Friday, July 18, 2014

Parsha Matos, stories, war diary



The soldier Wounded from Mortar Fire's Condition Deteriorates. Public asked to keep praying for Mordechai Hai ben Bracha Yehudit after sudden turn for the worse. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183031#.U8jUjsaKDIV


Parsha Matos

Having left the reality of the act of Pinchas and Moshe going up the mountain and giving the reigns to Yehoshua Bin Nun we are going to discuss now the laws of annulling a vow. I can just imagine after the recent rocket attacks somebody making a Neder to tear each member of Hamas apart with his bare hands and going to a Rabbi to remove the Neder. A woman is even more emotional than a man and therefore her husband or father was given the power to remove the Neder which a daughter under the age of 12 made or one’s wife.

We enter into a new section here with the war on the Midian Tribe that seduced Am Yisrael and the conditions of captivity and spoils. I assume that out of the girls under the age of 3 that were captured and converted we all have Midian Genes in our blood today. This section is followed by the laws of ritual purification of vessels.

30:2 And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded. 3 When a man vows a vow unto the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 4 Also when a woman vows a vow unto the LORD, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth, 5 and her father hears her vow, or her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 6 But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 7 And if she be married to a husband, while her vows are upon her, or the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; 8 and her husband hear it, whatsoever day it be that he hears it, and hold his peace at her; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 9 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; and the LORD will forgive her. 10 But the vow of a widow, or of her that is divorced, even everything wherewith she has bound her soul, shall stand against her. 11 And if a woman vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, 12 and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 13 But if her husband make them null and void in the day that he hears them, then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips, whether it were her vows, or the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD will forgive her. 14 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may let it stand, or her husband may make it void.

Both the daughter and wife have to listen to the authority. Usually, the husband handles the purse strings. But even still, she might want to vow no more relations with the husband or have anything to do with his mother or sister he can null her vow.

…17 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father's house.
31:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shall you be gathered unto thy people.'

If you and I heard that this would happen unto us what would be our natural thought? We would take our time. The joke is that Russia asked a few men what they would like for their last request. One said I want a liter of vodka. They gave him the same and executed him another a great meal. The third asked to be buried next to Putin. They said, “But he is alive.” He replied, “I can wait!”

3 And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: 'Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD'S vengeance on Midian.

Midian is a small nation yet Moshe calls upon all 600,000 men to be ready even if he does not need all for the battle.

4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.' 5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

Out of the 600,000 soldiers only 12000 were needed to 2/100ths of the people or 1 in 50 soldiers would be taken for war.

6 And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.

Them along with Phinehas: This shows that Phinehas equaled them all (Sifrei Mattoth 34). Why did Phinehas go, and Eleazar did not go? The Holy One, blessed is He, said, “The one who began the mitzvah by killing Cozbi the daughter of Zur, should finish it” (Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3). Another interpretation: He sought the vengeance of Joseph, his maternal grandfather, for it says, “And the Medanites sold him” (Gen. 37:36) (Sifrei Mattoth 34, Sotah 43a). How do we know that the Phinehas’s mother was [descended] from Joseph? Because it says,“[Eleazar the son of Aaron took himself one] of the daughters of Putiel (פּוּטִיאֵל)” (Exod. 6:25) [meaning] of the descendants of Jethro, who fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idolatry, and from the descendants of Joseph, who made light of (פִּטְפֵּט) his passion and prevailed over it [when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife]. Another interpretation: He was [the kohen] anointed for war. — [Sotah 43a] The sacred utensils: The holy Ark (Sifrei Mattoth 34, Num. Rabbah 22:4) and the golden showplate (Mid. Aggadah), since Balaam was with them and through sorcery was able to make the Midianite kings fly, and he flew along with them, he [Phinehas] showed them the showplate on which God’s Name was engraved, and they fell down [to earth]. For this reason it says, concerning the Midianite kings, “upon their slain” (verse 8), for they fell from the air on top of those slain. Likewise, it says in the book of Joshua (13:22) in connection with Balaam, “upon (sic) their slain.” - [Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 4] In his possession: Heb. בְּיָדוֹ, lit. in his hand, [here] in his possession. Similarly, “taking all his land from his possession (מִיָּדוֹ) ” (Num. 21: 26). - [Sifrei Mattoth 37]


We have a tradition that 12,000 others were used to transport supplies and another 12,000 sat and learned Torah so that we would have a victory.


7 And they warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew every male.

I do not know about every Arab but certainly every Hamas Person is behaving like Amalek and if we destroy all the males there will be no more war from them  for a long-long time.

8 And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

The five kings of Midian: Do I not see that the verse lists five [kings]? Why was it necessary [for Scripture] to say “five”? But it is to teach you that they were all equally involved in the conspiracy, and they all received the same punishment. Balaam went there [to Midian] to receive his reward for the twenty-four thousand that had fallen from Israel as a result of his advice, and now he left Midian to meet the Israelites, and he offered them harmful advice. He said to them, “If, when you were six hundred thousand, you could not overcome them, and now with twelve thousand, you come to fight?” They gave him his just deserts-in full, without depriving him in the least. — [Sifrei Mattoth 40] With the sword: He came against Israel and exchanged his craft for theirs. For they are victorious only with their mouths, through prayer and supplication, and he came and adopted their craft to curse them with his mouth. So they too came against him by exchanging their craft for the craft of the nations, who come with the sword, as it says [concerning Esau],“And you shall live by your sword” (Gen. 27:40). - [See Mid. Tanchuma Balak 8]


These kings seem to be sheiks of small tribes that lived in each place or perhaps what we would call mayors of a town or village.

9 And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.

As was the custom in wars during those days. However, Yisrael died in the plague do to their women and so we have an exception here.

10 And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire. 11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast. 12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp, unto the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.

The soldiers were disciplined and did not take the spoils for themselves but brought them in an orderly fashion to Moshe.

13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15 And Moses said unto them: 'Have ye saved all the women alive?

Chabad translates this as follows: Did you allow all the females to live? The meaning is why did you allow. The reason is that Yisrael is above the standard convention of war. We are under Chanchaga HASHEM. We do not take orders from men but from HASHEM. [Now draw your own conclusions about Amalek in Gaza and what the Torah thinks for these lovelies threw the Fatah People 14 stories to their deaths. A 14 story high refugee shanty you may ask – draw your own conclusions.]      "Did you allow all the females to live? "Did you allow all the females to live? "Did you allow all the females to live? "Did you allow all the females to live?

16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18 But all the women children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

The Pshat here is if the female was a virgin she shall be kept alive as she could not be a fertility Kedisha. The interpretation is from 3 years and younger. However, I tend to think more in terms of the Pshat. It would seem to me that after 33 centuries, we would all have Ketura genes within us. Look at this our enemies Moav and Midian via David Melech Yisrael almost all of us have Moav genes within us. Among the Goyim one’s tribe goes according to the father. Thus if an Amalek woman married a Moav male, her child would be Moav and vice versa. Today in Judaism, the tribe comes from the father but the Judaism comes from the mother as she instills it into the child.  

19 And encamp ye without the camp seven days; whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your captives. 20 And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood, ye shall purify.'

Today we do not hold ritual purification at all but we do not consider a non-Jew who dies Tumay as when he was alive he was not Tahor and therefore not Para Aduma is needed for purifications. Not so here they are treated like dead Jews. Is this the exception or has our Halacha changed 180 degrees with the years?

21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war that went to the battle: 'This is the statute of the law which the LORD hath commanded Moses: 22 Howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abides not the fire ye shall make to go through the water. 24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye may come into the camp.'


This is the basis for the laws of koshering pots, pans, ovens, utensils etc.

25 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 26 'Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the congregation; 27 and divide the prey into two parts: between the men skilled in war, that went out to battle, and all the congregation; 28 and levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the flocks;

Today we are not supposed to take spoils of war. However theoretically we use a neutron bomb and the population is wiped out should we let the houses and couches inside etc. go to waste? Therefore, we have the above guide lines.

…53 For the men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.-- 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle, 2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying: 3 'Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle.'

There is no rebellion against Moshe or HASHEM but a request similar to the request of the five daughters regarding their inheritance.

5 And they said: 'If we have found favor in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession; bring us not over the Jordan.' 6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: 'Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit here? 7 And wherefore will ye turn away the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? 8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshkol, and saw the land, they turned away the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10 And the LORD'S anger was kindled in that day, and He swore, saying: 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed Me; 12 save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed the LORD. 13 And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander to and fro in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. 14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, a brood of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15 For if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and so ye will destroy all this people.'

Moshe is talking this way to them because he fears another rebellion against his leadership and he has been told by HASHEM that after the war of Midian he is going to be gathered to his forefathers. He wants to clean this up before Yehoshua takes over.

16 And they came near unto him, and said: 'We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones; 17 but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place; and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

They make a pledge to help the Bnei Yisrael conquer the land and settle in it.

19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward, because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.'
20 And Moses said unto them: 'If ye will do this thing: if ye will arm yourselves to go before the LORD to the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the LORD, until He hath driven out His enemies from before Him, 22 and the land be subdued before the LORD, and ye return afterward; then ye shall be clear before the LORD, and before Israel, and this land shall be unto you for a possession before the LORD. 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD; and know ye your sin which will find you. 24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.' 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke unto Moses, saying: 'Thy servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27 but thy servants will pass over, every man that is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says.' 28 So Moses gave charge concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

The request is not out of anger or rebellion but out of a request for good land for their cattle and sheep.

29 And Moses said unto them: 'If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man that is armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; 30 but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.' 31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying: 'As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do. 32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.' 33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities thereof with their borders, even the cities of the land round about.

So the people of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe will inherit the land over the Yarden but will be part of Am Yisrael.

34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer; 35 and Atroth-shophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah; 36 and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran; fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim; 38 and Nebo, and Baal-meon--their names being changed--and Sibmah; and gave their names unto the cities which they builded. 39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites that were therein. 40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the villages thereof, and called them Havvoth-jair. 42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

The Nature of Amalek

The hatred of Amalek for Yisrael is so great that they will make homicide bombings using explosives strapped to their own person or when they get a phone call in Arab from the IDF refuse to leave their house or let their wife and children leave to be Shahidim this is pure wickedness. Amalek hit us by the way on buses or rockets into residential areas or factories this is not the way of a normal freedom fighting organization like the Stern Gang or the Jabotinsky followers in the War of Independence which targeted British Soldiers and Convoys but not civilians.
From Meir: Hamas: “We call on people to sacrifice themselves against Israeli warplanes.”

Israel: “Even as we carry out strikes, we remember that there are civilians in Gaza.”

The difference between us is clear. Instead of knock on the door with ground force Israel knocks on the roof, a warning, to let the civilians know that that particular house will be demolished in a minute so get out!

Hamas tells his civilians to stay on the roof so the Israeli plane will see them and not attack the house that hides weapons or tunnels underneath.

Sad story, how can one expect Israel to talk peace with people that don't even care about their own except for making a lot of noise against Israel if anyone is hurt. Somehow people fall for that act, ignoring the bigger picture.   

After I wrote the above 13 terrorists tried to pull off mass murder and captives on a Kibbutz. B”H it did not occur!

Tehillim 120:1 A Song on the south steps of the Temple
In my distress I called unto the LORD, and He answered me.
2 O LORD, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn with Meshech, that I dwell beside the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul hath full long had her dwelling with him that hates peace.
7 I am all peace; but when I speak, they are for war

A Timely Gift for the Sultan by Yerachmiel Tilles                              http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=868-46

The Ohr HaChayim knew of the danger threatening his brethren and wished to avert it, so he hurried to the palace.
Connection: Seasonal--271st Yahrzeit of the Ohr HaChayim Also known as the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh for he was so holy.
If he had his way, the wicked vizier thought to himself countless number of times, there would be no Jews in Morocco. He hated the Jews, but, although he was very powerful, he could do nothing. For the sultan showed favor towards his Jewish subjects and would not let the vizier harm them.
The cruel viceroy bided his time, until finally a fitting opportunity arose. The sultan had decided to travel to the distant provinces of his land, leaving his viceroy in charge of affairs. The vizier prepared a trumped-up charge against the Jews of the capital and incited the Moslem populace to attack the Jewish quarter. The bloodthirsty Arabs did not need much of an excuse.
The sultan had, meanwhile, reached the city of Meknes where Rabbi Chaim ibn-Atar, the Ohr HaChayim HaKadosh ("holy one"), lived. The Ohr HaChaim had become aware from Heaven of the danger threatening his brethren and wished to avert it. He went to the palace where the sultan was staying and asked for an audience. He was refused.
"Tell the king that I have brought him a gift for his birthday, but that I insist on giving it to him personally."
The sultan, his curiosity aroused, gave instructions for the Jew to be brought before him.
R' Chaim bowed deferentially and took out a small mirror from his case. "This is my gift to Your Majesty. It is a mirror with special powers. Just look into it, and tell me what you see."
The sultan gazed into the small looking glass and his eyes grew round with wonder. There was the capital, his palace, his throne -- and the vizier was sitting on it as if he were sultan! A heavy scowl suffused his features as he ordered his servants to prepare for his immediate return home.
The sultan arrived just in time to prevent a massacre. In a fit of fury, he slew his rebellious vizier. And the Jews of Morocco breathed freely once more, thanking G-d for the great miracle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Tales of Tzaddikim" (ArtScroll) by G. MaTov]
Biographical note:
Rabbi Chaim ben Moses ibn Attar (1696-15 Tammuz 1743) was one of the most prominent rabbis in Morocco. In 1733 he decided to leave his native country and settle in Palestine. En route he was detained in Livorno by the rich members of the Jewish community who established a yeshiva for him. He resting place on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is the occasion for a large annual pilgrimage on his Yahrzeit.

Inyanay Diyoma

Erev Shabbos 13 Tammuz = July 11 this is going to be most likely the last update. The soldier injured yesterday is in the operating theater now and still in very serious condition and under anesthetic and with help breathing. Mr. Salmon who was injured in the attack on the gas/petrol station today has been listed as serious condition with shrapnel in his head. He had previous been wounded in the Yom Kippur War and his wife pleaded with him not to full up today. He had undergone knee surgery in both knees and was unable to leave his automobile and was injured. The doctors managed to save his arm.
The IDF continued to pound terrorist strongholds and houses and took out more rockets and their houses.
We are ready for a ground offensive: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4541742,00.html
The Arabs in Yerushalayim threw a firebomb at police and they lit a good size fire in their area and hundreds of them evacuated because of the danger.
The day time has had trickles of rockets but we expect a big attack around Shabbos time. Including during the Prime Minister’s briefing an attack on Tel Aviv http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Netanyahu-IDF-offensive-in-Gaza-to-continue-until-quiet-is-restored-in-south-362434
At the same time an anti-tank weapon injures a soldier very lightly in the southern area and cannons return fire to the area where it came from.

Shavua Tov to my dear friends,
I am just hearing the news Motzei Shabbos at 11 PM Israel time we hit 900 buildings knocking out 2000 missiles during the massive rocket attack tonight 84 rockets on all of the center and some in the south of Israel. One woman tourist from the States got a heart attacked and died 40 were injured running to shelters. Walking or lying on the ground with one's head covered is the best bet far from Gaza.

This evening the siren went off in Modiin and the Vacinity and all Gush Dan through Ramat HaSharon and Herzlyiah and the Moshavim surrounding Petach Tikva and Beit El. There were rockets from Lebanon near Nahariya for the first time in a long time. Analysis - it is probably some characters from a refugee camp and not Hezballah. Hezballah is bogged down in Syria and not quite ready to fight us.

In the meantime the world is forgetting Iran and ISIS which is threatening Jordan. The police chief of Hamas has been hit. After the massive rocket attack the stores in a Mosque was hit and 15 terrorists in the Mosque were killed and many injured  (note it is not prayer time).

Our lawyers are not letting the IDF turn off the electricity for more than a number of hours and the water otherwise we would bring them to their kness. It appears that the IDF will go in and because of Lebanon they might make the call-up larger and this would include my last unit before they retired me because of my youth some 19 years ago.

Two nephews of Yishmael Haniya were killed on Shabbos and right now a car was hit in Gaza.

Tomorrow there will be a better update as I was busy changing over my shelter to accept the TV cable as the digit broadcast has replace the analog broadcast from the gulf war.
On Yeshuv near Beer Tuvia has a rocket that did not explode and a robot is neutralizing it now. Summer Camp as usual in secure buildings no trips.

There is no shelter by my daughter's area so I suggested  on Friday to her a safe place in the hall or on the main stairwell. So she had to get a few children out of their beds at 9 PM unless they were awake after Shabbos.

Israelis are still going to movies and coffee houses. My gym has a few secure areas.


July 13 = 15 Tammuz 5774 morning
Deborah sent me this radio interview with Barry Shaw: http://intnradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Barry-Shaw-071214.mp3
Israel woke up to a 6:02 AM attack of 20 rockets on the center of the country attacking from Modiin through Rehovot, Ashdod, Bat Yam, Holon, Tel Aviv, the Airport.  Last night the Dead Sea and Beit Lechem fell under attack and the IDF sent out messages in Arabic for the Churches to find shelter areas for their congregants and other Arab villages around the Shomron which might be attacked on their random fire on a ‘settlement’.
THE IAF spotted the missile launch from the air and targeted the underground Hamas version of Peenemünde that had just attacked us this morning and it is gone for good.
The radio mentioned that Israel will have to flatten on neighborhood which is the main staging area where the rockets come from. Last night the Israeli Navy Seals attacked the facility in the middle of a well-populated area with Mosques etc. Four seals were injured and 3 Shahidim from Hamas will not be physically around to bother us anymore. The facility was used to launch the rockets on Tel Aviv as shown on TV if you have heard Barry’s report above.
There is some good news regarding the man injured in Ashdod he is moderate condition now. Lastly my computer was under cyber-attack last night and this morning is running at 100% CPU usage so I am busy cleaning it up and about to reboot before continuing. After that I should this evening have the regular news articles.
From the Author of the article: A report on the differences between rockets and missiles 179 pages when one clicks inside the article: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/security-briefing-the-basics-for-understanding-qassams-scud-missiles-to-cruise-missiles-drones-to-uavs-and-cbrn-warfare/

The evening of July 13th Ohr to the 16th of Tammuz
The lighter side of Red Alert. My daughter carried my 3 year old granddaughter into the more secure room. She slept through the sirens for the rockets of last night, today and this evening. However, the almost 10 year old played a joke on her and yelled siren and she threw herself on the floor and covered her head. The older girls would have given him hell if they knew.
I am exhausted from the last few days and cannot for some reason get into Facebook so I was either hacked or what not so I am back to the pre-Facebook life. In the gym the management had some hip hop music using sirens for fun and that was driving people up a wall. Anyway I was putting my head down in Schul between the afternoon and evening prayer when at 8:02 there was a siren people evacuated the main structure and walked outside to the public shelter somebody heard iron dome and wanted to go out and then we heard the incoming rocket after about another minute we left the shelter and returned for the Maariv Prayers and went home. My wife was caught in an air raid in Petach Tikva and walked with her mother into a more secure area.
Miracle in Beer Sheva an 86 year old woman lived in an unprotected house, the house was basically destroyed but she manage to walk out almost unscathed. A boy named Levine in Ashkelon was not that lucky and was seriously injured by Shrapnel. Mordechai the soldier, in serious condition is now talking and feeling better his arm is still in bad shape and he will have to remain in the hospital. His father said, “I would like to thank HASHEM and the people who prayed for Mordechai.”

Protective Edge update morning of July 14th = 16 Tammuz 5774
Starting off with Bastille Day, in Paris hundreds perhaps over a thousand of Arabs went to Bastille Plaza and trapped inside a Synagogue a few hundred Jews in the 11th district of Paris. If I was a French Jew, I would leave France to Marie Le Pen and let her deal with her friendly Muslims. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4543153,00.html
I don’t know if non-Facebook Users can view this but here goes from Deborah: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=688065427909994&set=vb.323825217667352&type=2&theater
The Mike Huckabee show! This is why Sarah Netanyahu is afraid of him. Minister Naftali Bennett shows Americans how a rocket looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bi9tHz81j4
I cannot tell if this is true or not but if you get a call from 000, 059 or 099 these are Arabs trying to attack your phone.
20,000 Arabs have left the area about to be turning into a field by the IDF, artillery shelling and target practice has started this morning. In the meantime elsewhere: http://debka.com/article/24093/First-Hamas-rocket-hits-Nahariya-All-parts-of-Israel-within-range-from-Gaza-on-Day-Six-of-IDF-operation
This is not the period of Yitzchak Rabin or Ehud Barak we mean business: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/IDF-shoots-dead-Palestinian-targeting-Israeli-vehicles-in-West-Bank-362683
I don’t know if this is good to show as it strengthens the Hamas to use civilian shields: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182875
Al-Sisi wants to see the Jihad and Hamas be taken out by us: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4543088,00.html
Some of my friends have children in the army. Most Israelis are functioning well and some are not functioning. I had to reset my computer aka recovery mode after the hacking attempt by the Arabs yesterday. They also got into Domino’s Pizza and other non-military targets. It took me a bit of time to return to Facebook.

Protective Edge July 14 = Ohr to 17 Tammuz 5774
My friend Major Michael reminded me to tell Bibi: "We fight to win" - Gen. George S. Patton Jr., US Army Retired Sgt. Stephen sent me this about hacking and that is if I am active one can be passive and hacked too: http://katiecouric.com/videos/protect-your-computer-from-hackers/
NOTE AT THE END OF THE ABOVE INTERVIEW THE ANTI-HACKING EXPERT SAID GET RID OF JAVA AND PUT IN EMET TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER IN A SIMPLE WAY AND COVER YOUR WEB CAM WHEN IT SHOULD NOT BE ON!
FROM Barry Shaw Watch me and Martin Sherman on Tom Trento's show brought to you via Breitbart TV. Israeli perspectives on the Palestinian terror campaign against the Jewish State. http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/07/14/Video-Jews-Back-in-the-Ovens-Nuke-Nuke-Israel
42,000 Soldiers have been called up so far. 2 Bedouin girls injured in rocket attack in Lataqia near road 40 and 31. A house was hit in Ashdod and a car in Ashdod. NOW ISN’T IT A PITY FOR THEM THAT THEY IN GAZA DID NOT TRY TO IMPROVE EDUCATION FOR THEIR OWN PEOPLE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HOLE THEY ARE IN INSTEAD OF ON WAR AND TRAINING FOR WAR FROM A YOUNG AGE!!!
Hamas rockets knock out one line to 70,000 in Gaza and Bibi will not risk the lives of the electrical workers for them. They will cease fire if Israel meets their five conditions: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182895#.U8QGgsaKDIV
Code Red during Netanyahu’s interview to US TV: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4543000,00.html
In the meantime Kerry is telling Bibi to learn from Obama how to be a good wimp. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182904
The IDF has plans for either a further invasion or just bombing targets from the air and flattening more of Gaza. The number of rockets up to 8:43 is about 90 today mostly towards the southern parts of Israel except 5 PM towards Tel Aviv and the Airport.
Egypt on the other hand is going out of its way to back Israel against the world wide Jihad and terror.
We just got a 000 call from the Arabs that we did not answer.
The drone threat from Gaza is a more accurate weapon a smart bomb or spy plane. The IDF is trying to analyze pieces of the craft shot down this morning.
Anti-tank weapon used today and fire returned. Ed-Op: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4541960,00.html
Yarin Levy who was seriously injured yesterday is now in moderate condition and was on Israel TV talking to the Police Minister who visited him and telling the world what happened.

July 15th = 17 Tammuz 5774 The day of the Golden Calf and Moshe broke the Tablets aka Luchos on it and 4 other bad things. We can now add the next called we cease and they fire to the date. Tzom = fast productive and easy.
Last night it was relatively quiet we bombed only 25 targets including the empty home of the 2nd in command of Hamas or the liaison between the civilian and military wings of Hamas. The head of Dept. of Offense. http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/WATCH-IAF-strikes-home-of-Hamas-military-wing-leader-362822
Lying in the intensive care unit next to Yarin Levy in Ashkelon Hospital is a patient from Gaza. During the whole conflict the world does not mention that we had the gates open to Gaza for food and medical supplies and we received foreign passport holders and those needing better medical treatment.
Eilat received a gift of 3 Grads from Sinai in honor of the Egyptian brokered cease fire. There is something in for Al-Sisi and Egypt from the USA for acting as broker and Israeli’s “friend” Kerry is going there today or tomorrow.
Our neighbors in Gaza were not quiet last night and they fired this morning. As I type this into computer I hear “attack on Keren Shalom”. And 10:52 rockets hit Eshkol Region: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182927#.U8Tgn8aKDIV
 Bibi’s days as Prime Minister may be numbered as the members of the Likud lose patience with him. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182926#.U8TfDMaKDIU and http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4543633,00.html
I was about to copy and paste this when “attack on Sderot, Ruchama, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Nir Galim, Ashkelon, Nitzan,” came across the music on the radio 11:19.
If you speak Hebrew you can tell these members of the cabinet what you think.
גלעד ארדן 050-5936500 יצחק ארונובי. 050-5603158 יאיר לפיד 054-4643870
אביגדור ליברמן 054-8000333 נפתלי בנט 055-6662654 ישראל קץ 050-6233939

July 15th Ohr to 18 Tammuz 5774
Well the we cease and they fire about 60 rockets in that time lasted 6 hours. Now we are ready for a stronger round. I was told that the Egyptian Intelligence Officers in contact with the Israelis were cussing the Hamas with words that would make most of us blush. He is an Egyptian Dr. on TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0m3RghOcFo#t=34
Moshe Feiglin called upon Bibi to go in and neutralize completely Hamas before they move up to Chemical and Biological Weapons. The MK’s in the Likud and other coalition partners are sharpening behind the scenes knives for Bibi. He might be more popular today with the left and moderates but among his voters his name is mud.
THE BOYCOTT CHANNEL 2 MOVEMENT: I am against their programing after they had a ‘master chief’ competition of making meat and yoghurt together. They wanted to have during war-time on their panel a fair and balanced opinion which is good for peace. However, the sick phenomena of Gideon Levy of HaAretz Newspaper instead of saying ‘the best of the best become pilots’ he called them ‘the worse of the worst’. They also had a long interview with an Arab MK and a long ramble of Meretz while undercutting a few from the right. At first I ignored this plea but I find myself moving more and more to Arutz 10 which is the Shin Bet channel. (Source of my claim the late Adir Zik)
Blessed be the true Judge one man came to give out food to the soldiers around Gaza and was cut down by a mortar shell all efforts to save him failed.
Netanyahu fires the Deputy Defense Minister for what he wrote in Facebook regarding the cease fire. The funny thing is that what he wrote is the same words that Netanyahu said in 2007 on Olmert. What you see from here you are blind to from there. And what did he write to cut off all electricity and water to Gaza. I think one cannot cut off the water in the summer because the world will go against us and we have the points on our side.  
Headlines tonight: In case you were not sure it was Hamas the rockets on Zikron Yacov was under Hamas’s capability only: http://debka.com/article/24097/Unilateral-Gaza-ceasefire-collapses-Israeli-air-strikes-resume-after-dozens-of-Palestinian-rockets-in-hours-
Helping couples from the south to get married: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4543535,00.html
I estimate that at least 100 rockets were sent today about 70 during the cease fire.

July 16th = 18 Tammuz 5774
Good Morning from Israel we started the day with rockets on Ashkelon, Ashdod, around Gaza and most of the greater Tel Aviv Area including the daily siren around Petach Tikva and the environs. Last night, at midnight the last rocket to Ashkelon was set off. 40 terrorist targets including homes and 4 vehicles suspected of hanky panky. The Hamas have been executing people right and left as suspected stinkers giving the IDF information.

Today will be the funeral of the bread and food volunteer distributor Dror CHanin of Ariel who was 38 years old. HY”D. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182962
From Barry Shaw: I am not saying that the two State solution is good but I agree that Hamas cannot stay if one wants peace as there is no peace with a Jihad. By the way, 100 years ago the majority of the people living in Gaza were Jews and there was even a Rabbi of Gaza. Not anymore only a band of murderers and thieves. http://israeltheviewfromhere.blogspot.co.il/2014/07/remove-hamas-find-peace-new-plan-for.html
We warn the Arabs in Gaza to leave their homes but they don’t warn even our cows: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182947
France is more dangerous for Jews than 400 rockets. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182965
IDF delays both air and ground operations to allow evacuation from areas to be bombed or shot by artillery. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182965

July 16th Ohr to 19th of Tammuz 5774
As the government hems and haws over a ground offensive more reservists called up in the meantime there are about 64,000 troops that will have been called up by tomorrow. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182974#.U8aYx8aKDIU
The Benjamin Regional Council Computer was hacked by Gazans and my wife got a msg in Hebrew to flee for the Arabs are going to take over.
Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2014) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) responded to the release of a Pew Research Center poll today on the partisan gap in Israel-Palestinian sympathies.
The Pew poll found that among conservative and moderate Republicans, sympathy for Israel was at 77% and 64%. Among moderate and liberal Democrats, that sympathy was at 48% and 39%.
While inspecting the damage of a clinic utterly destroyed by a rocket that Iron Dome missed the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mayor of Ashkelon and Lieberman come under Code Red and end up in the shelter of the house.   http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4544694,00.html
The Foreign Minister of Italy visits Netanyahu in her capacity of EU Chair. The UN is calling for a 6 hour cease fire and Netanyahu and Livni are praying for it. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182986#.U8bTQcaKDIU
 Considering that we received 100 plus rockets today we targeted certain buildings on the coast today 4 children who were not evacuated were killed. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4544412,00.html

July 17 = 19th of Tammuz 5774
Israel has agreed to a 5 hour cease fire from 10 AM to 3 PM but I expect at least a few dozen rockets at 5 minutes to 10 all over the country. Last night was rockets to Beit Shemesh, the cloister in Latrun and this morning 4/4 were shot down over Beer Sheva. “Gentlemen”, and I use that word because of the quote, at the UN “may cry peace – peace” but guess what “there is not peace”. These look like Hesdir soldiers. I had this with blacker hat Yeshiva type in basic training when our commander did not show up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3--ncIiikmI
I heard that the total about 70 or 71 rockets sent in the direction of Beer Sheva taken from the TV. AMALEK HAS TO BE DESTROYED BUT WE HAVE TRAITORS AND CARPETBAGGERS IN CHARGE IN ISRAEL. 13 Terrorists try to stage a terror act on a Kibbutz: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4545029,00.html
Also rockets on Gush Dan.
 
July 17th Ohr to 20th of Tammuz 5774
A question arose with 100 Hamas Rockets falling in Gaza if they did not accidently kill the 4 boys yesterday as they knocked out 20% of their own electricity.
With all the rocket attacks on Gush Dan and no shelter, my wife asks my mother-in-law and brother-in-law to come to us for Shabbos as they have no shelter.
View the movie of the 13 terrorists: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4545029,00.html 8 are now Shahidim and perhaps more in the tunnel. The Debka analysis: http://debka.com/article/24101/IDF-foils-major-Hamas-tunnel-terrorist-attack-inside-Israel-IDF-ground-operation-widely-predicted                                                                         Look what the UN found for us: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4545336,00.html  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182986#.U8bTQcaKDIU
For a short time, southern Israel was under lock-down. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183017#.U8fyucaKDIU
Barring any unforeseen happening, I will stop the news updates until I finish the Torah writing and story for the week.
Listen to Barry Shaw predict the Hamas terror tunnel attack on Audrey Russo's REELTalk online radio show which went out live the evening before the failed Hamas terror tunnel attack on Kibbutz Tzufa today.. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/audrey-russo/2014/07/16/reeltalk-israel-critical-update-with-barry-shaw

July 18th the 20th of Tammuz 5774
From my Facebook Status last night - Just before Maariv tonight, I called up my former department head. He was a staunch support of Bibi Netanyahu and you should have heard him and his opinion tonight. I was talking to him about my in-laws on the farm near Petach Tikva and he told me that his daughter was caught in Petach Tikva during the attack. He is watching two grandchildren this week. As we were talking about 10 rockets were shot towards Ashdod, Ashkelon and the environs and he told me that he was getting too upset to talk right now. (He was wounded slightly in the Yom Kippur War and volunteered until the age of 56 – he is about 2 years older than I).
The IDF intercepted an unmanned pilotless vehicle and knocked rockets over Tel Aviv between 3 PM and 10 PM over 100 rockets were fired. Artillery shelling increased from the land and the sea probably at areas where the citizens were told to evacuate.
Two very liberal people both Chaim Ramon and Arieh Deri call for the destruction of the tunnels in fact Ramon asked to destroy Hamas completely. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4545536,00.html
Finally the IDF is going in to take out the tunnels and we are capable of taking out the Hamas bunkers but we would rather save the bombs for Iran and  Hezballah. http://debka.com/article/24101/IDF-ground-forces-attack-Gaza-amid-air-sea-and-artillery-pounding-Half-a-million-Gazans-told-to-leave-Israelis-around-Gaza-sent-to-shelters
Baruch Dayan Emmes Eitan Barak 20 HY”D dies in the battle to remove the tunnels of Gaza it is uncertain if in a direct fight with the enemy or from friendly fire. 4 soldiers wounded 3 lightly and one moderately. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183045#.U8jTJsaKDIU
Under rockets and mortars with artillery in the background and air cover a film of the soldiers entering the Gaza district. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4545788,00.html
Iron Dome continues to bring down rockets sent to Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kfar Chabad and Beer Sheva.          

Now for M. Wolfberg’s “Perfect Timing”

Good Shabbos Everyone.  We open our discussion of this week's Torah portion Pinchas, with a brief review of a topic we have discussed in recent weeks. We are referring to the power of our righteous Torah leaders to uplift us spiritually.
        In our portion this week, the Torah tells us how Hashem commands Moshe to count the Jews. When commanding Moshe to count the Jews, the Torah uses the word "Seh-oo." (Bamidbar 26:2) The word "Seh-oo," can also mean "to uplift."  As in the verse in Psalms "Lift your hands in the sanctuary and bless Hashem."  (Tehillim 134:2)  In order to learn a spiritually uplifting message from this parsha, let us try to understand the verse in the following way: Hashem is giving Moshe Rabeinu (our teacher) the power to uplift the Jews.  As the verse states in the parsha:  "Uplift the entire assembly of the Children of Yisroel..." (26:2) Since the time of Moshe Rabeinu, Hashem has appointed in every generation Tzadikim (the exceedingly righteous Rabbis) to lead Klal Yisroel. Just as Hashem gave Moshe Rabeinu the power to uplift the Bnai Yisroel, so too does Hashem give the spiritual leaders of every generation the power to uplift Jews.
        The following amazing true story demonstrates the tremendous power of our Torah leaders to elevate us.  A very successful businessman, a Chabad Chassid by the name of Rabbi Chaim Gutnick who lived in Sydney Australia, was invited by the small Jewish community of "Adalide" to serve as their Cantor for the High Holy Days.  Rabbi Gutnick was in a dilemma.
        True, he had a pleasant voice, but he also had four small children at home, and had no desire of becoming a Rabbi or a Cantor. "They have a few months, let them find someone else." He thought to himself. Two weeks later he was surprised to see in his mailbox a letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, addressed to him.
        The Rebbe wrote that he was disappointed to hear that Rabbi Gutnick refused the Adalide community. The Rebbe advised him to accept the offer, and not to forget the Egyptian Jews there.
(The community in Adalide got Rabbi Gutnick's name from the head Rabbi of Sydney, who also advised them to write the Lubavitch Rebbe if Rabbi Gutnick refused.)  Needless to say, he took the job.
        When he arrived in Adalide the morning before Rosh Hashanah, the first thing he did after getting settled in, was to go the Synagogue to meet everyone and get acquainted with the place.
        After everyone had left, he sat down in the back of the quiet Synagogue, opened a Torah book and began learning. No one was in the building except him and the caretaker. A perfect preparation for Rosh HaShanah. About two hours later he heard the door open, and turned to see a middle-aged woman entering. She approached, apologized for the intrusion, and explained that although she herself was not Jewish, there was a Jewish girl outside who wants to know were the holiest place is in the Synagogue?
        He pointed to the Ark in the front of the room, she thanked him, went outside, and returned seconds later escorting a blind girl of about fifteen years old.
She led her silently down the aisle toward the Ark, and when they reached the front of the room, the girl fell to her knees put her head in her hands and began weeping.
        "Please G-d, send me a sign. Please, send me a sign. If you are there, and you hear me, send a sign!!"
After a few minutes she stood up, dried her eyes on her dress sleeve, and was escorted by her companion back out of the Synagogue.
Rabbi Gutnick was frozen from the incident. The room seemed a hundred times more silent than before, until the caretaker happened to enter.
        "Oh, it must be one of those Egyptian Jews" he said to Rabbi Gutnick after he heard the story. "Nothing to get excited about. A small group of them arrived a while ago, but they don't seem to want to have anything to do with us. No big loss if you ask me. We tried to be friendly but they just keep to themselves."
        Suddenly the Rebbe’s words flashed in his mind "Egyptian Jews". He ran outside to see if she was still there, but there was no trace.
        The next evening Rabbi Gutnick led the Rosh Hashanah services, and after they were finished, the Synagogue president requested of him that they stand by the door and bless everyone as they exited. The only people that didn't file past, were a group that sat silently in the back corner waiting for everyone, including the Rabbis to leave.
        "Oh, those are the Egyptian Jews," whispered the president when he noticed how Rabbi Gutnick was staring. "If I were you, I'd forget about them. Let's go."
The next day, after the morning prayers, Rabbi Gutnick didn’t wait for them to come to him. He walked over to where they were sitting, shook their hands and happily wished them all a happy and holy New Year. "And please wish the blind girl a good new year from me also."
        Seven days later, the evening before Yom Kippur, the phone rang in Rabbi Gutnick’s hotel room.
"Hello, are you the Rabbi?" said the voice on the other end, "I am the blind girl. I want to...." suddenly the phone was cut off.
        When she didn't call back he phoned the president, somehow he got her name, address, and phone number and Rabbi Gutnick called her back. "Yes?" A man answered, "Who is it please?"
"Hello, this is Rabbi Gutnick and...." As soon as he said his name, the phone hung up.
        So he decided to take things into his own hands. Although it was already late in the evening, he called a taxi, and a half hour later he was knocking at the blind girl's door.
        When it opened he put his foot in, and insisted that they let him enter saying that he took a taxi, and had an important message for them. And it worked! They invited him in, and they all sat down together in the front room.
        When Rabbi Gutnick explained what had happened, and how the Lubavitcher Rebbe told him to visit the Egyptian Jews in Adeline, they were stunned speechless; they had never heard of this Rabbi, how could he have heard of them? And who were they that he should even think about them?
But the girl began weeping and whispering, "This is my sign! Thank you G-d!"
        After several minutes, her mother, with tears welling up in her eyes, broke the silence and told the following story.
        "We fled from Egypt about a year ago, and almost as soon as we arrived in Australia, my husband and I found work here in Adalide. The only problem was finding a school for Betty. You see she is blind, and the only school we could find for her in this area is run by priests.
        "At first it wasn't so bad" her father continued. "Tuition was low, Betty was making good progress, and...well Rabbi, we are almost not observant at all, so we really didn't care, as long as she was learning."
        "But then things changed, her mother continued. "They began suggesting, and then demanding, that she change her religion and become a Catholic."
        "I'm a Jew", Betty said with tears streaming from her colorless eyes, "And something inside me says it's wrong to stop being a Jew. I don’t even know what a Jew is! But I'll never stop being a Jew, even if they kill me."
        "Then one day they said that she should stop coming to school," her mother continued. "And if she wanted to be so stubborn she shouldn't come back."
        "That's when my parents started pressuring me" whimpered Betty. "They said that I had to do what the priests wanted. And that’s when I really got confused."
"But what can we do?" Said her weeping mother.
        "You can't just sit around in the house!!" said her father "Of course we don't want you to stop being Jewish!! But we aren't so religious anyway and it's for your own good! For your own good!
        "So one day last week when my parents were at work" Betty continued, "I asked the neighbor, and she took me to the Synagogue. I just had to pray to  G-d to send me a sign what I should do."
        "Then, the miracle happened! A few days later, my relatives told me that you asked about me in the Synagogue after the New Year's prayers. They were all laughing about it, but I was so excited I could hardly move. And then, believe me, it was not easy to get your phone number and call you."
        At that point even Rabbi Gutnick was not succeeding in holding back his tears.
He dried his eyes, picked up the phone and called the president again. "You must come now to the blind girl's home, we have to get her connected with Yiddishkeit!"
        "What!!?? It’s twelve midnight!!" Shouted the president over the phone. "Listen Rabbi Gutnick. You're a good Cantor, but I'm not coming to talk to anyone at twelve midnight, I'm already in my pajamas!!"
        "So come in your pajamas," he answered. "You can come any way you want, but if you aren't here soon, you can find a replacement for Yom Kippur."
        A half hour later he arrived in the girl's house, and in no time they had a list of ten telephone numbers to call after the Holiday, to set her up with a complete Jewish education.  The story had a happy ending; the president found a place for Betty, and her relatives strengthened both their Judaism and connection to the community. The next time that Rabbi Gutnick was in "Yechidus" (private audience with the Lubavitcher Rebbe) The Rebbe told him, "That "sign" was for you also! It's a sign that you should leave the business world, and devote yourself completely to becoming a Rabbi!"  Good Shabbos Everyone.
M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: L'illui Nishmas Aryeh Leib ben Avrohom and Malka bas Tzvi Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta  Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
This week’s Good Shabbos Story has not arrived yet.
A healthy and peaceful Shabbos to all and pray for the people of Yisrael.
Rachamim Pauli