Torah, Torah everywhere

I have some homework to do for my journalism course.  I have to watch some morning programs on TV.

I don't know what stations are where on my TV, so I flipped through the channels, and discovered that on station 98, the Knesset Station, is the Tanach Group in the Knesset.

Prof Yair Zekowitz of Hebrew U is giving a class on Yoseph's dreams and he mentioned that Freud's ideas about dreams are preceded by Our Sources - explanations of dreams in the Nevi'im for instance.  The class is jointly presented by Prof Zekowitz and Prof Avigdor Shanaan.

Sitting at the head of the table is the Speaker of the House, Reuven Rivlin , and some others with and without kippot (Rivlin is wearing a kipa now).  MKs and other knesset workers participate in the "chug".

The program of monthly Tanach classes was a joint initiative of the Hebrew U professors and then-Speaker of the House, Dalia Itzik, with the goal of making Tanach learning available and relevant to all - religious and not-so-religious as one.   The learning is very in-depth, with midrashim and connections to the nevi'im and Jewish history that we did not learn in high school or seminary, with the gentle reminder that, "what a great Tanach Researcher can uncover after much research, Hazal tell us clearly."

Seems that the dreams of Sar haMashkim and Sar Ha'ofim are also a promise that the galut will end.  Sar HaMashkim's dream refers to galut mitzrayim.   The three bread baskets on the Sar Ha'ofim are the three galuyot and the bird is Mashiah.....

High school students who are interested in attending are invited (they must send a request to dafnali@education.gov.il), and the Knesset pays for transportation.

Now, I had better go do my homework, as the questions I have to answer were not solved in my dream last night....

Miracles aren't measured by how long they last

Hanuka is such an interesting holiday.  We were taught stories in school, and then we grew up and found out that school simplified everything.  History, as recorded in Sefer haMakabim includes major details that change the perspective quite a bit.

For instance - the miracle of lighting in the Beit HaMikdash was NOT at the end of the war, after kicking the Greeks out of the country.     The war went on for years afterwards, with occasional victories on each side.   And the Hashmonaim (well, this was known by some already), it seems that they didn't stay so pure and Gd-fearing:  they took the throne from Shevet Yehuda, and within a couple of generations, the Kohen HaGadol from the Hashmonai family was Yanai - a Tzeduki.

But we still thank Gd for eight whole days, even now that we know that the story didn't end so well.  That the Jews weren't really independent after the Greeks.  Shortly thereafter came the Romans, and the rest is history.

I think Hanuka is about thanking HaShem for big miracles that didn't last forever, for unexpected chances to raise our heads up above the water, take a breath, and then get back into the struggle that is called Real Life with more energy.  Hanuka is remembering that that breath and that energy isn't just caffeine or a sunny day.  And even if it is those, those also come from HaShem.

This past week's Nashim magazine ran four stories about recent visible miracles.  One of these articles was about our city's beloved, universally-respected Rav David Avraham Spektor, Rav of the southern neighbourhoods of Beit Shemesh and in charge of Mikvaot and Eruvin.   Rav Spektor was diagnosed many months ago with an "incurable" form of cancer.  However, after a few months of prayers and treatments and more prayers, Rav Spektor was pronounced clear of cancer, and he made a Seduat Hodaya.   Oevr the past months, he was back to work, and pulled off the miraculous opening of a mikva in RBS with the cooperation of certain groups that have never before cooperated with a Dati-Leumi Rav.   

But that is who he is and how he is.  He finds the way to work with everyone, so that, as he said in the article, the non-praying folk of a nearby kibbutz, as well as the insular Toldos Aharon folk here in RBS, were all having organized tefillot for his refuah.

As the article went to print midweek, Rav Spektor found out that the cancer is back.   The interviewer asked something to the effect of whether the Rav rescinds his hodaya to HaShem for his miraculous recovery last spring.  Rav Spektor's answer:  "The miracle of my recovery is not in any way affected by my being sick again afterwards."  Baruch Hashem, despite all medical expectations, Rav Spektor was healthy for 8 months, and BEH, he will be again soon.

Please continue to daven for David Avraham ben Faiga b'toch she'ar holei Yisrael"

link to the Rav's facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rabbi-David-Spektor-shlitah-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%91-%D7%93%D7%95%D7%93-%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%98%D7%90/173329982761131?fref=ts

Gemahim, gemahim everywhere

Among the crazy things I am doing this year is taking a course in journalism in a college in Yerushalaim.  

So, here I am pretending to write, and in the break I run to the facilities to wash my face.  And there, at the mirror, is a box of make-up wipes, with a note on them: "גמ"ח למי שרוצה לקחת" = Gemah for whoever wants to take.

Ceasefire

I guess we don't yet deserve to win.

Very sad.

Yes, we still have to thank HaShem for the many, many miracles.  The miracle of Iron Dome.  The miracles of so few people being hurt.  

But watching the enemy celebrating their victory in Azza right now is really painful.

Kipat Barzel

I apologize for forgetting to mention another Israeli leader, with whom I do not agree, who did a tremendously important thing for Am Yisrael.

Amir Peretz, who is way too left for my tastes, was the initiator of the Iron Dome batteries, which have shot down over a hundred missiles from Azza in the past 3 days.

No one is perfect.  There are a lot of different groups with their own ideas of how to help Am Yisrael and develop Eretz Yisrael.  And Hashem is using many of those groups to bring blessing, salvation and Geula.

It is up to us to appreciate all of Hashem's hasadim and his messengers.

Hessed, hessed everywhere

Of course, you will not be surprised to hear that the "Isuzu 4x4" email forum has created an internet link for purposes of hosting families from the areas under fire.

And the fact that none of us are surprised shows how great Israelis are.  No one is too concerned with his own personal life and leisure to be apathetic now.

I hope that the rubbing shoulders involved in hosting people from the south, will help the hosts from everywhere in the country feel closer and more caring about our brothers all around the country.

Gaining Historical Perspective

DH was at work , minding his work-related business, when a co-worker, presenting information at a meeting, gets a call from her babysitter in Gedera.  "What should I do,  we were just ordered to spend the next few hours in the miklat."  Should she take the kids to her parents' house?  Stay at the house with no adult till she gets home?  Go to a neighbour?

Parents have to leave work early - if their work is within those 40 km from Azza, work is over for today or longer.   If not, they have to stop, abandon what they are doing, and get back to the kids.

They pick up all ten kids who are still waiting for a bus at Masmiya.  yes, the car has only 7 seats.  But leaving them out there exposed - is that better?

The makolet is open for a couple of hours.  People are trying to get out as fast as they can.  While they want to make each other feel better, each person is preoccupied with their personal worries.  One woman's preemie nephew has been moved to another hospital.  One grandmother ha five grandchildren serving in the army now.   Everyone is a bundle of nerves, fuses are short.

How many wars have you been in Israel for?  How did affect your mood?

Israel has had more than one war per decade.   And that is without counting all the "periods" of terror attacks, pogroms, and general anti-Jewish/ anti-Israeli activity by Arabs, that have been going on for over one hundred years.

Nerves in Israel are tight.  Moods fluctuate quickly.  it would be interesting to do a psychological study of the Israeli Personality.  But we all know , without any statistics, that an Israeli is a loving, caring, tense, hurried-and-worried, doing-the-best-she-can parent, sister, grandmother, daughter, who has been too too many funerals.

That our neighbours and coworkers are not complete traumatized is a miracle.

I think that it behooves us to show some appreciation for what "Israelis" go through and have been going through for all these decades, in order to enable our generation to make Aliya to a first-world country that was complete desert only 75 years ago.  
More understanding, patience and kind words to our Israeli neighbours, more emotional support, and more involvement in national issues, seem a good way to start.


My latest idea is to collect games to take to people living in their miklatim.