de civil matado por un judío, cuando su trayectoria indicaba que su deceso lógico debió haberse dado por causas naturales o por balas enemigas cuando usaba uniforme. Quizá y sólo quizá, en el plano político, pudo haber estado equivocado al juzgar tan buenamente, según oímos en su último discurso, a Arafat y a la OLP. Eso, ya nunca lo sabremos. En todo caso su asesinato hasta pudo haber sido el desencadenante de la posterior violencia que costó la vida de tantos israelíes y palestinos, al perder estos últimos a su interlocutor más confiable. Todo puede ser cierto en este atolladero que fue siempre el conflicto israelo-palestino. De cualquier modo, Itzjak Rabin dedicó su vida entera a luchar por Israel, como soldado y como civil. Y conseguir el país seguro para los judíos fue sin duda su único norte, haya estado equivocado o no. Por tal le cabe nuestro respeto y recuerdo, puesto que el bronce se lo ha ganado merecidamente. Y hoy, paradoja del destino, está en manos de muchos que fueron sus encarnizados rivales políticos el concluir su obra, firmando esa paz que quizá el ilustre muerto hubiese conseguido diez años atrás de no haber sido asesinado. Será de cualquier modo el mejor homenaje a su gran sueño, a su brillantísima foja de servicios y a su grandeza espiritual. Al hombre que lo dio todo, inclusive su vida, en favor del Estado de Israel.
Itzjak Rabin: ¡¡¡que descanses en paz!!! Pueblo de Israel: ¡¡¡que puedas vivir en paz!!!
Al moderno Estado de Israel, aunque de cortísima existencia, no le faltan próceres, sino que por el contrario los tiene y en cantidad superlativa; muchos de los cuales gracias a Dios siguen vivos y escribiendo esta historia que tanto nos enorgullece. Sin embargo, no son estos últimos los que motivan la presente nota, sino aquellos que en algunos casos los precedieron y en no pocos fueron sus compañeros de lucha, pero que ya no están en este mundo. Con todos ellos, absolutamente, nuestra Mediná y su población están en deuda y son merecedores de cuanto homenaje se les hizo, haga o siga haciendo. Sin embargo, hay uno en especial que descuella por su trayectoria, y, además, que merece una especial evocación por la forma infame en que murió. Su nombre es (lo pongo en tiempo presente porque los insignes de verdad jamás mueren del todo) Itzjak Rabin, del cual el próximo 4 de noviembre se cumplirán doce años de su asesinato vil y al que la inmensa mayoría del pueblo judío habrá de honrar como sólo se honra a los más grandes, cuando se tiene con ellos un inmenso compromiso de gratitud.
Rabin nació en Jerusalem, en tiempo que la zona estaba bajo mandato inglés, y creció y se desarrolló en medio de los pioneros que desde finales del siglo XIX habían llegado a esa tierra abandonada para construir sobre ella, previo secar los pantanos que la enlodaban e infectaban, pueblos, ciudades, moshavim y kibutzim. O sea, hacer un país de la nada. Hombres y mujeres que se propusieron por meta convertir en realidad ese sueño de los sionistas que en 1897 se habían reunido en Basilea y exigido al mundo un hogar nacional permanente para el perseguido pueblo judío. Y vaya si lo hicieron. Sobre un suelo yermo y dejado a la deriva, encontraron la forma de crear industrias y también fertilizar la tierra y forestarla, forjando así un oasis en medio del inhóspito desierto levantino, que maravilló al mundo de aquel entonces. Pero eso ocurrió de 1948 en adelante, cuando ya era un Estado independiente. Antes de ese año su lucha por asentarse fue asaz cruenta, además de presuntamente quimérica, puesto que no se contaba con organización ni armamento y lo único que primaba era la ilusión de aquellos hombres por tener su propio suelo. Rabin fue uno de aquellos hombres y su biografía habla por sí misma de la importancia de su actuación:
“Itzjak Rabin nació en Jerusalén el 1 de marzo de 1922. Completó sus estudios en la Escuela de Agricultura de Kaduri. Reclutado en la Haganá por Moshé Dayán, participó en las batallas con el Palmaj (acrónimo de Plugot Majatz; traducido: Fuerzas de Choque) en Siria (1941). Más tarde fue ascendido a líder de pelotón y, en 1945, fue subcomandante de la operación que liberó a 200 inmigrantes “ilegales” del campo de detención de Atlit. En junio del año siguiente, Rabin fue arrestado junto con cientos de líderes judíos por los británicos, en lo que pasó a ser conocido como "sábado negro". Fue enviado al campo de detención británico de Rafiaj por seis meses. En octubre de 1947, Rabin fue nombrado subcomandante del Palmaj, sirviendo directamente bajo órdenes del mítico General Igal Alón. En la primavera de 1948 comandó la Brigada Harel que, en la Operación Najshón, abrió paso de la carretera a la Jerusalén sitiada y liberó los barrios de Katamón y Shej Jarrah. Bajo el comando de Alón, Rabin participó también en las batallas de Lod y Ramle y, como jefe de operaciones del frente del sur, condujo la Operación Jorev, la contraofensiva en la que se tomó el control de Neguev y Eilat. Fue miembro de la delegación que firmó los acuerdos del armisticio de los estados árabes en Rodas (1949). Rabin se graduó en el Staff College en Inglaterra (1953). Desde 1954 hasta 1956 fue jefe del Cuerpo de Entrenamiento y fue ascendido al grado de brigadier general. Sirvió como Comandante de la Zona Norte durante 1956-1959; fue asimismo jefe del Cuerpo de Operaciones durante 1959-1960 y, en 1961, fue nombrado subjefe de Estado Mayor. En enero de 1964 se convirtió en el séptimo jefe de Estado Mayor de las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel. En su función de jefe de Estado Mayor, Rabin condujo al Tzahal (las Fuerzas de Defensa Israelíes) a la victoria en la Guerra de los Seis Días. Se retiró del ejército el 1 de enero de 1968”.
Hasta aquí tenemos al Rabin de uniforme. Y desde aquí, al servidor público vestido de civil. Ya por esos años el Estado de Israel estaba asentado militar y económicamente y, aun cuando le quedaban muchas batallas por delante, de cualquier modo poseía la capacidad para defender eficazmente sus fronteras y continuar bregando cada vez con mayor ímpetu en su expansión interna. Vale decir que ya era un país semi consolidado al que solo le quedaba, como asignatura pendiente, firmar la paz con esos belicosos vecinos que lo atacaban ininterrumpidamente. Y fue por esos años, desaparecida la incertidumbre de ser borrado del mapa, que, entre los miles de sabras que nacían en su suelo seguro y estable, uno de ellos fue un tal Igal Amir y tendría por ominoso destino echar a la tierra al glorioso combatiente, que ahora obraba en su nueva faz de político. Sigue la biografía de Rabin:
“Fue nombrado embajador en Estados Unidos, donde sirvió durante cinco años. En la primavera de 1973, Rabin volvió a Israel. Comenzó a activar en el Partido Laborista. Fue elegido miembro de la Kneset (Parlamento) en diciembre de 1973 y, cuando Golda Meir formó su gobierno en abril de 1974, fue nombrado ministro de Trabajo. Luego de la renuncia de Golda Meir, el 2 de junio de 1974, la Kneset expresó su confianza en un nuevo gobierno encabezado por Itzjak Rabin, al que nombró Primer Ministro. Durante ese período de Rabin, el gobierno puso especial énfasis en el fortalecimiento de la economía, la solución de problemas sociales y el reforzamiento de las FDI. Con la mediación norteamericana, se firmaron acuerdos de separación de fuerzas con Egipto y Siria (1974), seguidos de un acuerdo interino con Egipto, en 1975. Más tarde, se firmó el primer Memorando de Entendimiento entre los gobiernos de Israel y Estados Unidos (1975). En junio de 1976, el gobierno de Rabin emitió la orden de realizar la Operación Entebbe, liberando a los pasajeros secuestrados del vuelo de Air France por comandos terroristas palestinos y alemanes. Rabin renunció al cargo de Primer Ministro en abril de 1977. Luego de las elecciones (mayo de 1977) y hasta la formación del Gobierno de Unidad Nacional (septiembre de 1984), Rabin sirvió como miembro de la Kneset por el Partido Laborista, entonces en la oposición. Fue miembro de la Comisión de Asuntos Exteriores y Defensa. Durante los gobiernos de unidad nacional (1984-1990), Itzjak Rabin sirvió como Ministro de Defensa. En enero de 1985 presentó la propuesta de la retirada de las FDI del Líbano y el establecimiento de una zona de seguridad, para garantizar la paz de los asentamientos a lo largo de la frontera norte de Israel. Itzjak Rabin fue elegido presidente del Partido Laborista de Israel en sus primeras primarias nacionales (febrero de 1992) y condujo el partido a la victoria en las elecciones a la Kneset en 1992. En julio de ese año, Rabin formó el 25º gobierno de Israel, ocupando los cargos de Primer Ministro y Ministro de Defensa. Su período de gobierno fue señalado por los siguientes hitos en el proceso de paz. 13 de septiembre de 1993, durante la firma de la "Declaración de Principios Israelo-Palestina", en el prado de la Casa Blanca, el Primer Ministro Rabin y el Presidente de la O.L.P., Yasser Arafat, se dieron por primera vez la mano. El 26 de octubre de 1994, en la frontera jordano-israelí, firmó el "Tratado de Paz entre el Estado de Israel y el Reino Hachemita de Jordania". El 28 de septiembre de 1995, fue suscriptor del "Acuerdo Interino Israelo-Palestino en la Margen Occidental y la Franja de Gaza". Rabin fue galardonado con el Premio Nobel de la Paz en diciembre de 1994, junto al canciller Shimón Peres y el Presidente de la O.L.P., Yasser Arafat”.
El 4 de noviembre de 1995, en la Plaza Malkei de Tel Aviv y ante más de 100.000 personas que manifestaban a favor de la paz, el premier Rabin pronunció el siguiente discurso:
"Este Gobierno, el cual tengo el privilegio de dirigir junto a mi amigo (el Ministro de Exteriores), Shimon Peres, ha decidido darle una opción a la paz. Una paz que solucionará la mayoría de los problemas del Estado de Israel. Fui un militar durante 27 años, he librado guerras cuando no había la posibilidad de lograr la paz. Creo que hoy existe una opción para la paz, una oportunidad única que debemos aprovechar para quienes están aquí hoy y para quienes no lo están y ellos son muchos. Siempre he creído que la mayoría del pueblo quiere la paz y quiere darle una oportunidad a la paz. Y Ustedes, viniendo a esta manifestación, prueban que el pueblo quiere realmente la paz y se opone a la violencia. La violencia afecta a la base misma de la democracia israelí. Es necesario condenarla, borrarla con inteligencia, y aislarla. La violencia no es el camino del Estado de Israel. La democracia existe. Pueden haber conflictos, pero el resultado será determinado por elecciones democráticas. La paz no está solamente en los rezos..., sino que es el deseo del pueblo judío. Existen enemigos del pueblo. Tratan de atacarnos para entorpecer la paz. Quisiera decirles a Ustedes: hemos encontrado un socio entre los palestinos con quien es posible realizar la paz: la OLP, quien solía ser un enemigo, quien ha dejado de lado al terrorismo. Sin socios para la paz, no hay paz. También con Siria, habrá una oportunidad para alcanzar la paz. Esta manifestación debe transmitir al público israelí, al público judío del mundo y a muchos en occidente y en el mundo exterior, que el pueblo de Israel quiere la paz y apoya la paz. Muchas Gracias."
Entre la multitud estaba el sabra Igal Amir. Era en apariencia uno más de los que manifestaban a favor de la paz tan ansiada. Ninguno de los que lo circundaban, hubiese sospechado que portaba un revólver y mucho menos sobre sus intenciones funestas. El ambiente festivo no daba para recelos, puesto que era una reunión de hermanos con un mismo fin. Aprovechando ese relajo, Igal Amir se deslizó entre la guardia de Rabin cuando se producía la desconcentración del acto y, sin hesitar, lo asesinó cobardemente a tiros para enseguida ser detenido. Pero... ¿quién era en definitiva ese muchachito de aspecto inofensivo?. He aquí lo que se sabe de él:
“Se dio en él todo un proceso, que fue perfectamente detallado en un libro del periodista David Horowitz. El proceso fue una mezcla de la nueva educación del movimiento juvenil sionista religioso Benei Akiva, del cual Igal Amir era egresado, y en parte también de una corriente ideológica muy cuestionable que se ha apoderado totalmente de la Universidad de Bar Ilán. Hay que señalar algunas pautas de comportamiento de Igal Amir. A partir del primer acuerdo entre Israel y los palestinos en 1993, él habló repetidas veces de que “Rabin y Peres son dos cabezas de la misma culebra. Hay que matarla, hay que aplastarla”. Sus exabruptos tampoco eran aislados. Igal Amir no era un indigente de la calle sino un “niño bien” de una familia de buen pasar en Hertzlía. También era estudiante de leyes, es decir que no era el criminal de la calle, sino el buen abogado, y ésto es muy importante, porque fue entonces la educación que recibió Amir la que lo llevó a cometer su acto, con el apoyo tácito de su gente y con el apoyo activo de otros que le suministraron cantidades nada despreciables de armas y explosivos, descubiertos en su cuarto y el de su hermano. Las mismas iban a ser utilizadas en distintas oportunidades para matar a Rabin, a Peres, una masacre de gente de Paz Ahora y para matar árabes. Ahora bien, para Igal Amir, las acciones de Itzjak Rabin
contradecían la palabra de Dios, y él se veía como agente de Dios. En este sentido, él es idéntico al terrorista de Hamas. Uno está actuando por las órdenes de Alá, el otro por las de Elohim. Esta filosofía, unida con la nueva politización derechista de Benei Akiva, a lo que se suma la radicalización de la derecha israelí incluyendo a miembros del Likud, es lo que allanó el camino de Igal Amir. Es verdad que no fue el resultado de una conjura o conspiración. Esa teoría es una estupidez diseminada por un periodista, otra vez yanqui, llamado Barry Hamish, basado en las teorías de conspiración para matar a J.F. Kennedy. Pero sí hay que ver el marco social del que partió Amir. Y este marco social, a partir de Oslo, fue tomando actitudes cada vez más violentas, y entraron en el fragor de una dinámica muy asesina. Como ejemplo, una manifestación de la que Biniamín Netaniahu también participó, en la que se llevaba un ataúd con el nombre de Rabin a un lado y el de Peres al otro. Eso era directamente un llamado al crimen. Este proceso fue cada vez más en aumento. En 1994 militantes del Likud colgaron carteles con la imagen de Rabin con keffiyah (pañuelo tradicional árabe), con la insinuación de que Rabin era un vendido al terrorismo de la OLP. Otro cartel mostraba a Peres convirtiéndose en Arafat, y otro, una calavera cuyas órbitas vacías estaban ocupadas por la bandera palestina, y debajo las palabras Rabin en una órbita y Peres en la otra. Y estos cartelitos tan simpáticos no fueron colgados por la ultraderecha, sino por la juventud del Likud. De todo eso surgió Igal Amir, que a diferencia de Baruj Goldstein no fue militante del Kaj, sino un chico bien, calladito, buen estudiante de abogacía, como quiere toda mamá judía. Goldstein ya era un lunático político y era famoso por serlo. Igal Amir no. Una anécdota cuenta que Igal Amir se postuló para ser acompañante social de grupos en el Área de Liderazgo de la Agencia Judía y una coordinadora lo rechazó, gracias a Dios, por su “falta de habilidad para entablar relaciones comunicativas en su lugar de trabajo”. Es una anécdota muy interesante, existe incluso su expediente. Goldstein, entonces, fue un militante que recibió capacitación política al participar de todos los campamentos y seminarios de Kaj. Igal Amir no, era el “intelectual flotante”, que en todo caso fue el producto de la radicalización de Benei Akiva, donde la Tierra del Gran Israel se convirtió en valor supremo. Al respecto se podrían mencionar miles de fuentes judaicas que dicen y abogan por lo contrario. Inclusive se puede citar al Rambam Maimónides, quien solía decir que la paz es, bien visto, un valor superior a la mismísima Torá. Igal Amir pensaba lo contrario y estuvo dispuesto a matar a un hermano para demostrarlo”.
Rabin murió asesinado el 4 de noviembre de 1995, luego de pronunciar un discurso a favor de la Paz y cantar junto a la multitud. Murió vestido de civil matado por un judío, cuando su trayectoria indicaba que su deceso lógico debió haberse dado por causas naturales o por balas enemigas cuando usaba uniforme. Quizá y sólo quizá, en el plano político, pudo haber estado equivocado al juzgar tan buenamente, según oímos en su último discurso, a Arafat y a la OLP. Eso, ya nunca lo sabremos. En todo caso su asesinato hasta pudo haber sido el desencadenante de la posterior violencia que costó la vida de tantos israelíes y palestinos, al perder estos últimos a su interlocutor más confiable. Todo puede ser cierto en este atolladero que fue siempre el conflicto israelo-palestino. De cualquier modo, Itzjak Rabin dedicó su vida entera a luchar por Israel, como soldado y como civil. Y conseguir el país seguro para los judíos fue sin duda su único norte, haya estado equivocado o no. Por tal le cabe nuestro respeto y recuerdo, puesto que el bronce se lo ha ganado merecidamente. Y hoy, paradoja del destino, está en manos de muchos que fueron sus encarnizados rivales políticos el concluir su obra, firmando esa paz que quizá el ilustre muerto hubiese conseguido diez años atrás de no haber sido asesinado. Será de cualquier modo el mejor homenaje a su gran sueño, a su brillantísima foja de servicios y a su grandeza espiritual. Al hombre que lo dio todo, inclusive su vida, en favor del Estado de Israel.
Itzjak Rabin: ¡¡¡que descanses en paz!!! Pueblo de Israel: ¡¡¡que puedas vivir en paz!!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
VAYERA
PERFECTLY
Rabino Raymond Beyda
The ten tests of Abraham were trials that were used by Hashem to elevateand perfect our patriarch. The Binding of Yitzchak, the Akeidah – wasperhaps the most difficult test of all. After his birth when Abraham wasone hundred years old Yitzchak was raised by his parents as royalty.Through prophecy his parents were aware that he was the next link in thechain that would produce the Chosen People. The holy parents invested allof their power in training and educating this special offspring for hisunique role in world history.
After thirty seven years Yitzchak showed signs of greatness and gave hisfather a sense of certainty that the destiny of his offspring was assured.Then came the test.
Hashem --the one who promised Abraham that Yitzchak would be his heir –commanded him to take to a place that He would show him and to bind him onthe altar as a sacrifice. The illogical command was greeted withacceptance and Abraham woke up early to do His creator’s bidding. At themoment of truth, with the knife in his hand an angel cried out to Abrahamto stop. He warned that the father should in no way harm his son. Manywould jump at the opportunity and untie the young man quickly as onecould. However, Abraham answered: “When commanded by the Master andgiven a contrary order by the servant to whom should one heed?”
The angel replied: “Now I know that you are a God-fearing man. You havenot withheld your son, your special one from me”. It was then that Abrahamuntied his son.
What did the angel say now that prompted him to listen to the servant? Hisquestion was still valid. Shouldn’t he continue the sacrifice as hismaster had commanded?
The angel’s response contained a message to Abraham. He added thewords “from me” Every mitzvah that a person does creates an angel. Thatangel will come to defend the one who created him when that soul faces theHeavenly court at the end of his life. But not all angels are the same. Ifthe mitzvah was performed unenthusiastically or even begrudgingly theangel shows imperfection. If the mitzvah was not done perfectly accordingto Torah law the angel will also be imperfect. The angel toldAbraham, “You should stop. If you don’t believe you have done G-d’s willlook at me. I am the angel created by your act and I am perfect. You cantell “from me” that you have done all that you needed to perform the willof your Maker.”
The lesson to us is that one should always strive for perfection inmitzvah performance. We must learn not only what to do but also what isthe best way to do it. We may pray give charity, help others and buy afine pair of tefillin but without Torah study can one expect a perfectperformance? Torah study also must include the study of mussar ethics andmorals to instill the proper enthusiasm and approach to the commandmentsof Hashem. As we study the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs weshould learn from their ways how to act “perfectly”.
Rabino Raymond Beyda
The ten tests of Abraham were trials that were used by Hashem to elevateand perfect our patriarch. The Binding of Yitzchak, the Akeidah – wasperhaps the most difficult test of all. After his birth when Abraham wasone hundred years old Yitzchak was raised by his parents as royalty.Through prophecy his parents were aware that he was the next link in thechain that would produce the Chosen People. The holy parents invested allof their power in training and educating this special offspring for hisunique role in world history.
After thirty seven years Yitzchak showed signs of greatness and gave hisfather a sense of certainty that the destiny of his offspring was assured.Then came the test.
Hashem --the one who promised Abraham that Yitzchak would be his heir –commanded him to take to a place that He would show him and to bind him onthe altar as a sacrifice. The illogical command was greeted withacceptance and Abraham woke up early to do His creator’s bidding. At themoment of truth, with the knife in his hand an angel cried out to Abrahamto stop. He warned that the father should in no way harm his son. Manywould jump at the opportunity and untie the young man quickly as onecould. However, Abraham answered: “When commanded by the Master andgiven a contrary order by the servant to whom should one heed?”
The angel replied: “Now I know that you are a God-fearing man. You havenot withheld your son, your special one from me”. It was then that Abrahamuntied his son.
What did the angel say now that prompted him to listen to the servant? Hisquestion was still valid. Shouldn’t he continue the sacrifice as hismaster had commanded?
The angel’s response contained a message to Abraham. He added thewords “from me” Every mitzvah that a person does creates an angel. Thatangel will come to defend the one who created him when that soul faces theHeavenly court at the end of his life. But not all angels are the same. Ifthe mitzvah was performed unenthusiastically or even begrudgingly theangel shows imperfection. If the mitzvah was not done perfectly accordingto Torah law the angel will also be imperfect. The angel toldAbraham, “You should stop. If you don’t believe you have done G-d’s willlook at me. I am the angel created by your act and I am perfect. You cantell “from me” that you have done all that you needed to perform the willof your Maker.”
The lesson to us is that one should always strive for perfection inmitzvah performance. We must learn not only what to do but also what isthe best way to do it. We may pray give charity, help others and buy afine pair of tefillin but without Torah study can one expect a perfectperformance? Torah study also must include the study of mussar ethics andmorals to instill the proper enthusiasm and approach to the commandmentsof Hashem. As we study the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs weshould learn from their ways how to act “perfectly”.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Eight Chapters
Rabino Yaakov Feldman
Chapter Eight (Part 8)
The fact that G-d had “fortified Pharaoh’s heart” and thus gave him no choice but to force us to stay in Egypt is definitely puzzling. But as we’ll see, it will actually enhance our understanding of free will.
Rambam agrees that G-d had in fact tampered with Pharaoh’s free will, but he maintains that G-d had every good reason to, since it was all part of His overarching system of higher justice. For you see, Pharaoh sinned in many ways aside from enslaving us. As Rambam reminds us, Pharaoh oppressed us early on; as it’s said “he said to his people, Behold, the Children of Israel are more numerous and mighty than we. Come; let us deal cunningly (i.e., cruelly and maliciously) with them!” (Exodus 1:9-10). And so they committed all sorts of crimes and inhumane acts against our people, “freely … rather than by compulsion” Rambam underscores.
“So G-d punished them for that” Rambam asserts, “by preventing them from doing teshuvah”. For as Rambam put it elsewhere, G-d ordained that anyone who’d committed a horrendous sin or a great number of sins, as Pharaoh did, is punished by being prevented from doing teshuvah (Hilchot Teshuvah 6:3).
And so Pharaoh and his people could no longer realize the extent of their cruelties; no longer regret them; no longer decide not to follow through on them ever. So their free will was indeed taken away from him to that extent. Why? Because they’d gotten themselves so deeply mired in sin and cruelty that they’d lost their humanity; hence their free choice, which is so much of what defines our humanity, was rescinded in all fairness.
That’s the phenomenon that G-d was following through on when He “fortified Pharaoh’s heart“. G-d’s overarching justice demanded that reaction to such evil individuals, even though it undid their free will. The underlying point is that even though free will is fundamental to the human condition, it’s still and all out-ranked by other factors.
Now, there’s something to be said about this little-known phenomenon that hits very close to home and should stun anyone in search of spiritual excellence. It’s the whole idea that there are times when our lapses get to be so numerous and so “normal” for us that we can be prevented from getting a handle on them and doing teshuvah! Hence the lesson is that it’s vitally important for us to be aware of our behavior patterns and to stop any destructive ones as soon as possible.
Chapter Eight (Part 8)
The fact that G-d had “fortified Pharaoh’s heart” and thus gave him no choice but to force us to stay in Egypt is definitely puzzling. But as we’ll see, it will actually enhance our understanding of free will.
Rambam agrees that G-d had in fact tampered with Pharaoh’s free will, but he maintains that G-d had every good reason to, since it was all part of His overarching system of higher justice. For you see, Pharaoh sinned in many ways aside from enslaving us. As Rambam reminds us, Pharaoh oppressed us early on; as it’s said “he said to his people, Behold, the Children of Israel are more numerous and mighty than we. Come; let us deal cunningly (i.e., cruelly and maliciously) with them!” (Exodus 1:9-10). And so they committed all sorts of crimes and inhumane acts against our people, “freely … rather than by compulsion” Rambam underscores.
“So G-d punished them for that” Rambam asserts, “by preventing them from doing teshuvah”. For as Rambam put it elsewhere, G-d ordained that anyone who’d committed a horrendous sin or a great number of sins, as Pharaoh did, is punished by being prevented from doing teshuvah (Hilchot Teshuvah 6:3).
And so Pharaoh and his people could no longer realize the extent of their cruelties; no longer regret them; no longer decide not to follow through on them ever. So their free will was indeed taken away from him to that extent. Why? Because they’d gotten themselves so deeply mired in sin and cruelty that they’d lost their humanity; hence their free choice, which is so much of what defines our humanity, was rescinded in all fairness.
That’s the phenomenon that G-d was following through on when He “fortified Pharaoh’s heart“. G-d’s overarching justice demanded that reaction to such evil individuals, even though it undid their free will. The underlying point is that even though free will is fundamental to the human condition, it’s still and all out-ranked by other factors.
Now, there’s something to be said about this little-known phenomenon that hits very close to home and should stun anyone in search of spiritual excellence. It’s the whole idea that there are times when our lapses get to be so numerous and so “normal” for us that we can be prevented from getting a handle on them and doing teshuvah! Hence the lesson is that it’s vitally important for us to be aware of our behavior patterns and to stop any destructive ones as soon as possible.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Yad Vashem
Mario Sinay: «La humanidad no está curada aún del mal del genocidio»
El directivo del Yad Vashem de Jerusalén ofreció ayer en Oviedo una charla orientada a formar a profesores sobre la historia del Holocausto
Oviedo, Javier NEIRA Representantes del Museo de Holocausto de Jerusalén -Yad Vashem en hebreo-, que recibirá el premio «Príncipe de Asturias» de la Concordia el próximo viernes en Oviedo, empezaron a llegar ayer a Asturias. Entre ellos, Mario Sinay, director del departamento de habla hispana de la Escuela Internacional de Estudios del Holocausto, y Perla Hazan, directora de la sección iberoamericana del museo. Sinay ofreció por la tarde, en el auditorio Príncipe Felipe de Oviedo, una conferencia dentro de unas jornadas sobre el holocausto, organizadas por Encuentro, asociación de amistad con el pueblo judío que preside el asturiano José Antonio García Muñiz. Los jornadas incluyen una exposición sobre los Justos entre las Naciones -los 21.700 gentiles que ayudaron a los judíos en el holocausto aun a costa de sus vidas-, la proyección de una película sobre el tránsito en Alemania de la democracia a la política de exterminio racista y la muestra de fotografías de Yad Vashem. Sinay fue presentado por el consejero de Educación y Ciencia del Principado, José Luis Iglesias Riopedre, que destacó en el contexto de las jornadas la importancia de la nueva asignatura de Educación para la Ciudadanía.
El representante del Museo del Holocausto indicó a LA NUEVA ESPAÑA que «en Yad Vashem estamos muy orgullos con el premio. Ahora debemos colaborar en todo lo que España quiere hacer hasta 2010. En una visita anterior a Madrid me presentaron el proyecto de ingreso en la ESO del conocimiento del holocausto hasta el año 2010. Estamos haciendo programas de capacitación de maestros españoles de una semana. Creemos en el estudio sistemático del holocausto para enseñarlo. La verdad es que fue impresionante el impacto del premio, fue muy grande. No teníamos conciencia de la magnitud de estos premios, y eso que no son los primeros que recibe alguien de Israel. Todo Yad Vashem está convocado estos días en España. Yad Vashem es el museo más importante del mundo como monumento a las víctimas del holocausto. Es un complejo, además, de la parte específica del museo. Cuenta, por ejemplo, con la Escuela Internacional para el Estudio del Holocausto, muy importante, porque nos interesa llegar al mundo no judío». Mario Sinay cree que «no basta un seminario para cuarenta maestros. Buscamos maestros de maestros que nos ayuden a enseñar». Considera que, por ejemplo, «hay muchos programas de televisión buenos, aunque no todos, pero creemos en una enseñanza sistemática, que arranque con los niños de corta edad, a los que hay que saber explicarles los hechos. Algunas películas sobre el holocausto nos hacen daño, con jóvenes abiertos a actos muy violentos que hacen daño».
En la pedagogía de Yad Vashem, añade, «se piensa que la gente de corta edad, de las escuelas primarias, debe conocer la historia del holocausto a través de cuentos de niños que sobrevivieron al genocidio escondidos en los campos o en los guetos. Todo depende de la edad. Estoy presentando en Oviedo a un grupo de profesores los materiales que tenemos y las formas de enseñanza que nos parecen más adecuadas». «En el mundo», comenta Sinay, «tras el Holocausto hubo varios genocidios, así que puede repetirse. No hay suficientes sociedades democráticas fuertes en el mundo que impidan que esto vuelva a ocurrir. Dos democracias jamás han combatido, pero somos minoritarios los pueblos que vivimos en democracia. Darfur y otros ejemplos de genocidios hoy en día son muy ilustrativos, pero no hay conciencia suficiente, y ahí están los ejemplos antes y después del holocausto, al menos diez casos graves y serios, así que la humanidad no está curada aún del mal del genocidio».
El directivo del Yad Vashem de Jerusalén ofreció ayer en Oviedo una charla orientada a formar a profesores sobre la historia del Holocausto
Oviedo, Javier NEIRA Representantes del Museo de Holocausto de Jerusalén -Yad Vashem en hebreo-, que recibirá el premio «Príncipe de Asturias» de la Concordia el próximo viernes en Oviedo, empezaron a llegar ayer a Asturias. Entre ellos, Mario Sinay, director del departamento de habla hispana de la Escuela Internacional de Estudios del Holocausto, y Perla Hazan, directora de la sección iberoamericana del museo. Sinay ofreció por la tarde, en el auditorio Príncipe Felipe de Oviedo, una conferencia dentro de unas jornadas sobre el holocausto, organizadas por Encuentro, asociación de amistad con el pueblo judío que preside el asturiano José Antonio García Muñiz. Los jornadas incluyen una exposición sobre los Justos entre las Naciones -los 21.700 gentiles que ayudaron a los judíos en el holocausto aun a costa de sus vidas-, la proyección de una película sobre el tránsito en Alemania de la democracia a la política de exterminio racista y la muestra de fotografías de Yad Vashem. Sinay fue presentado por el consejero de Educación y Ciencia del Principado, José Luis Iglesias Riopedre, que destacó en el contexto de las jornadas la importancia de la nueva asignatura de Educación para la Ciudadanía.
El representante del Museo del Holocausto indicó a LA NUEVA ESPAÑA que «en Yad Vashem estamos muy orgullos con el premio. Ahora debemos colaborar en todo lo que España quiere hacer hasta 2010. En una visita anterior a Madrid me presentaron el proyecto de ingreso en la ESO del conocimiento del holocausto hasta el año 2010. Estamos haciendo programas de capacitación de maestros españoles de una semana. Creemos en el estudio sistemático del holocausto para enseñarlo. La verdad es que fue impresionante el impacto del premio, fue muy grande. No teníamos conciencia de la magnitud de estos premios, y eso que no son los primeros que recibe alguien de Israel. Todo Yad Vashem está convocado estos días en España. Yad Vashem es el museo más importante del mundo como monumento a las víctimas del holocausto. Es un complejo, además, de la parte específica del museo. Cuenta, por ejemplo, con la Escuela Internacional para el Estudio del Holocausto, muy importante, porque nos interesa llegar al mundo no judío». Mario Sinay cree que «no basta un seminario para cuarenta maestros. Buscamos maestros de maestros que nos ayuden a enseñar». Considera que, por ejemplo, «hay muchos programas de televisión buenos, aunque no todos, pero creemos en una enseñanza sistemática, que arranque con los niños de corta edad, a los que hay que saber explicarles los hechos. Algunas películas sobre el holocausto nos hacen daño, con jóvenes abiertos a actos muy violentos que hacen daño».
En la pedagogía de Yad Vashem, añade, «se piensa que la gente de corta edad, de las escuelas primarias, debe conocer la historia del holocausto a través de cuentos de niños que sobrevivieron al genocidio escondidos en los campos o en los guetos. Todo depende de la edad. Estoy presentando en Oviedo a un grupo de profesores los materiales que tenemos y las formas de enseñanza que nos parecen más adecuadas». «En el mundo», comenta Sinay, «tras el Holocausto hubo varios genocidios, así que puede repetirse. No hay suficientes sociedades democráticas fuertes en el mundo que impidan que esto vuelva a ocurrir. Dos democracias jamás han combatido, pero somos minoritarios los pueblos que vivimos en democracia. Darfur y otros ejemplos de genocidios hoy en día son muy ilustrativos, pero no hay conciencia suficiente, y ahí están los ejemplos antes y después del holocausto, al menos diez casos graves y serios, así que la humanidad no está curada aún del mal del genocidio».
Monday, October 22, 2007
Parashat Vayeira
Rabino Kalman Packouz
GOOD MORNING! Recently I received the following email: "My son decided to become Orthodox. I am anti-religious. For me he is dead." Heartbreaking. I thought that perhaps my reply might help each of us deal with our feelings about our loved ones not turning out how we had hoped they would develop.
___"My heart goes out to you. It seems the story of mankind that children end up not like their parents ... and their parents are disappointed and upset. Traditionally, children have been 'dead' to their Jewish parents when they converted to another religion or married a non-Jew, but I can understand how the same emotions can apply for someone anti-religious whose child becomes religious.
___"I know a young man who came from a Reform Jewish background and at 22 started learning about a heritage he knew little about. He found Torah Judaism fascinating and meaningful. When he started learning his Torah heritage, his mother wrote him that she and his father were worried about whether he would identify with being Jewish and they were happy that he was learning.
___"However, when he decided that he believed that there is a God and that he was obligated by a covenant with the Almighty to keep the mitzvot, they were upset. His father asked him to see a psychiatrist. He readily agreed, though he asked his father 'If the psychiatrist certifies me sane, will you accept my decision?' He spoke with the psychiatrist and was sure that his father called the psychiatrist shortly after he left. For 3 days his father didn't mention a word about the psychiatrist or his conclusions.
___"Finally, he asked his father what the psychiatrist said. The father became very thoughtful and introspective. 'He says you are sane. While he disagrees with your decision, he is impressed by your decision-making process, your reasons and how you arrived at your decision.' He then asked his father, 'It seems like something is bothering you. For 3 days you don't mention his report and only tell me after I ask.'
___"His father replied, 'Something the psychiatrist said really did bother me. He told me, "While I disagree with your son's decision, I realize that your son will marry a Jewish woman and have Jewish children; I am not sure that I will be so fortunate to have Jewish grandchildren from my kids." '
___"It has been rough on him all these years. His parents love him very much, but in their hearts they think he is nuts, a fanatic, off the deep end. And it hurts. Every child desires unconditional love and acceptance from his parents. Not enough get it.
___"In my experience, every Jew thinks he is the perfect Jew. Anyone more religious than he is, is a fanatic. Anyone less religious than he is, is a disbeliever. It's worse when it's your own kid.
___"I remember one student from a non-religious background who was studying at Aish HaTorah. His mother came to pull him out of the Yeshiva. He asked her, 'Mom, why are you coming after me? My brother became a Christian. Why aren't you going after him?' His mom replied, 'Everyone knows your brother is crazy, but you should know better!' His brother becoming a Christian was not a challenge to who she was; however, his becoming more observant, was received like a slap in the face and saying, 'What? I'm not religious enough for you?'
___"If it is any consolation to you, unless your son IS a nut case - and there are a very small percentage of people who choose a Torah lifestyle because of psychological problems - you will ultimately have great nachas (pleasure) from your son. It is our Torah which teaches 'Honor your Father and Mother.' Though he may be dead to you, I guarantee you that he is thinking of how he can be a good son and take care of your needs. From him you will have grandchildren who grow up with values and meaning in a happy family. Though he is different in lifestyle, he is still your son and loves you very much.
___"My heart goes out to you. I understand your pain ... and I understand the pain of your son."
Torah Portion of the Week
Vayeira
___Avraham, on the third day after his brit mila, sits outside his tent looking for guests to extend his hospitality. While talking with the Almighty, he sees three visitors (actually angels of the Almighty). Avraham interrupts his conversation with the Almighty to invite them to a meal. One angel informs him that in a year's time, Sarah, his wife, will give birth to a son, Yitzhak (Isaac).
___God tells Avraham that He is going to destroy Sodom because of its absolute evil (the city is the source of the word sodomy). Avraham argues with God to spare Sodom if there can be found ten righteous people in Sodom. Avraham loses for the lack of a quorum. Lot (Avraham's nephew) escapes the destruction with his two daughters.
___Other incidents: Avimelech, King of the Philistines, wants to marry Sarah (Avraham's wife), the birth of Yitzhak, the eviction of Hagar (Avraham's concubine) and Ishmael. Avimelech and Avraham make a treaty at Beersheva. Avraham is commanded to take up his son, Isaac, as an offering "on one of the mountains" (Akeidat Yitzhak). Lastly, the announcement of the birth of Rivka (Rebecca), the future wife of Yitzhak.
___Do you want to know the reward for listening to the command of the Almighty? This is what the Almighty told Avraham: "... I shall surely bless you and greatly increase your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your offspring shall inherit the gate of its enemy. And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring, because you have listened to My voice."
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___On the third day following Avraham's Bris Mila, the Torah states:
"And the Almighty appeared (to Avraham) in the grove of Mamre." (Genesis 18:1)
___Why does the Torah specify where the Almighty appeared to Avraham?
___The great commentator, Rashi, cites the Midrash that the Almighty appeared in Mamre's grove because Mamre gave Avraham the advice to enter into the covenant with the Almighty and to perform the circumcision.
___Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz comments that from here we see the great merit of giving people good advice. Avraham would have listened to the Almighty's command to be circumcised. However, others advised Avraham not to circumcise himself. When Mamre heard about the matter, he advised Avraham to do it. For this Mamre was greatly rewarded.
___How does one give good advice? First and foremost, you must have the best interest of the person in mind. All advice must be solely for the benefit of the person asking your opinion.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 26
Jerusalem 4:21
Guatemala 5:26 - Hong Kong 5:33 - Honolulu 5:41
J'Burg 6:02 - Koah PORTO 5:27 - Los Angeles 5:49
Melbourne 6:30 - Mexico City 6:47 - Miami 6:27
New York 5:43 - Singapore 6:33 - Toronto 6:0
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.
-- Earl of Chesterfield
GOOD MORNING! Recently I received the following email: "My son decided to become Orthodox. I am anti-religious. For me he is dead." Heartbreaking. I thought that perhaps my reply might help each of us deal with our feelings about our loved ones not turning out how we had hoped they would develop.
___"My heart goes out to you. It seems the story of mankind that children end up not like their parents ... and their parents are disappointed and upset. Traditionally, children have been 'dead' to their Jewish parents when they converted to another religion or married a non-Jew, but I can understand how the same emotions can apply for someone anti-religious whose child becomes religious.
___"I know a young man who came from a Reform Jewish background and at 22 started learning about a heritage he knew little about. He found Torah Judaism fascinating and meaningful. When he started learning his Torah heritage, his mother wrote him that she and his father were worried about whether he would identify with being Jewish and they were happy that he was learning.
___"However, when he decided that he believed that there is a God and that he was obligated by a covenant with the Almighty to keep the mitzvot, they were upset. His father asked him to see a psychiatrist. He readily agreed, though he asked his father 'If the psychiatrist certifies me sane, will you accept my decision?' He spoke with the psychiatrist and was sure that his father called the psychiatrist shortly after he left. For 3 days his father didn't mention a word about the psychiatrist or his conclusions.
___"Finally, he asked his father what the psychiatrist said. The father became very thoughtful and introspective. 'He says you are sane. While he disagrees with your decision, he is impressed by your decision-making process, your reasons and how you arrived at your decision.' He then asked his father, 'It seems like something is bothering you. For 3 days you don't mention his report and only tell me after I ask.'
___"His father replied, 'Something the psychiatrist said really did bother me. He told me, "While I disagree with your son's decision, I realize that your son will marry a Jewish woman and have Jewish children; I am not sure that I will be so fortunate to have Jewish grandchildren from my kids." '
___"It has been rough on him all these years. His parents love him very much, but in their hearts they think he is nuts, a fanatic, off the deep end. And it hurts. Every child desires unconditional love and acceptance from his parents. Not enough get it.
___"In my experience, every Jew thinks he is the perfect Jew. Anyone more religious than he is, is a fanatic. Anyone less religious than he is, is a disbeliever. It's worse when it's your own kid.
___"I remember one student from a non-religious background who was studying at Aish HaTorah. His mother came to pull him out of the Yeshiva. He asked her, 'Mom, why are you coming after me? My brother became a Christian. Why aren't you going after him?' His mom replied, 'Everyone knows your brother is crazy, but you should know better!' His brother becoming a Christian was not a challenge to who she was; however, his becoming more observant, was received like a slap in the face and saying, 'What? I'm not religious enough for you?'
___"If it is any consolation to you, unless your son IS a nut case - and there are a very small percentage of people who choose a Torah lifestyle because of psychological problems - you will ultimately have great nachas (pleasure) from your son. It is our Torah which teaches 'Honor your Father and Mother.' Though he may be dead to you, I guarantee you that he is thinking of how he can be a good son and take care of your needs. From him you will have grandchildren who grow up with values and meaning in a happy family. Though he is different in lifestyle, he is still your son and loves you very much.
___"My heart goes out to you. I understand your pain ... and I understand the pain of your son."
Torah Portion of the Week
Vayeira
___Avraham, on the third day after his brit mila, sits outside his tent looking for guests to extend his hospitality. While talking with the Almighty, he sees three visitors (actually angels of the Almighty). Avraham interrupts his conversation with the Almighty to invite them to a meal. One angel informs him that in a year's time, Sarah, his wife, will give birth to a son, Yitzhak (Isaac).
___God tells Avraham that He is going to destroy Sodom because of its absolute evil (the city is the source of the word sodomy). Avraham argues with God to spare Sodom if there can be found ten righteous people in Sodom. Avraham loses for the lack of a quorum. Lot (Avraham's nephew) escapes the destruction with his two daughters.
___Other incidents: Avimelech, King of the Philistines, wants to marry Sarah (Avraham's wife), the birth of Yitzhak, the eviction of Hagar (Avraham's concubine) and Ishmael. Avimelech and Avraham make a treaty at Beersheva. Avraham is commanded to take up his son, Isaac, as an offering "on one of the mountains" (Akeidat Yitzhak). Lastly, the announcement of the birth of Rivka (Rebecca), the future wife of Yitzhak.
___Do you want to know the reward for listening to the command of the Almighty? This is what the Almighty told Avraham: "... I shall surely bless you and greatly increase your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your offspring shall inherit the gate of its enemy. And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your offspring, because you have listened to My voice."
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___On the third day following Avraham's Bris Mila, the Torah states:
"And the Almighty appeared (to Avraham) in the grove of Mamre." (Genesis 18:1)
___Why does the Torah specify where the Almighty appeared to Avraham?
___The great commentator, Rashi, cites the Midrash that the Almighty appeared in Mamre's grove because Mamre gave Avraham the advice to enter into the covenant with the Almighty and to perform the circumcision.
___Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz comments that from here we see the great merit of giving people good advice. Avraham would have listened to the Almighty's command to be circumcised. However, others advised Avraham not to circumcise himself. When Mamre heard about the matter, he advised Avraham to do it. For this Mamre was greatly rewarded.
___How does one give good advice? First and foremost, you must have the best interest of the person in mind. All advice must be solely for the benefit of the person asking your opinion.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 26
Jerusalem 4:21
Guatemala 5:26 - Hong Kong 5:33 - Honolulu 5:41
J'Burg 6:02 - Koah PORTO 5:27 - Los Angeles 5:49
Melbourne 6:30 - Mexico City 6:47 - Miami 6:27
New York 5:43 - Singapore 6:33 - Toronto 6:0
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.
-- Earl of Chesterfield
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Lech Lecha
Rabino Kalman Packouz
GOOD MORNING! If you have lost someone recently or in the past year, you probably will find of great interest a new book, Living Kaddish by Rabbi Gedalia Zweig (available at your local Jewish bookstore, at http://www.judaicaenterprises.com or by calling toll-free to 877-758-3242). In it Rabbi Zweig raises our consciousness about the profound and deeply important mitzvah of saying Kaddish. He introduces us to dozens of devoted Jews throughout the world from varying backgrounds who share their personal stories and challenges of saying Kaddish – and, through performing this mitzvah, their unforgettable, miraculous, and life-changing experiences.
___One story I found both exciting and meaningful was that of Martin Sokol's search for a minyan (a quorum of 10 Jewish men over the age of 13 needed for a prayer service and to say kaddish) in Brussels. A stranger, who identified himself as Jewish, offered Martin to have his chauffeur follow his car to a minyan. At the building in a warehouse district, the stranger points to a door and yells out his window, "It's in there" and then drives off.
___Mr. Sokol rings the bell at a steel gray door, is buzzed in after telling them what he wants. He is then surrounded by men with Uzi submachine guns who want to know who he is and how he got there. When he tells them, they grill him with questions: How old was he when he was bar mitzvahed? When is Shabbat? How many questions do we ask on Passover? Then they let him in the building.
___It turned out he had entered a Yeshiva which had strong security because a few months earlier the leader of the Brussels Jewish community was shot and killed by PLO terrorists. Writes Mr. Sokol, "When I found out where I was and thought of the strict security these children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors had to endure, I was unable to speak. Tears filled my eyes. My throat was choked with emotion. I could not stop thinking that fewer than fifty years after the Holocaust, Jews were once again in danger in Europe.
___"For me, the experience symbolized our long, troubled history. Kaddish is said to remember people we loved who are no longer alive. The children help me to remember that we have survived and that there will always be another generation who will remember, who will fight to retain our precious heritage, who will say Kaddish."
WHAT IS MOURNER'S KADDISH AND
WHY IS IT RECITED?
___Kaddish is the prayer which a mourner recites for 11 months following the passing of one's father and mother. It is recited for one month for one's brother, sister, spouse, son or daughter. It is commonly thought of as "the prayer for the dead." In reality, as we will see in looking at the words, it is an affirmation of the belief and trust in the Almighty. Here is the Artscroll Siddur translation of the Mourner's Kaddish:
"May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified in the world that He created as He willed. May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel, swiftly and soon...
(The congregation then responds: 'Amen. May His great Name be blessed for ever and ever.')
Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed is He
(Congregation responds: 'Blessed is He.')
beyond any blessing and song, praise and consolation that are uttered in the world.... May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel.... He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Israel."
___As one can see, there is no mention of the deceased, death or mourning. Kaddish is an affirmation of life - a recognition of the Almighty, a prayer that His greatness should be recognized and a request for peace and life for the Jewish people. Besides affirming or reassuring the mourner's belief in the Almighty, the reciting of Kaddish gives merit to the soul of the deceased because the one who recites Kaddish (the mourner) causes the congregation to praise the name of the Almighty: "May His great name be blessed for ever and ever" and "Blessed is He." There are many stories in the Talmud and the Midrash about the great benefit of this merit to the soul of the deceased in the World to Come.
___A close friend confided to me that the obligation to say Kaddish not only gave him a way to show respect and gratitude for his parents, but tremendously comforted him by placing him in the synagogue in the company of other Jews twice each day.
Torah Portion of the Week
Lech Lecha
___The Almighty commands Avram (later renamed Avraham) to leave Haran and go to the land of Canaan (later renamed the Land of Israel). The Almighty then gives Avram an eternal message to the Jewish people and to the nations of the world, "I will bless those who bless you and he who curses you I will curse." Finding a famine, Avram travels to Egypt (once renamed to be part of the United Arab Republic) asking Sarai (later renamed Sarah), to say she is his sister so they won't kill him to marry her (the Egyptians were particular not to commit adultery).
___Pharaoh evicts Avram from Egypt after attempting to take Sarai for a wife. They settle in Hebron (also known as Kiryat Arba) and his nephew Lot settles in Sodom. Avram rescues Lot who was taken captive in the Battle of the Four Kings against the Five Kings.
___Entering into a covenant with the Almighty (all covenants with the Almighty are eternal, never to be abrogated or replaced by new covenants), Avram is told that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years and that his descendants (via Isaac, "... through Isaac will offspring be considered yours." Gen. 21:8) will be given the land "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." (I do not think that this part of the story made it into the Koran...)
___Sarai, childless, gives her handmaid Hagar to Avram for a wife so that he will have children. Ishmael (the alter zedeh of our Arab cousins) is born.
___The covenant of brit mila, religious circumcision, is made (read 17:3-8), God changes their names to Avraham and Sarah and tells them that Sarah will give birth to Yitzhak (Isaac). Avraham circumcises all the males of his household.
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___The Torah states:
"And when Avram heard that (Lot) was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, who were born into his household, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them as far as Dan." (Gen. 14:14)
___Why does the Torah go into such detail about the war of the four kings against the five kings?
___The Chofetz Chaim explains that this shows us how much Avraham exerted himself in his effort to save the captive Lot. This was a fulfillment of the commandment to save a person whose life is in danger (Leviticus 19:16). Although Lot had only himself to blame for choosing to dwell in Sodom amongst wicked inhabitants, Avraham did all he could to save him.
___The Ramban points out that it probably took Avraham a long time to reach Lot and free him, because the distance he traveled was great. From this we learn that we must try to free someone from captivity, no matter how much time it entails.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 19
(or go to http://www.aish.com/shabbat/candlelighting.asp)
Jerusalem 4:28
Guatemala 5:22 - Hong Kong 5:37 - Honolulu 5:46
J'Burg 5:58 – Kehillah Or Ahayim PORTO 5:41 - Los Angeles 5:57
Melbourne 6:23 - Mexico City 6:50 - Miami 6:33
New York 5:53 - Singapore 6:34 - Toronto 6:11
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Give without remembering and take without forgetting .
GOOD MORNING! If you have lost someone recently or in the past year, you probably will find of great interest a new book, Living Kaddish by Rabbi Gedalia Zweig (available at your local Jewish bookstore, at http://www.judaicaenterprises.com or by calling toll-free to 877-758-3242). In it Rabbi Zweig raises our consciousness about the profound and deeply important mitzvah of saying Kaddish. He introduces us to dozens of devoted Jews throughout the world from varying backgrounds who share their personal stories and challenges of saying Kaddish – and, through performing this mitzvah, their unforgettable, miraculous, and life-changing experiences.
___One story I found both exciting and meaningful was that of Martin Sokol's search for a minyan (a quorum of 10 Jewish men over the age of 13 needed for a prayer service and to say kaddish) in Brussels. A stranger, who identified himself as Jewish, offered Martin to have his chauffeur follow his car to a minyan. At the building in a warehouse district, the stranger points to a door and yells out his window, "It's in there" and then drives off.
___Mr. Sokol rings the bell at a steel gray door, is buzzed in after telling them what he wants. He is then surrounded by men with Uzi submachine guns who want to know who he is and how he got there. When he tells them, they grill him with questions: How old was he when he was bar mitzvahed? When is Shabbat? How many questions do we ask on Passover? Then they let him in the building.
___It turned out he had entered a Yeshiva which had strong security because a few months earlier the leader of the Brussels Jewish community was shot and killed by PLO terrorists. Writes Mr. Sokol, "When I found out where I was and thought of the strict security these children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors had to endure, I was unable to speak. Tears filled my eyes. My throat was choked with emotion. I could not stop thinking that fewer than fifty years after the Holocaust, Jews were once again in danger in Europe.
___"For me, the experience symbolized our long, troubled history. Kaddish is said to remember people we loved who are no longer alive. The children help me to remember that we have survived and that there will always be another generation who will remember, who will fight to retain our precious heritage, who will say Kaddish."
WHAT IS MOURNER'S KADDISH AND
WHY IS IT RECITED?
___Kaddish is the prayer which a mourner recites for 11 months following the passing of one's father and mother. It is recited for one month for one's brother, sister, spouse, son or daughter. It is commonly thought of as "the prayer for the dead." In reality, as we will see in looking at the words, it is an affirmation of the belief and trust in the Almighty. Here is the Artscroll Siddur translation of the Mourner's Kaddish:
"May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified in the world that He created as He willed. May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel, swiftly and soon...
(The congregation then responds: 'Amen. May His great Name be blessed for ever and ever.')
Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed is He
(Congregation responds: 'Blessed is He.')
beyond any blessing and song, praise and consolation that are uttered in the world.... May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel.... He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Israel."
___As one can see, there is no mention of the deceased, death or mourning. Kaddish is an affirmation of life - a recognition of the Almighty, a prayer that His greatness should be recognized and a request for peace and life for the Jewish people. Besides affirming or reassuring the mourner's belief in the Almighty, the reciting of Kaddish gives merit to the soul of the deceased because the one who recites Kaddish (the mourner) causes the congregation to praise the name of the Almighty: "May His great name be blessed for ever and ever" and "Blessed is He." There are many stories in the Talmud and the Midrash about the great benefit of this merit to the soul of the deceased in the World to Come.
___A close friend confided to me that the obligation to say Kaddish not only gave him a way to show respect and gratitude for his parents, but tremendously comforted him by placing him in the synagogue in the company of other Jews twice each day.
Torah Portion of the Week
Lech Lecha
___The Almighty commands Avram (later renamed Avraham) to leave Haran and go to the land of Canaan (later renamed the Land of Israel). The Almighty then gives Avram an eternal message to the Jewish people and to the nations of the world, "I will bless those who bless you and he who curses you I will curse." Finding a famine, Avram travels to Egypt (once renamed to be part of the United Arab Republic) asking Sarai (later renamed Sarah), to say she is his sister so they won't kill him to marry her (the Egyptians were particular not to commit adultery).
___Pharaoh evicts Avram from Egypt after attempting to take Sarai for a wife. They settle in Hebron (also known as Kiryat Arba) and his nephew Lot settles in Sodom. Avram rescues Lot who was taken captive in the Battle of the Four Kings against the Five Kings.
___Entering into a covenant with the Almighty (all covenants with the Almighty are eternal, never to be abrogated or replaced by new covenants), Avram is told that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years and that his descendants (via Isaac, "... through Isaac will offspring be considered yours." Gen. 21:8) will be given the land "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." (I do not think that this part of the story made it into the Koran...)
___Sarai, childless, gives her handmaid Hagar to Avram for a wife so that he will have children. Ishmael (the alter zedeh of our Arab cousins) is born.
___The covenant of brit mila, religious circumcision, is made (read 17:3-8), God changes their names to Avraham and Sarah and tells them that Sarah will give birth to Yitzhak (Isaac). Avraham circumcises all the males of his household.
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___The Torah states:
"And when Avram heard that (Lot) was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, who were born into his household, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them as far as Dan." (Gen. 14:14)
___Why does the Torah go into such detail about the war of the four kings against the five kings?
___The Chofetz Chaim explains that this shows us how much Avraham exerted himself in his effort to save the captive Lot. This was a fulfillment of the commandment to save a person whose life is in danger (Leviticus 19:16). Although Lot had only himself to blame for choosing to dwell in Sodom amongst wicked inhabitants, Avraham did all he could to save him.
___The Ramban points out that it probably took Avraham a long time to reach Lot and free him, because the distance he traveled was great. From this we learn that we must try to free someone from captivity, no matter how much time it entails.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 19
(or go to http://www.aish.com/shabbat/candlelighting.asp)
Jerusalem 4:28
Guatemala 5:22 - Hong Kong 5:37 - Honolulu 5:46
J'Burg 5:58 – Kehillah Or Ahayim PORTO 5:41 - Los Angeles 5:57
Melbourne 6:23 - Mexico City 6:50 - Miami 6:33
New York 5:53 - Singapore 6:34 - Toronto 6:11
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Give without remembering and take without forgetting .
Friday, October 12, 2007
Parashat Noach
Yehudah Ben Abraham
Oneg Shabat
Nos encontramos con la segunda parashah del libro del Bereshit, la segunda parashah de la Torá. Noaj.
En ella nos presenta más en profundidad al patriarca Noé, con quien habíamos acabado la semana pasada.
Hoy nos habla la Torá del Diluvio acontecido por la maldad de la humanidad. Por ella, nos cuenta, quiso hacer D’s tabula rasa y empezar de nuevo.
Pero nos encontramos con el bueno de Noé. De él lo primero, y quizás fundamental que sabemos es que era justo y perfecto entre sus generaciones (Bereshit 2, 9). Y con D’s anduvo Noé. ¡Qué expresión tan peculiar esta con la que nos topamos!
Algo parecido encontraremos al principio del capítulo 17 de este mismo libro, cuando leemos que D’s le dice a Abraham, “Anda delante de Mí”.
El término justo, tsadik, es el mismo término que se utiliza con José. Es un término aplicado a toda persona que permanece íntegra, aún cuando el entorno en el que se maneja se ha corrompido y la depravación, en cualquiera de sus facetas, se ha apoderado de sus vecinos.
Najmánides limita el sentido de este concepto, justo. Para él el justo perfecto es aquella persona que se limita a cumplir los preceptos y los imperativos de la justicia.
Esta es, para mí, la cualidad diferenciadora entre los dos patriarcas, Noé y Abraham.
Mientras el primero se limita a obedecer, a cumplir, el segundo intentó, antes de la destrucción de Sodoma, el perdón divino para sus habitantes aún a sabiendas de las continuas y profundas transgresiones cometidas por ellos.
Noé era, lo que ahora se llama, buena gente, pero en un sentido pasivo, mientras que Abraham lo era en sentido activo. Me explico.
Noé no hacía el mal, pero no pecar no significa que se haga el bien. La bondad debe tener un papel proactivo. Debe buscarse la mejoría, no solamente nuestra, sino la mejoría de las condiciones de los demás.
Sabiendo que iban a ser destruidos, Abraham procuró que continuaran con vida.
Esta diferencia entre no hacer el mal, quedándose estático, y hacer el bien, de forma dinámica, es algo que debe estar presente en nuestras vidas. Y esta procura del bien es motivada por la fuerza interna que tiene el ser humano, el alma, neshamá.
Un cuerpo por su propia naturaleza permanece quieto. Para hacerlo desplazarse necesita una fuerza externa, que lo haga moverse.
Un cuerpo, por su propia naturaleza, tiene tendencia a estar frío. Necesita una fuerza externa, en este caso el calor, que le haga elevar su temperatura.
Una persona, por su propia naturaleza, tiende a no hacer el mal. Pero para realizar una buena acción necesita de una fuerza externa a él, aún cuando haya sido insuflada en su interior.
De esta manera todos nosotros nos convertiremos en socios y partícipes junto con el Creador de perfeccionar y terminar la inmensa tarea que es la Creación.
Cuando sepamos que podemos hacer algo por los demás, hagámoslo.
Como está escrito “no estás obligado a terminar la obra, pero tampoco estás libre de no participar en ella” (Pirkei Avot, capítulo 2, mishná 16)
Oneg Shabat
Nos encontramos con la segunda parashah del libro del Bereshit, la segunda parashah de la Torá. Noaj.
En ella nos presenta más en profundidad al patriarca Noé, con quien habíamos acabado la semana pasada.
Hoy nos habla la Torá del Diluvio acontecido por la maldad de la humanidad. Por ella, nos cuenta, quiso hacer D’s tabula rasa y empezar de nuevo.
Pero nos encontramos con el bueno de Noé. De él lo primero, y quizás fundamental que sabemos es que era justo y perfecto entre sus generaciones (Bereshit 2, 9). Y con D’s anduvo Noé. ¡Qué expresión tan peculiar esta con la que nos topamos!
Algo parecido encontraremos al principio del capítulo 17 de este mismo libro, cuando leemos que D’s le dice a Abraham, “Anda delante de Mí”.
El término justo, tsadik, es el mismo término que se utiliza con José. Es un término aplicado a toda persona que permanece íntegra, aún cuando el entorno en el que se maneja se ha corrompido y la depravación, en cualquiera de sus facetas, se ha apoderado de sus vecinos.
Najmánides limita el sentido de este concepto, justo. Para él el justo perfecto es aquella persona que se limita a cumplir los preceptos y los imperativos de la justicia.
Esta es, para mí, la cualidad diferenciadora entre los dos patriarcas, Noé y Abraham.
Mientras el primero se limita a obedecer, a cumplir, el segundo intentó, antes de la destrucción de Sodoma, el perdón divino para sus habitantes aún a sabiendas de las continuas y profundas transgresiones cometidas por ellos.
Noé era, lo que ahora se llama, buena gente, pero en un sentido pasivo, mientras que Abraham lo era en sentido activo. Me explico.
Noé no hacía el mal, pero no pecar no significa que se haga el bien. La bondad debe tener un papel proactivo. Debe buscarse la mejoría, no solamente nuestra, sino la mejoría de las condiciones de los demás.
Sabiendo que iban a ser destruidos, Abraham procuró que continuaran con vida.
Esta diferencia entre no hacer el mal, quedándose estático, y hacer el bien, de forma dinámica, es algo que debe estar presente en nuestras vidas. Y esta procura del bien es motivada por la fuerza interna que tiene el ser humano, el alma, neshamá.
Un cuerpo por su propia naturaleza permanece quieto. Para hacerlo desplazarse necesita una fuerza externa, que lo haga moverse.
Un cuerpo, por su propia naturaleza, tiene tendencia a estar frío. Necesita una fuerza externa, en este caso el calor, que le haga elevar su temperatura.
Una persona, por su propia naturaleza, tiende a no hacer el mal. Pero para realizar una buena acción necesita de una fuerza externa a él, aún cuando haya sido insuflada en su interior.
De esta manera todos nosotros nos convertiremos en socios y partícipes junto con el Creador de perfeccionar y terminar la inmensa tarea que es la Creación.
Cuando sepamos que podemos hacer algo por los demás, hagámoslo.
Como está escrito “no estás obligado a terminar la obra, pero tampoco estás libre de no participar en ella” (Pirkei Avot, capítulo 2, mishná 16)
Parashat Noah
Rabino Kalman Packouz
GOOD MORNING! In this week's Torah portion, Noah plants a grapevine shortly after leaving the ark. At his earliest possible convenience, he makes wine and proceeds to get drunk. The Midrash tells that when one drinks one cup of wine, he becomes like a lamb, docile and peaceful. After two cups, he becomes like a lion, boastful of all the great things he believes he will accomplish. After three cups, he dances like a monkey. After four cups, he rolls in the mud like a pig.
___The story is told of a man who would drink to the point of inebriation and then sleep in the gutter of the street. The children would taunt him and throw things at him. His son, a prominent member of the community, was embarrassed by his father's drinking and arranged to keep his father at home. One day the son saw another drunk lying in the gutter with kids making fun of him. Quickly, he ran home to bring his father to witness the evils of drink. The father upon seeing the drunk in the gutter and the taunting kids, walks up to the drunk and bends down to speak with him. On the way home the son asks his father, "What did you say to the man?" The father replied, "I didn't say anything. I just asked him where he got such good liquor."
___Alcohol addiction, like any addiction, is difficult to overcome. Alcoholics Anonymous have a 12 Step Plan. It is really the basis for recovery from any addiction to a desire. We think we are in control of our lives. As long as we think we are in control of our lives, it is nearly impossible to break addictions or to change our character. The essence of Alcoholic Anonymous and similar efforts is for the person to realize that he does not have ultimate control over his life and that he needs help from a Higher Power.
THE TWELVE STEPS OFALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
• Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
• Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
• Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
• Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
• Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• Sought through prayer and meditations to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
• Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
___Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twersky, founder and medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center, an addiction recovery program, tells the story of a man who refused to be a mentor for a recovering atheist alcoholic unless he agreed to pray every day. The alcoholic professed his disbelief in God, but agreed to what he felt was a ridiculous demand. After a couple of months the recovering alcoholic told his mentor that praying made a world of difference in his recovery. Said the recovering alcoholic, "I still don't believe in God, but now I realize that I am not God!"
___One person and the Almighty is a majority. Turn your problems over to the Almighty and ask for help. You have a better chance of succeeding. They don't call Him "Almighty" for nothing. Recognizing that God has the power to help, gives you merit to receive His help. Our goal in life is to perfect ourselves, to emulate God - and only if we recognize His existence and His power are we able to do that. (You might consider buying Starting Over - Using Torah and the Twelve Steps of Recovery to Find Happiness by Sima Devorah Schloss, Judaica Press.
Torah Portion of the Week
Noach
___The story of one righteous man in an evil generation. The Almighty commands Noah to build the ark on a hill far from the water. He built it over a period of 120 years. People deride Noah and ask him, "Why are you building a boat on a hill?" Noah explains that there will be a flood if people do not correct their ways (according to the comedian Bill Cosby, Noah would ask "How well can you tread water?"). We see from this the patience of the Almighty for people to correct their ways and the genius of arousing people's curiosity so that they will ask a question and hopefully hear the answer.
___The generation does not do Teshuva, returning from their evil ways, and God brings a flood for 40 days. They leave the ark 365 days later when the earth has once again become habitable. The Almighty makes a covenant and makes the rainbow the sign of the covenant that He will never destroy all of life again by water (hence, James Baldwin's book, The Fire Next Time). When one sees a rainbow it is an omen to do Teshuva - to recognize the mistakes you are making in life, regret them, correct them/make restitution, and ask for forgiveness from anyone you have wronged as well as from the Almighty.
___Noah plants a vineyard, gets drunk and then occurs the mysterious incident in the tent after which Noah curses his grandson Canaan. The Torah portion concludes with the story of the Tower of Babel and then a genealogy from Shem to Abram.
Dvar Torahbased on Growth Through Torah
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___Regarding the
Tower of Babel, the Torah states:
‘And they said, 'Come, Let us build a city and a tower with its top in Heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered across the face of the whole earth.' " (Genesis 11:4)
___The Midrash (Pirke D'Reb Eliezer 24) tells us that when the people of the generation of the dispersion were in the middle of their project of building the tower, the following occurred: If a human being fell off the tower and was killed, they ignored it and just continued working. However, if a brick fell and broke, they sat down and cried.
___The Midrash is a poignant lesson in how easy it is to get sidetracked from your main goals. They wished to make a tower for the benefit of mankind. However, after awhile the project itself became the goal and the lives of people were considered unimportant.
___Similarly, a person can work for Klal Yisroel, the Jewish people, and becomes so involved with the bureaucratic details of his work that he is rude to others. When you are doing things for the benefit of people, remember your goals. Do not allow your devotion to a cause be an excuse to treat people callously. Keep reminding yourself to be sensitive to every person.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 12
Jerusalem 4:36Guatemala 5:26 - Hong Kong 6:17 - Honolulu 5:50J'Burg 5:42 – KOAH Porto 6:59 - Los Angeles 6:44 Melbourne 5:55 - Mexico City 6:57 - Miami 6:40New York 6:04 - Singapore 6:36 - Toronto 6:23
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.-- Benjamin Franklin
Postagem: Andre Moshe Pereira, Presidente Kehillah Or Ahayim
Director Ceimom
GOOD MORNING! In this week's Torah portion, Noah plants a grapevine shortly after leaving the ark. At his earliest possible convenience, he makes wine and proceeds to get drunk. The Midrash tells that when one drinks one cup of wine, he becomes like a lamb, docile and peaceful. After two cups, he becomes like a lion, boastful of all the great things he believes he will accomplish. After three cups, he dances like a monkey. After four cups, he rolls in the mud like a pig.
___The story is told of a man who would drink to the point of inebriation and then sleep in the gutter of the street. The children would taunt him and throw things at him. His son, a prominent member of the community, was embarrassed by his father's drinking and arranged to keep his father at home. One day the son saw another drunk lying in the gutter with kids making fun of him. Quickly, he ran home to bring his father to witness the evils of drink. The father upon seeing the drunk in the gutter and the taunting kids, walks up to the drunk and bends down to speak with him. On the way home the son asks his father, "What did you say to the man?" The father replied, "I didn't say anything. I just asked him where he got such good liquor."
___Alcohol addiction, like any addiction, is difficult to overcome. Alcoholics Anonymous have a 12 Step Plan. It is really the basis for recovery from any addiction to a desire. We think we are in control of our lives. As long as we think we are in control of our lives, it is nearly impossible to break addictions or to change our character. The essence of Alcoholic Anonymous and similar efforts is for the person to realize that he does not have ultimate control over his life and that he needs help from a Higher Power.
THE TWELVE STEPS OFALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
• Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
• Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
• Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
• Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
• Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• Sought through prayer and meditations to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
• Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
___Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twersky, founder and medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center, an addiction recovery program, tells the story of a man who refused to be a mentor for a recovering atheist alcoholic unless he agreed to pray every day. The alcoholic professed his disbelief in God, but agreed to what he felt was a ridiculous demand. After a couple of months the recovering alcoholic told his mentor that praying made a world of difference in his recovery. Said the recovering alcoholic, "I still don't believe in God, but now I realize that I am not God!"
___One person and the Almighty is a majority. Turn your problems over to the Almighty and ask for help. You have a better chance of succeeding. They don't call Him "Almighty" for nothing. Recognizing that God has the power to help, gives you merit to receive His help. Our goal in life is to perfect ourselves, to emulate God - and only if we recognize His existence and His power are we able to do that. (You might consider buying Starting Over - Using Torah and the Twelve Steps of Recovery to Find Happiness by Sima Devorah Schloss, Judaica Press.
Torah Portion of the Week
Noach
___The story of one righteous man in an evil generation. The Almighty commands Noah to build the ark on a hill far from the water. He built it over a period of 120 years. People deride Noah and ask him, "Why are you building a boat on a hill?" Noah explains that there will be a flood if people do not correct their ways (according to the comedian Bill Cosby, Noah would ask "How well can you tread water?"). We see from this the patience of the Almighty for people to correct their ways and the genius of arousing people's curiosity so that they will ask a question and hopefully hear the answer.
___The generation does not do Teshuva, returning from their evil ways, and God brings a flood for 40 days. They leave the ark 365 days later when the earth has once again become habitable. The Almighty makes a covenant and makes the rainbow the sign of the covenant that He will never destroy all of life again by water (hence, James Baldwin's book, The Fire Next Time). When one sees a rainbow it is an omen to do Teshuva - to recognize the mistakes you are making in life, regret them, correct them/make restitution, and ask for forgiveness from anyone you have wronged as well as from the Almighty.
___Noah plants a vineyard, gets drunk and then occurs the mysterious incident in the tent after which Noah curses his grandson Canaan. The Torah portion concludes with the story of the Tower of Babel and then a genealogy from Shem to Abram.
Dvar Torahbased on Growth Through Torah
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
___Regarding the
Tower of Babel, the Torah states:
‘And they said, 'Come, Let us build a city and a tower with its top in Heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered across the face of the whole earth.' " (Genesis 11:4)
___The Midrash (Pirke D'Reb Eliezer 24) tells us that when the people of the generation of the dispersion were in the middle of their project of building the tower, the following occurred: If a human being fell off the tower and was killed, they ignored it and just continued working. However, if a brick fell and broke, they sat down and cried.
___The Midrash is a poignant lesson in how easy it is to get sidetracked from your main goals. They wished to make a tower for the benefit of mankind. However, after awhile the project itself became the goal and the lives of people were considered unimportant.
___Similarly, a person can work for Klal Yisroel, the Jewish people, and becomes so involved with the bureaucratic details of his work that he is rude to others. When you are doing things for the benefit of people, remember your goals. Do not allow your devotion to a cause be an excuse to treat people callously. Keep reminding yourself to be sensitive to every person.
CANDLE LIGHTING - October 12
Jerusalem 4:36Guatemala 5:26 - Hong Kong 6:17 - Honolulu 5:50J'Burg 5:42 – KOAH Porto 6:59 - Los Angeles 6:44 Melbourne 5:55 - Mexico City 6:57 - Miami 6:40New York 6:04 - Singapore 6:36 - Toronto 6:23
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.-- Benjamin Franklin
Postagem: Andre Moshe Pereira, Presidente Kehillah Or Ahayim
Director Ceimom
Hamaayan - The Torah Spring
Shlomo Katz
Noach
Volume 22, No. 2
2 Marcheshvan 5768
October 13, 2007
Sponsored by
Mrs. Esther Liberman and family
in memory of husband and father
Yaakov Azriel ben Aharon David a"h
Today's Learning:
Sanhedrin 4:4-5
O.C. 27:10-28:1
Daf Yomi (Bavli): Ketubot 42
Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Ta'anit 3
R' Samson Raphael Hirsch z"l (rabbi of Frankfurt a.M.; died 1888) writes about the month that begins today: The solemn yet joyous month of the festivals is past, and we now enter the placid and quiet month of Cheshvan [the only month of the Jewish calendar that has no observances of any kind]. What a significant month Cheshvan can be if we have been fully imbued with the spirit of Tishrei, R' Hirsch declares.
School, home, business and community all now commence a tranquil half-year [until Pesach] of striving and enjoyment. Boys and girls have returned to school, young men and young women have resumed their preparations for life, workers have returned to the full-time pursuit of their occupations, and mothers at home to their quiet, unheralded caring for their families. When they all assemble at home each evening, every cottage becomes a sanctuary, every table an altar, and every breath, a hymn to G-d.
Our task now is to truly be Jews, R' Hirsch continues. We must have the courage to build our homes as Jews, to conduct our married life as Jews, to educate our children as Jews, to enlighten our minds and warm our hearts as Jews, to enliven our conversations and plan our actions as Jews, and to consecrate our enjoyments as Jews. If we could only carry all this out in the Jewish spirit, in the complete Jewish spirit, then we might confidently await all the blessings that would result from such a way of life. (Adapted from Collected Writings Vol. II p.147)
"There were ten generations from Adam to Noach.
This teaches how patient G-d is, for all the generations angered Him until He eventually brought aflood upon them." (Pirkei Avot, chapter 5)
R' Naftali Hertz Wiesel z"l (Germany; 1725-1805) comments: The author of this Mishnah wondered why the Torah provides the complete pedigree from Adam to Noach. Why didn't the Torah just say: "Many years passed, people sinned, and Noach was born"?
Apparently, the Torah wants to teach us a lesson. We read in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Parashat Ki Tissa that G-d is patient, but we are not told how patient He is.
Therefore, says the author of our Mishnah, the Torah lists all of the generations from Adam to Noach to teach that G-d's patience lasts for ten [long] generations.
There are other lessons here as well.
First, we learn that G-d is patient even with those who are throughly evil.
Our Mishnah says that G-d was patient with each of the ten generations from Adam to Noach.
This implies that each was deserving in its own right to be wiped out in a flood.
Yet G-d was patient with them.
Finally, we learn that G-d is patient even though this creates an appearance that evil people get away with their deeds.
Although the nine generations before Noach also deserved to be flooded, as just mentioned, the members of those generations apparently died peaceful deaths in their beds. Though it may appear to us that they were not called to account for their sins, we can rest assured that that is not the case. (Yain Ha'levanon)
G-d's waiting to bring the Flood illustrates several aspects of His patience, writes R' Moshe Almosnino z"l.
First, He waited for ten generations to give the people a chance to repent, i.e., he waited for thesinners' benefit. Also, He allowed them to continue sinning for ten generations while He "waited" for a suitable person (Noach) to be born who would be the seed that would re-inhabit the world after the Flood, i.e., He waited because it was in the best interests of Creation as a whole]. (Pirkei Moshe) R' Yehonasan Eyebschutz z"l - note that he died in 1764 - explains the purpose of the Tower of Bavel, which appears in our parashah, as follows: The people of that generation feared another flood, and they thought that the only safe place for them was on the moon. They knew, however, that launching a spaceship out of the earth's atmosphere was beyond their capabilities. Therefore, they decided to build a tower with its top in the heavens, i.e., near the top of the atmosphere, and they planned to launch their ships to the moon from there. (Tiferet Yehonatan)
Shemittah
This week we begin to examine the second common halachic strategy on which many farmers in Eretz Yisrael rely to tend their orchards and fruit trees during the shemittah year. This is the "Hetter Mechirah" / the sale of the land to a gentile for the duration of the shemittah year. (Literally, "hetter" means "permission" or "release," and "mechirah" means "sale.")
The posek / halachic authority who is generally credited with formulating the Hetter Mechirah is R' Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor z"l (1816-1896; rabbi of Kovno, Russia), the leading Lithuanian posek of his time. However, the name that later became most associated with the hetter is that of R'Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z"l (1865-1935). As rabbi of Jaffa and the neighboring settlements (1904-1919), rabbi of Yerushalayim, and Chief Rabbi of Palestine (from 1921), R' Kook had numerous opportunities to address the issue, and his works Mishpat Kohen and Shabbat Ha'aretz bothdiscuss the Hetter Mechirah at length. Among the other major poskim who supported the Hetter Mechirah were R' Kook's successors as Chief Rabbi, R' Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog z"l (died 1959), and as Rabbi of Yerushalayim, R' Zvi Pesach Frank z"l (died 1960). Our discussion of the Hetter Mechirah will be based largely on the works of these three scholars.
The theory behind the Hetter Mechirah is that non-Jews are not commanded to observe mitzvot, including shemittah. Therefore, land owned by a non-Jew may be worked during the seventh year, even by a Jew. And, the sale permits the land to be worked during shemittah even if the sale istemporary, so long as it is enforceable and not a sham. Of course, farmers want to ensure that they will get their land back at the end of the shemittah. To address these competing needs, poskim developed a sales contract based on the contracts used for selling chametz. Under this contract, the non-Jew receives complete title to the land and its produce for one year and pays a deposit, with the final purchase price to be determined by experts at the end of the shemittah. The contract also provides that the buyer will allow the seller or those named by the seller to work the land, with all profits belonging to the buyer, and that the buyer will pay the workers a wage determined by the same experts. (In Mishpat Kohen, following siman 88, R' Kook reprints the contract that he sent to Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1909.)There are several significant issues that must be overcome by the proponents of the Hetter Mechirah, and, for this reason, many leading poskim / halachic authorities rejected the hetter. Even R' Kook wrote that the hetter was not ideal because it did not lead to shemittah observance but rather to shemittah avoidance (Mishpat Kohen, siman 63). The concerns of the opponents of the hetter and the responses of its supporters will be discussed in upcoming issues.
R' Zvi Hirsch Kalischer z"lBorn in Nissan 5555 (1795) in the town of Lissa in western Poland, R' Kalischer was a leading student of that town's rabbi, R' Yaakov Lorberbaum "Ba'al Hanetivot," and of R' Akiva Eiger. He also excelled at languages, philosophy, and various secular studies.
After refusing for a long time to accept any rabbinical position, R'Kalischer agreed to be the rabbi of his wife's hometown, Theren, but without a salary. As rabbi, he was a fierce opponent of the so-called "Enlightenment" and was able to beat back the heretics on their own ground thanks to his secular knowledge.
R' Kalischer is best known today for his leading role in encouraging the resettlement of Eretz Yisrael and for his halachic views regarding the possibility of bring sacrifices in the absence of a Bet Hamikdash. On the latter subject, he corresponded with his teacher Rabbi Akiva Eiger and with the latter's son-in-law, the Chatam Sofer, who accepted some of his views.Regarding the settlement of Eretz Yisrael, R' Kalischer taught that the Final Redemption will come about through "natural" means.
Therefore he encouraged the establishment of organizations and groups to further the goal of resettling the Land. Also, he actively lobbied leading rabbis and leading philanthropists (e.g., Montefiore and the Rothschilds) in support of settlement. Unfortunately, as Rav Meir Simcha Hakohen of Dvinsk z"l (the "Ohr Sameach") would later note in a letter, many rabbis opposed RavKalischer's nascent movement. (B'sdeh Hareiyah p.89)For example, R' Samson R. Hirsch wrote to R' Kalischer in 1864, "I do not delve into G-d's mysteries [of when the Redemption will come]. All I know is that the beaten path of our ancestors is to strengthen Torah and await the Redemption." In that same letter, R' Hirsch referred to the hopelesspoverty in Eretz Yisrael and to the fear that the average settler would be unable to keep the agricultural laws of the Land. (Shemesh Marpeh, No. 12)R' Kalischer also published a number of works on various subjects including halachah, philosophy and chumash. He passed away on 5 Marcheshvan 5635 (1874).
Noach
Volume 22, No. 2
2 Marcheshvan 5768
October 13, 2007
Sponsored by
Mrs. Esther Liberman and family
in memory of husband and father
Yaakov Azriel ben Aharon David a"h
Today's Learning:
Sanhedrin 4:4-5
O.C. 27:10-28:1
Daf Yomi (Bavli): Ketubot 42
Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Ta'anit 3
R' Samson Raphael Hirsch z"l (rabbi of Frankfurt a.M.; died 1888) writes about the month that begins today: The solemn yet joyous month of the festivals is past, and we now enter the placid and quiet month of Cheshvan [the only month of the Jewish calendar that has no observances of any kind]. What a significant month Cheshvan can be if we have been fully imbued with the spirit of Tishrei, R' Hirsch declares.
School, home, business and community all now commence a tranquil half-year [until Pesach] of striving and enjoyment. Boys and girls have returned to school, young men and young women have resumed their preparations for life, workers have returned to the full-time pursuit of their occupations, and mothers at home to their quiet, unheralded caring for their families. When they all assemble at home each evening, every cottage becomes a sanctuary, every table an altar, and every breath, a hymn to G-d.
Our task now is to truly be Jews, R' Hirsch continues. We must have the courage to build our homes as Jews, to conduct our married life as Jews, to educate our children as Jews, to enlighten our minds and warm our hearts as Jews, to enliven our conversations and plan our actions as Jews, and to consecrate our enjoyments as Jews. If we could only carry all this out in the Jewish spirit, in the complete Jewish spirit, then we might confidently await all the blessings that would result from such a way of life. (Adapted from Collected Writings Vol. II p.147)
"There were ten generations from Adam to Noach.
This teaches how patient G-d is, for all the generations angered Him until He eventually brought aflood upon them." (Pirkei Avot, chapter 5)
R' Naftali Hertz Wiesel z"l (Germany; 1725-1805) comments: The author of this Mishnah wondered why the Torah provides the complete pedigree from Adam to Noach. Why didn't the Torah just say: "Many years passed, people sinned, and Noach was born"?
Apparently, the Torah wants to teach us a lesson. We read in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Parashat Ki Tissa that G-d is patient, but we are not told how patient He is.
Therefore, says the author of our Mishnah, the Torah lists all of the generations from Adam to Noach to teach that G-d's patience lasts for ten [long] generations.
There are other lessons here as well.
First, we learn that G-d is patient even with those who are throughly evil.
Our Mishnah says that G-d was patient with each of the ten generations from Adam to Noach.
This implies that each was deserving in its own right to be wiped out in a flood.
Yet G-d was patient with them.
Finally, we learn that G-d is patient even though this creates an appearance that evil people get away with their deeds.
Although the nine generations before Noach also deserved to be flooded, as just mentioned, the members of those generations apparently died peaceful deaths in their beds. Though it may appear to us that they were not called to account for their sins, we can rest assured that that is not the case. (Yain Ha'levanon)
G-d's waiting to bring the Flood illustrates several aspects of His patience, writes R' Moshe Almosnino z"l.
First, He waited for ten generations to give the people a chance to repent, i.e., he waited for thesinners' benefit. Also, He allowed them to continue sinning for ten generations while He "waited" for a suitable person (Noach) to be born who would be the seed that would re-inhabit the world after the Flood, i.e., He waited because it was in the best interests of Creation as a whole]. (Pirkei Moshe) R' Yehonasan Eyebschutz z"l - note that he died in 1764 - explains the purpose of the Tower of Bavel, which appears in our parashah, as follows: The people of that generation feared another flood, and they thought that the only safe place for them was on the moon. They knew, however, that launching a spaceship out of the earth's atmosphere was beyond their capabilities. Therefore, they decided to build a tower with its top in the heavens, i.e., near the top of the atmosphere, and they planned to launch their ships to the moon from there. (Tiferet Yehonatan)
Shemittah
This week we begin to examine the second common halachic strategy on which many farmers in Eretz Yisrael rely to tend their orchards and fruit trees during the shemittah year. This is the "Hetter Mechirah" / the sale of the land to a gentile for the duration of the shemittah year. (Literally, "hetter" means "permission" or "release," and "mechirah" means "sale.")
The posek / halachic authority who is generally credited with formulating the Hetter Mechirah is R' Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor z"l (1816-1896; rabbi of Kovno, Russia), the leading Lithuanian posek of his time. However, the name that later became most associated with the hetter is that of R'Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z"l (1865-1935). As rabbi of Jaffa and the neighboring settlements (1904-1919), rabbi of Yerushalayim, and Chief Rabbi of Palestine (from 1921), R' Kook had numerous opportunities to address the issue, and his works Mishpat Kohen and Shabbat Ha'aretz bothdiscuss the Hetter Mechirah at length. Among the other major poskim who supported the Hetter Mechirah were R' Kook's successors as Chief Rabbi, R' Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog z"l (died 1959), and as Rabbi of Yerushalayim, R' Zvi Pesach Frank z"l (died 1960). Our discussion of the Hetter Mechirah will be based largely on the works of these three scholars.
The theory behind the Hetter Mechirah is that non-Jews are not commanded to observe mitzvot, including shemittah. Therefore, land owned by a non-Jew may be worked during the seventh year, even by a Jew. And, the sale permits the land to be worked during shemittah even if the sale istemporary, so long as it is enforceable and not a sham. Of course, farmers want to ensure that they will get their land back at the end of the shemittah. To address these competing needs, poskim developed a sales contract based on the contracts used for selling chametz. Under this contract, the non-Jew receives complete title to the land and its produce for one year and pays a deposit, with the final purchase price to be determined by experts at the end of the shemittah. The contract also provides that the buyer will allow the seller or those named by the seller to work the land, with all profits belonging to the buyer, and that the buyer will pay the workers a wage determined by the same experts. (In Mishpat Kohen, following siman 88, R' Kook reprints the contract that he sent to Baron Edmond de Rothschild in 1909.)There are several significant issues that must be overcome by the proponents of the Hetter Mechirah, and, for this reason, many leading poskim / halachic authorities rejected the hetter. Even R' Kook wrote that the hetter was not ideal because it did not lead to shemittah observance but rather to shemittah avoidance (Mishpat Kohen, siman 63). The concerns of the opponents of the hetter and the responses of its supporters will be discussed in upcoming issues.
R' Zvi Hirsch Kalischer z"lBorn in Nissan 5555 (1795) in the town of Lissa in western Poland, R' Kalischer was a leading student of that town's rabbi, R' Yaakov Lorberbaum "Ba'al Hanetivot," and of R' Akiva Eiger. He also excelled at languages, philosophy, and various secular studies.
After refusing for a long time to accept any rabbinical position, R'Kalischer agreed to be the rabbi of his wife's hometown, Theren, but without a salary. As rabbi, he was a fierce opponent of the so-called "Enlightenment" and was able to beat back the heretics on their own ground thanks to his secular knowledge.
R' Kalischer is best known today for his leading role in encouraging the resettlement of Eretz Yisrael and for his halachic views regarding the possibility of bring sacrifices in the absence of a Bet Hamikdash. On the latter subject, he corresponded with his teacher Rabbi Akiva Eiger and with the latter's son-in-law, the Chatam Sofer, who accepted some of his views.Regarding the settlement of Eretz Yisrael, R' Kalischer taught that the Final Redemption will come about through "natural" means.
Therefore he encouraged the establishment of organizations and groups to further the goal of resettling the Land. Also, he actively lobbied leading rabbis and leading philanthropists (e.g., Montefiore and the Rothschilds) in support of settlement. Unfortunately, as Rav Meir Simcha Hakohen of Dvinsk z"l (the "Ohr Sameach") would later note in a letter, many rabbis opposed RavKalischer's nascent movement. (B'sdeh Hareiyah p.89)For example, R' Samson R. Hirsch wrote to R' Kalischer in 1864, "I do not delve into G-d's mysteries [of when the Redemption will come]. All I know is that the beaten path of our ancestors is to strengthen Torah and await the Redemption." In that same letter, R' Hirsch referred to the hopelesspoverty in Eretz Yisrael and to the fear that the average settler would be unable to keep the agricultural laws of the Land. (Shemesh Marpeh, No. 12)R' Kalischer also published a number of works on various subjects including halachah, philosophy and chumash. He passed away on 5 Marcheshvan 5635 (1874).
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