Kahane Codes - Bereshit Shmot

Bereshit

The \"Idea\" Preceded the Creation of the World (1992) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg Chazal say that \"Torah\" preceded the creation of the world, as Rav Yehoshua Ben Levy says: Torah preceded the creation of the world by 2,000 years.\" The same Midrash then compares the creation of the world to the building of a palace, and says: Just as a king of flesh and blood consults with an architect when constructing a palace, Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu, too, looked at the Torah and created the world. What is the idea behind these Midrashim? Being immersed in the mundane matters of our physical and materialistic world, it is easy to forget one of the fundamental principles of Judaism: The entire array of rituals were given to us by G-d as external expressions which symbolize very special inner concepts. If this internal idea is distorted by the Jew, then his act, the \"mitzvah\", loses its significance, for it no longer manifests its true meaning. This is precisely the Jewish problem of today. Our two thousand years of exile amongst the gentiles has turned us from a nation to a \"religion\". We have become practitioners of Jewish ritual without grasping the inner concept,and worst of all: Our Judaism has become rote and nothing but lip service. We have become the type of people who declare in synagogue how G-d is omnipotent, and immediately afterwards ask how can we survive if America won't give us money. This is the tragedy - that the religious world believes in \"mitzvot\" instead of G-d. For this reason the Sages point out to us that the \"idea\" - that is, the Torah, actually preceeded the act of creation. For the \"mitzvot\" are the external, material deeds, and without an understanding of their inner significance, the mitzvot are left sterile, like a body without a soul. As a result, the Jew fulfilling the mitzvot becomes a mere robot and practitioner of ritual. We see this idea again in the building of the Tabernacle, which is also compared to a small \"world\". G-d first commands Bezalel to build the ark, for it is the symbol of the Torah, and only afterwards does G-d command him to build the altar, the symbol of the act or \"mitzvah\", once again proving that if one does not start from the basics, from the Torah, his sacrifices have no significance. For this reason Rabbi Kahane, ZT\"L, HY\"D, chose the name \"The Jewish Idea\" for the special yeshiva he began. He wanted a Yeshiva which did not only learn \"religion\", so to speak, like \"gemara\" and \"halacha\", but one that connected the ritual to the deeper concepts which stand behind the dry halacha. Thus, in addition to the \"regular\" subjects, the Yeshiva also stresses learning Tanach and Midrash, the sources from which the Jew draws authentic Jewish ideas and concepts. Not for nothing did the sages set down for us the following rule: \"Five years old, learn Tanach\". Before a Jew learns the ritual, he must first learn how to think like a Jew. Only then does the Torah he observes become an authentic one.

\"Bereshit - Creation or Annihilation\" (1999) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg IN A GIVEN GENERATION, THE ENTIRE CREATION AND EXISTENCE OF THE WORLD MAY BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF A FEW INDIVIDUALS ONLY. WHILE MILLIONS OF OTHERS MAKE ALL THE NOISE AND GRAB ALL THE ATTENTION, THEY ARE IN REALITY INSIGNIFICANT RUBBLE. We begin the book of Bereishit, and we could hope that, at least in the beginning, things would run smoothly. But no: In Parashat Bereishit, we meet one disaster after another - the snake, the murder of Abel, the complaint of Lemech; from the very first day of the world's existence, God's plan of a perfect creation goes awry. Then, to top things off, we conclude the parasha with G-d's decision to destroy the entire world. Evil dominates to such an extent that the Almighty regrets that He created man, and decrees upon the world total wipeout. One must wonder: We had just read about the creation of the world and of man, evoking within us feelings of optimism and great promise. And then, behold, before even finishing the very first parasha of the Torah, everything is doomed! There is a Goal When God created the world, He created it for a purpose, a specific destiny. Man has free choice to fulfill this destiny or not to, and in any particular generation, there may be many who cling to its destiny, or there may be few. Therefore, the moment God reached the conclusion that this evil generation has no chance of fulfilling its purpose in the world, He has no other choice, so to speak, than to destroy it (after giving several grace periods to do \"t'shuva\"). We see a similar idea in our answer to the following question: Why did G-d wipe out all of the beasts, birds, and crawling things? If man sinned, why should the animals suffer? Rashi explains: \"The entire creation is for man, and when man is wiped out, who needs all these?\" That is, the purpose of the creation is not simply to exist, but rather to actualize the destiny of the Creation. The moment there is no purpose (which is the case after G-d wiped out man, for whom the world was created), then the animals must perish since there is no longer a reason for their existence. Here, too, the moment the deeds of man prove that there is no longer a possibility for him to fulfill his destiny, his existence is no necessary, and he perishes. Noach: The Reason for the World But we are still left wondering: All that creation, just for annihilation? All those generations before the flood (a span of 1,654 years) were for nothing? Do the verses at the end of Parshat Bereishit not convey to us a bleak message of destruction and high hopes that have gone up in smoke? The answer is no. Harsh though these verses may be, a verse appears at the very end which turns everything around: \"But Noach found grace in the eyes of the Lord\". In contrast to all the previous verses which give the impression that the creation had been in vain, this verse proves otherwise. And while this lonely verse may appear to be only a small comfort to a world gone astray, the truth is that this one verse is everything. Even if we are speaking about one individual - he is the one who counts. Noach is the justification for the world's continued existence. To understand this deeper, we will bring down what the \"Meshech Chochma\" (Rabbi Meir Simcha from Dvinsk) says regarding another matter entirely. It is written in Tractate Sanhedrin (111 a): \"Rabbi Sima'i says: The exodus from Egypt is comparable to the entry into Israel - just as two out of six hundred thousand entered the land [since out of all the 600,000 who left Egypt, only Yehoshua and

Kalev entered the Land of Israel] so, too, did two out of six hundred thousand leave Egypt\". All That Just For Two People?! And the question that begs to be asked is: What does the gemara mean when it says that only two out of six hundred thousand left Egypt. Did not all 600,000 leave?! The Meshech Chochma answers as follows: \"This means that all the signs and miracles wrought against Egypt, the ten plagues, the splitting of the sea - all was worthwhile so that two out of six hundred thousand would be able to fulfill the Divine purpose. And just as everything which was done in the desert was done for the benefit of two people (out of six hundred thousand), similarly, G-d has no qualms about changing nature and exercising His Power and Providence for His children and the world at large - even if they are not worthy of Divine Providence - for the benefit of a few. And hundreds of thousands of evil people will perish for the benefit of a few righteous individuals who believe in the Blessed One's Providence.\" In other words, since the goal of the exodus from Egypt was entry into the land of Israel, and only two people actually entered, it is as if only two people really left Egypt. All the miracles were for them only! This is what we stated earlier. G-d created the world for the sake of those who will eventually fulfill the world's destiny, and He is not deterred by the possibility that there may be just a very few out there who are willing. All the rest are considered a \"klipa\" (extraneous residue), and sad as it may sound (and we see from the verses that God is, indeed, sorry about it), they can, and will, perish. Ray of Light And so we see that though it may appear that the significant people in our world are those who make all the noise and attract all the attention, it is not they who are the focus of the creation and our reality. What really counts is that small ray of light that sometimes is not paid much attention to, but illuminates the world with the light of the world's true destiny. That same \"But Noach found grace in the eyes of the Lord\" is the ray of light which repels the darkness of his generation. He proves that despite the destruction, the Creation was not labor in vain.

Noach

PARSHAT NOACH SLOW TO ANGER OR ZEALOUS? Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg At such an early stage in the Torah and the history of mankind, the flood pours down and destroys the entire world. One must ask: How does such devastating global annihilation jibe with Hashem's attributes of mercy, slow to anger, and His desire to bestow good upon His creation? Is there not a contradiction here? It is interesting that while many people have \"problems\" with the commandments of wiping out Amalek and cities of idol worship, war and vengeance, no one gets upset when G-d Himself personally obliterates the entire world. Is this not food for thought? THE FATE OF THE WORLD WHICH LOSES ITS WAY There is no doubt that the terrible flood which wiped out the world so early in the history of mankind should send a message home to all those who believe in G-d and His Supervision over the world. And the message is the following: There is a purpose to the world, and without this purpose, there is no reason for man's existence. The world was created for a reason - the crowning of G-d as King by all mankind and observance of His commandments. When mankind strays from this intended path, they in effect forfeit very existence. At such a point, physical annihilation is not very far off. For after the people stray from their intended path, what possible reason is there for the continuation of their physical existence? It is true that after the flood, G-d swore He would not bring complete destruction to the world ever again. Nevertheless, the lesson of the flood remains with us for future generations: An entire world, bursting with vitality and vigor, was completely destroyed because it failed to serve it's purpose in service to it's Creator. It is a lesson taught to us from virtually the very outset of the Torah, for it is so basic. WHAT PATIENCE! Should one who studies the incident of the flood come away with the impression that Hashem is an angry and zealous G-d? Is this the message of the flood? In order to answer these questions, further investigation is necessary. Our sages teach us that G-d blessed the generation of the flood with awesome physical abundance, the likes we have never seen since. G-d wished to provide His new creations with a bounty of sustenance, and bestowed good upon them for 1,500 years. (Let us remember that the flood occurred 1,500 years after the creation of the world.) However, the sad rule, \"And he became fat and rebelled\" became a reality in a most extreme fashion. Precisely because of their great strength, wealth and feeling of indestructibility, the generation of the flood grew arrogant, committing every sin imaginable. In spite of all this, G-d waited and waited, hoping all the while that His children would do \"tsheuva\". But the situation only got worse.

So G-d turned to Noach, the only righteous person at the time and informed him that He is bringing an end to it all. Well, not exactly yet. What He did was tell Noach to warn mankind that if they don't do \"tsheuva\", He will bring down a flood to destroy the world in...120 years! That's a long time! What patience! Only when this, too, didn't help did it \"grieve Him in His heart\", and He destroyed the world. And so, what do we have here? \"A G-d of vengeance\", or \"abundant mercy\"? The answer is clear: At the beginning, G-d reveals Himself as a G-d of compassion and slow to anger. Only after all lines have been crossed, does He reveal Himself as an \"angry and jealous G-d\". Is there a contradiction here? Not at all! G-d is merciful, and there is nothing that remotely compares to His level of mercy. But he isn't a \"friar\" (sucker)! That is what our sages in Trachtate Baba Batra (50) tell us: \"He who says that G-d forgoes, shall forego his life\". There is a limit to how much G-d is willing to take, so to speak. G-d bestows upon us an abundance of good, shows us the right way, and is slow to anger. And then His creations rebel against Him? At that point, G-d says: Sorry, (and it grieved Him in his heart - Breishit 6:6), but there is a limit. Flood! While G-d may have \"unending patience\", we must realize that even \"unending patience\" ends. If we insist on rebelling against Him, He will exact punishment. And his \"chesbon\" is precise to the letter - he forgoes nothing, provided we do not do \"tsheuva\". TWO LESSONS FROM THE FLOOD 1. G-d desires only to bestow good for his creations, and even turns a blind eye to sinners for long periods of time, pushing aside His attribute of Judgment which would call for the immediate destruction of the sinner. Indeed, as the verse goes, \"slow to anger and abundant in mercy\"! 2. There is a purpose for man in this world, and without this purpose, there is no reason for man's existence. When man strays from the intended path beyond the point of no return, the mercy runs out. A \"G-d of Zealousness\"! This is what the prophet Nachum spoke of (1:2): \"The Lord is a jealous and avenging G-d; The Lord revenges, and is full of wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He keeps wrath for His enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means acquit the wicked\". The Nations United - A Danger to Humanity (1991) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg And the Lord said: Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language and this is what they begin to do, and now there will not bewithholden from them anything which they they purpose to do.\" (Bereshit 11- 6) What is G-d \"worried about\" here? Is not the unity of mankind a good thing? Today there is no shortage of people who spend their entire lives attempting to bring international peace and unity to the world. And here in our parsha we are witness to the achievement of this lofty goal - and behold, G-d does not see the situation in a positive light to say the least. The answer to this question is expressed in the words of our sages in the following Mishnah (Sanhedrin, Ch. 8): \"The coming together of the wicked is bad for them and bad for the world\". When

the goyim get together with peace, harmony and understanding prevailing amongst them; when they share common goals and aspirations - precisely at such a moment it is bad for them and for the world. For the wicked only gather together for the sake of carrying out evil goals, and unity amongst them can only help their diabolical schemes to succeed. Naturally, the maliciousness of their intentions is not always obvious for all to see. After all, what did the generation of the Tower of Bavel in all their unity want, other than to settle the world (\"and they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there\"), bring progress and advanced technology (\"Come let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly, and they had brick for stone and slime had they for mortar\"), and provide urban planning and development (\"Come let us build a city and a tower...\")? What is so bad about these things? Only in the continuation of the verse do we get our answer: \"... and let us make us a name\" (Chapter 11, verses 3 and 4). Behind all their deeds and their unity was the brazen arrogance in their thinking that mankind is omnipotent, as well as a narcissistic aspiration to leave their mark in the annals of history. Such egoism represents a rebellion against The Master of the Universe, and thus He annulled their evil council. This idea was what Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was expressing when he heard Rabbi Yehuda praising the evil Roman Empire for their construction of the marketplaces, bridges and public bathhouses: \"Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai answered him: 'Everything that they rebuilt, they rebuilt for their own needs'\". (Trachtate Shabbat 33) The very essence of the Jewish People is the antithesis to that of the goyim. While the goyim aspire to make a name for themselves in the world, the Nation of Israel aspires to make a name for G-d in the world. Therefore, what the gentile considers to be evil and destructive, the Jew sees as positive and progressive, and vice versa. \"The scattering of the wicked is good for them and good for the world, (the scattering) of the righteous is bad for them and bad for the world\". (Mishnah Sanhedrin, Ch. 8) The scattering of the gentiles is considered a \"tikun\" for the entire world, and thus the generation of the Tower of Bavel was punished. In contrast, the scattering or exile of the People of Israel causes damage to the world, and only their reunification and establishment of sovereignty on their soil can rectify this flawed situation. And so, while unity of the gentiles brings about destruction to the world, the unification of the Jews brings about salvation to the world, for the salvation of the world can only be attained through the Jewish People, because only through us can G-d's Name be sanctified. Therefore, if we want to know when the unification of the gentile will be a positive thing, let us understand that this is only when their unity is derived from their subservience and connection to the People of Israel, and their recognition that \"The G-d of Israel is King and His Kingdom Rules All\". In recent years we have been witness to the breaking down of barriers between nations. The east and west have united, Germany has united, and a united world front stands mobilized at the fingertips of the U.N. Former foes America and Russia have ceased hostilities, and the entire world is uniting under the umbrella of democracy. Let us never live in the sweet illusion that this unity is something that works to our advantage. In an instant this combined front can come and demand from us impossible concessions. This is not some far out vision of doom, for our prophets already spoke about Gog coming upon us - and how can one ignore it! But the fact is that inherent in the unity of the goyim is also the awesome potential for us to bring redemption gloriously and swiftly - if only we have no fear, trust in G-d, and willingly become a \"nation that dwells alone\". By doing so we will merit to see the bursting of the bubble of Gog in our gates, and a redemption without needless suffering.

\"They Shall Know That There Has Been a Prophet Amongst Them\" (1997) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg For 120 years, Noach fulfilled G-d's commandment and built the ark, all the while warning the people in his generation about the impending flood. When people would pass by his house and ask what he was doing, he would reply, \"The Almighty said that He is bringing a flood upon the world\". The people reacted with vicious mockery.(see Breishit Raba, 30:7) The question that can be asked is the following: For 120 years, Noach warned of the flood. And what came out of it? At first glance, absolutely nothing! In the end, the flood wiped out the entire world, except for whom? Except for Noach and his family. Not even one person was convinced to do \"tsheuva\". Not even one! Noach's \"life endeavor\" of 120 years was a waste of time. Or was it? The story of Noach provides us with a concrete illustration as to what the true role of the chastising prophet is. Certainly, the major goal of the warnings and admonishment are to direct the people onto the proper path, in the hope that they will do \"tsheuva\" immediately . But in contrast as to what one might think, if the prophet does not succeed in bringing the people to \"tsheuva\", this does not necessarily mean that he failed! A deeper look will reveal that the rebuke in itself has value. If we look at the prophets of Israel, we will notice an amazing fact: Generally speaking, they were a dismal failure. It seemed as if they influenced no one. The people were not interested in hearing them, and did not change their evil ways. Does this mean that there was no value in the warnings of the prophets? Of course not. After all, the words of the prophets are inscribed forever in our Holy Bible. The answer to this question can be found in G-d's words to Ezekhiel when He appoints him as prophet (chapter 2): And He said to me, Son of man, I sent thee to the children of Israel ... that have rebelled against me... and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord G-d. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse to hear, (for they are a rebellious house,) so they shall know that there has been a prophet amongst them\". And afterwards (3:7): \"But the house of Israel will not hearken to you...\" Can this be? If G-d knows that they won't listen, why send Ezekhiel out and put him through such humiliation and abuse? And so a new concept is learned here. The saying of truth has value, even if it has no apparent influence at that particular moment. What is the value? \"So that they will know that a prophet was amongst them.\" Even if immediate results are not seen, the value of the warnings are that they manifest the bringing in of G-d's word into the world. The prophet who expresses G-d's truth is giving expression to G-d's actual presence in this world. It is showing us that the world is not \"hefker\" (chaos). There is justice in the world. By so doing, the prophet, in essence, sanctifies G-d's Name. We must realize: Even when it seems that the people are not listening, it is still an obligation to say the truth. Firstly, for the reason given in the Gemorah: \"If before You (before G-d) it is known (that they won't listen) - for them (the righteous who are supposed to rebuke), who says it is known?! (Shabbat, 58 - see in greater detail). In other words, we can never be sure whether or not our words will have an influence, and therefore, we must say them. But even more than this, we must realize that the words may have an impact tens or even hundreds of years down the road, as is written about the prophets whose influence upon the people they spoke to was not apparent, yet: \"Prophecy which is needed for future generations is written down\". Our teacher Rabbi Meir Kahane, HY\"D, saw his major role as one of a\"prophet\" who must warn and rebuke the people. That is, to say the truth of G-d; the same truth which no one else dares to express,

thanks to 101different excuses (\"it's not practical\", \"it's not realistic\"). And while at a specific point in time it may appear that all efforts are in vain, such is not the case in the long run. For in the long run, it is going with the truth all the way which makes the real impact on the nation and on the course of history.

Lech Lecha

PARSHAT LECH-LECHA A Fearless Leader - Six Years Since the Murder Rabbi Kahane, HY\"D (1996) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The following article was written for the 6th year's Yohrzeit for Rabbi Kahane. When people think of Rabbi Kahane, ZT\"L, HY\"D, they remember a daring and courageous leader who did not know the meaning of fear. His many years of standing in the front lines for Jewish causes in Israel and abroad, confronting empires and well-oiled establishment bodies and enduring along the way constant hatred and antagonism which endangered his very life, inspired admiration in the eyes of most Jews (even if more often than not their admiration was kept in the closet!) For good reason the Rabbi was perceived in such a way. More than anything else, the Rabbi warned us about the illness of our generation - FEAR OF THE GENTILE. It wasn't so difficult for the Rabbi to come up with such a diagnosis. After all, whenever he spoke to Jews (\"religious\" ones as well), he was always confronted with the same line: \"You're right, but what will America say?...\" And thus, there was the need to stress in a big way the subject of trust (\"Bitachon\") in G-d and the prohibition of fearing mortal man. It is fear that has caused us to constantly give in and surrender, to the point where fear of going to war has become a legitimate component in our political thinking. But one who studies the Torah outlook on war (parshat Shoftim) will reveal that the central theme concerning war is the prohibition of being afraid! The midrash (Tanchuma, Shoftim) even says: \"Your forefathers did not fear them - and they were victorious!\" In other words, the key to victory is lack of fear, and faith that \"Your G-d is with you!\" As an example, the midrash brings down the war in our parsha between Avraham against the four kings: \"Do not fear Avraham, I will protect you\" (and this is the source for the blessing in the silent prayer, \"The shield of Avraham\"). And so, when Avraham went out to war to sanctify the Name of G-d and save Lot who represented at the time the side of Avraham and G-d, he fearlessly went out with only 318 men against four powerful kings, and was ready to die in the process - \"I will go out and fall on Kiddush Hashem\". (Midrash Raba, Lech Lecha) This concept is also the \"halacha\", as the Rambam brings down in Hilchot Milachim (7:15) \"And when entering into war, one must lean on the Saver of Israel in time of stress... and one must not fear or be intimidated, nor should one think of his wife and children...and he who starts to ponder these things at war time and frightens himself - has transgressed a negative commandment!..\" The Rambam continues: \"And if he did not win and did not perform in the war with all his heart and soul, than he is like one who spills everyone's blood!\" These shocking words apply to the collective no less than they apply to the individual Jew. If an individual who cannot overcome his natural fears is considered a sinner who has spilled the blood of all Jews, what can one say about leaders whose very mindset and national policy is based on fear of war, fear of the gentile, and tie the hands of the soldiers while they are being shot at!? And so, before Succot last year we saw our soldiers lay bleeding to death before the very eyes of their comrades in battle who sat helplessly by screaming for help, and the help never arrived, because it would have meant having to kill mobs of Arab rioters and murderers - this is all because of the fear of the gentile reaction! If an individual is considered a spiller of blood, what can one say about LEADERS, other than they are

downright murderers!! On the other hand: \"And he who fights with all his heart and all his soul without being afraid, and all his intention is to sanctify G-d's Name, it is guaranteed that he will not suffer damage nor will bad come unto him...\" Thus is the case for the collective as well. If we fight under the headline of \"Kiddush Hashem\", \"Emunah\", and a willingness to wipe out the enemy who is desecrating the Jewish G-d and nation, we are guaranteed to win, and the gentile won't dare open his mouth! Rabbi Kahane, HY\"D, predicted all the events that are happening now. One who reads the things he wrote 15-20 years ago could think he was reading words of prophecy. But no. Rabbi Kahane simply dared to open his eyes and see, refusing to be blind like so many others who were afraid to open their eyes, lest they come to conclusions which would make life uncomfortable for them. While others were afraid, Rabbi Kahane was not. He fought - and in the end fell upon the altar of the Jewish Nation, with the confidence that his words were not wasted, and in the end the truth will win out. And if the majority of Jews still don't dare to open their eyes and understand, we the few, the students of Rabbi Kahane will continue to cling to his way, and to carry the torch of truth until we bring the revolution and the Messiah.



Vayera

PARSHAT VAYERA A Forbidden Pact: The Precedent (1997) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The following is a \"drasha\" by Rabbi Kahane on Parshat 'Vayera' - \"the words (of the righteous) ARE their memory\" - for the 7th Yohrzeit. There is a particular Rashbam in \"Parshat Vayira\" which Rabbi Kahane brought down constantly. The Rashbam asks: Why is the story of the pact between Avraham and Avimelech adjacent to the story of \"Akeidat Yitzchak\" which follows immediately thereafter, and opens with the words, \"And it came to pass after these things...\" - words that the sages tell us come to express a real connection between these two events? The Rashbam gives the following answer: \"After the pact that Avraham made with Avimelech, (a pact) with Avraham's grandchildren and great grandchildren, he gave him seven lambs. And the Almighty became enraged by this, for behold, the land of the Philistines had been given to Avraham ... and the Almighty commanded them, 'thou shalt not allow a soul to live'. Therefore, 'Hashem tested Avraham' - to teach him a lesson... That is, you were proud of the son I gave you, and made a pact between your sons and their sons (of the Philistines)? - go now and offer him as a sacrifice, and find out how useful your pacts are!\" In other words, the Rashbam explains that this pact, including the very impressive ceremony of the seven lambs, was a sin. And why? Because the content of the pact was, \"now therefore swear to me here by G-d that youwill not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son\". In other words, this was a \"not to attack\" pact between the offspring of Avraham and the offspring of Avimelech. And what does an agreement \"not to attack\" mean here? It means that the offspring of Avraham will not be able to attack and conquer the land of the Philistines, which is a part of the land of Israel. By making such a commitment, Avraham is relinquishing a part of Eretz Yisrael! (according to Trachtate Sota, (9-10), only after the Philistines broke the original treaty, Israel was able to fight them and take their land from them.) Let us understand what the Rashbam is saying here. After all, the Jewish People had not yet even come into the world, and so obviously, the Land of Israel was not in their hands. And what did Avraham do? In order to avoid conflict with the notoriously unpredictable Avimelech, Avraham made an agreement with him. What is the big deal! Yet, Avraham is chastised nonetheless: You should have taken into account that such an agreement would tie the hands of your children, preventing them from conquering the land the G-d promised to your seed in the future! If so, what can one say when the issue under discussion is not an agreement which forbids us to conquer the land of some goy which is presently under his control, (like the agreement with 'Jordan'), but rather what is under discussion is an agreement to turn over parts of the land of Israel which G-d gave us and is already under our control?! Can there be a Hillul Hashem greater than this? Let us go another step further. After all, the principle we have discussed here is, thank G-d, close to the hearts of many Jews who understand the absurdity and the sin in the giving up of parts of Israel to our enemy. But what other sorts of pacts or agreements with a gentile, that does not include concessions?

We have become used to thinking that this is a wonderful thing! What huge efforts our foreign ministry makes in order to establish ties with the most obscure of countries. What great pleasure is derived when another \"Zimbabwe\" or \"Honolulu\" is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Israel... Is it so simple that such a thing is permitted? Here is what the sages think about it in \"Eliyahu Raba\", chapter seven: \"Man must remember in his heart that he must not make partnerships with a goy, and not to make a pact with him, as we found with Avraham Avenu, who made a partnership (with Avimelech) ... and from here they said: there is not a nation in the world which does not enslave and torture Israel more than a few hundred years, and it is all because Avraham made a pact with a goy. From here it was said: whoever makes a partnership with a goy...\" See in it's entirety. The above Rashbam also brings down Midrash Tehilim, which mentions several tragedies which struck us, because of the seven lambs that Avraham gave to Avimelech: Israel lost seven wars, seven righteous Jews were killed, seven tabernacles were destroyed, and other tragic events. Let us accept upon ourselves this national isolation, not as some evil decree, but rather as Rabbi Kahane put it at the end of his book, \"On the Emunah, and on the Giula\": \"A nation that shall dwell alone - is it a curse? On the contrary! Inherent in our isolation is the salvation of the Jew and the sanctification of his G-d.\" Who Sees and Who is A Donkey? (1999) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg (the following was broadcasted on Artuz 7 for the ninth Yahrzeit of Rabbi Meir Kahane) The midrash \"Pirke Divre Eliezar\" deals in length with the \"Akeidat Yitzchak\", and relates the following: \"On the third day they arrived at Zofim (Avraham, Yitzhak, and the two boys) When they arrived at Zofim, (Avraham) saw the \"Schina\" (Divine Presence) on the top of the mountain, as it is written, 'on the third day Avraham raised his eyes and saw the place from afar'. What did he see? He saw a pillar of fire leading up from the ground to the heavens. He said to Yitzchak his son: My son, do you see anything on those hills? He said, yes. He said to him: what do you see. He said: I see a pillar of fire leading up from the ground to the heavens.And Avraham understood that the boy was desired by Hashem to be an offering. He said to Yishamel and Eliezar: Do you see anything up in those mountains? They said: no. He considered them donkeys and said to them, 'sit here with the donkey'. He said to them: Just like a donkey doesn't see anything, you don't see anything either.\" A tremendous lesson is learned here. After all, why is Yitzchak so special for seeing the pillar of fire? Why is this in itself enough to make him worthy of being a pure offering to God? By the same token, why are Eliezar and Yishamel at fault for not seeing the pillar of fire? Perhaps they have poor eyesight? Is it not a bit harsh to call them donkeys for this? Obviously, we are not talking about ordinary seeing.Avraham is determining who has the power of sight, who has the eternal spark - and who is the donkey, static and transient, here today and gone tomorrow. And Avraham discovers that indeed, Yitzhak is the one who sees, the man of vision. He sees things which the pragmatic, myopic, \"now\" people do not. Yitzhak is not frightened by the pillar of fire which

seems so distant, apparently unattached to the realities of the day. This is why Avraham tells Eliezar and Yishamel to sit in their places. He considers them donkeys, the sages tell us. The donkey sees the food two feet in front of his face, and no further. Anything beyond that does not exist for him. It is only he who has elevated himself above donkey status who sees the TRUE reality. My father and teacher, Rabbi Meir Kahane, z\"tl, H\"yd, -- saw. He did not see things which others could not see, but rather what they did not WANT to see, because it simply scared them. For it is always more pleasant to look at the here and now, the practical, the immediate benefits. The tragedy is that there was no Avraham who was able to appreciate and recognize the fact that, yes, here is a man who sees. And so, all those immersed in their donkeyism shouted at the extremist who saw so many strange things. They so opposed him that they simply decided to take the pillar of fire which he saw, and make it illegal. Today we live in a time when pragmatism dominates our thinking. He who is not practical, who doesn't face \"realities\", who isn't willing to compromise on his ideals and forego Kiddush Hashem here and there - HE is told to sit on the side, because he doesn't understand \"politics\". A severe sin indeed. If you don't understand \"politics\", you are guilty of the crime of seeing the pillar of fire. You are guilty of not allowing people to live in their illusions and with their compromises. The \"seers\" are supposed to put their pillars of fire and their visions on the side. Let us learn this lesson today, on the Yahrzeit of my father, H\"yd, the man who was ready to pay the price for seeing the pillar of fire - the price of the walk to the Akeida. Let us finally see the pillar of fire, and not succumb to the plague of pragmatism which threatens to turn us all into donkeys who only see the straw in front of their noses. Let us remember that we are not the descendants of the donkey Yishmael and Eliezar, but rather the descendants of the seers - Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov.

Chaye Sarah

PARSHAT CHAYE SARA There is no Placing Trust the Gentile (1992) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The negotiations between Avraham Avenu and Efron the Hitite in this week's parsha provide great insight regarding how a Jew must approach any negotiation or bargaining situation with the Arabs. There is an old saying: \"You cannot trust the gentile even forty years in the grave.\" Though such a saying might sound somewhat crude, it expresses a healthy and natural understanding that has been acquired through several thousand years of experience. Through the parsha concerning Efron, the sages teach us about the hypocrisy of the gentile and convey to us the vital lesson that \"the wicked they promise a lot and even a little do not do.\" For here is Efron promising the world: \"Listen to me. I have already given you the field. I have also given you the cave that is there. Here, in the presence of my countrymen, I have given it to you. Bury your dead.\" (Breishit, 23:11) But in the very next verse, Efron takes 400 shekels, a hefty sum, without blinking an eyelash. So much for his generosity. Big Talk, No Action As the parsha illustrates, Efron starts out incredibly big-hearted, expressing an unlimited willingness to give. He behaves in such a manner that no one could possibly doubt his sincerity. Or so it appears. But Avraham is not naive, and he well understands the true nature of Efron and others of his ilk. He knows that the greedy Efron has no intention of giving up something without making a profit, and all his smooth talk and flattery is void of content. Thus, Avraham makes it immediately clear (in the very next verse) that he is not looking for handouts, and wants to pay full price. The ball is now in Efron's court, and he certainly does not react as one would expect after such initial \"righteousness\" and generosity. He takes the money. Indeed, much, much more than the actual value of the cave, and all this without even the slightest guilt or effort to justify his original piousness. Efron's own words at the conclusion of the bargaining process best express his very special brand of hypocrisy and decadence: \"My lord, listen to me. What's 400 silver shekels worth of land between you and me? Bury your dead.\" On the verse, Rashi comments: \"Between lovers like you and me, what is it important...\" Avraham accepts the verdict without a flinch. He never expected any favors or any \"chesed\" from the gentile in the first place. His sole intention was to acquire the cave, without developing any \"special relationship\" with his neighbor. With this singluar goal in mind, he gets what he wants, and ignores all the rhetoric and hollow words of Efron the Hittite. The Moral of the Story What is the lesson for us? The Jew cannot trust and must never expect to build any relationship between himself and the Gentile. Between Jews and Gentiles there is an unbridgeable gap. No agreements, no \"faith-building\", and no \"normalization\". All the more so when dealing with the Arabs, who are especially endowed with the characteristics exemplified in Efron. Any attempt to be \"nice\" and to make \"peace\" with him will just create illusions that will eventually explode in the Jew's face. The only healthy approach is to distance ourselves as much as possible from dialogue and deals. Only thus will we prosper. Only thus will we avoid dangerous and unnecessary illusions.

The Temple Mount, The Cave of the Patriarchs, Joseph's Tomb (1995) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg \"Rabbi Yehuda Bar Simon said: It is one of the three places where the nations of the world would not be able to deceive Israel by claiming: You are thieves (since it was acquired with money). And they are: The Cave of the Patriarchs, the Temple Mount, and Joseph's Tomb. The Cave of the Patriarchs, as it is written: 'And Avraham weighed to Ephron the silver...'; The Temple Mount, as it is written, 'So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold coins by weight'; Joseph's Tomb, as it is written, 'and he (Yaakov) bought the parcel of ground....at the hand of the children of Hamor, the father of Shchem' \". (Breishit Raba, 89) \"Would Not be Able\"? Three questions arise from the above midrash: And on the rest of the Land of Israel the gentiles CAN say that we are robbers? What does it mean, \"they will not be able\"? We see that they are quite able in undermining our claim to those three places. Indeed, precisely those three places are where they concentrate their struggle! On the verse in Psalms (111), \"The power of His works He has declared to His people in giving them the heritage of the nation\", Rashi writes: \"so that the nations will not be able to say you are robbers when you conquer the seven nations\". And so, we see that Rashi says that on ALL OF ISRAEL \"they cannot say\" that we are thieves! The key to the answer of all the above questions is the following: The truth is that it is not really important what the gentiles say - the problem is what the Jews will say! We will now see how this is the exact message that the Torah and our sages gleaned to us through their words. The Message is Meant for the Jews The Torah knew that when the gentile would rise up against the Jewish\"thieves\" and \"occupiers\" and \"conquerors\", there was liable to be some guilt feelings that the Jew might have about the justice of his cause. Perhaps the gentile is right that we stole his land? Perhaps he has anethical argument? And so the sages come to tell us: Look, there are three places that even according to simple logic the gentile cannot open his mouth about, for they were purchased with money. And in any case, this justified claim makes no impression on them. On the contrary, it is precisely in these three places where they center their struggle against us! What does this teach us? That it isn't justice or ethics which motivates them, nor is it a dispute over property that can be resolved. Rather it is a national - religious struggle! Now the sages come and explain: Just as you know that in these three places their claims are not justified, by the same token you should not get excited about the rest of their claims on other parts of the land of Israel, since \"the entire world belongs to the Holy One, Blessed Be He, He created it and gave it to whomever it was right in his eyes, Of His own will He gave it to them and of His own will He took it from them and gave it to us!\" (The first Rashi in the Torah) This now explains Rashi in the aforementioned Psalm, that \"the nations of the world WON'T BE ABLE to say you are robbers\". Not that \"they won't be able to say\" it. On the contrary, they'll say it all the time. But the \"won't be able to\" is not directed to the gentile, but rather to the ears of the Jews! That they must know that G-d gave us the Land, with an obligation to conquer and expel. And so it is said: \"The power of His works He has declared to His people in giving them the heritage of the nations\" - the answer is intended for \"His people\". The gentiles are not being addressed here, either because they will not listen anyway, or perhaps it simply is not important what they think. Our Eyes Are Upon Those Three Places

Every year, Parshat Chaye Sarah is \"Shabbat Hebron\". But this year, events have caused a situation where we are forced to concentrate on all three places: Hebron, Shchem, and the Temple Mount which have become symbols of the Arab-Israeli struggle in the Land of Israel. And there is a good reason for it. Today, when everything is slipping away, we must hold tight to all the sides, for we have learned that they are all connected to one another. How is that? Behold, the struggle for the Hashmonean tunnel which the Arabs claimed hurt THE TEMPLE MOUNT (\"theirs\"), brought about the battle in Judea and Samaria, concentrating mainly in JOSEPH'S TOMB. All this pressured the government to step up the HEBRON evacuation, and to give in to the Arab construction of another mosque on the TEMPLE MOUNT! Indeed, the battle for the Land of Israel has reached its climax, and those three locations which the \"gentile won't be able\" to contest are, in fact, the most hotly contested! Everything You Wanted to Know About Ishmael… (1997) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Daniel Pinner For some peculiar reason, many regard the Ishmaelites somewhat sympathetically, even fondly. After all, what Jew does not have nostalgic memories of the cafes of Jericho, of the hot coffee of the Arab market, the spices and colors of the “Arab” sections of the Old City (Jerusalem, Jaffa…)? This is not the place to psychoanalyze precisely why now, in the midst of a war against the Ishmaelites for our very survival, Jews still think of the enemy as “our cousins”. Unfortunately, this is not the first example of this in our history. It gets worse when all kinds of self-proclaimed Jewish “religious authorities” paint the pastoral picture that “we are all sons of Abraham”. In the case of the Machpelah Cave, for example, we hear many good-natured people (from our side, of course, for no Arab is willing to compromise) who are quite comfortable with the Machpelah being shared among all of “Abraham’s children”. They are broad- minded enough to recognize that there is sufficient room there for all of us. So let us see what our sources really say, and thus understand how distorted this attitude is. The Ishmaelites: Sons of Abraham? To start at the beginning: the Ishmaelites’ hatred for Israel begins with their progenitor, the Ishmael of Genesis, and his hatred for his half-brother Isaac, and his jealousy of his being chosen to be God’s nation even while Ishmael was disqualified and excluded from “the seed of Abraham”. In Sanhedrin 59b, regarding circumcision, it is written: “It is Abraham whom the Torah originally admonishes: ‘You must keep my covenant -- you and your offspring throughout their generations’ (Gen. 17:9)… What about obligating the Ishmaelites [in circumcision, since they are Abraham’s seed]? It says, ‘It is through Isaac that your seed will be called’ “ (Gen. 21:12). The Torah states explicitly that only Isaac, and not Ishmael, will be called Avraham’s seed. The Midrash Tanchuma (Va-yelech 2) says: “The vineyard” (Isaiah 5:1) is Israel;… “He weeded it” this is Abraham, who threw out the refuse such as Ishmael… And the Mishnah says explicitly: “A Jew who takes on oath… not to enjoy any benefits from anyone who is descended from Abraham -- the prohibition applies to Israel, but not to other nations” (Nedarim 3:11) The Talmud asks: And what about

Ishmael? - and the answer: The prohibition does not apply to Ishmael, because “it is through Isaac that your seed will be called” (Genesis 21:12). That is to say, the Ishmaelites are not called the “seed (i.e. descendants) of Abraham”. And when the Ishmaelites stated their claim to the land of Israel, Gevia ben Pesisah gave a similar reply (see Sandhedrin 91). We see from these sources that Ishamel was at best, the rejected son of Abraham. The Cruelest of Them All But more than this: The Ishmaelites’ horrendous treatment of Jews in their lands, throughout the millenia of exile in Arabia, is the diametric opposite of the supposed “tolerance” that so many of us have been brainwashed into believing was the case. In fact, the Ishmaelites were more vicious than almost any other nation. Already a millenium ago, the Rambam in Iggeret Teiman wrote to the Jews of Yemen: You dear brethren, know that God has unfortunately cast us down among this people Ishmael, who plot great evil against us and hate us…; You know that no nation has threatened us, and no nation has done more to subjugate and to humiliate us… Even King David, when he saw through ruach hakodesh all the troubles slated for Israel, began to wail and lament the wicked Ishamaelite nation: “Woe is me, that I sojourn with Meshech, that I dwell besides the tents of Kedar!” (Ps. 120:5)… The Ohr ha-Chayyim ha-Kadosh (Leviticus 6:2) similarly said: Worse than the Egyptian exile…is the exile among the Ishmaelites; fortunate is he who has not seen it! They enslave the Jews and embitter their lives…The Jew is robbed of what he has and ordered to pay what he does not have, and he must drink this cup until death. And later on (Deuteronomy 13:18) he continues: As we have been told in Ma’amar ha-Melech, the Ishmaelites, this gang of murderers, have tremendous lust for killing people, they have totally lost any semblance of compassion, and they have become cruel. We conclude with two sources that foresaw Ishmael’s evil scheming in the Land of Israel immediately before the Redemption: The time will come when God will heed the scream of the nation, caused by what the sons of Ishmael will do in the Land of Israel in the last days; this is why he is called Ishmael [God will hear]… (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 32). And the Zohar says: In the future, the sons of Ishmael will rule in the Holy Land when it is empty, for a long time… And they will prevent Israel from returning home…and the time will come when the sons of Ishmael will arouse fierce wars throughout the world (Zohar, Genesis 119). But in fact, this entire article has been unnecessary, since you already knew it anyway just from the day-to-day reality of life. Did we really need all these Torah-based sources to prove the hatred and cruelty of the accursed Ishmaelites, and their vicious fight against Israel’s Redemption for more than a hundred years past?! The determination to ignore reality, to “explain” their hatred, is truly incredible. We have offered all the above to counter the years of propaganda, which is more insidious now than ever before. Listen, O you who are deliberately blind: We have not quoted “fanatics” from the “extreme right”; we have not even opened the books of “Kahane” to reach these conclusions. Rather, this is what our sages spoke of, centuries and millenia ago. But tragically, one who refuses to see will not be convinced even by a thousand quotes…or even by a thousand murdered Jews. And this is the reason that the Ismaelites do not have to resort to cunning to camouflage their diabolical plot: what they plan to do, they state openly and we refuse to listen. O deaf ones, listen; O blind ones, look that you may see: who is blind as My servant [Israel], and deaf as My messenger (Isaiah 42:18).



Toledot

PARSHAT TOLEDOT WORLD WAR ONE AND FOREVER (1994) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Yitzhak Newman, ZT\"L The war in Rivka's womb is pretty intense. In one corner is Yaakov, who at this early stage is already waging the battle for Divine truth. And in the other corner is Esau, who is already denying God; who basically sees the purpose of the world as a place to fulfill his needs and passions. Good versus Evil This turbulence in Rivka's stomach is how it all started. It is the beginning of the most essential war, an eternal one that has run the course of history. We are talking about the war of good versus evil. This is the real war which dwarfs all others. Whether one wants to accept it or deny it, this is the perpetual conflict that is taking place behind the scenes of history. In a war so basic, of such substance, there is no lull. These two fetuses, who embody the good and the evil, are not able to stand one another even in their mother's womb. The bitter dispute is already underway, \"and the children clashed inside her\". No Co-Existence This war is the beginning of what later on will be known as the war of Yaakov and Esau. It has already been written: \"The halacha is known: Esau hates Yaakov\". It is an inherent, natural hatred, one that cannot be extinguished. Our sages add something else, to make things even clearer. They tell us that if someone comes to you and says: Jerusalem and Edom (which is the kingdom of Esau) are both thriving - do not believe him; both are destroyed - do not believe him; one is thriving and one is destroyed - believe him. The sages are conveying us an awesome message here -- There is no Peace With Evil There are those who feel the time has arrived for \"world peace\", for co-existence between nations, religions and races of all kinds. The Torah comes and says: No way. No way can there be peace with Esau. These are two opposites. One is good and one is evil. And there is no co-existence between good and evil! A revolutionary idea? Hardly. Certainly not for someone who learns Torah properly. For the Jewish People, there is no aspiration to make peace with Esau. On the contrary. According to Jewish tradition, God is not complete and His throne is not complete until Amalek has been wiped out from the world. And who is Amalek? Amalek (Esau's grandchild) is an extreme manifestation of Esau in this world. Peace at the proper time, and war at the proper time. Yes, we all want peace, but peace only with good, and with good, decent people. With evil, not only aren't we interested in peace, but the Torah even commands us to wage an all out war against it, \"and you shall burn out the evil from thy midst!\" Nothing less than that. For the war against evil is not a personal war, but rather a mission that God gave us the moment we breathed the air of this world, and even beforehand...

Living for the Moment Vs. Eternal Values (1993) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Yitzhak Newman, ZT\"L In parshat Toledot we find two opposing world views expressed respectively by Jacob and Esau. One world view sees physical pleasure as the ultimate goal. It stresses the present. It downplays the consequences of one's actions. It's motto: \"Live for Today!\" The other world view stresses spirituality and places the service of G-d at the center of man's existence. Man must take account of his actions, for the future depends on it. Esau's brusque demand (Genesis 25-30): \"Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of this red, red (pottage)\", expresses the first world view. Esau uses his intellect to search and figure out ways to satisfy his desires. His intellect is subject to his body. This point is emphasized again (Ibid:35): \"And he ate and drank and rose and went on his way.\" It is precisely this \"Living for Today\" which makes Esau weak and susceptible to Yaakov's offer to buy his birthright. After all, what is a birthright - a vague honor, an ambiguous title which only has real implications for the distant future - compared to a steamy pot of lentils after a hard day of hunting? And so, this bestial quality is exploited by Yaakov - \"And Esau said: Behold, I am going to die; and what profit shall the birthright be to me?\" (25-32) Yaakov is exactly the opposite. He plants seeds today and he will reap the harvest tomorrow. He does not give in to passing desires. He has the ability to see the future and plan for it. His intellect is master over his body, and his G-dly image is plain for all to see. He patiently waits until he receives the blessing fifteen years later. This behavior stands in sharp contrast to Esau, who at this point is finally exposed before his father Yitzchak and hysterically bursts in to tears: \"he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry\" (27-34) and said: \"for he has tricked me these two times: he took away my birthright; and behold, now, he has now taken away my blessing.\" (27-36) Here we see the infantile irrationality the moment his illusions explode. For Esau realizes, albeit, too late, the consequences of \"living for today\". For a fleeting pleasure he sacrificed something truly valuable. The illusion of materialism is shattered. His brother receives eternal blessing and he - a lousy pot of lentils. All this is quite pertinent in helping to understand the present state of Israel and the peace (re: suicide) process. It is the same Esavian plague which causes the \"peacenicks\" to be so eager to throw away it's birthright, and it's homeland for a figurative pot of lentils; empty and vague promises of \"peace\" when all of history and common sense point in the opposite direction. Just as Esau was already fully formed from birth(the Hebrew word for Esau means \"made\" or \"formed\", as Rashi says: for at birth he was formed and completed with his hair as one of many years), so do the peacenicks come with ready-made plans for a peace \"now\". But similar to Esau, this approach is void of any real content, for they forsake the future and eternal aspect of the Jewish Nation. We, the children of Yaakov, approach life according to the covenant that was promised to us. Peace? Only \"if in my statutes you walk\". Any other way will lead to tragedy, and all other answers will blow up in the faces of the \"now\" people, who will burst into an exceeding and bitter cry as did their original predecessor, Esau.

THE CLOWNS IN EVERY GENERATION (1997) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The rabbis tell us that when Yitzchak was born, \"the clowns of the generation\" claimed that Avimelech was Yitzchak's real father. They even had a convincing argument: for so many years, Sarah had not become pregnant from Avraham. And behold, while Avraham is an old man, she suddenly becomes impregnated shortly after being taken by Avimelech. Logical conclusion: there is no miracle here, but rather Sarah has been impregnated by the evil Avimelech. The rabbis tell us that in order to refute this argument, G-d formed Yitzchak's face identical to that of Avraham's, to make it clear that: \"Avraham begot Yitzchak.\" THE QUESTIONS Three questions on this midrash: 1. why do the rabbis refer to these slanderers and scorners as \"clowns of the generation\"? It seems that their claim, as evil as it may be, is not based on frivilousness or buffoonery, but rather on rationality and logic. 2. If they are just \"clowns\", why do we pay so much attention to them; to such an extent that the sages immortalize them, and G-d Himself intervenes to refute them? 3. From the midrash, it appears that their claim was not some joke. On the contrary, it seemed to be a serious matter of concern for them to prove that Avraham was not Yitzchak's father. What do they care? Of what interest is it to them? Our sages speak of \"clowns of the generations\" in several other places. For example, in the midrash Eicha Raba it says: \"The clowns of the generation would utter with their mouths and hint with their eyes saying, 'the prophesy which he (Ezekhiel) prophesizes is only for the distant future'\". The clowns of the generation in this case were the leaders who feared that the prophet's warning of the impending destruction would enter the hearts of the masses. Instead of debating the issue at hand, they latched onto a \"weak spot\" in his prophesy, and used it in order to destroy the credibility of the prophet: Behold, so much time has passed since you've been warning us, and nothing has happened -- there is still more time to party! And so again, if their claim is rational and viable, why are they termed \"clowns\"? CLOWNING AROUND IS SERIOUS BUSINESS To understand this, we must first realize that a clown is not some prankster with a funny hat and floppy shoes. The \"clowns of the generation\" which our sages describe are people who have a purpose. In order to nullify the truth which they cannot accept, they grasp onto certain points and make a joke out of them. But as time passes, all the ideology and seriousness that once cloaked them becomes undone, since their goal all along was to undermine the truth in order to continue in their ways of sin and falsehood. AVRAHAM'S WAR AGAINST THE WORLD Avraham is the symbol of the \"Ivry\" (Hebrew). \"Ivry\" comes from the root \"the other side\", meaning that the entire world stood on one side (miever), and he stood on the other. When the sages tell us that he destroyed the idols, it is not just a story: It means that while spreading the idea on the One and True G-d, Avraham waged war against the false beliefs and leaders that existed in his time, shattering them. Yitzchak's birth expressed the continuation of this legacy, and the miraculous way in which his birth came about was a proof of G-d's strength and the righteousness of Avraham's cause. For many years the people of Avraham's generation would mock him by saying: You have no one to carry on your legacy!

Your teachings will be forgotten! You have no future; you are \"washed up and sterile\". Then suddenly, G-d's ancient promise is actualized and Sarah bears him a son to continue. At this point, his enemies are in danger: Avraham is revived, and his teachings will continue as his G-d promised. In order for their ideology to survive, the opponents of Avraham must launch an offensive. They find something; something logical that can be \"clowned\" with. There is no doubt that the clowns of Avraham's generation were men of stature. Their involvement in the \"Who is Yitzchak's real father\" scandal was of a serious nature. However, all this was only a cover for their real motive: the war against Avraham's ideas; the idea of the true G-d. PROFESSIONAL CLOWNS This tactic is alive and well today in Israel. The hellenists most powerful weapon against Judaism and Eretz Yisrael is -- clowning and mockery. In the media sit people who have perfected it to an art. In the guise of \"journalism\", they mock and scorn, cloaking their vicious slander in the garb of \"rationalism\", \"pragmatism\", \"enlightenment\", etc. These are the \"clowns of the generation\", whose goal is to destroy all values by setting down the axiom that there really are no \"values\", other than the one value whose very essence is anti-value. And what is that? Democracy. In essence, democracy says that anything goes, and that there are no absolute values or objective truths. Anything running counter to this \"value\" is made into a laughing stock. Mitzvot? G-d? That's for the primitive (as a first stage), and for the racist (as a second stage).



Vayetze

PARSHAT VAYETZE Time to Go Home (1992) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Yizchak Neeman, ZT\"L It is a well-know Torah principle that, \"the actions of the fathers are precedents for the sons.\" The Rambam in his introduction to the Book of Exodus explains: \"All the events (that the founding fathers of the Israelite Nation experience) are like pictures of things that hint and inform us of all that will occur to them (the Israelite Nation) in the future) in the future.\" This rule not only applies to positive actions, but to negative actions as well. Indeed, Rabbi Kahane often pointed out how the conflict between Jacob and Laban that is recounted in parshat Vayetze provides us with a prototype of Jewish- Gentile relations that remain valid as long as the Jews abide in the lands of their dispersion. First, Jacob is forced to flee his home due to the fact that Esau plots to murder him as vengeance for an alleged wrong, \"Behold, Esau your brother comforts himself (by planning) to kill you. And now my son, listen to me and arise, flee to Laban, my brother in Haran.\" (Genesis 27:42) Jacob makes the wearying journey, full of travails and diversions, and finally arrives, penniless, in his new place of residence. He immediately seeks and finds work (as a shepherd) and begins to rebuild his life. He works hard and is scrupulously honest: \"These past 20 years that I was with you, your sheep did not miscarriage and the rams of your flock I did not eat. I did not bring you a carcass (of a dead sheep attacked by wild animals) without reimbursing you, and took responsibility (for stolen sheep) whether stolen in the day or night\" (ibid 40). For his trouble he is repeatedly cheated and ripped off by his employer Laban, \"You have switched my wages (i.e. contract) ten times\" (ibid 41). And yet, despite this, his diligence and faith in G-d pay off: \"And the man increased (his wealth) very much (ibid 30:43). Yes, Jacob became a financial mogul with influential connections and an impressive mass of wealth and possessions to boot. He had \"made it\". He had reached the highest echelons of society. What could possibly go wrong? \"And he heard the sons of Laban saying, Jacob has taken all that belongs to our father and it is from our father's possessions that he has glorified himself. And Jacob saw Laban's expression (when looking at Jacob) and it was different from that way it has always been\" (ibid 31:12). The atmosphere grows thick with jealousy. The hatred that accompanies it spawns false accusations and outright lies: \"The Jews control the economy! The Jews are feeding off of us! It's the Jews fault!\" Jacob, an honest and law-abiding citizen of Padan Aram finds himself, once again, in physical danger regardless of his innocent intentions and contributions to society. He is momentarily shocked. What has he done to deserve this? The \"old friend\" of yesterday is the new enemy of today. He realizes he has overstayed his welcome, but hangs on a little longer. Eventually he hits the road only to begin somewhere else where the same nightmare can be replayed again. This, then, is the immutable cycle of the Jewish exile. But where does it end? Shall his weary feet never find rest? Is he doomed to a life of perpetual wandering? Or is there a place where he will be able to grow and prosper, a place where his children's future will be guaranteed; a place by which he has a rightful claim? The Almighty gives the answer, and it is an answer that we would do well to take seriously: \"Return to the land of your fathers, your homeland, and (there) I will be with you!\" (ibid 31:3)

This familiar pattern repeats itself over and over again. In each new place the hapless Jew \"finally\" discovered comfort and security. \"It can't happen here\" he reassures himself, and blithely goes about his way, all the while stubbornly ignoring the lessons of history, not to mention a Torah commandment... There is only one way to escape the vicious cycle, and that is the way in which the Torah implores us: \"Return to the land of your fathers, your homeland, and (there) I will be with you!\" When It Comes to the Jewish Idea - No Changes!! (1993) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The last two Torah parshas of the week have portrayed Yaakov as quite a con-man. Every step of the way he is using his cunning to achieve his desired goals - at first in attaining the birthright by putting the pressure on a weary and vulnerable Esau, and afterwards in his outright theft of the blessing from his father. In our parsha this week, we see this guile directed now at Laban, his cheating uncle, as our sages tell us: \"If to deceive he comes, then I, too am his brother in deceit, but if he is an honest man, than I, too am the son of Rivka, his honest sister\". (Rashi 29:12) And indeed, when the dust clears Yaakov comes out of the Laban situation a very wealthy man. The problem is that all this is in sharp contrast to the very first words the Torah uses to describe Yaakov - \"And Yaakov was 'tam' (in Hebrew, the word 'tam' has the connotation of pure, whole, simple or naive). Couldn't the Torah find another word to characterize Yaakov other than 'tam'?? In our simplistic eyes, Yaakov is the very antithesis of 'tam', full of savvy and even an outright liar when need be. The question is magnified tenfold when we remember that Yaakov Avenu represents, of all things, \"Emet\" (truth), as it is written, \"And you will give truth to Yaakov\", (Micha 7). And so again, couldn't the sages come up with a more appropriate characteristic for Yaakov other than \"Emet\"? The fact is that this subject is a very delicate one, and it is one that my father, Rabbi Meir Kahane, HY\"D, had to deal with his entire life. Obviously in this short space it is impossible to delve too deeply into the subject, but it certainly must be touched upon. Everyone used to ask Rabbi Kahane: \"Why don't you change a little?\" Just change a little to outmaneuver your enemies and then get into a position of power when you can then say the truth. Without exaggerating, he was approached by literally thousands of people with advice of this sort. He never listened to these \"advisors\" and insisted on clinging to truth. There are enough liars and cowards out there already, he would say. SOMEONE has to speak the truth. Rabbi Kahane was the only one to get up and shout the truth without changing an iota, and without taking into account the \"ifs\" or \"buts\". From this point of view, he was the epitome of \"And you will give truth to Yaakov\". On the other hand, when it came to less important matters not concerning the essence of the message, the Rav was as sly as the best of them, making a mockery of his opponents, often using \"gimmicks\" to expose their fraud or get himself press. But all this cunning was used for TACTICAL matters, not ideological ones. When it came to the message of the Jewish Idea, there was no place for even the tiniest of compromises. He knew that if he would make the slightest change, even for a short period of time, he would lose everything he had worked for - he would be selling out, and the power of his message would be emasculated. It seems to me that through this actual, live example of my father in our generation, we are given insight into the behavior of Yaakov in his interaction with Esau and Laban. Sure Yaakov knew how to

manipulate and fend for himself when need be. But when it came to the message itself he was willing to sacrifice himself even for \"little jars\", for it was a matter of principle to retrieve what he earned. He was ready to go face to face with the angel of Esau for even the slightest reason. This ability to separate what is important and what is not important; what is the message and what is only tactical; when to compromise and when not to - this made my father so special. It is the lesson we learn from Yaakov Avenu. \"YAAKOV WENT OUT\" and \"YAAKOV SAT\" (2000) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg \"And Yaakov went out\" - This seemingly innocent opening of our parasha is really not as simple as it may appear. Think about it: From where is Yaakov going out, and where is he going to? He is departing from Yitzchak and Rivka's warm home, from the cozy tent (as the verse says, \"he dwelled in tents\"), from a pure and wholesome environment (and Yaakov was \"tam\", meaning wholesome or pure). And where is he headed? To a cold, cruel world of murderers and swindlers. Yaakov, a wholesome, pure man, whose only desire is to serve God, finds himself fleeing from his brother who wants to kill him. He is on the way to a place he is not at all familiar with. Sure, it's his uncle. But what kind of uncle is this? Lavan the Aramite, the cheat and scoundrel. Does Yaakov really need all this grief? Remember, Yaakov tried to avoid all of this in the first place. It wasn't his idea to steal the blessings, which was what got him into this mess in the first place. It was his righteous mother who incited him to do it. Yaakov wanted to sit in his tent, to bask in the radiance of his father, to absorb Torah from him, to elevate himself spiritually. And now? He is alone and unsure of his destination, with but a stick in his hand. This is a situation he never dreamed he would find himself in. And again, where is he headed? To his uncle. If he only knew what waits for him there. With brothers and uncles like that, who needs enemies? How are we supposed to understand this? Why does God wish to see Yaakov go through all these difficult circumstances? Esau, Lavan, and let us remember his greatest sorrow of all - the loss of Yosef. Why doesn't God allow this righteous man, whose entire life's goal is to sit in the tent of Torah and serve God - why doesn't God allow him to fulfill his aspirations? Instead, this man of enormous potential must waste his thoughts and his efforts in scheming how to avoid his murderous brother. Is this not a waste of talent. Isn't there a more optimal way this spiritual giant can utilize his time? What is the reason for all these trials and tribulations which befall Yaakov, turning his life into one of brutal hardships, a life he himself later sums up as: - \"few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.\" No Tranquility for The Righteous In order to understand, \"And Yaakov went out\", we must understand \"And Yaakov sat\", which is two parashas ahead of us. On this seemingly mundane phrase, \"And Yaakov sat\", the sages tell us: \"Yaakov desired to sit in peace, but there sprang upon him the troubles of Yosef. When the righteous desire to sit in tranquility, the Almighty says: Is it not sufficient for the righteous that which is prepared for them in the world to come, but they seek to sit in tranquility in this world too!\" (Rashi, at beginning of parasha) What is so wrong about wanting to sit in tranquility? Don't the righteous deserve it? This is basically the same question we have been asking all along. And the answer is a resounding, No! The righteous are not supposed to sit in tranquility. Yaakov was put on this earth to be a \"And Yaakov went out\" man,

and not a \"And Yaakov sat\" type of person. This is a novel idea in this generation. For up to now, we have been taught that the complete Jew is one who spends all his time learning in the Beit Midrash. Not true. There is a time for sitting in the Beit Midrash, and a time to go out to the people. People are suffering. There are ideals that must be fought for. There are problems that must be solved. Yaakov as a Symbol For Us Therefore, it is wrong to think that Yaakov \"went to waste\" wandering and investing energies to foil con-men and murderers. All these experiences, which may seem as needless aggravation and wastes of time, bring the Jew to loftier heights. A Jew who must face all this while remaining steadfast in spreading God's word and doing the right things; who takes on the wicked and does it all out of a connection to God and guidance from the Torah he is engrossed in during every moment available to him - such a Jew reaches far greater heights than the one who dismisses himself from such \"politics\", and enters only the Beit Midrash. Yaakov is a symbol for the sons who succeed him, the nation of Israel. Yaakov does not sit in tranquility. The days of Messiah have not yet arrived. Jew! In this world there are problems which are sometimes difficult, and one must deal with them, and if necessary, to fight them. This is part of your destiny. Why do you think there is Esau and Lavan in this world? For you! They did not sprout up by themselves. God created them! They exist in order to harass the wholesome Jew. They exist to test him. And the tests are difficult ones. True, you do not have to go and look for tests. But don't worry, because they will find you. Each one according to what has been designated for him. But take comfort, Jew: In the end, these tests and trials mold you and give you the chance to reach greater heights, and to prove your faith and trust in God. And that is what being a Jew is all about. The \"gedolim\" of all generations, who are our guiding light from the days of Avraham until today - they are people who never fled from struggles. When Yaakov starts to fatigue, and it happens, God throws all kinds of events his way - events which awaken him from the cocoon of tranquility he tries to curl himself into. They awaken him and say: Yaakov, Yaakov, there is no rest in this world. Don't worry, don't take it too hard - if you only knew what awaits you in the next world! And then he is awakened and inspirited, anxious to do battle. We are amazed to see Yaakov, this pure and simple man being forced to deal with the devious Lavan, and overcoming him. Sure, Yaakov is \"tam\", but when he leaves his tent, he knows how to deal with evil...



Vayishlach

PARSHAT VAYISHLACH SHIMEON AND LEVY & COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The act of Shimeon and Levy in Shchem bears light on a subject so relevant today in our dealings with the Arab enemy. And the subject is the one called \"collective punishment\". For here is Shimeon and Levy, in response to a crime which was more sexually motivated than nationally motivated, wiping out an entire city because of the act of one individual. You can't get much more collective than that! At this juncture, we will not respond to the modern falsifiers of Torah who condemn the act. The fact is, a look in Parshat Vayishalch will reveal that Yaakov never condemned the act on a moral basis, but rather on a practical basis (\"you have brought trouble on me..and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves against me..\"). The fact is, not one Torah commentator condemns it. The wiping out of Shchem was the pride of the tribe of Shimeon, inscribed on its flag in the desert! All the commentators see the act as a mitzvah and one of great m'sirut nefesh. The only argument among the commentators is concerning the question of why it was permitted? The Rambam for instance, writes that the gentiles of Shchem were guilty for not observing the seven Noacide Laws - one of these laws being the obligation to set up court systems to try criminals. Since the people of Shchem did not bring Shchem Ben Hamor to trial, they were obligated the death penalty. The Maharal differs. He says that since the people of Shchem feared their prince, they were forcibly prevented from bringing him to trial, and were therefore dismissed from guilt. Then why was Shimeon and Levy permitted to collectively punish an entire city? The Maharal answers: \"Since both the Shchem Canaanites and Yaakov & sons were were already considered 'nations' or 'collectives' (as was mentioned in their agreement to circumcise, 'and we will be as one nation', instead of two nations), it was permitted to fight against them according to the laws of war, when nation goes against nation, as a collective. And though it is written that before such a war, one must make the offer of peace, that is only when they did not harm Israel. But here, where they violated (a Jewish girl), even though only one of them did it, he is part of a collective, and one can take vengeance against all of them. And such is the case for all wars, as it says, 'Take vengeance against the Midyanites', etc, where even though only a few did (evil), it makes no difference because they are from the same nation..and such is the case in all wars... (Gur Aryeh, Parshat Vayishlach)

The Killing of the Shchem Residents: A Torah Perspective (1992) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg Two zealots are focused upon in our parsha: Shimeon and Levy. And theeternal question is if they were correct in their deed or not. This parsha has certainly been one of the more misinterpreted portions in the Torah in modern times, and as a consequence, so many improper conclusions have been drawn from it. Why is that? Because indeed, there are verses in the Torah, which at first glance view the act of Shimeon and Levy as a mistake. One who reads Parshat Vayichi can easily reach the conclusion that the question is answered by Yaakov, when he says, \"Cursed be their anger for it was fierce...\" These words are directed at the actions of Shimeon and Levy in Shchem, and such words certainly seem to put the deed in a negative light. And so, this is how so many love to interpret the parsha, thereby condemning the brothers Shimeon and Levy as if they sinned in Shchem. The Act of Shchem - The Pride of the Tribe of Shimeon! But in contrast to this simplistic understanding, there are tremendous questions. Firstly, one who reads Parshat Vayishlach will notice that the Torah finishes the story with Shimeon and Levy having the upper hand. For in response to Yaakov's argument that \"you have troubled me, to make me odious among the inhabitants of the land\", Shimeon and Levy promptly answer him: \"As a harlot should one deal with our sister?\" And so the parsha ends, without a peep from Yaakov, with the brothers clearly putting the matter at rest. And indeed, the argument of Yaakov, that \"you have troubled me to make me odious among the inhabitants of the land\" seems to fall flat on its face, as the Almighty puts fear of G-d upon all the inhabitants of the cities from which Yaakov was afraid of. Could this not be a clear sign that the Almighty was giving an O.K. to the deed? More than that, pay attention to the argument of Yaakov. He is not opposing them on a \"moral\" basis. He is not criticizing them for wiping out an entire city unjustly. No! This is not his argument. His is a PRACTICAL one - that all the goyim will come after us now. And if one is not yet convinced, know what it says in the Midrash - that on the flag of Shimeon was nothing more and nothing less than a PICTURE OF THE CITY OF SHCHEM! Now ask yourselves: How could one have on his flag a symbol of something that reminded him of his sin? But certainly the act of Shimeon and Levy was a correct and positive act, to such an extent that it waves proudly on the flag of Shimeon. The fact is that none of the Jewish commentators condemn the act. For example, Rambam explains that Shimeon and Levy were justified because the people of Shchem did not put Shchem Ben Hamor on trial for his crime of raping Dina, thus violating the seven laws of Bnei Noach, and therefore being worthy of death. The Maharal argues with the Rambam, stating that one can't expect a people to put it's prince on trial, because they are afraid of him. He therefore offers an alternative explanation. The Maharal says that the children of Israel behaved as in all wars, where there is a law of collective punishment, and even though one is supposed to call for peace first, this is only when you were not wronged by them. But since in this case, they 'broke the fence\" first with their rape of Dina, one needn't call them to peace. (Gur Aryeh, Vayishlach) And so, all this makes us quite curious to know why Yaakov said in Parshat Vayichi: \"Cursed is their anger for it was fierce\"? The Act - Good. The Motive - Not So Good. The answer to this question touches upon the deep and delicate subject concerning the MOTIVE that stands behind the actions of a person. Yaakov, in his wisdom, evidently understood that while the act of Shimeon and Levy was a Kiddush Hashem, he also came to the conclusion later on that the motive standing behind the deed was not 100% pure. When did Yaakov understand this? When it became clear that the major culprits in the selling of Yosef were the same Shimeon and Levy (as the sages tell us in another place), Yaakov knew that their zealotry was not always channeled in the proper direction. He said to them: \"For in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they houghed an ox\". Rashi tell us that the \"men\" they slew were Hamor and the men of Shchem, and the \"ox\" they houghed was Yosef, who was termed \"ox\". This was the problem. After being zealous for a good cause, they went out later to hurt their brother. The act of plotting to kill Yosef shed light on their act in Shchem. It meant that their motive

there was somehow flawed; and they were not acting solely \"LeShame Shamayim\". It showed that there was a characteristic of anger in them, not always directed properly. And so Yaakov said \"cursed is their anger, for it is fierce.\" Yaakov did not curse them, but rather their anger, to tell us that they are not cursed, but only \"their anger\" is. That is, the use of the attribute of zealousness derived from anger, not \"Leshame Shamayim\". Interestingly enough, we see that the tribe of Levi indeed succeeded incleansing their motives, and acting \"LeShame Shamayim\". It was they who slew their brethren for the sin of the Golden Calf, and it was Pinchas who was also zealous for G-d's sake, slaying Zimri. Zimri Ben Salu, the Jewish leader who prostituted himself, was from the tribe of Shimeon. Pinchas, who was zealous against such lewdness came from the tribe of Levy. A zealot and son of a zealot - but this time with absolutely pure motives. The tribe of Levy succeeded in sublimating it's attribute of anger, thereby purifying it's motives as Yaakov requested. Shimeon apparently could not straighten out his \"middot\", falling victim to the very same sin he was once zealous for. Is \"Esau Hates Yaakov\" a Thing of the Past? (1995) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg Without a doubt there will be those who object to our bringing the following quote from a particular \"religious\" Jew who is one of the biggest opponents to the renewal of the sacrifices in our generation. During a special convention dealing with the Temple Mount, one of the participants who dons a yarmulke and carries with the title of \"Rabbi\", made the following comment: \"Must we inhale the smell of charred meat in order to manifest our religiousness?..\" And so, why must we bring the words of enemies of Judaism in our parsha commentary? Why give them a forum? Aren't there things more holy to discuss on this topic? The answer is that in many ways, almost every Jew, including observant ones, possesses thoughts similar to the above, and it is this complete mindset which must be changed. What exactly do we mean? After 2,000 years of living without a Temple and without sacrifices, the mere idea of offering sacrifices (the bringing of an animal, slaughtering it with a knife, and bringing its flesh up to the fire on the altar for G-d), has been virtually forgotten. People have even begun to reject and mock the entire concept of animal sacrifices. After all, who does such things today? For this reason, while it would never cross the lips of a believing Jew to cancel the service of the fire offerings, he also does not exhibit a great yearning to see the \"religion\" of Judaism return to the days when the offering of the sacrifices stood at their very center. He, too, can not help but think of all this as something that belongs to the Dark Ages. I mean, between us, who really needs to see flocks of sheep and cattle being scorched on the Temple Mount? After all, serving G-d in the manner in which we have become accustomed includes davening, fasting and other such ritual. How can we suddenly serve G-d in such a crude and material way? Isn't such practice more appropriate for such countries like India? But the fact is, clearly, that the way to get close to G-d is the way that G-d Himself told us to; not the way it appears through our very mortal and limited eyes. And G-d set down that the way to serve Him (nu, what can you do?), is to take an unblemished animal and offer it on the altar in the place which G-d chose, on the Temple Mount, as we contemplate how it is really WE who deserve to be slaughtered for our sin. This process nullifies our egos, and actualizes in a very concrete way the severity of our sin and the punishment we deserve, thereby enabling us to reach higher levels of spirituality. Prayer? Fasts? Of course! But only as something to supplement the sacrifices.

Our words are not directed towards that same clown we quoted earlier. Our words are directed at you, the reader, who perhaps mistakenly underestimated the vital importance of the service of the sacrifices and the critical need to restore it. Know and remember! For 2,000 years, all our prayers have been for the return of our Temple and for the renewal of the sacrifices, as we say in the Amida prayer three times each day, \"Restore the service to the Holy of Holies of your Temple. Speedily accept the fire offerings of Israel...\" Do not dare think that today we have \"progressed\", and already \"passed that stage\". Such thoughts eliminate a very hefty portion of the 613 Mitzvot, and one who would consider canceling even one of them is guilty of heresy. Let us not be counted among those \"moderdox\" Jews who attempt to create G-d in their own image. Let us be true Torah Jews who accept all of G-d's laws regardless of how it may jive with some western concepts which may have diluted our ability to understand and practice authentic Judaism.



Vayeshev

PARSHAT VAYESHEV For the Righteous, There Is No Tranquility (1993) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg Parshat Vayeshev begins with the words, \"And Jacob sat (or dwelled)\". From this seemingly mundane phrase the sages teach (Breishis Raba 84): \"When the righteous desire to live in tranquility, the Accuser comes (before G-d) and declares: Is it not enough (for the righteous) that they will receive their rewards in the World to Come; must they also request to dwell in this world in tranquility, he was punished with the troubles of Joseph.\" Amazing! All Jacob wanted was to settle down and raise a family in the way of Torah. What more could God ask of him? Here was a man beset with troubles from the very outset of his life (including in his mother's womb)- the feud with Esau, the despicable treatment he received at Laban's house, the rape of his daughter and the subsequent fear of attacks by the local gentiles after the daring liquidation of Shchem by his two sons. Didn't he deserve at least at this stage to relax a little, learn Torah, and enjoy life? However, it is exactly this outlook on life that the sages come to negate. And it is a concept we must drill into our hearts. The attainment of comfort, even if it is combined with a life of Torah and mitzvot, must not be the goal of the Jew. The real tranquility will be received in the World to Come. This world, by its very nature, is one of struggle and strife, and thus it is not the place designated for the achievement of comfort: \"The days of the years in this life are 70 years, or, given strength, 80 years; but the best of them are trouble and sorrow. They pass by speedily, and we are in darkness\" (Psalms 90:10) The essence of a Jew is selfless devotion and self-sacrifice for G-d, His Torah, and His People. My father, Rabbi Meir Kahane (may G-d avenge his blood) would frequently bless newlyweds with this blessing. Already under the \"chupah\", he would tell the couple that he does not wish for them to live in tranquility and comfort but rather they should always fulfill their tasks as Jews with \"msirus nefesh\" (self-sacrifice). This strange blessing often startled many of the guests. However, it was the message that the Rav continually stressed - a Jew must give of himself to sanctify God's Name. This includes his time, his money, and sometimes, even his life. This lesson is quite relevant to the holiday of Hanukkah that draws near. One who ponders the sequence of events of the Hanukkah story may be confounded by an enigma: What were the Jews doing before Matitiyahu and his sons began the rebellion? During the period that the Greek entourage traveled from village to village to force the Jews to sacrifice pigs to their idols, why did no one else rebel until then? Were there no other righteous Jews in Israel? This is exactly the point. What differentiated Matitiyahu and his sons from the other righteous Jews was their willingness for \"mesirut nefesh\". Surely there were many Jews who observed the commandments, but they placed their personal comfort and safety above their Jewish mission and destiny. The implications for today are obvious, and if there were only a few Maccabees back then, there are even less \"Maccabees\" today. The slogan \"never again\" was never intended to mean that another Holocaust could never again occur. It meant that Jews would never again sit quietly, in tranquility, while other Jews are suffering. It meant that Jews would do everything in their power, even at great personal cost, to help their brethren. Let us pray that the observant Jew, who observes with great vigor each and every halachic stringency, will grasp this simple and valuable lesson of \"and Jacob sat\".

Vayigash

Vayigash The Exile Self-Destructs For the \"Comfortable\" Jew (1994) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg The Egyptian exile which is defined by our sages as the first exile, begins in Parshat Vayigash. Yaakov and sons make \"yireda\" to Egypt, and from this point onward, the arduous and torturous road from \"galut\" (exile) to \"giula\" (redemption) begins. Since the sages tell us that the first redemption from Egypt is a symbol of the final redemption, we will tackle one point concerning the Egyptian exile and derive a crucial lesson for our generation. It is interesting that in every exile a definite pattern develops. Each exile that the Jews encountered began as a result of terrible affliction suffered by the Jews in the Land of Israel. First, it was the suffering of Yaakov and his lost son and the heavy famine prevailing in the Land of Canaan that brought on a departure to the first exile called Egypt. Afterwards, it was the second exile of the dispersion of the ten tribesuntil the destruction of the first Temple and the massive spilling of blood in Jerusalem. Finally, the last exile which began with the brutal war against the Romans on Jerusalem and culminated in the destruction of the second Temple and the killing of millions of Jews in Jerusalem. What is astonishing is that in all of the above exiles, after a very short period of adaptation, Jews discovered that life in the galut wasn't so bad. All the troubles they experienced in Eretz Yisrael suddenly ended, and they started to thrive and prosper...at least in the beginning. This is exactly what happened in Egypt, and on this point, the great commentator, the \"Kli Hayakar\" elaborates. On the final verse in our parsha, \"And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and THEY GRIPPED ONTO IT, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly\", the \"Kli Hayakar\", brings down the following on the phrase \"they gripped onto it\": \"The children of Israel are entirely to blame for this verse. Because the Lord decreed on them that a 'stranger your seed will be' (that is, temporary), and they wanted to be inhabitants (that is, permanent) in a place where it was decreed upon them to be transient ... this verse comes to place blame on this settling in, since they gripped onto a land that wasn't theirs.\" What happened here? The children of Yaakov were forced to go down to Egypt, and none of them were thrilled about the idea despite the hardships in Canaan, because they knew that Egypt is, after all, the exile. However, in a short time they had a change of heart. Joseph placed at their disposal the land of Goshen, which was the most fertile area of Egypt, and the brothers suddenly began to feel that \"it's not as bad as we thought\". One can even settle down in peace and tranquility and learn Torah here. What is so bad about it? So they \"gripped\" and clung to Egypt, and by this very doing so, were automatically rejecting the Holy Land of Israel. This \"seizing\" or \"gripping\" of the exile, the settling in and feeling good there, the acquiring of the mentality that \"there is life for the Jews in the Diaspora\" (a mealy- mouthed word for \"galut\" or exile), expresses in itself a rejection or \"despising of the good land\" (a verse in Psalms depicting the ten spies who spoke evil report about the land of Israel and prevented \"Aliyah\"). In their hearts, and all the more so in the hearts of their offspring, crept in the feeling that it is a good life here in exile and one can build Jerusalem here, and the dream of returning to Zion can wait for the next generation (if at all), but in the meantime, it remains strictly a \"dream\"... This is the crime of all exiles. Our sages told us long ago about this phenomenon in a midrash on a

verse in the \"tochacha\" of Parshat Ki-Tavowhere it is written, \"you will find no resting place for the soul of your foot\". The sages comment, \"if they would find a resting place, they would not come back.\" In other words, if the Jews could stay in galut, they would do so without any intention of returning to Eretz Yisrael, all the while building for themselves all kinds of theories why it is \"kosher\" to do so. But the gentile never allowed the Jew to remain in the galut. On the contrary, the more that the exile initially seemed to be full of promise, and the more the Jew was able to attain \"equal rights\" to the gentile, so, too, in direct proportion, was the tragedy of the exile that much more severe. Every exile turned into a bigger graveyard than the one before it. This is exactly what happened to our forefathers in Egypt. The aforementioned \"Kli Hayaker\" continues: \"And they immersed themselves tosuch an extent that they did not want to leave Egypt, until G-d had to take them out of there with a strong hand. And those who did not want to leave, died in the three days of darkness\". The \"Kli Hayakar\" touches here upon what is mentioned in Parshat \"Beshallach\", where four-fifths of the children of Israel were wiped out before the departure from Egypt, because they refused to leave. It is a divine decree that the exile, each and every one of them, has no future. This is an iron-clad law in Judaism. For this reason we find that in the poverty stricken lands which the Jews did not or could not \"grip onto\" as much, their exile was terminated in a more merciful and lenient fashion. This, of course, in contrast to the \"lands of the fleshpots\", whose ends were woefully tragic. This article was not written to give a history lesson. We are simply coming to say that this particular exile has come to an end. The doors of many exiles have been opened, including those whose doors became symbols like Russia and Syria. Every Jew has now been given the chance to get out. We have reached the final stage in the elimination of the exile. He who refuses to seize the moment and leave quickly will find his fate as those who refused to leave Egypt. Many may think that all this is not relevant for us who live here in Israel. After all, don't we have our own problems here? This is un-Jewish thinking, for we are guarantors for our brothers in the exile. And despite the fact that we here, too, stand before terrible tragedy, we have a responsibility to our brothers abroad who face, G-d forbid, much greater catastrophe than what will occur in Israel. Ultimately, our destiny is wrapped up in theirs, and we must wake up to this fast, for we are now in the \"End of Days\" - days in which our prophets warned us can come the way of \"Bi-Eta\" (in its time), which is the way of awesome suffering and labor pains of redemption, worse than anything we have experienced in exile. And if this is true, how can one sit by quietly? Mashiach Ben Yosef - Some Basic Concepts (1996) Weekly Parsha Commentary by Binyamin Zev Kahane Translated by Lenny Goldberg For most people, the concept of \"Mashiach\" relates to \"Mashiach Ben David\". In contrast, while most people may have heard of \"Mashiach Ben Yosef\", they know little about his role and importance. There is probably no more appropriate time than during the Torah portions dealing with Yosef to delve into the concept of Mashiach Ben Yosef. Indeed, it is interesting to note that Yosef is the central figure in four Torah portions (VaYeshev through VaYichi), which is more than any of the three forefathers, and certainly more than his \"counterpart\" Yehuda, the father of David's kingdom. There is a reason for this.

In this short article, we will touch upon the concept of \"Mashiach BenYosef\" basing ourselves upon the Gaon from Vilna (GR\"A) in his book \"Kol HaTor\", and on the writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane, HY\"D, in his book \"OhrHaRaayon\". First of all, it must be known that in each generation, there is a person who has the potential to be Mashiach Ben Yosef. This creates free choice for every generation to bring Mashiach, and when the Almighty decides to, He actualizes this potential and unleashes the role of Mashiach (on one or both of them) in a particular generation. Mashiach Ben Yosef is the one who starts the redemption. He is the central figure in the process preceding the final and complete redemption in which a king from David's house is eventually anointed - and this is \"Mashiach Ben David\". Mashiach Ben Yosef fights the wars of Hashem against the gentile enemies of Israel, and since it is he who STARTS the redemption, he is also called \"Mashiach HaAtchalta\" - the Mashiach who begins the redemption. He is responsible for the physical, material redemption which precedes the spiritual one. The physical redemption is the ingathering of the exiles, the conquering of the Land of Israel and wars against the gentile (and for this reason he is also coined by many midrashim as the \"Mashuach Milchama\" - the anointed for war). In contrast, Mashiach Ben David is responsible for the spiritual side of the redemption which comes afterwards. It is well-known that Mashiach Ben Yosef is killed. But actually, this does not have to happen. For if the redemption comes the way of \"Achishena\" (swiftly and with glory) - that is, the Jewish People do \"tsheuva\" - then Mashiach Ben Yosef triumphs in battle. On the other hand, if the redemption comes \"BiEta\" (slowly, at it's fixed time) - then one of the results of such a scenario is that he falls in the midst of a difficult and bitter battle, where great suffering and needless tragedy take place. One of the things that is emphasized about Mashiach Ben Yosef is something that is said about Yosef himself: \"And Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him\". While the potential Mashiach Ben Yosef of every generation brings the people the truth and presents before them the conditions for the redemption, the people deny and disrespect him. But because of his \"Ahavat Yisroel\", he is willing to suffer. It is the people's refusal to recognize the truth which brings upon them the needless wars and tragedies. For if the Jewish People had only accepted and understood Mashiach Ben Yosef's message, he would bring the redemption swiftly, in the way of \"Achishena\", with glory and without needless suffering. But in the scenario of \"BiEta\", only a handful understand, identify, and go with Mashiach Ben Yosef. And while the people continue to deny him, he continues his mission in any case, provoking the goyim and sanctifying the Name of G-d, and eventually falling, as stated above. It must be pointed out here that the major obstacle for Mashiach Ben Yosef is not the gentiles, but rather the destroyers from within. They are called the \"Erev Rav\" (mixed multitude). According to the Gaon from Vilna, the major battle of Mashiach Ben Yosef is against the \"Erev Rav\", who prevents the Holy People from recognizing the truth which would bring the redemption swiftly, \"HaGiulat Achishena\". In conclusion, it must be remembered that what is written here is a general overview of the redemption process. But how things will actually turn out - depends only on us, just as it depends on us concerning whether or not Mashiach Ben Yosef will be killed. This is a heavy responsibility - to recognize the truth and to understand the conditions for redemption, despite the fact that the \"Erev Rav\" is trying to destroy and ban it. May G-d give us the strength to hold our own and fulfill the mitzvot of Kiddush Hashem, so that we may bring the redemption swiftly. Amen.

PARASHAT VAYIGASH \"WHO RECOGNIZES YOSEF? (Binyamin Kahane's last parasha) In Parashat Vayigash the drama and tension between Yosef and his brothers reaches its climax. And then Yosef blows everything wide open, revealing himself to his startled brothers: \"I am Yosef\". Afterwards, the brothers rush off to their father to break the news: \"Ode Yosef Chai\", Yosef is still alive. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the parasha's dealing with Yosef, we must pay attention to the fact that what lies at the center of this three parasha drama between Yosef and his brothers is the fact that on one side stands Yosef who knows that his brothers stand before him, while on the other side are the brothers who do not know that they stand before Yosef. This is summed up in the verse in Parashat Mikez: \"And Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.\" What is Meant by \"Recognize\" According to the simple understanding, the commentators explain that the brothers did not recognize Yosef because at the time they sold him, he was young and without a beard, and now he had a beard. On the other hand, Yosef recognized his brothers because at the time he was sold, they already had beards. Rashi digs deeper, explaining that the difference between the two sides was not merely recognition of external appearances. When Yosef encountered his brothers on the fateful day in Shchem, they did not \"recognize\" him; that is, they did not act brotherly towards him and sold him to the Ishmaelites. But when the brothers were at Yosef's mercy, he \"recognized\" them; he acted brotherly towards them and did not take revenge for all the pain that they caused him. In these days, after Yosef's tomb has been sold to the Ishmaelites, we must focus on this point, and to shed light on the present situation where Yosef once again is not recognized. Mashiach Ben Yosef and His Role In the Torah, when speaking of the redemption, Mashiach ben Yosef and the concept of \"Od Yosef Chai,\" play a central role. According to tradition, before Mashiach ben David's arrival, Mashiach ben Yosef will fight God's wars in the age of redemption preceding Mashiach ben David. The Atchalta DeGeula, the stage before the conclusion of redemption when all surviving nations accept Heaven's yoke, is the period of Mashiach ben Yosef. The Gra (the Gaon R. Eliayahu of Vilna), in his work Kol HaTor, calls Mashiach ben Yosef the \"Mashiach De'Atchalta\", the \"Inaugural Messiah\". The Gra explains that Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yosef live and endure in every single generation, functioning in their role...\" Mashiach ben Yosef is involved in the whole physical side of the redemption, the actual return to Zion, and the fighting of God's wars, while the role of Mashiach ben David is to complete the spiritual redemption. If the Jews do not merit the redemption in a particular generation, the roles of the Messiahs are passed down to someone else in the next generation. Estranged From and Conspired Against We will now return to the central verse we mentioned, bringing the words of the Gra in Kol Ha Tor. \" 'Yosef recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him'. This is one of Yosef's attributes. Not just in his generation, but in every generation, Mashiach ben Yosef recognizes his brothers and they do not recognize him. It is an act of Satan which conceals Mashiach ben Yosef's attributes, such that the Jews unfortunately do not recognize his footsteps, and in fact scoff at them...If not for this, our troubles would already be over. If Israel 'recognized Yosef', Mashiach ben Yosef's footsteps comprising the ingathering of the exiles, etc., we would already be completely redeemed\". (Ch.2, Part 1:39)