Rav Kahane Kahane Codes - Bereshit Shmot

Kahane in the Parsha Bo 251

Bo 2009 ‫ יי קש ממע‬-‫לא‬ ,‫מם לשה‬-‫לאל‬ ‫מו םיא למר‬ ‫ט‬ 9 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh will‫תלי לכםקר מ קב ם‬, ‫נא‬ ‫קיה נוה‬ not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be. ‫ לא לרץ מיצק נר יי‬,‫ קל ממ מען ב םות םו קפ מתי‬--‫ מפ קר םעה‬multiplied in the land of Egypt.'(Shmot 11:9)Above is a famous passage that conceals the name of Rambam (Maimonides) inside it. Rambam camefrom Egypt and extrapolated the Torah in a practical way that inspired generations of Torah scholarswith his Torah revelations. A famous contradiction between Rambam and Rashi is the following. Rashistates that the 3rd temple will fall from Heaven intact, while Rambam believed it would be built frombelow by the people. In fact (I suggest) that it is not a contradiction at all. The fire of the offerings waslit below and then a fire from Heaven came down and consumed it. We see with our own eyes how thepioneers in modern day Israel began work below and miraculously transformed the Land swiftly withHeavenly aid. We see this process in everything we do today as well. Israel begins the action andHashem completes it. ‫ ע םוד לנ מגע לא נחד‬,‫ םמשלה‬-‫א מו םיא למר קיה נוה לאל‬ 1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one plague ,‫כן‬,‫ ת‬-‫תי‬,‫א נחר‬--‫ ימ קצ מר יים‬-‫ מפ קר םעה קו מעל‬-‫אבייא עמל‬ more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he shall send you forth from here. ‫רשאכ אלה‬,‫ נג ת‬, --‫קכ מש קלח םו‬ :‫ימ לזה‬ ‫לא קת לכם‬ ‫קי מש מלח‬ When He sends forth it shall be complete – he shall drive you out of here. .‫תרש לא קתכל ם ימ לזה‬, ‫קי נג‬ ‫ ע םוד לנ מגע לא נחד‬,‫מםשלה‬-‫א מו םיא למר קיה נוה לאל‬ 2 Please speak in the ears of the people, and let ,‫תן‬,‫כ‬-‫רי‬,‫אחנ ת‬--‫ ימ קצ מר יים‬-‫ מפ קר םעה קו מעל‬-‫א יביא עמל‬ them ask every man of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and‫רש‬,‫תרש קי נג ת‬, ‫ נג‬,‫כנלנה‬--‫ קכ מש קלח םו‬:‫ קי מש מלח לא קת לכם ימ לזה‬jewels of gold.' .‫לאתק לכ ם ימ לזה‬‫מגם‬ ;‫ני ימ קצ נר יים‬,‫עי ת‬,‫ קב ת‬,‫תחן נה נעם‬, -‫תתן קיה נוה לאת‬, ‫ג מו יי‬ 3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the ,‫ אגדולל רמ לאד רב הא הרץ שמ רצ תר שים‬,‫נה יאיש םמ לשה‬ sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight .‫אה אעם‬ ‫ו רב לעי לני‬ ,‫ תפ רר לעה‬-‫תע רב לדי‬ ‫רב לעי לני‬ of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.(Shmot 11:1-3)Like Rambam who interpreted the Torah in a practical way so that the miraculous is contingent uponthe physical so does Rav Kahane's Torah today. He sought to put us in the position to be driven to glorydespite our shortcomings. By showing the desire and mesirat nephesh (sacrifice) to build Hashemskingdom below, Hashem must respond according to His own rulebook with an outpouring of mercy 252

and protection for His children and drive us to redemption.The Stone Chumash writes: ‘It shall be complete’ – the translation follows Rashi. Sforno, however, has an entirely different rendering of the verse, which has a universally relevant moral dimension. He renders ‘He shall send you’ [i.e. the Jews] as He had sent you [i.e. Moses and Aaron when he ejected you from the palace]; he shall surely thrust out all of you [calah ‫]כלה‬. (from Stone Chumash pg 346)Just like Moshe and Aaron the Rav and his son placed themselves as targets in front of the oppressorsof the Nation and through their own sacrifice caused the forces of Pharaoh to crumble and the Nation torise to it’s potential. The 1st paragraph is linked to the 2nd paragraph for on one hand he forced theoppressors to fall by destroying their grip on the Nation but with the other hand the Rav spoke to theears of the people. Contrary to what his detractors would say, Rav Kahane did not bring the wrath ofthe Nations upon Israel, but rather brought respect and glory to Israel. In the previous plague ofdarkness the Midrash tells us that four fifths of the Nation perished because they did not want to leave.It was only one fifth of the Nation that was redeemed. This one fifth had to demonstrate some sort ofsacrifice that would make them worthy of redemption and this demonstration was the Pesach sacrifice(see Pesach sacrifice – Volume II Pg 288).Rambam’s name is associated with multiplying Hashems wonders yet his Torah is not known for itsmysticism but rather for its practicality. Rav Kahane’s Torah is also associated with practical steps thatbring about wonders; forcing the redemption; leaving the exile; breaking the back of the oppressorwhile lifting the spirit of the people. The result was the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of theEgyptians 253

Bo 2011There is a question that I have had for years that I never found a satisfying answer to. Finally I askedLenny Goldberg who teaches Tanach at the Rav’s Yeshiva and who is a dedicated Torah scholar who inthe past traveled with Binyamin on speaking tours and translated all of Binyamin’s weekly TorahParshiot. His answer satisfied me the most. Here is the question.From the beginning of Shmot to this Parsha there is a recurring theme that I find difficult to understand.Hashem tells Moshe to tell Pharaoh that He requests that the Jewish people be relieved of their duties togo for a three day journey into the wilderness to celebrate a festival for Hashem. There are a number ofdifficulties in these passages.1. This is the backdrop where the God of Israel will demonstrate for all time His mighty power and revel to the whole world that He is the Creator of the Universe. In addition He is the same God that will bring the Torah into the world and teach Israel and all of mankind His commandments that are built upon Truth and Justice. He is mightier than even Pharoah and any other mortal king. Wouldn’t this be the proper place to speak the truth? If this God is so mighty then why does it appear that He is telling a lie?2. In addition to the Chillul Hashem that is taking place in the very moment that Kidush Hashem is being demonstrated, how does one expect Pharoah to believe this lie? If one was so all powerful he would not have to play ‘political games’, he could simply say we are leaving now for good.3. Hashem tells Moshe that he will harden Pharaohs heart in order to demonstrate His might and bring Pharaoh to his knees. In the end Pharaoh pleads with Moshe to leave as soon as possible. For the same price of all these plagues, Hashem could have just told the truth. Why didn’t He say from the beginning we are going and not coming back?‫תאל‬, ‫תני יי קש נר‬, ‫ קל םק ללך; ו נבא נת מא נתה קו יז קק‬,‫יח קו נש קמעו‬ 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou‫תהי‬, ‫תא נליו קיה נוה לאל‬, ‫ מו נא ממ קר לתם‬,‫ למ ללך ימ קצ מר יים‬-‫אלל‬ shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The‫לד לרך‬ ‫ננא‬-‫תנ קל נכה‬, ‫ קו מע נתה‬,‫לינו‬,‫נה יע קב יר ייים ינ קק נרה נע ת‬ LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. ‫ קו ינ קז קב נחה מליה נוה‬,‫קשל לשת ני ימים מב ימ קד נבר‬ And now please let us go on a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice ‫הינו‬,‫ לאל ת‬to the LORD our God.(Shmot 3:18) ;‫תלך‬, ‫תנ‬, ‫נינו‬,‫ק ת‬,‫תרינו ו יב קז ת‬, ‫יב קנ נע‬ ,‫ט מו םיא למר םמ לשה‬ 9 And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and‫כיי‬--‫ך‬,‫לת‬,‫ נת‬,‫רנו‬,‫ננו ו יב קב נק ת‬,‫קב םצא ת‬ ‫תנו‬,‫נינו ו יב קבנ םו ת‬,‫קב נב ת‬ with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds we ‫ נלנו‬,‫ קיה נוה‬-‫ מחג‬. will go; because it is a festival of Hashem for us.(Shmot 10: 9) 254

Now some of the answers that I have heard are the following. 1. Hashem works through natural means. He gave Pharaoh an opportunity to allow the Hebrews to take leave through a regular political process. We don’t demand miracles but opportunities within the normal framework of the political process. 2. The fact that three days was denied shows how evil Pharaoh was. It was an opportunity for him to do teshuva but he denied the request. If only three days was denied than certainly complete redemption of the Israelites was not likely to happen.None of these answers satisfied me.When I asked this question to Lenny Goldberg he told me the following: ‘if we asked Pharaoh for full liberation, it would be as if Pharaoh played a part in our exodus, in our redemption. By asking for only three days, then when it says \"Vayishlach Pharaoh\", it was only a sending of three days. In such a way, Pharaoh, though he is the one who technically must liberate us, is not part of the redemption, but rather it is HaKakosh Baruch Hu. For the fact was, after those three days, he tried to enslave us again. If we asked for Pharaoh for full liberation, we would have to thank him at the seder night on Passover that he freed us. But he didn't. He just gave us three days. ‘…When you look at our times, at the establishment of the State of Israel, then it becomes clearer. When you think of the establishment of Israel, many think that it is the U.N. which created the state of Israel. Yes, there was a U.N. vote for establishing the state. But in the end, there was a war anyway, and 10% of the Jews died fighting that war, and that's how we really got the state. In a technical sense, because things work \"derech haTeva\" (through natural means), there may have had to be a body like the U.N., or Pharaoh, to give the green light. But in the end, they are irrelevant, and it was really the Jews and G-d who gave us the redemption. If it wasn't for the war, it would be as if \"in the merit of the U.N., there is a state of Israel today\". (Some people still actually think this) Just as if Pharaoh liberated us fully, then it's as if we needed him, or in his merit, we have a state. But since it was only three days, it's like the U.N. vote - an irrelevancy to our redemption, but maybe a technical necessity.’This answer speaks to me more than the others. In addition it makes the other explanations clearer. Thegematria of United Nations is also hidden within the letters of these passages. Today we are living inthe times of the ‘three days’ journey. We still believe that the United Nations gave birth to Israel. YomHaatzmaut is a modern day Pesach but it is still ‘a festival of Hashem’ for us. Even though we havepaid the price and we have witnessed many miracles, still we believe that our continued existence isdependent upon the good will of the Nations.The yardstick upon which our political leaders measure our actions is still based upon ‘what will theworld say’, or ‘what will America say’. With the agreement of the nations and against the will of thenations we have embarked on our three day journey to liberation. In the end however, we will no longerhave the support we had after the Shoa. We will stand alone in the war of Gog and Magog. This iswhen Hashem will truly bring about our freedom and it will be plain for all to see exactly who hadfreed us and brought about our liberation. It will be the same King that sits on the throne that we hadbuilt for Him. 255

‫לך; י‬,‫נ ת‬,‫ת‬ ‫תנינו‬, ‫תק‬, ‫רינו ו יב קז‬,‫יב קנ נע ת‬ ,‫םמ לשה‬ ‫מו םיא למר‬ ‫ט‬ 9 And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our‫כי‬--‫לך‬,‫נ ת‬,‫ ת‬,‫רנו‬,‫ננו ו יב קב נק ת‬,‫תתנו קב םצא ת‬, ‫תנינו ו יב קבנ םו‬, ‫ קב נב‬daughters, with our flocks and with our herds we - . will go; because it is a festival of Hashem for us. ' ‫ נלנותחג ירהואה‬,Shmot 10: 9‫יהוה‬-‫ או\"ם = י חג‬United Nations = 47‫אל‬,‫ני יי קש נר ת‬,‫ קל םק ללך; ו נבא נת מא נתה קו יז קק ת‬,‫יח קו נש קמעו‬ 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou‫הי‬,‫תא נליו קיה נוה לאל ת‬, ‫ מו נא ממ קר לתם‬,‫ למ ללך ימ קצ מר יים‬-‫לאל‬ shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The‫לד לרךנאא‬ -‫תנ קל נכה‬, ‫ קו מע נתה‬,‫תלינו‬, ‫נה יע קב יר ייים ינ קק נרה נע‬ LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. ‫ קו ינ קז קב נחה מליה נוה‬,‫קשל לשת ני ימים מב ימ קד נבר‬ And now please let us go on a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice ‫תהינו‬, ‫ לאל‬. to the LORD our God.(Shmot 3:18 )‫ = נא‬fifty one 51 +1 (kollel) = 52 = ‫( האו\"ם‬The United Nations) = 52‫ = נא‬PleaseIn the future it will not be because of the 'please' or the 'benevolence' of the nations but rather directfrom Hashem. The wicked will be punished for seeking the destruction of G-ds servant, His chosenson – Israel. 256

Beshalach/ Bo 2011A few questions. 1. If 4/5th of the Jewish people died in the 3 days of darkness how can you say they died because they refused to leave Egypt? Where they given a chance to demonstrate their free choice? Why were the Erev Rav (gentiles) given a choice and the Jewish people were not given a choice? 2. We discussed earlier that the ‘three day journey’ was connected to the Rav as the ‘short’ route to Israel and redemption. We also discussed that it was the non-religious, man-made route, (the UN resolution) doomed to fail at the sea. How does one reconcile both ideas?Let me suggest the following. There are signs that occur that separate the Jewish people from the restof the world. Before tragedy there are many warning signs. Before the Shoa there were many signs thatthe exile was ending and Israel was being populated once again and Jews were returning in numbersthat they hadn’t seen for two thousand years. The country was turning from a desert into a garden. Inaddition antisemitism was rising sharply all across Europe. Today as well we have signs like September11 and increasing antisemitism masked as anti-Israel sentiment warning us to come home before its toolate. Just like in Egypt there is a period of signs and wonders designed to awaken us and join the club.Pharaoh was not the only one to lose his ‘free choice’. The Jewish people also are given a time limit inorder to make decisions based on their sensibilities. After the deadline the choice is taken away.Millions who refused to go to Israel in the 30’s would do anything to leave in the 40’s but it was toolate. Of course it was precisely this darkness that propelled those who escaped to fight for the newNation of Israel. The self-sacrifice needed to build a Nation came from the ashes of the Shoa. Itcontinues to be the driving force behind the patriotism of many Israeli’s.The Rav pleaded with us in every speech to hurry the redemption. He would remind us that the Talmudin Sanhedrin (98a) poses a contradiction between two phrases in Yeshaya (60:22). There, the prophetstates: \"Ani Hashem b'ita achishena,\" \"I am Hashem, I will hurry it [the Redemption] in its time.\"Whereas \"in its time\" implies a predetermined, set time for redemption, \"I will hurry it\" implies anearlier salvation. The Gemara resolves this contradiction by noting that there are two possibilities forgeula. If we merit, it will arrive early; if not, it will be in its time. Consequently, we can suggest that thetradition of the Ge'ula occurring in Nissan refers to the Redemption in its prescheduled time. Thehurried salvation can arrive at any time, without notice.He would articulate the point that if it comes ‘in its time’ it will be preceded with tragedy, (just as it didin Egypt, and in the Shoa – my note) but it doesn’t have to. It can come gloriously if we choose it. Thethree day journey can split the sea and bring us to Israel or it can bring terrible destruction in the threedays of darkness. Another alternative, is that the three days can turn into forty years. The three dayjourney from 1948 to today is upon us. To one side the United Nations are coming after us with theirarrows, the other side wild Arab mobs are waiting for us. Once again we must choose to follow thelight and move forward or cling to the darkness along with all those who have lost their 'free choice'along the way.Another part of the answer to these questions can be seen in the chapter on Pesach (Book of Vayikra) where leaving Egyptis connected to the Shoa and founding of Modern Israel. The Midrash tells us they died in the darkness so we could burythem with respect. It was an embarrassment that they were not leaving with us. The Midrash tells us they chose to remain.Maybe we could have done more to prevent that from happening? 257

Bo and Amona 2017On the night before leaving Mitrayim the Israelites sat in comfort and enjoyed the first Pesach Seder.The next night their homes were only a memory as they slept under the stars in the open desert on theirway to the Promised Land. Here in Israel today there were hundreds of people from the settlement ofAmona who slept a few nights ago in the comfort of the homes they had lived in for over twenty years.Tonight their homes and community are also a memory and they sleep homeless under the cold starrynight.What is the connection between the two groups? Both groups are made up of 'free' people. Thosewhose community was destroyed overnight and left homeless and those who left Egypt; both are freepeople. Those who destroyed their lives and their homes and their community and beat them were notfrom Pharaohs elite units. The destroyers in this modern day crime are Jews; brothers from a differenttribe. They sleep in comfort tonight in their homes but unlike those they raped and pillaged, they arenot free; they are enslaved.What is the mental prison that they live in and all those who support them? What is the life of anyslave? It is a life of fear of the wrath of his master. And so the slave is forced to attack his brother anddestroys his brothers life because he wishes to please his master. The slave is afraid to be beaten and sohe beats others to gain the respect and the admiration of his master. The result however is very strangeand bewildering.The more that he beats his brother the more his master begins to despise him. How can this be? Did henot do what his master requested? Did he not in his zeal do even more than his master requested byshowing his master how loyal he is by removing any obstacle that his master might not have evendreamed of was an obstacle?Twenty four hours after Amona the new Moshiach President Trump came out with a bewilderingstatement. The new master to those enslaved who was proclaimed to be a benevolent master and oneunlike his predecessor who would support Israel unconditionally said some very disconcerting remarks.The very next day in the news we read: The Trump administration has broken with longstanding US policy by saying Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory are not “an impediment to peace” but cautioned that a further expansion “may not be helpful” to ending the conflict.How is it that the more the enslaved beat their God fearing brothers and and every Kahane sympathizerand all the rebellious Jews who refuse to be enslaved the more they are undone? The bulldozing is aswift success yet the situation becomes worse?The answer my friends is that every Jew is born free and he cannot escape his fate. No matter howmuch he loves his master. No matter how zealous he is to kick his brother out of his home and burn itto the ground, Hashem will not allow him to be a slave. His condition will worsen until he is forced tobecome free despite his longing for the leeks and fish of Egypt.Binyamin writes that the important lesson from Yetziat Mitzrayim is the 'strong arm' of Hashem thatforces even Pharaoh to admit there is a unique God of Israel who is the Creator of the world and cannotbe defied. I believe there is another lesson even more difficult and more deeply rooted that must becorrected. The non-Jewish world are aware of the Jewish people and their God. The problem is the son 258

of the King who doesn't know who he is, or knows, but despises himself and his fathers Kingdom.The whole story of Yetziat Mitzrayim begins with the story of one Jew beating another Jew. Theredeemer Moshe arrives but is forced to flee because of these wicked informers who are part of his ownfamily. And so the Jews continue beating each other and arguing about their positions and measure formeasure their masters become cruel and crueler until there are no positions to argue about anymore asthey are taken out on trains to build the pyramids.The final solution for our happiness and joy is not only to realize that every Jew is born free and cannotescape this freedom. The solution has to do with something even deeper; our desire. Man was createdin the image of Hashem and Israel is this image. If we turn our back on Hashem and grovel beforewhichever modern day Pharoah we look up to for salvation we will continue to be beaten while beatingour brothers. By overruling the fate of our brothers we too will be overruled.Last week Moshe asks Hashem how he can stand before Pharaoh when he has uncircumcised (sealed)lips? Hashem gives a strange answer. He does not say that He will heal his lips. He tells Moshe thatPharaoh is now your servant. This is essentially the key to the mental slavery that enslaves us. Those ofno faith say we must grovel before our masters, and those of little faith say we are uncircumcised andnot yet at the 'level' to bring Moshiach.Hashem however, seems to say 'change your mindset'. 'You' are the master and 'Pharaoh' is yourservant. If this was indeed how we felt and how we acted then last week we would have told thepeople of Amona to continue to build their community and prosper. Do you know what would be in thepaper the next day from Washington? Absolutely nothing.We create the Pharaohs that enslave us. This is the lesson of Yetziat Mitzrayim of the past and of thepresent. As one congregant said to me today. The Pharoah today is the yetzer hora of the Jewishpeople. If we do Hashems will the nations will not oppose us. It is our fearful desire to serve foreignmasters that causes them to oppress us until they are defeated. As they praise our God in their defeat,we too will reluctantly recognize who we had our back to all this time, and be ashamed.It is interesting to note that a few gematrias that demonstrate how Rav Kahane was the embodiment ofthis true faith that is expected of us; a faith that is not in the Heavens that we cannot reach it but withinour power to do and to follow like the path that he carved. He demonstrated to us that it is possible andindeed works. We only need to overcome our nature. Then we can walk calmly through a raging see.‫ נע מרל‬,‫תהן נא יני‬, :‫ני קיה נוה‬,‫ יל קפ ת‬,‫ ל מו םיא למר םמ לשה‬30 And Moses said before the LORD: 'Behold, I ‫א מלי מפ קר םעה‬,‫ יי קש ממע ת‬,‫איך‬,‫ קו ת‬,‫ קש נפ מת יים‬am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?‫תאה רנ תת שתיך‬, ‫ קר‬,‫ םמ לשה‬-‫ א מו םיא למר קיה נוה לאל‬1 Hashem said to Moshe: 'See, I have made you a master over Pharaoh; and Aaron your‫ יי קה ליהלאל שהים‬,‫קל מפ קר םעה; קוא נה םרן א יחיך‬‫ קנ יביאלך‬brother shall be your spokesman.(Shmot 6:30, 7:1)‫ = רנ תת שתיך לאל שהים‬made you a master = 966 (plus letters) = 976‫ = קריעת ים סוף‬Splitting of the Red Sea = 976‫ = מאיר אד שוד בן רי הח רז לקאל רש תר אגא‬Meir david ben yecheskel shraga= 976 259

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Kahane in the Parsha Beshalach 261

BeshalachSong of the Sea ‫ מל אכה‬11 Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the ‫ ימי נכ‬,‫תא ילם קיה נוה‬, ‫ נכ םמ נכה נב‬-‫ יא ימי‬mighty? who is like unto Thee, glorious in ‫ הנ רא‬holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? .‫שה לפ ללא‬,‫ םע ת‬,‫נדר מב םק לדש; נ םו נרא קת יהלת‬Read: Who is like Meir Kahane (Dar Be Kodesh) who lives in holiness? In answer to those who sayKahane is a perversion of Judaism, Hashem answers in His Torah – Who is like my Meir who lives inholiness?Also interpret: Who is the generation like you? Who will sacrifice like you, which generation will bestrong enough to resist and protest and even go to prison for disregarding mans laws for Gods laws?When the generation is like you then Moshiach will arrive.The faith that he raised us to is the faith that splits oceans. For us to go against our nature and throw outour enemies and stand alone against the world obligates Hashem to protect us and alter nature for thesake of those who are obeying His will. 262

Beshalach 2009;‫לני‬,‫את‬ ‫ יתצקעמק‬-‫ ממה‬,‫מם לשה‬-‫טו מו םיא למר קיה נוה לאל‬ 15 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Wherefore .‫ קו יי נסעו‬,‫אל‬,‫ יי קש נר ת‬-‫ני‬,‫ קב ת‬-‫תבר לאל‬, ‫מד‬ criest thou unto Me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.The Artscroll Siddur (Pg. 371) notes three different commentators on this verse. Rav Kahaneencompassed them all especially the Ohr Hachaim. Here is a synopsis. Rashi: Why do you cry out to me? Moses too was praying, and God told him, “Now when Israel is in distress, is no time for lengthy prayer.” Alternatively the verse is rendered ‫מה‬ ‫תצעק‬, Why do you cry out? [as if the plight of Israel is your responsibility]? ‫ אלי‬, To me! It is for Me to save the Nation, therefore you should instruct them to move ahead, and I will attend to their safety.(How many times do we hear Bnei Torah who say we are not worthy. There is no chance of changingour fate except by reading Tehilim and Torah study. It is in the hands of the Mekubalim who mustmake a spiritual war in heaven so that we may succeed below. When God desires it He will alter theplan. Rav Kahane would answer that of course we need Torah and prayer, but also 'action that comesfrom concern and feeling the pain of another Jew '. There are a handful of hilltop youth that build ourNation and are thrown out with their children in the cold night and less than a handful of leaders thatwill come out to help them and care for them. All of the Bnei Torah who supposedly love God and theLand of Israel do not associate themselves with these renegades who are the truest servants of God.) Sferno: After the leaders castigated him for taking them out of Egypt, Moses cried out because he feared that they were lacking in faith and would not obey him when he ordered them to advance into the sea. To this God replied he was misjudging the people; all he had to do was give the command.(Again our leadership misjudges the people. From the Religious leadership to the secular leadership. Ifthe Rav was allowed to run for Knesset without being barred and banned by his vicious haters, thepeople would have elected him to lead them. This is preciously why he was banned. Our problemslargely stem from leaders that stifle the voice of our Nation for their own personal agenda's like thespies who were all the greatest heads of the Nation). Ohr Hachaim: He deals with a fundamental problem: Isn't prayer the proper response when people are faced with danger? Why are Israel and Moses commanded not to pray at such a time? He explains that God exercises His attribute of mercy only when the victims have at at least a minimum degree of merit. At the sea, however the Attribute of Justice argued that the Jews no less than the Egyptians had worshiped idols, and that it was unjust for one nation to be saved while the other was destroyed. [This is alluded to in Verse 19, where the angel is called the angel of Elohim, the Name denoting judgment, because the Jewish people were being judged (Rashi).] Consequently prayer alone could not be efficacious; there had to be a tangible merit. Therefore God commanded that the prayers be stopped and the people demonstrate their readiness to put their lives in danger in obedience to God by plunging into the water. That 263

display of faith would earn them the miracle of the splitting of the sea.(The Rav used to say that Gentiles act reflexively of Israel. When you show a dog that you are afraidthen they growl and bite. We create our own worst enemies, and the opposite is also true. When westand up and act the way we are commanded to, despite all odds, that is when Hashem reflexivelyopens the sea for us. How the media and the government tried to ban and destroy this man for fear thatif he were to ever be in a position of power to lead, he would isolate and condemn Israel by all thosewe try to appease. The truth is quite the opposite. The non-Jewish world that had a chance to hear thisman speak were inspired and often remarked 'Why are there not more Jews like you? This is what weexpect from Gods Chosen people.')This is a good place to bring an excerpt from a speech he gave at the National Press Conference a shortwhile after receiving one seat in the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) in 1984.National Press Club 1984In 1938 Ze'ev Jabotisnky visited Vilna and the leftist in Vilna particularly the Socialist Bundt, put out aleaflet, which they handed out to the Jews of Vilna.I want to read it to you. Ze'ev Jabotisnky of course was the greatest of the Zionist leaders of his timeand in 1938 he was appealing to the Jews of Poland and Europe to escape, to run, to leave beforetragedy struck them. And the Bundt issued the following leaflet, which has been translated fromYiddish into English,\"To the Jewish workers and the Jewish masses of Vilna, the spiritual father of Jewish fascism, the papergeneral Jabotisnky is coming to Vilna. Of late this adventurer and charlatan has become very popularwith the Jewish workers and Jewish masses of Vilna; show your contempt for the Purim general andgive him this command: Get out! Evacuate yourself along with your friends from Poland. Down withFascism, down with Jabotisnky.\"When I read this particular leaflet, it reminded me of the truth that nothing ever changes. Nothing everchanges! The Jewish people learns nothing from History, repeats the same tragedies. I cannot begin totell you, the hate, the sheer psychopathic hate, which is raging today in the state of Israel. Not againstArafat and not against the PLO, and not against Syria but against Jews!They have created a new label in Israel called \"Kahanism\", and I want you to know what Kahanism is,Kahanism is a label and an outlet for vicious hatred against Judaism. And those who march againstKahanism tomorrow will march to trample on Judaism.In Givatayim, a suburb of Tel Aviv 10,000 leftists came from all over the country. Bused in from theKibbutzim, they came with iron bars, they came with stones, they attacked Jews, they beat Jews. TheMayor of Givatayim, a member of the Marach, stood and shouted \"laarog otam kaasher hem ktanim!\" -kill them while they are still small! This is the face of the left in Israel. And as I watched that crowd,the twisted faces, the obscenities, the curses, I said to myself, now I understand what happened in Israel40 years ago, at the time of the \"HaSidon\" - The Season. And everyone must know what happened inthose days. It is those that don't know what happened in the past that will live to see it happen again inthe present and in the future. In the 1940's these same Kibbutznikim, HaShomer HaTzair, Mapai,Mapam, the same ones that today speak about democracy, and love of all the people, they speak aboutethics, and morality... they kidnapped soldiers of the Irgun and the Sternists, and they turned them over 264

to the British, knowing that to be a member of the Irgun was a capital punishment, a death sentence.They were the ones who in 1948 fired upon the Irgun ship, the Altalena and murdered in cold blood 17Jews because Menahem Begin was on the ship and they wanted to liquidate Begin. And know who thecommander of the operation was, his name was Yitzhak Rabin. He gave the order to fire and to murder17 Jews; And know that the next day in the Knesset, the Prime Minister at that time, Ben Gurion roseand in the minutes, he said, \"blessed be the holy canon\", blessed be the holy canon that murdered 17Jews!They speak to us about Democracy and about love? They were the ones who murdered in cold blood inthe 1920's one of the leaders of Agudat Israel, Dahan, because he was an anti-Zionist. So you canoppose and anti-Zionist, but to murder a Jew in cold blood? And know who gave the orders: YitzhakBen Zvi, the second President of the State of Israel. They speak about Fascism? About hooligans? Theyturn now to the Sephardic Jews and tell them to watch out for Kahane! They turn to Sephardic Jews?the leftists? I remember what they did, how they destroyed whole communities of Jews from Morocco,and Algeria and Libya, and Tunisia and Egypt, and Syria and Iraq and Yemen! In the 1940's as the Statecame into being, hundreds of thousands of Jews poured in from Arab countries. Every one of thoseJews was a Zionist, a real Zionist, not the Herzl type of Zionist! They were Zionists for 2000 years, \"vetechezena enenu leTzion\" - may our eyes behold the return to Zion. That was real Zionism.They were warm Jews, religious Jews, and what happened to them! The leftists from Mapai andMapam stood and watched as 800,000 Jews poured into the country, and they asked themselves theonly question that had any meaning to them, the only thing that bothered them, the thing that meantmore to them than the State, than the Jewish people, the question was: \"For whom will they vote?\"They saw they were all religious Jews, \"they will not vote for us\" they thought, so they went aboutpurposely in cold blood, to spiritually destroy an entire people.Jews were put into \"mabarot,\" transit camps, and if there was a job, they asked you \"in what schoolhave you registered your child?\" and if it was a religious school, there was no job! And they would say,take this paper and take it to the Histadrut school, register your child in a Histadrut school; thePrincipal will then stamp the paper and you will bring it to the Labor Exchange office and you will geta job. If you wanted a job they would ask, \"where is your red book of the Histadrut? You are not amember? No job!\" Fascism? I know who the Fascists were and who the Fascists are!The pity is, that we waited 37 years to put someone in the Knesset to give to them, just as they gave tous! I have arrived!!They speak of \"kfiat dati\" - religious coercion; let me speak to you about religious coercion. In 194810,000 Yemenite boys, children, came to Israel without their parents under the auspices of YouthAliyah. Every Yemenite boy that came to Israel, came with his Shabbat, with his Kashrut, and with his\"Simanim\", that's what they called the \"peyott\" - the ear-locks that every Yemenite boy had. TheSimanim, the sign of the Jew. For 2000 years they had the Simanim, for 2000 years they had theShabbat, for 2000 years they suffered but remained Jewish, they came to the Holy Land to places as'holy' as the Kibbutzim of the Shomer HaTzair. They ripped from them their Simanim, their Judaism,their Jewishness, children ages 7, 8 and 9.Shimon Peres speaks today about the tragedy that there is crime in Israel. Crime in Israel? \"Boker Tov\"- good morning! If there is crime in Israel, who created it? If there are gangs in Israel, who createdthem? And if there is a breakdown in every thing that is Jewish in Israel, who created that? If notShimon Peres and his gangsters!They ripped from Jews the only values they had, their Judaism, and left them naked to pick up the 265

values of Dizenghoff Street, and now they complain about hoodlums and gangsters. I sat in prison inIsrael; I saw the Yemenites, the Iraqis, and the Moroccans, who never knew what crime was when theylived in Morocco and Yemen and Iraq. They never tasted it, they came to Israel and were destroyedspirituality by people who cynically cared only about \"for whom will they vote?\"So when I say these things in the 'Kikar' - in the town square, of course the people listen and of coursepeople clap, and of course people cheer because finally someone is coming and saying the truth, he issaying what they have always thought all these years. You think it's an accident that so many people areshouting 'Kahane'? It's not an accident. I touched upon the things that bother them, that trouble them,the things that no one else is saying to them. I want a Jewish State; I don't want a Hebrew speakingcopy of Time Square!….Moshe Tamam, that name virtually nobody remembers; was a 19 year-old soldier hitching a ridenear Natanya. Arabs picked him up and gave him a ride. They found his body four days later. Andknow what they did to him so you know whom we are dealing with. They gouged out his eyes, andthey cut off his sexual organs; and that is what we are dealing with. And of such people our Rabbis toldus already and the Humash, told us already, \"Ishmael will be a wild man, his hand will be againsteverybody and everybody's hand will be against him.\" That's with whom we're dealing! This is theenemy. This is Ishmael.My son came home from the army, he came from Miluim - reserve duty;and he showed me a letter, which was given to every soldier; a letter from the Israeli Defense Forces.\"Let me see the letter, let me see pride I told him.\" Do you know what the letter said? It said, \"Hayal -soldier, be careful when hitching rides\". Soldier of Israel be careful on the roads of Israel, you might bekilled by Arabs in Israel! What a tragedy, what a disgrace, what a Hilul HaShem! (desecration of God'sname). But the enemy is Kahanism? (sic).…...I don't hate Arabs, I love Jews! And I hate the enemies of the Jews, not because they are Arabs butbecause they are enemies! You think there is a single Arab living in Israel in a place that is called theJewish State? Liberals have immense contempt for the Arabs; they believe that they can buy them.\"We'll raise their living standards and then they'll be good Arabs\" Good Arabs? What contempt! Theythink that a good Arab is one that will agree to the Jews living in what he considers to be his Palestine.You think there is one Arab who enjoys living in a State where there is a law of return that applies toJews and not to non-Jews? You think there is one Arab who enjoys living in a State, which has aNational Anthem: Hatikvah with words that say, 'nefesh yehudi omia' - the soul of the Jew yearns? Youcan imagine how that sits with them. You think there is one Arab who enjoys living in a State, whoseIndependence Day celebrates his defeat? You can't buy a person by giving him an indoor toilet. \"Yousee, you had no toilet, now you have one.\" You can't come and say as the UJA says: \"What do youwant? We came and we turned the dessert into a garden\" Let me tell you what the Arab says: \"Yes it'strue, but it was my dessert and now it's your garden.\" I respect the Arab, and that is why he has to go!Because I know you can't buy him, you can't buy his national pride, know that he hates the Jews andthat if we allowed them they would do to us what Arabs do to other Arabs today in Lebanon. Theywould do to us what they did to us yesterday. Do you know what Arabs did to us in the 1920's and1930's? Do you know what they did to us? When there was no Kahane, no Begin and no other'fascists'?Do you know what they did to us when there was no State of Israel? What they did in Hevron and in 266

Jaffa, and Yerushalaym? How they murdered over 500 Jews! They would do that to us if we let them,but I am not going to let them!I want an exchange of populations. Beginning in 1948 we took in 800,000 Jews from Arab countries.That was phase one, now I want phase two: we took Jews from Arab countries? Well now we'll givethem Arabs from the Jewish country!I am ready to offer the Arabs that want to leave voluntarily compensation for his properties, which ismore that what they did for the Jews they expelled from Morocco, from Egypt, from Iraq. Do youknow how much money was left behind by Jews in those countries? Billions of dollars, and we werenever compensated for it. And when we signed the treaty with Egypt we didn't even have the decency,the self-respect to demand compensation for the properties seized by Gamal Abdel Nasser from theJews in Egypt. I am better than they; I will give compensation to the Arabs that are willing to leave.And those that are not willing to leave, I will throw out without monetary compensation!This is racism? My God, this is saving ourselves, this is self-preservation, I don't hate the Arabs, I wishthem well, elsewhere! I wish them the very best in any of their 22 countries. I have only one, it is mineand I am not going to lose it to either Bush or Begin.I am appalled by Jews who say, \"This is what the Germans did to the Jews.\" Did the Jews of Germanyever say, \"Germany is our country and the Germans stole it from us? And when we become themajority we will take it back and call it Israel\" (sic). That is not what they said. The Jews of Germanywanted nothing more than to be the best Germans that ever lived. The Arabs don't want to be Israelis.Let everyone know that when we came out to oppose the Camp David Accords and peace treaty withEgypt, they said \"Kahane doesn't want peace\", I want peace, but I knew what kind of peace we wouldhave with Egypt. Peace? Any country with a modicum of self-respect would have recalled theirambassador from Egypt, if Egypt would have done to them what they did to us: murdered in cold bloodseven Jews. I don't know if any of you know what the real story is, I am sure that it came here to you asone crazy Arab shoots... and every time an Arab shoots he's crazy.So the story came as 'one crazy Arab soldier shot Jews and also wounded his own soldiers', well that's alie! another Egyptian lie; a typical Arab lie. He wasn't crazy, he was a member of the MuslimBrotherhood and other soldiers stood by and watched him shoot, and three of our seven soldiers did notdie right away, they laid there bleeding, and the Egyptians refused to allow medical aid. And thosethree soldiers bled to death. And Mubarak said, \"Why should a little incident upset our relationship?\" Alittle incident? If I would have been Prime Minister I would have given him a little incident!I am tired. I'm tired of going to funerals, I didn't come to Israel to go to funerals; I came to Israel for'smachot' - happy occasions, joy, and happiness. There is a growing fear in Israel and you can tell bythe hysteria, the hysterical obsession with Kahanism. President Herzog is obsessed with Kahane, hegoes to bed every night with 'Kahane'. Shimon Peres says Kahane is the greatest danger to Israel, Iwould have imagined that Syria would be, but no. The army radio station Galey Tzahal, devoted lastweek 18 hours, an entire day to Kahane, to attacks on Kahane; the army radio station! An army that issupposed to be above politics, being crudely used by politicians and do you know why? Because theyare terrified, because they know that as much as they are against Kahane, in the streets, the people ofIsrael are for Kahane!…..Just as I told the people in Israel the choice in the next elections is between Kahane and Arafat; thatis what the next elections will be all about. Kach or the PLO that's the choice there is no other choice! I 267

appeal to you, save Israel, save your brothers and sisters and save yourselves, because God forbid, Iwould not want to be in your shoes if there is no more Israel. I said I would end here but there is onemore thing I want to tell you because it is vital. I believe that the State of Israel has to be the State forall the Jewish people and has to be the trustee of all the Jewish people. And I don't believe that there areboundaries that Israel cannot cross, when Jews are in trouble. And I want to tell you, that as anti-Semitism in this country (USA) grows, there will be a need for an Israel that will do things that you arenot ready to do. And I want to tell you, that with God's help when I am Prime Minister, the State ofIsrael will never say that there are Israelis that are in trouble, we will always say that if there are Jewsin trouble anywhere, our hand will reach out everywhere against those who hate Jews.IsolationKAHANE Magazine (Brooklyn, New York)Isolation. The Jew does not wish to be isolated. He fears being alone, without allies. He fears man, hetrusts only in man and so - in the exquisitely Divine way of the Almighty - precisely that which he fearswill be sent upon him. He fears to do that which the Almighty demands - to annex the territories andestablish Jewish sovereignty over them, as part of the Holy Land of Israel. The Almighty repays him byturning them into burning caldrons of an intifada, with confused Israeli youth not knowing whetherthese Holy lands are indeed Jewish or \"occupied\". While a world that is normal and knows that if landbelongs to you then you annex it, feels free to condemn a country that does not do so as an \"occupier\".He fears to throw out the cancer raging in his midst - the Arab enemy - lest the world turn on him. He isrepaid measure for measure by a grim Almighty as the world,! daily, condemns him for \"oppression\" ofpeople that would not have been there had he had faith in G-d rather than fear of the Gentile.In any event, the Jew will be isolated, and that is the greatest blessing imaginable. For so long as theJew has even one ally, he will be convinced - in his smallness of mind - that his salvation came fromthat ally. It is only when he is alone - against all of his own efforts and frantic attempts - that he will,through no choice, be compelled to turn to G-d. And it is only when the Jew stands alone against aworld unified in hatred against him, that the Almighty will turn, in His anger and wrath, against thenations that knew Him not, and His powerful arm that will bring salvation to the Jew will be theawesome proof to the nations that the Lord, G-d of Israel, is indeed One - the only One.That is why isolation will be. That it is why it must be. It is the greatest of blessings, and the foolishJew of little faith sees it only as a curse. Foolish Jew, Jew of Exile, whose soul and mind has beendestroyed by that Exile, who has turned from a Jew of faith into one of trembling before the man ofdustUnless. Unless we become the Jews we were meant to be. The Jews of chosenness. Of might and faith.Unless we ignore both the money and the honey of the United States and their empty threats andcondemnation. Condemnation? It is dandruff to be brushed away before moving on to do the will ofG-d. In any event, there is no choice. The United States will turn on Israel, slowly and subtly. Thedifference is that if we turn from the Gentile first, we will have the Almighty as the immediate staff andour comfort. If not, we will have neither the Gentile nor, for a terrible stage, the Almighty. (May 1990)As mentioned previously (see Beshalach/Bo) not only Pharoah loses free choice, we also do. 268

Pesach and Yom Haatzmaut (2012)Three Days of DarknessI keep noticing more and more the direct connection between Pesach and Yom Haatzmaut. Nowhereelse do we hear the midrash that 4/5ths of the Jewish people perished. This is what happened. Only onefifth of the Jewish people survived Egypt. For them it was the days of darkness and for those who weresaved it was days of light. They could see what others could not see in the darkness. They saw light andthey followed Moshe. Why was it ‘three days’ darkness? Maybe their darkness mirrors the ‘three days’journey that that one fifth decided to join.Today our leaders tell us there is no ‘explanation’ to the Shoa and so G-d seems cruel and we mustaccept that every once in awhile he allows terrible destruction to befall us. The Rabbis in the Torahhowever tell us that those who died in Egypt could not be saved; they were too assimilated. As I amwriting this it is Yom Hashoa in Israel and many stories are recalled about those times. Jabotinsky sawthe blood coming and cried to the Jews to ‘liquidate the exile before the exile liquidates you’. He waslabeled a fascist and banned from speaking in many places.Apparently in Hungary where almost all of the Jewish population was destroyed, only six percent ofthe Jews were Zionists. The other two halves were either Charedi (waiting for Moshiach to free them)or Nationalists. Both of these main groups despised the Zionists. The Charedi camp was waiting forMoshiach to free them and bitterly opposed nationalism and the Zionists who to them were seculariststhat did not keep all of the mitzvot. The Nationalists also bitterly opposed them because the Zionistswere talking about ‘dual’ citizenship and they were very proud and loyal ‘Hungarians’.Of course it is easy to look back and ask ‘How could they not have seen?’ The point is, to look at thepresent and see the same attitude by American Jews whose loyalty is first to ‘America’. Just like thepast many base their anti-Israel reactions on their loyalty to ‘America’ never thinking for a moment that‘America’ could turn against them. In addition the Charedi community remains in the exile todaybecause it is comfortable and Israel may be a bad influence on their children. It is harder to be a‘kosher’ Jew in Israel than in their closed communities. There is a time limit on the ‘three day’ journeyof Moshe which ends in the ‘three day’ period of darkness.I am one of those who heard the warning bells. For me it was on September 11th and a year later Iuprooted myself to a foreign country called Israel. I discovered that the ‘love’ of Israel is far greaterthan the ‘fear’ that originally motivated me but this ‘fear’ exists for a good reason – to motivate.‫ יכי‬:‫ יעמ םו‬,‫סף‬,‫ מע קצמ םות י םו ת‬-‫ יט מו יי מקח םמ לשה לאת‬19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel,,‫תלא םמר‬, ,‫אל‬,‫יי קש נר ת‬ ‫תני‬, ‫ קב‬-‫לאת‬ ‫יה קש יבי מע‬ ‫תב מע‬, ‫מה קש‬ saying: 'God will surely remember you; and ye‫ קו מה נע ילי לתם‬,‫ אפ לקד שי רפ לקד לאל יהים לא קת לכם‬shall carry up my bones away hence with you.' ‫ מע קצ םמ מתי ימ לזה יא קת לכם‬-‫ לאת‬.Shmot 18:19 269

‫ קבאף‬,‫תמ מעל א קד נמ נתם‬, ‫תשם קיה נוה‬, ‫ כז מו יי קת‬27 and Hashem rooted them from upon their soil, with anger, with wrath, and with great fury, and‫רב לח אמה ו רב הק הצף אגדולל‬-‫תכם לאל‬, ‫; מו מי קשלי‬ ‫ו‬ He cast them into another land, as it is this day'.-- ‫ מכי םום מה לזה‬,‫לא לרץ א לח לרת‬Dvarim 30:27Poked Yifkod = 378Bechama vbeketzef gadol = 376+2 for the words chama and ketzef = 378There seems to be a connection here in the gematrias. The time that Hashem is remembering us is atime for glory. If we fail to see this and act upon it the time of glory becomes a time of catastrophe.Walking Through the SeaThey say that at Yum Suf even a shifcha (a maid) saw more than the greatest prophet saw. How couldthis be? There are stories in the Talmud of very mystic Rabbi’s who were able to make rushing riverspart with a few words of Kabbalah and walk across. If this is so then what is so special about Yum Sufparting? The uniqueness of Yum Suf is that not only Tzadikim witnessed this miracles but also manywicked people who would later worship the Golden Calf and cause other rebellions in our nation.Everyone saw this great miracle no matter what level of holiness one was at. One could say that thisuniqueness was experienced again two thousand years later by the generation that escaped Europe andwere part of the re-birth of the modern State of Israel. Not everyone was a Tzadik yet we have seenhow those who tried to destroy us were themselves destroyed. Although they succeeded in wiping outsuch a large percentage of our people, they in fact were the catalyst that brought us back to life aftertwo thousand years. There was no place to go but forward into the sea. We were alone with no supportfrom any country and knew we faced a terrible war by claiming Nationhood. They told Ben Gurion hehad a fifty percent chance of surviving. He said ‘that’s better than we have ever had’. They walked intothe sea and it parted.One may ask why was Nachson the first to step in the sea? Should it not have been Moshe the leader?Should not the leader lead the way? A rabbi at Chabbad answered me that the move had to come fromthe people. I understand this answer. Hertzel and Jabotinsky may have inspired the people towardsnationhood but it was not until those ideas became part of a critical mass that they were implemented.Rabbi Kahane in our times gave us the way, but ideas need to become internalized within the Nationbefore they become reality and we act upon them as Nachson did in the past, or Ben Gurion in 1948and in our own time when we re-conquer Yehuda and Shomron from a world driving us once again intothe sea.The Other Side of Yum SufThe Aliya of the crossing of the Red Sea ends with complaints on the other side. Why didn’t they endthe aliyah on an up note? Why end the greatest miracle the world ever saw with something negative,especially at this festive occasion? What exactly was the complaint? The people wanted water and thewater was bitter. Moshe through a tree into the water and instead of the water becoming even bitterer itbecame sweet. In addition the people were given the laws of the Red Heifer at this time and basic laws 270

of Mishpatim; laws to govern the Nation.I suggest that the aliya ends with these events because it is describing real events that were stillconnected to Yum Suf. If we look at Yum Suf as our first exodus in modern times (building Israel fromthe ashes of the Shoa), then the pieces seem to fit. Israel established basic civil laws that incorporatedJewish laws as well and the Jewish holidays. There was a framework then and today of Torah conceptsthat get us used to the ideas of our yearly cycle. Even if we have not yet accepted the yoke of Heavenand the complete Torah we certainly have a framework here in Israel. Every non-religious Jew in Israelknows about each Jewish holiday because they are National holidays. Assimilated Jews in Americaknow much less. Torah is much more foreign to them.In addition to the civil laws which incorporate the Jewish holidays (by law government workers, banks,transportation are closed on most holidays), the laws of the Para Aduma were learned. This also seemsto fit with our own times. The biggest impediment towards G-d in our times is the Shoa. This musthave also been a question for those who left Egypt. The Red Heifer Kabalistically is a metaphor for thePeople of Israel who represent various parts from the tail to the head to the dung. All of the heifer andits dung are burned and from this comes an elixir that removes death and brings life. The lucky fewwho crossed the Red Sea were chosen from every level of society from the dung to the Rosh, they allwitnessed the miracle and re-birth and new life. In addition they all lost relatives from every level inthe darkness of Egypt and the darkness of the Shoa. It is fitting that this mystic unanswerable decree ofthe Red Heifer is contemplated along with the very practical civil laws and framework of the newJewish Nation. Seen in this light one can understand the complaints in a different way.The Charedi PerspectiveMost of those who complained that Israel was not kosher enough and forbid their followers to go to thisZionist country that was labeled as anti-religious died in the Shoa. Their students continued tocomplain and banned themselves from participating in this new Jewish Nation. To those who did comea very interesting thing happened. Torah is compared to ‘water’ and it is also compared to a ‘tree’. Atfirst there was the bitterness of lack of Torah. However those who uprooted themselves and planted thetree of Torah in these bitter waters created water that has never been so sweet. The Torah that flowsfrom Israel today is greater than ever and far outshines the Torah of the exile. The passage after thecomplaints leads to seventy date palms with brooks running by each one. I suggest that these datepalms refer to the seventy facets of Torah that are each represented here in Israel; each one with brooksof streaming fresh water.The Secular PerspectiveAt the time that most people were coming to Israel the majority of Jews were trying to get to Americaand greener pastures. Those who came here found it very difficult as the Nation was in its infancy. Westill here the same motto ‘Ze Mashe Yesh’ (this is what we have), learn to live with it. Today of courseit is much easier however it is always relative to the nature of a person. In spite of the difficulties Israelhas grown into a leader among the world in almost every field. In this environment where necessitymeets ingenuity the Jewish minds have created the most sought after products from medicine, military,hi-tech, agriculture to name a few. Chazal tells us the seventy date palms alluded to the leadership ofthe Nation; the seventy leaders. From what seemed to be barren and bitter came life giving resourcesthat continue to increase and spread throughout the world. 271

Marah the Bitter Test‫תלך‬, ‫ מו מי קש‬,‫עץ‬,‫תרהו קיה נוה ת‬, ‫ מוי םו‬,‫ קיה נוה‬-‫ כה מו יי קצ מעק לאל‬25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD‫ מו יי קמ קתקו מה נמ יים; נשם נשם ל םו םחק‬,‫ מה ממ יים‬-‫ לאל‬showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made ‫ קו נשם ינ נסהו‬,‫ו ימ קש נפט‬. for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them;He tested them to see whether they would accept and fulfill the commandments He gave themin marah; if so they would be worthy to receive the entire Torah. This was a test they passed(Sforno; Or Hachaim). (Artscroll Siddur Pg. 382)This test of bitterness has lead to sweet developments and is preparing us to fully accept the Torahwhen we arrive soon at Mount Sinai.‫את‬,‫ ת‬,‫תתן םמ לשה‬, ‫ םח‬,‫תהן ימ קד נין‬, ‫ א מו יי קש ממע יי קתר םו םכ‬1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-‫אל‬,‫ ו קל יי קש נר ת‬,‫ נא לשר נע נשה לאל יהים קל םמ לשה‬-‫ נכל‬in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, how that the LORD had ,‫אל‬,‫ יי קש נר ת‬-‫לאת‬ ‫קיה נוה‬ ‫ה םו יציא‬-‫ יכי‬:‫מעמ םו‬ brought Israel out of Egypt. ‫מימי קצרנ יים‬.(Shmot 18:1)Yitro...heard. He heard about the miracles at the Sea and the war against Amalek. Thejuxtaposition of Yitro and Amalek shows the contrast between good and evil people. Both ofthem had heard about the Exodus, but Yitro reacted by casting his lot with the nation of God,while Amalek became a symbol of treachery and evil by defying God and launching anunprovoked sneak attack on a weak and weary people [see Dvarim 25:17-18]. Miracles alonedo not transform the beliefs of the Ameleks of the world; those who refuse to recognize thehand of God will always interpret events to suit their purposes.Yitro's coming was precipitated by his hearing of both events; one would not have been enough.The miracles of the Exodus alone could have been interpreted as punishment for Pharaoh’sobstinate refusal to obey God, but they not prove conclusively that God would also be sobenevolent merely for the sake of Israel. The defeat of Amalek however, proved that He wouldintervene for the Jews, as well (Or Hachaim). (Artscroll Siddur Pg. 395)After Israel's great victory in the Six Day War, many Christians saw the miracle that Hashem hadperformed for us and it inspired them to take up the cause for Israel. Many Evangelical Christians havebecome very strong supporters of Israel and rally to our defense politically as well as raise largeamounts of capitol to help build Yesha. There is an amazing Midrash that says the Jewish people didnot fully come to believe in G-d by witnessing the miracles in Egypt or the greater miracles at the sea,even at Har Sinai when they heard his voice. So when did they fully come to believe? Only whenYitro came and said 'Now I know that G-d is greater than all the other gods.' --‫ םע נלה ו קז נב יחים‬,‫תתן םמ לשה‬, ‫ יב מו יי מקח יי קתר םו םח‬11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all ,‫תאל‬, ‫ני יי קש נר‬,‫לאל יהים; מו ני םבא א נה םרן קו םכל יז קק ת‬,‫ ת‬gods; yea, for that they dealt proudly against ‫תני נה לאל יהים‬, ‫ יל קפ‬--‫תן םמ לשה‬,‫ םח ת‬-‫ לל לחם יעם‬-‫ לל לא נכל‬. them.'(Shmot 18:11)I understand this Midrash on a very personal level. Currently I work at the Jerusalem Post newspaperand we speak daily to Jews as well as many Christians that are strong supporters of Israel. Between 272

conversations we often discuss various ideas about Israel and religion. The people that work therecome from various backgrounds from religious, traditional to extreme left. One of my colleagues whois a university educated scholar mocks some of us who have simple faith and patriotism. He will saythings like its all 'opium for the masses' and its all about money, or power, etc.When he speaks to a Christian client however, it is fascinating to see how he is affected. The client willbless him for being part of the Jewish Nation and tell him all about the miracles that G-d does for theJewish people and swears that he will stand by our side even against his own country if it comes downto that. All of a sudden he stops criticizing Israel and our religion and thanks the client for theirsupport. The root cause of his criticism which is a root cause of many others is based on fear of whatthe world will say and because he does not want to be disliked he finds reasons to agree with ourenemies or undermine our differences so that he will be accepted and not persecuted. When all of asudden a Gentile is telling him how wonderful he and his people are he has less reason to find fault.This is the meaning of this midrash. If we take away the impediment of 'fear' then inside of every Jewis a soul that wants to express his unique Jewish soul.Pesach and Yom Haatzmaut or so connected. They are part of the original process that is happeningagain in our own times. At the hardware store I asked the kippa wearing clerk if he enjoyed the chag.He said its not a 'religious' chag. I said 'certainly it is' I said Hallel according to the siddur (Rinat Zion)which I believe was compiled by Rav Cook. I explained to him what I wrote above that there were anumber of Tzadikim in our Talmud that were able to make rivers part so they could walk through. Whythen is the miracle at Yum Suf given so much attention?The answer is that at Yum Suf not only Taddikim were granted this power and revelation but simplepeople, even bad people and those who would later rebel in the desert. Even those who were againstG-d saw this miracle and walked through the sea. How can you say today is not a miracle? Of coursewe must continue and get to Har Sinai to accept the Torah but we have left Egypt. He who does not seethe miracles that occurred and continue to occur is blind. Of course it is a chag. We are a free nationagain and are being healed slowly and have been reborn a Nation of heroes full of courage and self-sacrifice. How can one not see the miracle we are living in? He had to agree with me. 273

The Haftorah for 7th Day of Pesach 2011-04-26It was only when one person Nachshon jumped in that the sea actually split, then the whole peoplecould enter. This principle exists today. The Rabbi by his example showed us the way, not only byclarifying the torah command but to fulfill it and by doing so prove to others that the sea can and mustsplit. Look how he almost singlehandedly caused a rift between two huge superpowers – Russia andUSA. With a handful of people he caused the crumbling of the walls of Russia and millions were freed.He showed us the way to split the sea, and the last things he showed us was the State of Judea.Binyanmin too wrote in one of his last essays, that if the government wants to divest, then let themdivest. Leave us arms and go, we will take over Yehuda and Shomron and the Arabs will run away. Butthe government doesn’t want to loose control. It wants a two state solution but not a 2nd Jewish statesolution that will bring peace, only an Arab state that will bring war.While we look to Hashem and say how great are your deeds, He looks down to our tzaddikim withadmiration. If only we all could be a little like them. In the Haftorah David says Hashem is my lightthat continually saves me from such adversity. This Haftorah further adds to this explanation of thesplitting of the sea. David’s salvation and the Rav’s against all odds. Maybe the small candle thatinspires David is the Ner that we wrote about from above (see Ki Sissa and Ner). Hashem looks downand sees the ner that sustains His world. Nun for Notzer and Resh for those who are jealous for Him.David explains what true vengeance is – he writes in the Haftorah for Hashem to exact His vengeanceso that ‘violent’ people are uprooted. The Three Days and AmalekEarlier in this commentary I asked about the apparent fabrication the 'three days', as well as theapparent injustice of disinheriting the Canaanites (see Bo 2011 and Lech Lecha and the Promise ofCanaan). What do these two ideas have in common? Even if the Israelites were not planning to returnPharaoh could have granted Moshes request for three days. We are taught that this is an example ofhow evil Pharaoh was that even this three day excursion he would not permit. With all of the good thatIsrael had brought to Egypt in the past, all was forgotten now and only after ten plagues where threedays begrudgingly given to the Jews. Instead of being grateful to the Jews and allowing them to leavewith blessings, the whole Nation of Egypt was destroyed because of this begrudging three days.Among the seventy Nations there are those who become close to Israel like Yitro and on the other endof the scale there are the most barbaric of nations Amalek who as the Midrash describes will burnthemselves in boiling water in order to cool down the love of the nations towards Israel. Amalek createshavoc wherever he goes and one would think that the other nations would be pleased that Israel isdoing battle with a nation that they also despise for it's violent and belligerent nature. Their support fora nation they could do without is connected to the begrudging release of Israel.If they had let Israel go, they would have been blessed. If they didn't meddle in Israels affairs withAmalek of the past or the suicide bombers of today they also would have been blessed. Thebrotherhood the nations feel towards the Amaleks that hate Israel will lead to the final war of Gog andMagog. Similar to the story of Egypt these great powers will be completely destroyed and Israelreluctantly will have conquered the entire world in the name of Hashem. One that day He will be One 274

and His name will be One.Of course the world could have allowed Israel to come into being with no resistance rather than thethree day grudge and could have been blessed by Israel destroying not only Israels enemy but an enemythat is undermining the whole world. This blessing was forfeited by a three day grudge and a love foran enemy simply because he was the enemy of Israel.The animosity toward the G-d Israel that comes from the most enlightened nations will eventually beextricated at the root by uprooting Amalek whose entire being is hatred of Israel. Through the series ofplagues there will be those who become closer to Israel and those like Pharaoh and his supporters thatlose their free choice and be attached like fish on a hook to Amalek. We see an allusion to this inEurope of the past where normal friendly neighbors seemed to have lost their free choice and becamecoldhearted monsters. We in Israel will also have no choice but to become reluctant conquerors.Pharoahs sudden madness at the edge of the sea seems to be not unconnected to Amaleks madness onthe other side of the sea. What triggered Pharaoh was Israels apparent retreat; the smell of blood thateternally inspires our enemies. This apparent retreat in the past was orchestrated from above to a placecalled Pi-Charot (the mouth of freedom) between Migdal and the sea. Maybe there is an allusion to afuture Migdal (the twin towers) and a future sea and the mouth of freedom (read:Arab Spring) thatapparently has the power to unite the nations against Israel for it seems that now Israel is lost. Thethree day excursion granted by the United Nations has run out. Let the nations make their plans andinstead of rewarding and honoring the Jewish people for their infinite contributions to the world, letthese ungrateful people come led by the most cruel and tyrannical forces to do away with Israel and itsG-d. We here in Israel will have a special surprise waiting – our cymbals and our drums. The Marriage of Chassidut Chabbad and Kahane (2015)I suppose there is no such thing as circumstance. The fact that for years I have spent my Shabbat at myneighborhood Chabbad and sat with some of the great leaders of this movement and heard their manydiscourses, must have embellished my Chassidut of Rav Kahane. As well, it seems to me that RavKahane is the answer that Chabad Chassidim seek. They of course do not see this, and even if they didsee this could never say anything about it because it is not written anywhere in their books. Or is it?This Shabbat as usual I sat across from Rav Butman a man in his eighties steeped in wisdom and Torahwith a simplicity and deep understanding of life that comes from dedication despite persecution inRussia, escaping the Shoa and being a soldier and general for Chabbad Chassidim from the time he wasborn. Being in fact from the royal family of Shneerson, he knew the Rebbe as a family member beforehe became the Rebbe. When I spoke at the farbrengen and I saw his eyes light up with a wide smile andhe said to me afterward I reached my peak today, then I understood that something I was sayingtouched a point in the heart of Chassidut. He and I both understood the uncomfortable words I wasspeaking that may have gone over the heads of others. I, a commoner who can barely speak Hebrewwas teaching the royal family the essence of their own Chassidut.After explaining 'the whole torah' which I wrote about in Parsha Vayera I went on to add the following.One concept that is discussed in Chabbad Chassidut regarding Parsha Beshalach is the importance ofthe Jewish women that are mentioned; Miriam and Devorah. The Jewish women are in the forefront of 275

the Geula because they are related to the physical world. Hashem wants to build a home here on earth.The women are related to the house and setting the house in order as Sarah did with Ishmael. Becauseof the self-sacrifice of Miriam and her mother Yoched Hashem said He would build them 'houses'. Andso houses were built. The Cohanim came from this family of Levi and Miriam married Nachson fromthe tribe of Yehuda who caused the sea to split when he moved forward.There is another concept of Chabbad called the 'Dor Shvii', the seventh generation. Chazal tells us thatoriginally Gan Eden was on earth but after the fist sin it was removed from earth and placed in theHeavens. As the generations continued to sin Gan Eden moved progressively higher until the 7th levelof Heaven. When Avraham appeared, Gan Eden moved closer to earth. This continued progressivelyseven generations until the time of Moshe. When the Israelites stood by Har Sinai Gan Eden had finallyreturned to earth. Unfortunately soon after was the Chet HaEgel and Gan Eden departed once again.According to Chassidut the Baal Shem Tov was like Avraham in our times. The seventh generation isthe current one, the 'Dor Shvii'. Now to move from one generation to the next in a Heavenly state is notthe same as moving from the last Heavenly state to the earth, which is completely different fromHeaven. This of course is the challenge of the Dor Shvii which we are already in.It seems to me that the Torah of the women of Parsha Beshalach which connect that Heavenlygeneration to earth is the Torah of Rav Kahane who is setting the house in order. For years when Istudied Torah and brought up Rav Kahane people would say, 'lets not bring in politics now, we arestudying Torah'. This however is the point. Changing the political reality is exactly what happenedthen and what has happened in our own times, and is still happening. This is the point of 'faith' anddemonstration of 'faith' that Hashem desires.We now sit in the Medina of Israel. Israel is no longer an idea, but a political reality. It may not be theway everyone wants it to be however it exists and every gentile in the world knows that the Jews havecome home and there is a Nation called Israel. They may despise this Nation but it is a political realityand it is Hashems political reality.This now brings us to Beshalach today. There are those who say throw out the settlers for they arebringing about world condemnation. It is because of Yehuda and Shomron that the whole world iscondemning Israel. Just like those who stood at Yum Suf and said we must return to Egypt there arestill a few who believe a divorce and disengagement will solve our problems. They are wrong of courseand we all know that we must move forward. We have come this far. We cannot go back ever again.There is no choice. Binyamin Kahane writes 'Since our return to Zion, our great merit has been that wehave withstood the tests, without saying: “Let us return to Egypt”; and without saying we must stopbuilding Eretz Yisrael.” (Beshalach 1998) .The essence of the Torah is faith in Hashem and His eved Moshe. The truest servants are the onesbuilding and defending Yehuda and Shomron. The servants that are despised and persecuted andimprisoned are carrying the whole Torah on their backs. To bring Chabbad Chassidut to earth one mustsupport those who are building the Land of Yehuda in the face of the armies of Egypt. It was Nachsonfrom Yehuda who went forth and the Nation followed. We have no choice but to move forward into theimpossible. Israel will continue to be a political reality and a spiritual reality with Yehuda. This is thefaith that Hashem desires. Hashem will wage war but only if we go through. Hashem will cause thechariot wheels of our enemies to break down but we will be walking through dry land and harvestingfruit in the middle of the raging sea. 276

The Red Sea Today (2018) (at a farbrengen after Rav Boaz Segal spoke)Fievel say a L’Chaim they said. And so I answered.Boaz spoke today about Yud Aleph Shvat, the day the Lubavitcher Rebbe took on the leadership. It wasalso in the eleventh month of Shvat. The Rebbe was also born on the 11th of the month. What issignificance of eleven? Kabbalistically it represents beyond nature; beyond the ten manifestations andten utterances that Hashem used in Creation. We see also in the Torah how Hashem brought us beyondthe natural order to reach Israel in eleven days. However, because of our sins it took us forty years.All of this is very nice. I would like to add now my own personal eleven. For years I wanted to go toIsrael but back in chul they told me you need lots of money. I kept trying to save but not doing verywell. Then the number eleven happened. It was September 11 and I realized something very dramatic.Within eleven minutes of the attack all of the airports were closed. Even if you had a billion dollars itmeant nothing. No one was able to leave. All the doors were closed. So I knew I had to come homeready or not. And so I arrived without any money. I still have no money but thank God I'm rich.There is another eleven. Eleven years before Sept 11 Rav Kahane stood in Manhattan not far from'ground zero' on his tour named Project Zero (Zionist Emergency Rescue Operation). After his speechpleading with Am Israel to come home now, he was gunned down. His whole Torah was the numbereleven. He always spoke about b'ita achishena, 'in its time I will hasten it' (Isaiah 60:22). There are tworoads; the 'in its time' in which the redemption comes accompanied with terrible suffering andbloodshed, and the 'hurried redemption' that comes speedily, with miracles and glory.He was always trying to push us to this preferred redemption which is our choice today. We stand againbefore the sea. The concept of the seventh generation (connecting the spiritual world to the physicalworld) and the number eleven are really the same thing. Where do we see the most physical action thatis really spiritual and the most spiritual action that is physical?Where do we see heaven being brought down to earth? Today we stand before the sea again. There arethe wild beasts of Amalek on one side. We cannot go back any longer to Egypt. We can sit and cry aswe do, or we can continue and move forward. What does that mean? If we continue and annex Yehudaand Shomron and call it Israel and throw out our enemies; the sea will open. If we physically build andremove those who hate the God of Israel we will create a new spiritual reality. But we sit and cry andsay we are not at the right level to do so.Take a look at what we just read in the parsha. Were the original generation ready? Were there notcomplainers then? And yet it was because of the few that entered that it happened. And in the song ofDevorah were all the people united? There too some of the tribes did not participate at all. Did this stopthe victory from the zealous few who did?There will never be 100% consensus among the Jewish people never. We are a small minority withinthe world and a small minority within our nation has always pushed us forward. As Rav Kahane used tosay one can be a believer in mitzvot but lack faith in God and be unwilling to have the simple faith thatHe commands. Lets say l'chaim and hope that not only will we have faith in mitzvot but also have faithin God and walk forward into the sea with Nachson and Miriam with her tambourines. 277

278

Kahane in the Parsha Yitro 279

Yitro 2010“…if you say that the Holy One, blessed be He, exalts Himself in the world only for Israel, this iscertainly so. For Israel is the base of the shine of the candle. Yet when the other nations come forth toacknowledge Him through worship of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, then the base of thecandle increases and is strengthened.” Zohar, Parsha YitroParsha Yitro is the Parsha that defines the special relationship Israel has with Hashem. It is the Parshawhere the Nation of Israel meets Hashem and He gives them His precious gift of Torah designatingthem a chosen people from all other nations in the world. It is the one Parsha where the Jewish peoplestood as one person, like Adam Harishon and in one voice accepted the entire Torah. One would thinkthat such a chapter would be named after Israel, or Hashem, or the Torah. The question arises, whywould such a chapter be named after a convert to Judaism? It was the Israelite Nation that suffered thebondage of Egypt and the redemption, not Yitro. Why then is the reward of Torah found in a Parshacalled Yitro?There are many answers to this question.1 – Amalek heard about this special relationship of Israel and tried to destroy it. Yitro on the other handwas inspired by these political and spiritual events to join the Israel Nation.2 – Yitro comes from the root Yeter, ‫ יתר‬which means to ‘add on to’. He added onto the Torah. Hisadvice to Moshe was an addition that Hashem accepted. This is alluded to in his name. The lettersTorah are found within the name Yitro +5. Yitro (616) Torah (611)‫ = תורא‬Torah (611)‫ = יתרו‬Yitro (616)3 – The Zohar says that even though the Israelite Nation saw the miracles and salvation it wasn’t untilanother event happened that they all accepted and understood that there is no other than the Holy Oneblessed be He. This event was Yitro arriving and making this proclamation. Yitro was the head priest ofIdol Worship and his denunciation of all other idols and affirmation of the truth of Hashem was similarto the Pope in Rome today telling all the Christians we were wrong, the Jews are right, and convertingto become a chassid.According to Halacha, an idol worshiper must denounce his idol worship for it to be destroyed. A jewcannot do it for him. When Yitro made this denunciation it raised the world and prepared the Nation ofIsrael to accept its eternal mission. In other words the force of the Gentile renouncing idol worship andaccepting Hashem and His Torah raises Israel itself to a higher level.The common thread in all of these answers is the following. The Torah is not a religion to be kept by asect of Hashem lovers that are disconnected from the outside world. The Torah is meant to change theworld and bring it back in its entirety to the original cause. Moshe’s Torah stood out from our longtradition of Hashem lovers and followers. Moshe’s Torah (as explained in Parsha Shmot) challengedthe authority and brought about political change. This is also Rav Kahane’s Torah, the authentic Torahthat seeks to transform systems of evil and make them good.He almost singlehandedly fought against the superpowers of USA and Russia and brought millions ofRussian Jews home. This was not politics, it was the Torah way. With a handful of followers he 280

brought about the most important change which is reforming the Jewish heart and soul. He was like acomet that appeared in the sky and gave hope to the Jewish people that they can be lions and not sheep,that they can overcome their enemies and that it all begins by overcoming their leadership anddestroying the idol worship we cling to.Our leaders like mice offer other mice as sacrifices to the blood thirsty cats in the vain hope of buildingfriendship between them. The Rabbi knew that the children of Esav and Ishmael will hate us regardlessof how determined we are to sell our brothers, so better to fight our enemies and win. Let the worldhate us, and respect us. Many times I have heard of radio talk shows Gentiles who would call in to RavKahane and say ‘Why are there not more Jews like you? Those who persecuted the Rav like in Shmotand said ‘you are making it bad for us, you have put a sword in Pharaohs hand’,(Shmot 5:21) theopposite is true.When we stand up and act as we should act and change ourselves, the world will become morereceptive to us. When we transform our communities, our cities, our Nation, then some of the worldwill hate us and make war like Amalek, but more importantly the Yitros will come out and run to joinus. Only then will the planet be in the proper state to relate once again to its Creator and evil will be nomore, only the pursuit of goodness. We must act like Moshe and change our political world, then wewill lead the Nations by their own free will. This is when the Lord will be One and His name One. 281

282

Kahane in the Parsha Mishpatim 283

Mishpatim – 2012,‫תנ יביא‬‫יתתב נח ללב‬,‫בת‬,‫תרי א קד נמ קתך‬, ‫יבכו‬,‫אשיית‬,‫יט רת‬ 19 The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou ,‫של קג ידי‬,‫ קת מב ת‬-‫ קיה נוה לאל להיך; לא‬shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. ‫ שאמול‬.‫ה א לנ שכ‬,‫ יל קש נמ קרך‬,‫ קל נפ לניך‬,‫תל מח ממ קל נאך‬, ‫י םש‬ ‫תנ‬, ‫כ יה‬ 20 Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep ;‫ מב נד לרך‬. thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place‫ מה נמק םום נא לשר נה יכ םנ יתי‬-‫ אלל‬,‫קו מל נה יבי נאך‬ which I have prepared.(Shmot 23: 19-20)When I look at these passages I see something different than most people. Once again I see RavKahane. It is explained that having an ‘angel’ leading us is a downgrade from having G-d Himselfleading us. Moshe pleads with God in Parsha Ki Sissa regarding this and refuses to go on if Hashemdoes not go along with us. Here in the passages preceding the sin of the Egel it is not yet apparent whythere is an angel being sent. After Parsha Ki Sissa we see it is a punishment.An angel is a servant of God and must obey the rules precisely and therefore is less lenient andforgiving of sins. What is the sin that takes G-ds presence away from us to the point where He can nolonger walk among us? It is alluded to in the passage above. ‘Do not cook a kid in its mothers milk’.When Josephs brothers said ‘Look here comes the dreamer’ and planned to destroy him, what exactlywhere they destroying? Were his dreams and his intentions not for the benefit of his brothers andfamily? The Torah is like mothers milk that nourishes us and sustains us. Those who draft laws topersecute and condemn he who comes like a dreamer to save his people with laws are like one whotakes the mother and boils her in her own milk. They destroy the one who brings them the remedy.They destroy the source of their nourishment.It is this evil that is too great for G-d to bear and so He leaves. Consistently throughout our history G-dsends messengers before the storm to warn us and to bring the remedy. Consistently we kill themessenger, and then G-d leaves and we are at the mercy of the Nations who have no mercy. Thedestruction of the Temple was preceded with the assassination of the prophet Zecharia who came like amother to nurture the nation that boiled the mother in her own milk.We are judged by the way we judge others. The cruelty that comes to us is preceded with a cruelty weinflict upon ourselves. Alternatively when we follow the messenger and rise up from our apathy and gobeyond our nature, then God goes beyond His nature to protect us and demonstrate His love or us.Why is the punishment alluded to here before the crime? The same reason that Tezaveh is written before Ki Sissa. In KiSissa Moshe pleads with Hashem to 'erase him from the book' if He will not forgive Israel's sin. In Tezaveh (the previouschapter) Moshe's name does not appear in fulfillment of this self-imposed curse. 284

A Blessing or Curse?:‫תמר ב םו‬, ‫ מת‬-‫ אל‬,‫ כא יה נש למר ימ נפ נניו ו קש ממע קב םקל םו‬21 Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice; ‫ יכי קש ימי קב יק קרב םו‬,‫ יכי לא יי נשא קל יפ קש נע לכם‬. be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him.‫ םכל‬,‫ קו נע ישי נת‬,‫ קב םקל םו‬,‫ נשמ םו מע ית קש ממע‬-‫ כב יכי יאם‬22 But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice,,‫ קו מצ קר יתי‬,‫ םא קי לביך‬-‫ לאת‬,‫ קוא מי קב יתי‬--‫תבר‬, ‫ נא לשר נא מד‬and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine ‫ םצ קר לריך‬-‫ לאת‬. adversaries.-‫ לו לה יבי נאך לאל‬,‫ קל נפ לניך‬,‫לך ממ קלא יכי‬,‫תי ת‬, -‫ כג יכי‬23 For Mine angel shall go before thee, and bring‫ קו מה קפ יר יזי קו מה קכ מנ נע יני מה יח יוי‬,‫ נה לא םמ ירי קו מה יח יתי‬thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the ‫ קו מה קיבו יסי; קו יה קכ מח קד יתיו‬. Jebusite; and I will cut them off.,‫דם‬,‫תהי להם קולא נת נע קב ת‬, ‫לאל‬,‫ ית קש מת נח לוה ת‬-‫ כד לא‬24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor,‫סם‬,‫רס קת נה קר ת‬,‫ יכי נה ת‬:‫שי להם‬,‫ קולא מת נע לשה קכ ממ נע ת‬serve them, nor do after their doings; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces ‫תתי להם‬, ‫צ םב‬,‫בר ממ ת‬,‫בר קת מש ת‬,‫ קו מש ת‬. their pillars.-‫ב מרך לאת‬,‫ ו ת‬,‫תהי לכם‬, ‫תאת קיה נוה לאל‬, ,‫ כה מו נע מב קד לתם‬25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and ,‫תמי למיך; מו נה יס םר יתי ממ נח נלה‬, -‫ קו לאת‬,‫ מל קח קמך‬He will bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will ‫ ימ יק קר לבך‬. take sickness away from the midst of thee.(Shmot 23: 21-25)Although being led by an angel instead of the Almighty is a downgrade, still these passages seem verymuch like a blessing. Hashem will protect us, vanquish our enemies; multiply us and cause disease tobe no more. It's possible that these rewards are not really rewards that we deserved but rather rewardsgiven for the sake of the Tzadik. The Tzadik negotiated on our behalf and paid a heavy price. One mayadd that the glory given to Am Israel for its victories and for settling and protecting the Land are alsogiven to us for His sake. As it is written.‫תבית‬, ‫ נא לשר יח קל כלהו‬,‫תשם נק קד ישי‬, -‫ מעל‬,‫ כא נו לא קח םמל‬21 But I had pity for My holy name, which the ‫ נבאו נש נמה‬-‫ מבג םו יים נא לשר‬,‫תאל‬, ‫ יי קש נר‬. house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they came‫ םכה א ממר נא םד נני‬,‫אל‬,‫ יי קש נר ת‬-‫בית‬,‫תכן לא םמר קל ת‬, ‫ כב נל‬22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus:‫אל‬,‫תבית יי קש נר ת‬, ,‫ לא קל ממ מע קנ לכם נא יני םע לשה‬,‫ קיה יוה‬saith the Lord GOD: I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which ye‫מבג םו יים‬ ,‫יח מל קל לתם‬ ‫נא לשר‬ ‫ נק קד ישי‬-‫שם‬,‫ קל ת‬-‫יכי יאם‬ have profaned among the nations, whither ye ‫ נבא לתם נשם‬-‫ נא לשר‬. came.,‫ מה קמ כח נלל מבג םו יים‬,‫ קש ימי מה נגד םול‬-‫ כג קו יק מד קש יתי לאת‬23 And I will sanctify My great name, which hath‫ נא יני‬-‫ קבת םו נכם; קו ני קדעו מהג םו יים יכי‬,‫ נא לשר יח מל קל לתם‬been profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations,‫נב לכם‬ ‫קב יה נק קד ישי‬ ,‫קיה יוה‬ ‫נא םד נני‬ ‫ קנ כאם‬,‫קיה נוה‬ shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord ‫תני להם‬, ‫תעי‬, ‫ קל‬. GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.(Yecheskel 36:21-23) 285

‫ קש ממ קע לתםן לכה א‬-‫ מא לתם לא‬,‫ ממר קיה נוה‬- Therefore, so says Hashem, “You did not hearken to Me to proclaim freedom, every man for his;‫עהו‬,‫תר ת‬, ‫קדר םור יאיש קלא יחיו קו יאיש קל‬ brother and every man for his fellow; behold! - I , ,‫יז נל תכ‬ ‫ יל קק םרא‬,‫תא מלי‬,‫ מה לח לרב‬-‫ לאל‬,‫ קיה נוה‬-‫תרא נל לכם קדר םור קנ כאם‬, ‫ יה קנ יני םק‬proclaim you to be free – the words of Hashem –‫ קו ננ מת יתי לא קת לכם לזועה‬,‫ נה נר נעב‬-‫ מה לד לבר קו לאל‬-‫ לאל‬for the sword, for the plague, and for the famine,‫ קל םכל ממ קמ קלכ םות נהא לרץ‬,(‫) קל מז נע נוה‬. and I shall make you an object of trepidation for all the kingdoms of the earth.(Yermiyahu 34:17 – our Haftorah)In this passage we understand that our suffering and our exile is brought about by the way we treat eachother. Why is the Rav's name associated with this passage?Early in his career the Rav founded the JDL (Jewish Defense League) as a response to rampant crimein New York City that often targeted Jews in poor neighborhoods. Many who were elderly andabandoned had no Jewish agency to help them and protect them. These Jewish activists succeeded inputting an end vandalism that visited Jewish cemeteries every Halloween. They heckled anti-Semiticspeakers and protected neighborhoods that Jewish community leaders were not concerned with and hadno practical solutions for. The love and concern that the Rav felt and acted upon was not onlyexhibited locally but globally. He called for protests against Jewish oppression by the Soviet Union. Inone of his first articles about these issues in 1963 he wrote:“Silence is not always golden – sometimes its criminal. This being true, American Jewry muststand condemned for the crime of silence....While you read this two and a half million Jews inthe East lie condemned to a spiritual death...They cannot train shochetim, kosher slaughterers,they cannot learn circumcision, they are harassed [for] any manifestation of Shabbathobservance...And of course it will be protested: 'But what can we do? How can our protests and cries help theJews from Russia?' To this we can only say; If a finger hurts, it may be of little benefit to cryout in pain. However if one does NOT cry out, one thing is certain: It does not hurt. If it did wewould be marching at this moment around the Soviet consulate...We would cry out, boycott,protest, hold sit-ins...Let [Torah Jewry] take the lead in a campaign to re-awaken pain. Let us formulate a program ofbold CONTINUOUS protest. By doing so we will give new heart to the Russian Jews who feeltoday that their brothers in the West have forgotten them...”(Meir Kahane : His life and thought pg.76)My brother Gavriel once pointed out a Gemora that asks a question: What do slave dream of?Although most people would answer 'freedom', the Talmud surprises us and says that a slave dreams ofbeing 'the taskmaster.' In others words the sign of a real slave is someone who dreams of revenge, ofmaking others suffer what he suffered, of being the 'boss' instead of the 'servant'. When this question isasked in Israel, surprisingly many Israeli's answer like the gemora. This of course indicates quiteclearly that slavery is alive and well in Israel. It is the self-centered mind set of wanting to rule overothers that defines one with a slave mentality. The Rav tried very hard to free us from this mind set,beginning locally in New York, then Internationally with the Russian Jews and then finally where itcounts the most – in the Jewish State.. 286

The Jewish Slave (2018)We are approaching Adar and the holiday of Purim. Rav Spero in Toronto used to say that Purim is asad day. After all of the festivities a Jewish woman (Esther) is still left married to a Gentile. This isredemption? A similar incomplete redemption we read about in our Parsha regarding the Hebrew slave.Why is this the first commandment that we read about after the giving of the Torah? Rav Kahane writesin Perush Hamaccabee When commenting on the Haftorah (Jeremiah 34:13-20). That is to say, you did not keep the mitzvah of the Hebrew slave, in which My power and My might and My mastery over the world are symbolized, and for the sake of which I took Israel down to Egypt – and I informed Avraham of My intentions when the fire passed between the parts of the calf in the Covenant between the Parts (Bereshit 15:4-21). But you transgressed My covenant, which is a hillul Hashem, because this mitzvah is the pinnacle of Kiddush Hashem. Perush HaMaccabee (1:22)Hashem took a holy people that represented Him in all of His goodness and brought them to Egyptwhere they were degraded into worthless slaves, beaten and tortured including the mass murder ofHebrew boys in the Nile. Then He performed great wonders and destroyed Egypt and brought them outas a free people. The Hebrew Nation became a symbol of hope and freedom and truth for the entireworld.Now after giving of the Torah the commandments begin with the Eved Ivri. In other words Hashemwas reminding them that it was I who foretold this to Avraham and I who brought you out as a greatNation. Instead of serving Pharoah you will now serve Me and in doing so always be a free people anda sign of truth and freedom for the entire world.One may ask how did Hashem allow this persecution to happen? There are many answers fromdifferent aspects. From the Israelite perspective there were those in Goshen who were not affected bythe decrees of slavery as they remained aloof from Egyptian society in the Goshen yeshivas. From theEgyptian side if Pharaoh had simply allowed or even forced the Israelites out of Egypt he would havebeen called a saint. The extreme denials on both sides caused much of the suffering.The Israelites who refused to leave died in the days of darkness and the Egyptians who deniedHashem's request and were cruel and degraded the Hebrews were themselves destroyed. In our owntime Hitler originally had a plan to expel the Jews from Germany however after noting the generalapathy in the world he decided on the final solution.When we look at the concept of the Jewish slave we see that the status of slave came upon the Jewbecause of two reasonsA: He owed money and sold himself to pay his debtsB: He was a thief and placed in this situation by the court to repay his debtsIn the case of a thief one could say he was put into this situation because of his sins. The temporaryservitude that he was placed in would pay his debts and then he would leave a free and rehabilitatedman. Just as our National servitude and liberation were the results of consequences which eventuallyled to a type of rehabilitation and brought about a new 'liberated' Jew with its own army similar to ourown time, the concept of the Jewish slave alludes to this epic birth of our own Nation.There is something very peculiar about the laws of the Eved Ivri. The Jewish master is allowed to give 287

his Jewish slave a non-Jewish wife to make children with. These children do not leave with him afterhis seven years servitute. They remain the property of the Jewish owner. If they go through conversionthey may of course leave with him as a Jewish family. Alternatively he may decide to remain a slaveforever and stay with his slave family.When I inquired about this Rav Halperin explained that an Eved Canaani was not a typical Gentile. Theeved Canaani knew all of the Jewish laws as they were servants in a Jewish home. So we have here anunusual status of one who is not a typical Gentile and yet not a Jew either. The eved Canaani knows allof the Jewish laws and would find it much easier go through conversion and accept the yoke of Torahthan a Gentile that is far removed from Jewish practice yet until they do so they remain an EvedCanaani. The Jew who is free to go after his seven years of servitude may also prefer not to be free andremain forever with his Eved Canaani.It is interesting to note that there is one simple difference between the times before Moshiach and thetimes after Moshiach. Rav Kahane in discussing the yoke of Heaven brings down in PersuchHamaccabee an amazing quote from Isaiah And it will be on that day, that the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer 'rely upon its attacker'. They will rely upon Hashem the Holy One of Israel in truth..And it will be on that day that He will remove [Sennacherib's] suffering from your shoulders and his yoke from upon your neck. (Isaiah 10:20-27)The only difference between the times before moshiach and after is there will no longer be oppressionfrom the gentile nations. This oppression however comes from our decision to accept the 'yoke' of theTorah or the yoke of the nations. When we stop 'relying on our attacker' for our security and insteadrely on Hashem and move forward, then we are already in the times of Moshiach.There is something similar in the concept of the Jewish slave. One may know all of the Jewish laws justlike the Eved Canaani but refuse to be free as a Jew. One may prefer the sustenance of a master whohas permission to beat him and who governs his decisions and allows himself to be degraded as a slaveor one can look around and see that the seven years have past and his debts are paid. He no longerneeds to be a slave he can go free as a Jew who relies in truth on Hashem.A free Jew does not need a Jewish daughter to bed down with a Gentile king to be saved. He is a kinghimself as he serves the true master Hashem and a servant to a king is like a king. It's time we stoppedto rely on our attackers and became truly free by relying in truth on Hasem. One who frees himselffrom this slave mentality is already living in the time of Moshiach. 288

Kahane in the Parsha Terumah 289

The Crack Part I – Terumah'There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.' – Leonard CohenEver since the Garden of Eden there have been two evolutions in the world. The expanding tree ofknowledge and the contracting Garden. The expanding tree I call the tree of Dos and Doubt. Dos inHebrew is knowledge and along with this knowledge is a mixture of doubt. This knowledge continuesto spread and grow and evolve and create new innovations in the world. The diminishing Garden ismaintained by a small group of faithful that are zealous to retain the purity and holiness of what theworld was intended to be.As they go seemingly separate directions, they are traveling actually in a circle and will eventuallymeet. As one expands the other contracts. The circle was completed once before at Har Sinai. TheGarden took on a new form with Am Israel becoming in a sense Adam HaRishon but with the ChetHaEgel the Garden was hidden once again and diminished this time within the Mishkan.There is an illusion to Haman in the Garden of Eden when Hashem says “ HaMin Haetz?...”‫נא נתה;נה שמן‬ ‫עי םרם‬,‫ת‬ ‫יכי‬ ,‫קלך‬ ‫יה יגיד‬ ‫א‬ 11 And He said: 'Who told you that you are ‫ ימי‬--‫מו םיא למר‬ from which I naked? Have you eaten of the tree,-‫ נא לשר יצ יוי יתיך קל יב קל יתי נא נכל‬,‫תעץ‬, ‫ נה‬- commanded you not to eat?' ‫אכנלק נת‬--‫מימלנו‬(Bereshit 3:11)Haman tried to destroy the Jewish people physically as well as spiritually which is alluded to the 50amos gallows he erected that corresponds to the 50 levels of Kedusha. In the end he will be hung on hisown tree; punished and destroyed similar to the original snake in the Garden and the Leviathan in thefuture. Although he brings about his own destruction he causes a bigger Garden to be revealed. Thepurpose of evil is the 'crack' that ultimately brings more light through his death. The Crack Part II - TezavehWe understand the role of evil is to spread Dos/Doubt and in the end make the Garden greater. The roleof the Tzadik is to preserve the 'purity' of the Garden. Moshe offered himself as a sacrifice in order tosave the Jewish people from annihilation. Therefore he was erased from the Parsha Tezaveh. Althoughhis name does not appear in the Parsha you can see it hidden in a peculiar place. There are two chainsattached to the Shoham stones that rest on the shoulders of the Cohen. These chains carry thebreastplate with all of the twelve tribes inscribed on it. The Shoham stones rearranged spell Moshe. Wesee an illusion to the Tzadik who carries the Jewish people on his shoulders.These Parshiot normally occur around the time of Purim. Purim is the last month of our National yearwhich begins in Nissan. Our Nation was born in Nissan with the holiday of Pesach and the climax ofour history is the end of the year with Purim. Purim is a time when the world turns upside down and isa very physical holiday. We have a feast, and we drink and we send mishloach manot (gifts of food). 290

Chanuka the other Rabbinical holiday is very spiritual. The laws of Chanuka have much to do with thepurity of the oil and the spiritual joy of spreading these holy lights. Now if the goal of Creation is toreturn us back to the Garden would we not expect the final holiday of the year to be the most spirituallike Chanuka? To answer this question we must look at another transformation.It seems to me that there is another transformation that must take place in addition to the Dos/Doubttree where all the good from evil is extracted and the shell discarded. One might even say that thisparallel transformation is in fact the active ingredient that will extract this good from evil. What is thistransformation? The tikkun of the Tzaddik.The Pach Katan; the small vile of pure Oil found in the Temple on Chanuka; the holy few that keep thelight of Gan Eden shining, eventually must connect that light to the wax of the candle. As the physicalbecomes more spiritual the spiritual must connect the worlds together. Haman is not only seen in theGarden related to the tree of knowledge Haman is also released through the words of the giver of theTorah himself. How can this be?‫תני‬, ‫ קפ‬-‫ לאל‬--‫ מה נק נהל‬-‫ לאת‬,‫ י מו מי קק יהלו םמ לשה קוא נה םרן‬10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly--‫ ננא מה םמ ירים‬-‫ יש קמעו‬,‫ מה נס מלע; מו םיא למר נל להם‬together before the rock, and he said to them: 'Listen now, O rebels; shall we to bring you forth‫ נ םו יציא נל לכם נמ ייםנה שמן‬,‫ מה לס מלע מה לזה‬- water for you from this rock?(Bamidbar 9:10)It seems to me that the root of the ultimate redemption is concealed within these words. From withinthese words will come the physical manifestation of a spiritual reality. The anger of the pure against theDos/Doubt tree precisely at the time when it is needed can cause great tragedy. An opportunity so closeat hand can cause the greatest divide. For example a point at which the tribes of Israel could have beenunited was the same point that they were completely divided.The Holy One, Blessed is He, grabbed Yeravam by his cloak and said to him,“Return, and I, you, and the son of Yishai will stroll together in Gan Aiden.”“Who will lead?” he asked.“Ben Yishai will lead.” He [G-d] answered him.“If so,” he ended, “then I don’t want it!” (Sanhedrin 102a)Now one might say David is the pure one and Yeravam was evil as Baal Haturim writes in Netzavim:Perhaps there is among you a man, woman, family, or tribe, whose heart turns away fromHashem, our G-d today to follow and to serve the gods of these nations; maybe there is amongyou a source that would proliferate and spread evil in your midst, [who] upon hearing the wordsof this curse thinks to himself, “I will be fine, even though I do as I please.” In order to add theinadvertent transgressions to the premeditated one, G-d will not be willing to forgive him. G-dwill be angry and His jealousy will rage against that man, and all the curses of this book willcome after him. G-d will wipe away his name from under heaven. G-d will single him out forevil from all the tribes of Israel and cause him to experience all the curses of the covenantrecorded in this Book of the Law. (Devarim 29:17-20)“G-d will single him out for evil … The gematria (of the Hebrew words) is equal to ‘This isYeravam.'” (Ba’al HaTurim)However the Talmud tells us:When Yeravam left Jerusalem he met the prophet Achiah HaShiloni along the way, who was 291

wearing a new garment … (I Melachim 11:29) What does this mean? Rav Nachman said: Just as a new garment has no spots, so too did the teaching of Yeravam have no error. According to others: They renewed things that no ear has ever heard. What does, “And the two of them were alone in the field” mean? All other scholars were like the plants of the field compared to them. (Sanhedrin 102a)It seems that there is a type of anger or arrogance in deciding to be stricter than the Merciful One orindifferent to his manifestations (see Bechuchotai, and Vayera). In the case of Adam in Gan Eden part of theproblem between him and Eve was the additional restrictions that he placed on the tree. This causedher to err. To physically touch the tree was not forbidden however Adam told Eve it was, as aprecaution. When the snake pushed her against it and she didn't die, this confused her and the rest ishistory.The anger of Moshe caused a rift between the Jewish people precisely when the doors of redemptionwere beginning to open. One can see this reflected in our own century when inaction and indifferenceas the doors of Israel opened gave strength to Haman/Hitler. The Haman Arabs today are again testingthis indifference as they spread throughout Europe and the world. Will we get angry at the rock toplacate our enemies or be indifferent yet again when the new settlers are now God fearing leaving us noexcuse not to join them?It seems we can see parallels sometimes between the Charedi world and the Arabs. Just as the Arabswho were offered so much of the Land refused on principle as they wanted it all; so the Charedi worldstand aloof waiting for a perfect future where Moshiach will suddenly appear and the Bet Hamigashfall from Heaven. There is no compromise between good and evil yet between the two poles the worldis being built.As the century evolves more physical Jews seek spiritual understanding and connection and morespiritual Jews seek to express the Divine by physically building and settling the Land. The settlermovement is correcting the flaw of the pure vile and the Dos/Doubt tree by rebuilding Gan Eden overand over again despite hatred and demolitions from outside and within.Hamin Hasela? From this rock you expect salvation? Yes, the Land itself speaks. Purim is the highpoint of the Jewish cycle of the year where spirituality has progressed to the point that it is nowphysical. One of the main mitzvot of Purim is shaloach manot where we give people at least two giftsof food that can be eaten right away without preparation. This allows that person to consume one andgive another to someone else.At the high point of our year we all become Chabadniks making sure we are giving to others andenabling others to also give. In addition the Torah is something we give and then we share with othershowever in the end of days the Torah will manifest itself physically as we resettle our Land, reclaim ourKing and Father in Heaven and thereby bring true peace to the world.It's interesting to note that at the end of the year where spirituality becomes physically represented inthe shaloach manot in Nissan the opposite occurs. As this climax of freely giving food items comes toan end we begin again with the pure vile. For in Nissan, we restrict our diet and are very careful whatwe eat. We return to the concentrated Gan Eden restricted to chametz free items. And so it goes.From Gan Eden to Har Sinai to the Mishkan there is an expanding and contracting Gan Eden. TheHaman in both is crucial for our growth while he himself becomes nullified. Moshes greatest successand failure is also alluded to in Tezaveh as he is erased so that Israel will live and in Parsha Parah; therock which leads us to the elixir of life when our ways are corrected and we resettle Gan Eden. 292

Kahane in the Parsha Tezaveh 293

Tezave - 2012Atonement Through the Body of the TzadikContrary to popular belief Christianity is actually based upon a Jewish idea, namely the concept ofMoshiach Ben Yoseph, which is the concept of a Tzadik that suffers for the benefit of others. Theconcept was marketed to pagans by reform Jews and went on to become what it is today. Of courseJudaism forbids human sacrifice however sacrifice is essential to our belief beginning with Itzchak whowas a drop of blood away from human sacrifice.In the end nothing that Hashem creates is wasted. Everything serves a purpose. Truth is given inteaspoons to elevate the entire world. Even the shell of the fruit grows along with its purpose which isthe fruit. The shell is the friendship and animosity of the many Nations that harbored the fruit which isIsrael – Hashems first born son. Of course it appears that this shell is constantly trying and succeedingto destroy the fruit but in the end it too will be refined from a coconut shell to the shell of a lichee andwill easily peel off.The Christian paradigm consists of three basic ideas that differ from Judaism only by mathematics.They are: 1. There was a Jewish man who was the son of God, and he looked just like everyone else, yet he was actually the son of God. 2. He died for the sins of the world. He also elevated the world through his death 3. No one can know the father (God) unless he knows the son.The only difference between this idea and Judaism is mathematics. It is this mathematics that some ofthe Christian world are beginning to understand and in the end those who grasp it will become part ofthe fruit. What is the mathematics I speak of? 1. 'All' of the Jewish people are the sons and daughters of God. We look the same as everyone else yet we are actually the sons and daughters of God and part of His essence is within the soul of each and every Jew. Our history and His desire are one and the same. 2. 'We' constantly die and suffer for the sins of the world. Albeit we bring on our own sins as well, but through our willing and unwilling sacrifice the world is morally elevated. The world sinned with the Shoa and through our suffering was also elevated. Having had enough of these constant persecutions Israel finally emerged as the avenger. 3. Those who truly want to seek God must come to His children the 'Jewish people' in order to understand what is demanded of them. We do not demand conversion like Muslims or Christians, we simply can explain what is expected of each individual from whatever point he wishes to serve God. We can however enforce what is 'not' permitted, which we are already doing by defending ourselves and the world.Every soldier that becomes a sacrifice elevates our Nation as a whole on Yom Hazikaron when we bondas a Nation and are strengthened in our resolve. Tzadikim who fight for Gods Torah and die in combatbring an even greater elevation and resolve. On a balance scale Rav Kahane was equivalent to all ofthe sages of our time (see Perkei Avot 2:12) and through his sacrifice this Torah is now becoming part 294

and parcel of our Nation. His body has entered our National body so to speak.What does it mean that his Torah was equivalent to all the other Torah's? Among all of our Torahleaders none could answer the burning questions of our times. Where was God in the Shoa and whereis God today in secular Israel? He demonstrated by going into battle the 'flaw' in our souls that begsthe question 'Where were 'we' in the Shoa and where are 'we' today in the re-born Israel? Where are wenow when it comes to protest and where are we now when the gates of Israel are wide open?The small numbers that did come out to his protests and the great numbers who hated him are anindication of who we are and what is our flaw. This is the same flaw we had before the Shoa. He madeit more apparent to us. One of his famous books was called 'Uncomfortable Questions for ComfortableJews'. This is the point. We live in denial and then do too little, too late.After years of struggle and after dying in combat bringing these ideas into the heart and soul of ourNation, we are now on the way to becoming healed and hopefully soon will be ready to accept theTorah once again. It wasn't enough for Moshe to bring the Jews out of Mitzrayim, he also had to teachthem and train them and heal them so that they could receive the Torah. This was the point.It wasn't enough for the Rav to protest and bring a million Russian Jews to Israel, it was the conceptsthat he taught us about what is a Jew and why we must protest. What is our vocation and what isdemanded of us? How do we act in a way that brings glory and not tragedy? The sword of David andthe Torah of David work together.His Torah which is medicine for the Jewish soul has revived the Nation and we see today how thegoverning powers are fearful because those who fear God are slowly taking over the Nation. Thosewho fear the Nations are saying 'we hope there is a God because our leadership is leading us toconfrontation'. The Rabbi would often say 'Better an Israel that is hated by the world than anAuschwitz that is loved by them'.As the Kalisher Rav quoted at the beginning of this book 'If your Torah hasn't been banned then it's notworth reading'. Bob Dylan writes about JC who 'came and died a criminals death'. The Christians builta whole religion upon this Moshiach ben Yoseph concept. There is something to this idea. All of ourgreat spiritual leaders have been chased and harassed by government authorities. Sometimes it's hardto tell who are the 'good guys' and who are the 'bad guys'. Moshe was a fugitive because he killed aJewish oppressor. Rav Kahane was also banned, harassed and finally assassinated because he foughtagainst Jewish oppressors. So how does one determine who is following the law and who is breakingthe law? What leaders and scholars will make the Halacha clear? This is what the Rav wrote:The Jewish concept of government is clear; The government exists to serve the state. The state existsto serve the people. The people exist to serve God.....When the government demands that a Jewdisobey a [Divine] law – he must disregard the illegal order. When the government refuses to allow aJew to obey a legal obligation – he must defy the illegal attempt [of the government]. Settlementattempts in Eretz Israel are in the highest tradition of Jewish obedience to law and order....For the sakeof the Jewish people and the Jewish State, [Jewish] law and order must be preserved. (Rabbi MeirKahane:His Life and Thought Pg. 421)Not only was his life an example (of our failure) but he laid down the Halacha clearly for us tounderstand the great tragedies and great miracles of our times. Millions of lives could have been savedif the escape to Israel had been promoted before the Shoa. Today as well who knows how muchdamage has been done by the continued animosity towards Israel from large percentages of bothreligious and secular Jews that refuse to leave and participate in the miracle of Israel's rebirth. 295

Let's return to our Parsha. Moshes name is not mentioned even once in the entire Parsha of Tezaveh.This was the fulfillment of a curse which Moshe brought upon himself. After the sin of the GoldenCalf, he told Hashem, “If You do not forgive their sin, I beg You, blot me out from Your book whichYou have written!” A Tzaddik's words must take effect (even if the condition attached to them is notfulfilled). Hashem consequently erased Moshe's name from Parsha Tezaveh. This doesn't simply meanhe holds him to his word, it means he has paid the price for the people. Hashem is generous to us andthe Tzadik pays by being removed from a chapter of the Torah.Although his name is erased it is hidden in the passage that describes the Shoham stones. The priestbreastplate was attached by two chains that were attached to two Shoham stones that rested on theCohen's shoulder. The breastplate represented the twelve tribes with each of their stones and they wereall suspended by the two Shoham stones that were on the shoulders of the Cohen.The letters that spell Shoham are the same letters that spell Moshe (‫שהם‬/‫)משה‬. This is anindication that the Tzaddik pays the price for us all. The Tzadik is the Shoham stone that carries thewhole Nation on his shoulders. By his example he shows us what is demanded and what is possible.He clarifies our confusion and inability to act against the Goliath's of our times. He takes them onhimself.He demonstrates our flaw and weakness by our apathy or persecution of the Tzadik who comes to helpus. He is the barometer of our condition. He is the minors canary. It is we who kill the Tzadik byallowing the messenger to be destroyed in his attempt to save us. It is we who are to blame for notdefending him and leaving him a target for wild beasts. As we treat the Tzadik so will the Nations treatus, measure for measure.The cure is to take up his mantle, even though we do not have the same gifts. He showed us the wayand what is demanded. In our own way we must answer the call and change the body of the Nation toreflect our true calling. We too must begin to carry the Nation upon our shoulders. In this way webecome like the Tzadik. When we serve God in the way that He desires then God serves us as well andprotects us from harm. This is the lesson the Tzadik brings to us. He demonstrates and defines for usthe authentic Torah that is demanded of our generation. He trains us in the essential actions thatprevent tragedy and bring glory to our Nation. Just as many Christians return to the roots of Judaismand eventually many will join the body of the Nation as Jews; in the same way we as Jews must returnto our roots and act more like the Tzadikim who paid for our survival and glory. 296

The Masses are Shaped by the Power of the SmallWhen a cow eats grass he elevates the grass into a higher form. Jews elevate the cow when they makea blessing and consume it. The Tzadik elevates the whole Nation when the Tzadik is consumed. WhenMoshe said 'erase me from your book' Hashem accepted his self-sacrifice and erased Moshe fromParsha Tezaveh which paid a price for us all. One of the remedies for the Nation after the sin of theEgel is seen in Parsha Ki Sissa. Giving the half shekel to the mishkan is a way of each one making aself-sacrifice for the benefit of the Nation. It also demonstrates that we are not complete without theother. Each one of us is only a half. We all must learn from the Tzadik to be like him, even if it is onlya half shekel that we can give of our-self. In the temple atonement wasn't made until the Levitesconsumed the sacrifice. The Nation consumes the sacrifice of the Tzadik by in a practical sense,learning from the guilt they have of his loss; a loss that they could have prevented. Learning from hisexample; becoming more like him in their small way, the Nation is transformed and the Tzadik's Torahis digested. On a metaphysical level, he pays for the whole nation; the whole nation is elevated becauseof one man. Just as Moshe's sacrifice was connected to the half shekel, so was the Rav's sacrificeconnected to the 'orange revolution' that came after him and embodied his spirit on a more Nationallevel.In Parsha Yitro we learn something interesting about Nadav and Avihu. Just as Nadav and Avihu intheir elation were careless and died from their proximity to holiness, we see that actually the wholeNation has this ability. As a Nation we had to be warned twice to stay back and not get too closeotherwise we would die. The desire to be close to the Divine is something innate in us all. During theSpanish Inquisition many non-observant Jews gave their lives rather than convert to Christianity.The tzadik prepares us to elevate ourselves to the point of sacrifice. He is the shemen zayit; the pure oilthat is able to give himself in a way that elevates the nation by his example. His sacrifice is made tounify the nation. The irony is that Rav Meir was considered a pariah like Yoseph; one that was a threat;yet in the end; like Yoseph he will be understood as the great unifier. 297

The Shoulders of the TzadikTeiku is a word used in the Talmud when there is no resolution. It is an anachronism for Tishbi yetaretzkushiyot ubaayot (Eliyahu HaTishbi will answer the questions we have when he comes). Althoughthese questions deal with details of the Oral law and not philosophical questions, the question of whyTzadikim die for our sins, or 'pay the price' to elevate the Nation is still difficult to understand.The Midrash tells us that Moshe was shown Rabbi Akiva in the future explaining things in the Torahthat even he had not seen. When he was shown Rabbi Akiva's end Moshe had difficulty understandingthis. Moshe himself was taken out of one chapter of the Torah for the sake of the Jewish people andwas commanded not to set foot in the Land that he desired more than anyone. He paid the ultimateprice so that the Nation of Israel would live on.The gematria of Teiku is 516. This number has a few interesting correlations. The number 516 equalsthe word 'shoulders' which we spoke about in Parsha Tezave.‫ מעל יכ קת םפת‬,‫תי נה נא נב ינים‬,‫ קש ת‬-‫ יב קו מש קמ נת לאת‬12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the‫תאל; קו ננ נשא א נה םרן‬, ‫תני יי קש נר‬, ‫ יל קב‬,‫תני יז נכ םרן‬, ‫ א קב‬,‫תא םפד‬, ‫ נה‬shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; and Aaron‫רכ לתפאיו‬-- ‫תי‬,‫ קש ת‬-‫מעל‬ ,‫קיה נוה‬ ‫תני‬, ‫יל קפ‬ ‫ קשמ םו נתם‬-‫לאת‬ shall bear their names before the LORD upon his ‫ קל יז נכ םרן‬two shoulders for a memorial.(Shmot 28:12)The Shoham stone which also spells Moshe (same letters) are placed on the shoulders with a chainattaching the breastplate with all the tribes of Israel on them. It is as if to say the Gadol HaDor carriesall the tribes of Israel, the entire generation on his shoulders.The number 516 also is connected with the word possession ‘yerush’ .‫תנה‬, ‫ לא ננ מת נתה נז מרע; קו יה‬,‫הן ילי‬,‫ ת‬--‫ ג מו םיא למר א קב נרם‬3 And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be ‫אם יתייול לרש‬ ,‫י יתי‬,‫בת‬-‫בלן‬. mine heir.'(Bereshit 15:3)The Tzadik that truly conquers the Land continues on despite opposition even if it seems likeopposition from above. God commanded Avraham to leave his life behind and come to a strange newLand and promised him that he will inherit this Land even though it appeared by the laws of nature tohave been a mistake. Moshe tried to liberate the Jewish people and he only made it worse. He didn'tgive up and eventually they were liberated because of his persistence. The Rav also was defeatedthousands of times in many perfidious ways and yet remained undefeated, even in death.“I must confess to being surprised. And a bit disturbed. Surprised to see so many good Jews depressedand despairing, asking: 'What now? Kach as been banned from the Knesset; what is going to be?'Upset to see that so many have turned the means into the end, they have made the Knesset – which wasalways only a tool – into the goal. Is the banning of Kach from the Knesset the end of the world?More, has it made Kahane a different person and my teachings any less true? Was the support ofKahane meant for me, or for my carriage and horses – the Knesset...” 1 298

-‫ו קנ מת לתם לאת‬--‫ קלא יביו‬,‫תאין א יחים‬, -‫ יא קו יאם‬11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall,‫תא נליו ימ ימ קש מפ קחת םו‬, ‫אר םו מה נק םרב‬,‫ מנ נח נלת םו יל קש ת‬give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And‫ קל כח מקתרויארתש‬,‫תאל‬, ‫ני יי קש נר‬,‫םא נתה; קו נה קי נתה יל קב ת‬ it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of‫ םמ לשה‬-‫ לאת‬,‫ מכ נא לשר יצ נוה קיה נוה‬,‫ ימ קש נפט‬. judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.'(Bamidbar 27:11)The Rabbi spoke about the difference between a Torah scholar and a Navon. A scholar may have agreat memory for the written and Oral Torah but a Navon is someone who can deduce. A navon hasintuition and ability to read between the lines.-‫ נהא לרץ נא לשר‬-‫ לאל‬,‫ ה לו לה יבי נאך קיה נוה לאל להיך‬5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt‫אי ררשו‬,‫תהי יט קבך קו יה קר קבך‬, ‫ יוי יר קש נתה; קו‬--‫נא םב לתיך‬ possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply ‫מ נא םב לתיך‬,‫ ת‬. thee above thy fathers.(Devarim 30:5)All of the above have the gematria of 516‫ = יא ררשו‬possessed (Devarim 30:5) - 516‫ = רו אירתש‬he shall possess it (Bamidbar 27:11) - 516‫ = י לו לרש‬my heir (Bereshit 15:3) - 516‫ = רכ לת אפיו‬his shoulders (Shmot 28:12) - 516‫' = תיקו‬letting it stand' (to be explained in the future) - 516Understanding our purpose and the meaning of our inheritance is a difficult question that we continueto suffer with. The Talmud tells us in Berachot 5a: “God gave Israel three fine gifts and all come onlythrough suffering: Torah, Eretz Yisrael and the World-to-Come.” How many of our brightest and finesthave given their lives to build this Gan Eden here on earth called Israel? How do we understand theprice that they paid? Did they pay so that we can live freely? Where is the justice? Are they re-bornagain, somehow? What is their reward for their ultimate sacrifice? It seems to be a ''Taiko' somethingwe will only understand in the future or maybe in the World to Come.That Israel is a great gift there is no question, but the suffering that every family has endured is verydifficult to comprehend. In addition the whole idea of the Jewish people returning to the PromisedLand is difficult for the world to grasp as well as our own people. The justice of our cause is debatednot only internationally but internally. The death of Tzadikim from Torah scholars to soldiers to themany other victims of terror is difficult to understand and yet through this pain our resolve becomesstronger and we continue to grow and inherit the 'gift' that has been promised us.It is also a 'Teiko' I suppose how one person can carry a nation, but this was true of Moshe, of Pinchas,and of Rav Kahane. Their example created a new reality. From the time of Avraham, this new 'Israelite'reality threatened tyrants and oppressors. Rabbi Kahane's example proved a reality that threateneddictators and lawless people. Remove the example and then we no longer need to live up to a higher 299

standard. Rav Kahane was killed because he threatened to take away those in power. He threatened tobring law where there is lawlessness. He threatened to bring justice where there is injustice. Hethreatened to bring mercy where there is cruelty.Why are good people removed or at best treated with hatred and animosity? Maybe it has to do withpossession. Pinchas was jealous for Hashem. Jealousy is the result of someone taking something thatbelongs to you and calling it his. Hashem is jealous when we take other gods that don’t belong to us.Maybe the lawless individuals who have power are also jealous that the Tzadik will take away theirpower. It is a war of jealousy between they who are in possession of the world and the king who trulyowns it. The Tzaddik carries this weight on his shoulders. 300