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Defending the Torah vs. Loving Your Fellow
2008-02-09 19:42:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsThis past Shabbat I encountered a new phenomenon in my new religious community in Eretz Yisroel. Walking home from synagogue on Shabbos night, a police car cruised up along one of the side streets of the community. He clearly appeared to be on patrol.I continued on my way with several of my children, walking to a main intersection that has a number of synagogues. There we encountered a small crowd of men and teenagers chatting after services prior to heading home to make kiddush and start the Shabbos meal. The police cruiser had completed his patrol up and down that long side street and now came down the main street...Now, this is Israel, it's assumed that the police are Jewish. And, even if they're not, the community wants peace and quiet from weekday activities on Shabbos. They .. won't .. tolerate .. disturbances .. on .. Shabbos. They will _defend_ Shabbos.So, as the police vehicle cruised slowly by, the young men jumped into the street shouti...
More About: Loving , Torah

Book Review: The Days of Peleg
2008-02-08 10:04:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsThe Days of Peleg, by Jon Saboe, is a massive tome, and that's the wrong way to start for a tome brings thoughts of boring reference material, and The Days of Peleg is anything but boring.The author warns you right at the beginning he's going to do something unusual, he's going to immerse you in a different world view. He builds a image of our ancient world based on the narrative from the Torah and Jewish Midrashim, blending it together with history, archeology, and ancient oddities that have been discovered.We meet his main character, Peleg, in ancient Babylon, the Babylon after the fall of the Tower of Babel, a flourishing civilization of academies where, as the Midrashim teach, people don't age! (For we are before the time of Avraham avenu.) However, people are beginning to die, a new experience for society, and the academies are trying to figure out what in the world is going on.The first third of the book is spent in Babylon, as the academies debat...
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Church, Hospital, HQ, Education Building?
2008-02-07 23:05:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsSome parts of Jerusalem just have an amazing history. As I walked out of Meah Shearim one day, I passed this building, which I thought was a church...On closer inspection, I saw an Israeli flag, and saw that the icons had been chisled off! ...Well, this is darned unusual, I thought. Israel goes way overboard in respecting other religions, to the point of damaging Jewish holy sites and preventing Jewish access when it conflicts with other religions. So here you have a church that's been taken over by Israel? Pretty weird. On closer inspection, it turned out that this wasn't the case...Seems it was a hospital that the BRITISH turned into a military facility. Israel apparently found a better use for this structure. Behind it sits the new Ministry of Education building, an impressive, if much more modern, structure of it's own...In many ways, that's the living view of Jerusalem. A modern structure next to a repurposed older structure, fully in use today f...
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The Land of Israel
2008-02-07 08:24:00
(The following was forwarded by a reader, a letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbbe, it serves as an excellent reminder...)Letter To (Then) Member Of Knesset Of The Techiya Party,Mrs. Geulah Cohen,19 Sivan, 5729 (1969):Blessings and Greetings!I received your letter some time ago, but due to circumstances beyond my control, my answer was delayed until now.... I wonder a bit about your surprise that in certain circles, myself among them, the title ?State of Israel ? was never accepted. The reason is quite easy to understand: The land of Canaan was given as an inheritance to the Nation of Israel beginning with the covenant between G-d and Abraham. The name ?Land of Israel? was then established, in place of the name ?Land of Canaan.? So has it been fixed for thousands of years. This is firmly grounded in the Torah, and is rooted in the vocabulary of the entire nation, from young to old. Such matters are not subject to the vote of the majority, the outcome of which is liable to change from tim...

Amazing Architecture, NOT
2008-02-07 00:04:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIsrael has some great architecture. Obviously, the ancient and holy sites, as well as various buildings built in various centuries. Further, both the State and private developers having built some respectable structures.Naturally, it also has plenty of bland and cheap structures. But, sometimes somebody tries something that just comes out...wrong...I mean, what can you say? My best guess is some architect was walking along and stepped onto a prickle and said, hmm, I wonder if I could make a building like that...(Original photos of a really weird housing complex in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Jerusalem, by Akiva.)Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.
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What The Heck Is That???
2008-02-05 21:01:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIn honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar, mishenechnas Adar marbim b'simcha, when Adar enters we increase in joy, here's a new feature, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT???Many an Israeli government office truly deserves to be mooned. However, I think this religious Jew is probably just reading one of the signs on the closed door. The sign reads, "Office of Drivers Licenses, Center City Branch"Sometimes, you truly must be a native to have a clue what's being said. As far as my wife, daughter, and I can tell, this sign says:SALES HELP WANTEDExperienced, and With a Big Head (???)Details WithinSo, a nun, an iman, and a (what the heck is that guy???) walk into a bar...AHHHH, angry guard goose! It just laid an egg, and nobody is getting anywhere near it. Run away, run away...Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Thank You Hashem!
2008-02-05 09:56:00
by R. Nati at Mystical PathsMy family and I travel daily to yeshiva in Jerusalem, south through the hills of the Shomron (West Bank). In the elevation of the mountain roads, snow is still on the ground (from last week's snowfall) and ice patches in the morning make the driving dangerous.Every day we travel in our little car we are in the hands of Hashem. Not only when the road is icy of course. The roads themselves are not great (not terrible, but below average), and lots of people are in a hurry (Jewish and Arab) going down a 2 lane road which also carries significant Arab truck traffic as the commerce of daily living goes on. The trucks are slow, the cars are fast, the road is 2 lanes, it can be nerve racking.Yesterday, with multiple children in the car, we hopped in our little car and headed out. My daughter was starting her day by saying Tikun Klali (from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov), my sons playfully nudging each other in the way of boys. We entered the main road, speeded up...

Sometimes
2008-02-04 21:51:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsOne of my little girls (not sooo little anymore at 8) joined me grocery shopping. As we went from aisle to aisle, picking the needed items (and working to decipher the Israeli shoppoing deals, lets see, 4 for 32 at 600 grams, and you have to buy 4, is that better than 1 for 4.5 at 400 grams?), we came across a nice cookie sale. She asked, I said no and moved on...She stomped her foot, she whined, she complained, PLEASE BUY THE COOKIES!!!! On I moved down the next aisle as the whining continued. I was getting a little frustrated and thought, I never give in to whining, when I say no it's no, so why is she doing this?I stopped the cart and looked at her, her little pouting face looking up at me, and asked her, "Hey, hold on a minute, why are you whining, you know when I say no it's no, whining doesn't work with me now does it?" She gave me a huge smile, looked up at me and said, "Well, sometimes it does."Grrr, rrrrr, ack.RIBONO SHEL OLAM, ABBA B'SHAM...

The Spiritual Perspective, Part 15
2008-02-04 07:26:00
by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths?The light (ner) of Hashem is the soul of man.?[i] The word ner is commonly translated as ?candle? or ?lamp.? Accordingly, many people think that this proverb teaches us that ?The candle of Hashem is the soul of man.? But this does not fit the proverb?s meaning. The proper definition of ner, as it is used here, is really ?light.? It is the light of Hashem that is the soul of man, not the candle of Hashem. The candle of Hashem is man?s body, not his soul.King Solomon wrote these words to give us an excellent description of the human condition.Each of us is likened to a candle that has somehow been placed here in this world. The candle represents our physicality, our individual bodies. Each candle is single and unique. But the candle is just wax and wick, nothing more. It cannot light its own light because it does not have any fire to light it with. The light has to be brought to it from somewhere else.Once the candle is lit, we say that the candle...
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The Separation Of Israel, From Israel, or From G-d.
2008-02-04 07:04:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsThe kabbalistic prophecies of Armalis HaRasha, an anti-redeemer figure, in some ways describe a tragic figure. He believes he's taking the logical and necessary steps to save Israel , while going against G-d and the Torah is taking steps to destroy it... Bush told Olmert that he would not waste his precious last year in office on brokering a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians unless both sides were serious about reaching a deal. It is the opinion of the government of the State of Israel that a deal can in fact be reached, Ramon says. ?It doesn?t mean that on the first of January, 2009, a Palestinian flag will be raised over Jerusalem, ? he cautions. ?But we will reach a framework, a Declaration of Principles, in 2008, and that will be the agreement that will be implemented in the future.?When I ask Ramon whether he shares Olmert?s opinion that Israel will be ?finished? if the two-state solution collapses, he cocks his head. ?I say that Israel is r...
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480 Million Dollars of Gaza Hypocrisy
2008-02-03 13:09:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsVia Sultan Knish, via Sandmonkey...The poor penniless people of Gaza don't seem to be really that Penniless. Between buying basic survival necessities such as Cement, Motorcycles, and Dish receivers, they have spent almost half a billion dollars there in less than 2 weeks: 480 million dollars to be exact.Let's do a little math to understand what that means. UN population statistics state Gaza birth rates are 8 children per woman, the highest in the world. Since the women and children didn't run to Gaza (the men did), that means the money was spent by the men. Further, only 1/2 of the Gaza population went, meaning 480 million dollars was spent by ~75,000 men.Or, $6,400 spent in 1 week for the average man of the average Gaza family. IN CASH.Photo credit NY Times, note large TV and man with cartons of cigarettes.Hey, I'm happy the Gazans are able to go shopping and enjoy the latest in consumer electronics. Just don't overdo telling me about their int...
More About: Hypocrisy , Million , Dollars

Do Not Ignore The Cries of Those In Need!
2008-02-02 23:48:00
A story from Kav HaYashar, by HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover, zt"l, (1705) Perek Tet...It is related in the writings of the Ari (Rabbi Yitzchok Luria, zt"l, the founder of the Lurianic system of Kabbalah), that one time he and his students were sitting in the field in which the prophet Hoshea ben B'eiri was buried. The Ari, zt"l, was delivering a lecture on the secrets of the Torah.Suddenly, in the middle of the lecture the Ari (zt"l) said, "In the name of Hashem, quickly gather tzedakah (charity) from among yourselves that we may send money to a certain poor man who lives nearby in such-and-such a place. His name is Rabbi Yaakov Altortz, and he is sitting and weeping, complaining to Heaven about his poverty. His voice is ascending On High, piercing all the firmaments and entering into the innermost chambers.As a result, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is filled with wrath against the entire city for not taking pity upon him. In fact, a proclamation has just been issued throughout all...
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Aliyah Update: It's Cold Here!
2008-01-31 20:07:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIt's cold, by Israeli standards, really cold. And really really windy. Cold ? Oh, about 40 degrees (F) or so. Now, where we moved from, it was 22 (F) yesterday, so what are we complaining about?Buildings here are stone, as in concrete block, outside and inside walls. Floors are tile. It feels cold, even in a well heated apartment or house. In winter, everyone wears sweaters _indoors_ constantly, everywhere.Not all that many apartments or houses have central heating. Space heaters are somewhat the norm. Even in homes that have central heating, it's probably just the central living spaces, bedrooms, living/dining rooms, kitchen. Not the bathrooms or laundry room or anything like that. So even if your home is warm, certain parts aren't.The wind gusts are incredible. I've got stuff weighted down on our patio. And every gust I feel through the house. Apparently, insulation and weather sealing is somewhat unknown here.With the wind chill and rain,...
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I Met Eliyahu Today...
2008-01-31 09:35:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsThis aliyah thing is becoming difficult. Seems we made an unexpected bad choice, to move into a somewhat American / Anglo area. Why was this a bad choice? In a word, Nefesh b'Nefesh.I've written briefly about them in the past, and I highly endorse what they do, which is prep, plan, and heavily fund professional Jewish families making aliyah from the US and England (and Canada?) They've got an end-to-end support process, it's a thing of beauty and, thank G-d, highly successful so far.So why is this a problem? Well, we didn't come via Nefesh b'Nefesh. And, if you're in an area that's seen a Nefesh b'Nefesh influx and you don't have their system working for you, well, you're just the odd man out.I spent the day in the city's educational office. With all my young children. Traveling through freezing rain. Why? Because none of the local yeshivas will accept ANY of my children. Seems, as I mentioned above, we're odd. We didn't come on mu...
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Mocking Holiness
2008-01-30 13:19:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsWhen the emes is laughed at, when the holy ones are being made fun of, mocked, made into a joke, then you know the time of Moshiach is very very close...Excerpts from the "lyrics"...Be warned Holy Land, of the hi definition...Gevald it's Sodom and Gemorah, HDTV it's against the Torah...Now the (inappropriate) look well, you will all go to hell,Or in Hebrew: Yishmor HoKel (G-d save us)This is a commercial for satellite HDTV service in Israel. In Israel, speech against the government can get you interrogated, speech against the Arab sector can get you investigated and publicly attacked, but speech against the Torah and the ultra-orthodox sector is perfectly acceptable.This is the worst of all levels, to disagree, to ignore, to argue, to make fun of is the worst.Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.
More About: Holiness

Calling Campaign to Rabbinic Leadership
2008-01-29 21:07:00
CAJL Conference of Authentic Jewish Leadership CC Calling Campaign to Rabbinic LeadershipShvat 6758 January 29th, 2008Re: President Bush's comments regarding the HolyLand Once again, with a standing ovation of most of the House, President Bush spoke of his vision of peace and harmony in the HolyLand with Two Democratic States living side by side in the HOLYLAND. How can we be Silent to this clear disregard of the Torah??? The Promised Land was Promised to the seed of Abraham in the Brith Bein Habesarim. and subsequently to the seed of Isaac and to the seed of Jacob as an EVERLASTING inheritance exclusively to the Nation of Israel and we in turn must observe the commandments.. Please call and/or email: Rabbi Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Rabbi Avi Shafran, and Rabbi Gertzulin - Public Affaris can be reached at Agudath Yisroel 212-797-9000 Rabbi Pesach Lerner at The Young Israel can be reached at 212-929-1525Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb of the OU can be reached at 212-563-4000Rabbi Yeh...

Buried in Flour?
2008-01-29 21:04:00
The Boston Globe has just run an op-ed under the headline "Ending the Stranglehold on Gaza." The authors are Eyad al-Sarraj, identified as founder of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and Sara Roy, identified as senior research scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University...I do want to call attention to this sentence: Although Gaza daily requires 680,000 tons of flour to feed its population, Israel had cut this to 90 tons per day by November 2007, a reduction of 99 percent. You don't need to be a math genius to figure out that if Gaza has a population of 1.5 million, as the authors also note, then 680,000 tons of flour a day come out to almost half a ton of flour per Gazan, per day.1,000 pounds of flour per day per person. That's a serious quantity of pasta, pita, who knows, maybe sourdough? 1,000 pounds for you to eat, every .. single .. day! Yowza.And the propaganda machine against the evil Jews rolls on. At what point do you think peopl...
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What's Going On At The Kotel...
2008-01-29 07:36:00
Original Photos by Akiva at Mystical PathsFor a couple of years now, the back of the Western Wall Plaza has been walled off, under excavation. Here's what there is to see, as of today...Apparently, a street and a series of stores from ancient times, possibly from the days of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) have been found (notice the huge flagstones, known from the time of Herod and the 2nd Beis HaMikdash)...The assumption being, the reason for stores at this location would be directly to service the Beis HaMikdash. As in, buy your components for korbonos (sacrifices) here...doves, sheep, wine, flour, oil. A large stylized mural has been painted outside the Kotel plaza showing this...By the Kotel itself, we see that half the womens section has been taken over by the 'temporary' wooden bridge to the Temple Mount gate...The temporary ramp was placed there to allow the Mugrabi hill, which was serving as a ramp to Har Habayit for police access and Jewish visitor (very limited and...

Isn't That Special?
2008-01-28 22:19:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsObama wins...Hillary says...McCain receives...Edwards responds...Kennedy supports...Guiliani strategizes...As far as I can tell, all that's been going on in the US for the last 6 months is the presidential election. Of course, it's got another 10 months to go...Not much about ongoing severe disaster level weather that keeps hitting various parts of the US.Not much about the mortgage crisis, increasing foreclosures, "ghost town like" neighborhoods.Not much about the major collapse of world stock markets, along with an almost 10% drop of US markets, ongoing falling US dollar value, and things moving from a "possible recession" to a "hopefully not too deep recession or worse".LOTS about politics, useless politics, silly info, and a process that seems to have gone wacko.LOTS about Britney Spears, Linsey Lohan, and the untimely death of some actor I never heard of before.My dear readers, if the news media was ONLY manipulative, it would be bad. But when they...
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The Spiritual Perspective, Part 14
2008-01-28 07:29:00
by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical PathsAnother example of searching for the spiritual perspective by moving up the ladder of holiness involves the Chanukah menorah (candle holder). The holder has a degree of holiness since it is used to fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah lights. We treat the menorah with respect, but the menorah comes only to hold the oil or candles. The oil or candles have a greater share of holiness since they are essential to light the required flame. But really, it is their wicks that are the essence of the lighting. The oil or candles are there only to feed the wicks. But the wicks come only to hold the flame, so the flame is holier than the wicks. But the flame burns only to give light, so the light is more holy than the flame.All these ingredients come to create light for us to gaze upon in order to remember the miracles of Chanukah. This is the purpose of the mitzvah, and all of the steps along the way serve this purpose.Use this same method of inqui...
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Motzie Shabbat At The Kotel
2008-01-27 22:27:00
Photos by Akiva at Mystical PathsSupport the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.
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Stockholm Syndrome
2008-01-27 07:31:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsStockholm Syndrome - is a psychological response sometimes seen in an abducted hostage, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger (or at least risk) in which the hostage has been placed. Stockholm syndrome is also sometimes discussed in reference to other situations with similar tensions, such as battered person syndrome, sexual assault cases, child abuse cases and bride kidnapping.Loyalty to a more powerful abuser ? in spite of the danger that this loyalty puts the victim in ? is common among victims of domestic abuse, battered partners and child abuse (dependent children). In many instances the victims choose to remain loyal to their abuser, and choose not to leave him or her, even when they are offered a safe placement in foster homes or safe houses. This unhealthy type of mental phenomenon is also known as Trauma-Bonding OR Bonding-to-the-Perpetrator.Welcome to Stockholm Syndrome Israeli style, bonding to...

A Tidbit of Media Honesty - Gaza
2008-01-26 21:57:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsFor days, Hamas and the world media have given us stories of the horrible plight of Gaza blackouts (with photos taken DURING THE DAY) and the horrible situation of a 'contained population'. The horror of the Israelis in preventing the Gaza population from buying big-screen TV's (oops, did I just say that) has been regaled to us daily.Until a few taglines on some photos at the NY Times accidentally leak out the true story...Those aren't Israeli troops facing those poor souls, those are Egyptian troops. NY Times: Egypt Attempts to Secure Border. Egypt moved to restore its border with Gaza on Friday, stationing border guards and riot police to try to block Palestinians from entering, but Palestinians used a bulldozer to knock down another portion of the wall. But why? I though it was the Israelis doing the blockading and causing the horrible suffering of high priced cigarettes???Oooh, Ouch, nasty Israelis beating up poor oppressed Palestinians? Umm, nop...
More About: Media , Honesty

Synchronicity
2008-01-25 08:34:00
by Elisheva's Alerts! at Mystical PathsEvent Synchronicity with Gog Bush visited our land....- Yechezkel 36-39: Chapter 38, Gog coming upon the land. Line 9 - "You will ascend like mist. Like mist you will come; like a cloud to cover the earth... "Commentary - like mist - Hebrew C - shoah. Like darkness that covers the earth, Shoah. Rashi: fog, mist. Radak - like a multitude of abundant water, which comes quickly, making noise and flooding. R. Eliezer of Beaugency defines shoah as follows: It is a cloud that ascends suddenly, as a storm wind, and covers the entire earth. When it comes, its sound is heard from afar. Therefore it is called Shoah, stirring or roaring, as in the roaring of abundant waters. On January 8, a 'freak tornado' hit Jerusalem, Arkansas, USA -- the day Bush came to Jerusalem, Israel...1) Tornado season is not in JANUARY.2) This tornado hits a city called 'Jerusalem'.3) It destroys a church called, 'Mt. Zion'.4) Hits in a place called 'Pope'...

Mi K'Amcha
2008-01-25 08:29:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsNot content with a fish story, my wife and daughter passing through the Jerusalem Central Bus Station today left our cell phone behind.It's a nice cell phone, and one of those that you just replace the SIM card and it's instantly yours.Amazingly, or rather, not so amazingly in Israel, a few minutes after arriving home we received a call, "Allo, I found your cell phone, where do you live as I'd like to return it to you."Seems a secular Jewish security guard, an immigrant from Russia from many years ago, found the phone and just felt a need to perform the mitzvah of Hashavas Avedah, returning a lost object. But wait, Jerusalem is a big town, and of course buses go from that station all over Israel. Where does the guard live, is it feasible to return the phone (or do we have to arrange for it some time in the future?)Turns out he lives in the same town! In the same area! Just outside our neighborhood, in the secular neighborhood right next to the religi...

Very Cool - City of David
2008-01-24 11:09:00
Very cool flash animations of the city that Dovid HaMelech, King David , built. From Jerusalem of old to Jerusalem today.City of David.org.il
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Nasty Israeli Blockade
2008-01-24 06:50:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsIsrael blockades Gaza! UN Security Council takes up deliberations.Palestinians hemmed in for two years by Israeli blockade seize the chance to buy food, TVs, sheep and other goods in Egypt (after Hamas blows up border wall).Nasty Israelis, stopping the poor Palestinians from buying TVs by blockading the Gaza - Egyptian border!!!Oh wait, the Israeli's don't patrol or control that border, the Egyptians do.Hmmm, how can the Israeli's be blockading a border they don't control or patrol? Doesn't matter, must be their fault! Bad Jew, bad!Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Aliyah: Forest and Trees, Jerusalem and a Fish
2008-01-23 22:06:00
by Akiva at Mystical PathsSometimes, it's hard to connect. Am I looking at the forest, or lost in the trees? Here I am in Eretz HaKodesh, the Holy Land, Eretz Yisroel, the Land of Israel, the land G-d promised to Avraham, to Yitzchok, to Yaakov, and I'm worried about...schools, and fish...Every step walked in Eretz Yisroel is a mitzvah. I returned a rental car near the Old City and began to walk. Now, I'm not much of a walker. I'm the kind of guy who jumped in the car to go across the street. Walking was strictly a Shabbos activity. Now, there may be certain, umm, girth oriented negative effects of that lifestyle. But hey, time is money, who has time to actually, like, walk.But today, in the Holy City, in the Holy Land, I began to...walk. Down the hill, up the hill, through Ben Yehuda (some weird undecipherable protest going by, they're actually holding the signs upside down and chanting something incomprehensible, guess it makes them feel better), up to the shuk. Huffing,...
More About: Jerusalem , Fish , Trees , Forest

The Reality of S'Derot
2008-01-23 18:55:00
Noam BedeinSderot Information Center for the Western Negev Ltdwww.SederotMedia.org ?Over 250,000 Israelis now live under the threat of the kassam missiles?- Head of Israeli Military Intelligence to the Israel Knesset Parliament Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, Jan.1st, 2008 Since the first day of January until today, January 20th, over 430 Kassam missiles and mortars were launched towards Sderot, the Western Negev and Ashkelon , according to the IDF spokesman. In 2007, over 2300 missiles and mortars were launched towards Israel from Gaza. How many thousands of kassam missiles will be launched in the year 2008 towards Israel? Living through 200 rockets in the past few days launched towards Sderot?Hearing the screeching siren- ?Red Color- Tseva Adom? every time a rocket is launched? Running for cover in the 15 seconds left? Hearing the whistle, and a few seconds later an enormous explosion?And listening to that laconic newscast on the Voice of Israel ??No Damage, No Injuries,...
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We Know Who You Are
2008-01-21 21:54:00
by Akiva at Mystical Paths"There's an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all is recorded in a book."These words of our sages are meant to teach us to carefully measure our words and actions, for we will be taken to account for them at the heavenly beis din (the heavenly court after 120 years, the end of our lives).For many years, the idea that life was being recorded was somewhat difficult to grasp. How could that much detail truly be captured? Yet, now we have entered the digital age, the information age, the age of MP3 recorders the size of a small coin, cameras the size of a pen, hard disks that can hold the accumulated knowledge of mankind on your own personal computer, and the Internet where that information is published everywhere. And that's just the stuff available to the public.Yet, will we be afraid of being, G-d forbid, embarrassed or interrogated here in this world? Or will be continue to remember the words of our sages and be careful with our actions that even ...