Deserving or Undeserving In much of this Parsha Moshe scolds us and reminds us that we are not deserving at all to be given the Torah and the Land of Israel. 'Remember, do not forget, that you provoked Hashem, your God, in the wilderness; from the day you left the land of Egypt.' (Devarim 9:7). In the same Parsha we tells us 'He will deliver their kings into your hand' (Devarim7:24) and 'a Land where you will eat bread without poverty (Devarim 8:9). It reminds me of an old joke. A man is in an accident and temporarily dies and goes to Heaven. He sees how beautiful it feels and when he is returns he knows that he is not afraid to die because he has seen Heaven and he knows how lovely it is. Although it wasn't his time to go; after another fifty years he passed away and returned once again to Heaven. This time it seemed hard and difficult; a place of fire and brimstone. He asked an angel what happened. He remembers that he was there fifty years earlier and it was so beautiful. The angle answered him that fifty years earlier you came as a visitor. Now you are an oleh chadash. What is the connection? From the outside Israel is Hashem's promise to our forefathers and it is His words and prophecies unfolding throughout history. The world and the Jewish people understand this and see the beauty of Israel as it transforms and is revealed. However from the inside looking out, this transformation is difficult and painful. There is much to heal in the heart of Israel and much rebellion and corruption among those charged with its mission. Israel is a work in progress. The Roots of Redemption The Rav writes in this weeks Parsha about a great secret of the Torah. כה ימ נצ הוה- הכל- הש המר ית נש נמרון האת- כב יכי יאם22 For if you will observe the entire : כל נע הש התה-- נא השר הא הנ יכי נמ כצ הוה הא נת הכם, כהז האתcommandment that I command you, to perform it, to love Hashem your God, to walk in all His ways, -נב הכל הל הל הכת , ניה הוה באל יהי הכם-נל כא נה הבה האת and to cleave to Him, בו-ו כל הד כב הקה--דנ הרכהיו (Dvarim 11:22) The Torah commands us “to love Hashem your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him” (Dvarim 11:22). Concerning the final words, “and to cleave to Him,” the great Biblical commentator, the Ibn Exra, writes: “And this is a great secret.” And the Ibn Ezra concludes right there, leaving us with what is , by now, a great secret, indeed. For what did he mean by declaring these words “a great secret”? The commentary on the Ibn Ezra, the Avi Ezer (Rabbi Shlomo Hakohen of Lissa), takes pains to explain in words that should be engraved on the heart of every Jew: “The secret of the L-rd is given over to those who fear Him and cleave to His attributes...And in the cleaving itself there is a tremendous secret, not to exchange the essence of one for the other and to hold onto pity at a time when there is a need for anger...or to hold on to humility when one should clothe oneself with pride or with vengeance, as in the case of Pinchas. And few are the men of stature who can seize the attributes faithfully and not stumble over them. Lo, they are the great ones in the land.” (Rav Kahane on Parshat Ekev – Kahane on the Parsha Pg 266) 351
The Rav goes on to explain the great secret of understanding the times and Hashems attributes. One must know when it is time to be like Pinchas and when it is time to be like Aaron. The problem he continues to explain is that because of the exile the Torah has become distorted. ...the words of the Rambam echo throughout the ages. Concerning the verse (Dvarim 7:16), “And you shall consume all the people which the L-rd thy G-d shall deliver thee, thine eye shall not have no pity on them,” the Rambam declares; “For through the mercy of fools, all justice is lost.” (Rav Kahane on Parshat Ekev – Kahane on the Parsha Pg 269) When false prophets arise and proclaim evil good and good evil the essence of their crime which is punishable by death is counterfeiting the Torah. Concerning the law of the false prophet who must be killed, the sainted Ohr HaChaim (Dvarim 13:5) quotes the Sifri explaining the basis of the crime to be the fact that he counterfeited the Torah, and he declares: “And for this counterfeiting does he die.” Should those who daily pervert and counterfeit Torah not tremble to their very roots at these words? (Rav Kahane on Parshat Ekev – Kahane on the Parsha Pg 268) This is the big sin. If one was to say that we don't want the Torah and what it demands this would be a lesser evil, but to distort the Torah because of our weakness and say this is in fact what Hashem demands, this is the great sin. The great chidush of the Rav is that he clarified this distortion that has infected us from this long exile, and showed us by example the authentic Torah and what is required of us. The irony is that his enemies say that he distorts the Torah for his own ends. The very opposite is true. By his example and his own clinging to Hashem he has demonstrated to us this great secret. If we look at some Gematrias related to the word 'cleaving' בו-( ו נל הד נב הקהto cleave to – 155) we can see some of the root causes of the problem and the solution. : הל כבז יי נה היה, נא השר נא כמ נר התם-- לא כו שט כפ תכם31 But your young children of whom you נא השר , הה הא הרץ-האת נו הי נדעו--הא התם נו יה יביא יתי said they will be taken captive, I shall bring them: הבה נמ כא נס התם they shall know the Land that you have despised. (Bamidbar 14:31) One of the distortions of the Torah comes about because of our 'cleaving' to our children. Was there ever a father more concerned about his only son than Avraham and yet he was willing to follow Hashems command and trust in His compassion. The sacrifice he made with Itzchak became a blessing in disguise. The generation who failed to enter the Land and distorted the Torah because of their natural love of their children ended up dying a terrible death in the desert while the children they were concerned about entered the Land and were blessed. , הע השה ניה הוה- יאת נא השר, הה הראות, ג יעי יני הכם3 Your eyes have seen what Hashem did with נא השר הה כלך כא נח ירי, הה יאיש- יכי הכל: בנבכ כעל פנעורBaal-peor; for every man that followed Baal Peor, Hashem your God destroyed him from your ימ יק נר הבך, יה נש ימידו ניה הוה באל ההיך-- נפעור-כב כעל midst. -- באל יהי הכם, כביה הוה, שה כד ןב יקים, ד נו כא התם4 But you who cling to Hashem your God – כהיום, כח ייים מכ נל הכםyou are all alive today. (Dvarim 4:4) 352
Another great distortion comes because of our 'clinging' to Midian and all of the physical and sexual incitements that caused a holy generation to prostrate themselves to foreign gods they did not really believe in simply for the sake of the physical reward they would receive in doing so. Are we still not plagued with this today? Below we see the antidote in the words of Calev. , המ השה; כוי הא המר- האל, הה העם- ל כו כי כהס הכ ילב האת30 And Caleb silenced the people toward Moses, הלהנש מעלתה, היכול נו ככל- יכי--נו הי כר נשנו הא התה ascend, העלה and said: 'We shall surely and conquer it; for we can surely do it.' (Bamidbar 13:31) כו שטפככתם- but your young children - 155 – שנ מע תלהascend – 155 בו- ו כל הד כב הקה- to cleave to – 155 The simple faith that is required will bring us both blessing to our children and all of the physical gratification that we desire when we enter the Land flowing with milk and honey and conquer the internal galut. Essentially the impediment is an internal one that effects all of us because of the exile. The cure is to cling to the truth and overcome our fears as the Rav demonstrated. When the love of Israel and the Jewish people and the Torah of Hashem is paramount not only will their be security for our loved ones and all of the physical gratifications we desire but our clinging to Hashem will cause the world to cling to us measure for measure. , כב הי ימים הה יה המה, ניה הוה נצ הבאות, הא כמר- כג הכה23 Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions: In those נא השר כי נח יזיקו נע הש הרה נא הנ ישים ימ הכל נל השנותdays it will happen that ten men of all the [different] languages of the nations, will take ,כהגו יים; נו הה בח יזיקו יב נכ כנף יאיש ניהו ידי ילא המר hold, they will take hold of the corner of the באל יהים יע המ הכם, יכי הש כמ נענו--ינ נל הכה יע המ הכם garment of a Jewish man, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' (Zecharia 8:23) 353
The Kabbalah of Rav Kahane In the 'Roots of Redemption' we expanded on the great secret that the Rav writes about. It appears to me that the Torah responds that the great secret is actually Rav Kahane himself. My friend Rav Yacov who is a master of Gematria pointed out to me that Eikev Tishmeru is the Gematria of the 'Secret of Rav Kahane' spelled out in his full name. יאת כה ימ נש הפ יטים, יב נו הה היה ןע תקב ית כש כמעון12 This shall be the reward when you נו הש כמר-- הא התם, ו נש כמ נר התם כו נע ישי התם, הה יא הלהhearken to these ordinances, and you observe and perform them; Hashem your God, will , כה הח הסד-נו האת כה נב ירית- האת,ניה הוה באל ההיך נלך safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness כל נא הב התיך,נא השר ינ נש כבע that He swore to your forefathers. (Dvarim 7:12) The secret of Rav Kahane =מאיר הד יוד בן כי תח כז ןקאל כש שר הגאMeir David Ben Yechezkel Shraga = 977 תקב ית כש כמעון- ןע- (secret/sod 60) ( = תקב ית כש כמעוןincluding letters +1 =977) In addition the gemtria of Rav Kahane spelled out fully is the same as Shoresh Hamatzil and Shorech Ekev. (add quotes) = שרש המאצילthe root of the redeemer – (976 +1) – 977 = שרש העקבthe root of the heel – (977) One may ask what could be the connection between Shoresh Hamatzil in the Kabalah and Shoresh HaEkev and Rav Kahane? The explanation I believe will shed light on a Rashi that it seems to me is not understood correctly. First let us understand the connection between Shoresh HaMatzil and Shoresh HaEkev. How could the world of Atzilut which is the source of all Creation and the source of the one who redeems us with a great and awesome hand be connected to Shoresh HaEkev which is related to the small mitzvot that we are less concerned about and that we trample under our feet? 354
נא השר הע השה- יאת הכל, נל הח נתנו, ח כו ני כס יפר המ השה8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the : כעל או הדת יי נש הר יאל, ניה הוה נל כפ נר העה ו נל ימ נצ כר ייםLORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the travail that had ,כב הד הרך נמ הצ הא כתם נא השר כה נת הל האה-הכל יאת come upon them by the way, and how the LORD וש שיצי ןלם ניה הוהdelivered them. (Shmot 18:8) - כב ימ נד הבר; ל הא, ד הואו ילך הא נת הכם כא נר הב יעים הש הנה4 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your garment did not wear out from on you, and בהלנ התהכו שנ שע כלך-להא ,ימ נע ילי הכם הבלו כש נל המ יתי הכם your foot. ימ כעל כר נג הלך your shoe did not wear out from on (Dvarim 9:4) = שו שי יצ ןלםdelivered them = 176 = כו שנ שע כלךyour shoe = 176 = המאצילthe redeemer = 176 = העקבthe heel = 177 On one hand the great and awesome Boreh Olam (Creator of the Universe) is causing revolutions, splitting the ocean, redeeming nations; yet on another hand He is concerned also with the small details of each individual to the extent that even our sandals did not wear out in the desert. He clings to us too, like a father watching over his toddlers. He wants to give us all of the blessings that we read about in Ekev Tishmeru. Yet the same Gematria describes something very dreadful. ימ נצות-ל הא ית נש נמעו האל- יאם, כח כו שה כק הל הלה28 and the curse, if you do not hearken to the commandments of Hashem your God, and you נא השר, כה הד הרך- נו כס נר התם ימן,ניה הוה באל יהי הכם stray from the path that I command you today, to כא נח ירי, הל הל הכת:הא הנ יכי נמ כצ הוה הא נת הכם כהיום go after other gods, which you have not known. ני כד נע התם- נא השר ל הא--באל יהים נא יח ירים (Dvarim 11:28) = כו שה כק הל הלהand the curse = 176 How does the great redeemer who wants the good of each individual Jew become the one who meets out such terrible judgments? Chazal tells us: Midrashically, the word עקבwhich also means heel, alludes to the sort of commandments that people may regard as relatively unimportant, so they tend figuratively to “tread on them with 355
their heels.” Thus, the Torah assures Israel that if they are careful to observe even these neglected commandments, they can be certain the God will reward them with His covenant and kindness (Rashi) What exactly are these small mitzvot that we trample on? What are these little details that we discard? I submit that these small details are the very mitzvot that the Rav championed. The very mitzvot that we consider unimportant cause tremendous suffering to us each and every day. 'Throwing out our enemies? Building the Bet Hamigdash? These are jobs for the Moshiach when he arrives' say many of our observant brothers. 'Our job is to simply keep our traditions and Hashem will fight our battles for us.' Rav Kahane however proved in his lifetime that we can bring Moshiach now and it is only ourselves that prevent it. As Calev stood alone against an angry mob and silenced them, so the Rav stood against many angry mobs and spoon fed them Torah that was completely foreign to them yet was understood in their hearts. יאת כא נר הב יעים כהיום, כה הו הא נת כנ כפל יל נפ יני ניה הוה25 I threw myself down before Hashem for the : נא השר יה כת שנ הפ כל יתי-- כא נר הב יעים כה כל ני הלה-נו האת forty days and forty nights that I threw myself down; for Hashem had intended to destroy you. נל כה נש ימיד הא נת הכם, הא כמר ניה הוה-יכי (Dvarim 9:25) = יה כת שנ הפ כל יתיthrew myself down = (976+1= 977) =מאיר הד יוד בן כי תח כז ןקאל כש שר הגאMeir David Ben Yechezkel Shraga = 977 The Rav took a bullet for us literally. He prevented the anger of Hashem by clarifying the Torah for us so that we can see the path and demonstrate to us that Hashems commandments are possible and are required by us and will bring us much more blessing and joy than we think we have when we trample these mitzot which result in a curse rather than a blessing. This Torah is yet growing inside the people. The Atzilut of Hashem must flow to the very bottom of our sandals so that we alone can pick up the pebbles and destroy all of the Goliaths that prevent our own joy as well as the redemption of the entire world. It is in our power to do it. I heard a story on Shabbat from Rav Yoav at a Sefardi Bet Knesset I sometimes frequent. As the story goes, two friends went on a vacation to Sfat and shared a room in an Inn. They turned the light out and went to sleep. Then one got up and opened the window as he said it was hot and hard to breath. The other then got up and closed it saying its much too cold. Afterward the other one again opened it. Following this the other one closed it. And so it went all night as they argued, one was freezing and the other could not breath. Finally one of them took a chair and he broke the window and went to bed. How good he felt now that he could breath and there was fresh air. The other one cursed him. How can you be so cruel as I am sitting here freezing without a proper blanket. I will be sick in the morning and catch a cold. In the morning they woke and discovered that it was not the window that he had broken, but the mirror. What is the message? Although the window was shut, one could finally breath fresh air. Although the window was shut one was cursing the other and freezing. The message is, that its all in our minds. If we will it we can bring our own redemption but the room is dark and we can't see the window. 356
From the Heel to the Crown (2018) The month of Elul is coming very soon and coincidentally this week I sat with an old friend of mine in Jerusalem in his permanent backyard sukha. We discussed some beautiful Torah ideas. He is a very staunch Chabad Chassid and he knows that I am a Kahane Chassid. I explained to him what I thought was the main difference or essence between the two forms of Chassidut. Chabad excel's in a Ahavat Israel. They will go to the far corners of the world to find one Jew and bring him back to yiddishkeit. Kahane Chassidut also demonstrates a great deal of Ahavat Israel but in addition Ahavat ‘Eretz’ Israel. Those who bear the torch of Rabbi Kahane we read about in the newspaper as the Hilltop Youth. These youngsters zealously settle barren hilltops despite being dragged out by police, being beaten and having their settlements destroyed. They keep returning fearlessly to rebuild what was destroyed. These are the Chassidim of Rav Kahane. How is this related to our Parsha? My friend Yacov who is an expert with gematrias once told me that the gematria of Ekev Tishmerun is the same as that of Rav Kahane. Also Shoresh Ekev is the same gematria. What could be the connection? Ekev which also means ‘heel’ the Rabbi's tell us is connected to the seemingly unimportant mitzvot that we trample under foot. Ekev is also related to Yaakov who's name is connected to the word ‘heel’. Yaakov has two quite opposing dispositions related to his two names Yaakov and Israel. Yaakov (the heel) finds himself always running from Esav. Israel the opposite character wrestles with the angel of Esav and will not let him leave until he is blessed. Now what do these supposed insignificant mitzvot and the heel of Yaakov have to do with Rabbi Kahane? In addition what is this great reward that Moshe declares in this Parsha that comes from fulfilling these seemingly insignificant mitzvot? There is a long list of blessings including conquering an enemy that seems so overwhelming. What is the connection of our feeling outnumbered by this gigantic enemy, conquering this enemy and receiving untold blessings? How is all of the above connected to seemingly insignificant mitzvot that we trample under our feet? The answer I believe is quite obvious. To the grandchildren of Rabbi Kahane who settle barren hilltops there are no enemies, and if there are they are like dandruff that is simply brushed off. However to the Army and to the people of Yaakov ‘the heel’ this tiny group of vagabonds is opening a can of worms that is threatening the whole nation and the whole region by these reckless actions. To these people the enemy is huge and we are tiny like the heel of Yakov The insignificant mitzvot that we trample on, disregard and do not fulfill because we are waiting for some future time are actually very significant and hold within them tremendous blessing. These mitzvot can in fact transform our time. To the grandchildren of Rabbi Kahane settling the land and chasing away our enemies are part and parcel of The Commandments that we have been commanded. The fact that these mitzvot seem difficult insignificant and dangerous is the root cause that Yaakov remains Yaakov and not Israel. In Chabad we always hear people say ‘We want Moshiach now!’ but I believe that first you need to ‘be’ Moshiach before you receive Moshiach. In our daily siddur the blessing of receiving the Torah comes after the blessing of studying the Torah. 357
This seems illogical. Should it not be written the other way around? First we thank Hashem for receiving the Torah, only then can we study it. However this is actually the point. By studying the Torah we may have the merit to ‘receive’ the Torah. Our receiving will open our eyes to what we previously studied and will transform our learning into a completely different reality. When we become Israel that wrestles with angels and will not let them go until we have been blessed, then we will merit to have a king that corresponds to his subjects. The King cannot be a leader of ‘heels’. When we start to do the opposite of our nature we will transform our heel personality to our royal personality and we will crown ourselves Kings. When we find the crown within us then that which seemed overwhelming will seem easy and insignificant and by fulfilling these easy and insignificant mitzvot we will automatically receive this bounty of blessing. We must want Moshiach so bad that we become Moshiach from our heel to our crown then all the rest will follow and Israel will be like Gan Eden. The Secret (2021) Our Rabbis tell us that Ekev (heel) alludes to the minor mitzvot we trample under our feet and they advise us to be careful of this because nobody really knows the value of each mitzva. Ekev also is symbolic of Yacov, who on one hand he is criticized for always running from Esav, but on the other hand the wound that he received on his leg the 'gid hanashe' represented not only his weakness in his running from Esav but also his strength in standing up to Esav which resulted in this injury. It is precisely because of this confrontation that Yacov is given a new identity 'Israel'. Throughout the Torah sometimes the name Yacov is used and sometimes the name Israel depending on the disposition that is being described. Our Parsha as well begins with Ekev however it ends with 'Every place where the sole of your foot will tread shall be yours'(Dvarim 11:24). The minor mitzvot that we trample I would interpret differently. It is not that we trample on insignificant mitzvot, but rather we take important mitzvot and reduce them to a minor status and walk on them as if they do not exist. Throughout the book of Dvarim we are commanded to throw out our enemies and destroy their idols. One would think that now that we have physically returned to our land, the large segment of Torah observant Jews would be protesting every day to throw out our enemies and rebuild our Temple. These mitzvot however have become the minor mitzvot that we trample under our feet. Acts of true faith that demand courage and real belief we leave to Hashem and the Moshiach while we concentrate on keeping our rituals alive until that future time. We of course do not say that we are 'not worthy' to wear tefillin or 'not worthy' keep shabbat because these mitzvot do not challenge our faith only the mitzvot that 'do' challenge our faith we leave for Moshiach and Hashem and use the excuse that we are 'not worthy.' There is an interesting Gematria of Ekev Tishmurun that spells 'the Secret of Rabbi Kahane' with his name spelled out in full =מאיר הד יוד בן כי תח כז ןקאל כש שר הגאMeir David Ben Yechezkel Shraga = 977 תקב ית כש כמעון- ןע- (secret/sod 60) ( = תקב ית כש כמעוןincluding letters +1 =977) 358
What could this secret be I pondered? It is no secret that the Torah of Rav Kahane stands out from all others in that he addresses directly our eternal Achilles Heel and offers a solution to heal our heel which will result in our redemption. The Rabbi's son Binyamin also writes about Ekev that these minor mitzvot are in fact the very national mitzvot that we trample on. Everyone knows however that this was the Torah of Rav Kahane, so what exactly is the secret? I pondered this phrase Ekev Tishmurun and then I read the words following and the secret became apparent. יאת כה ימ נש הפ יטים, יב נו הה היה ןע תקב ית כש כמעון12 This shall be the reward when you נו הש כמר-- הא התם, ו נש כמ נר התם כו נע ישי התם,הה יא הלה hearken to these ordinances, and you observe , כה הח הסד- כה נב ירית נו האת- האת,ניה הוה באל ההיך נלך and perform them; Hashem your God, will כל נא הב התיך,נא השר ינ נש כבע safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers. (Dvarim 7:12) Those who would scoff at Rav Kahane and say that this is not the Jewish way and his way is a way of violence and gevurah and anger and zealotry which stands in contradiction to the ways of peace and pleasantness of the Torah are refuted by that very Torah. The secret of the Torah of Rav Kahane is that when one goes in this way not only will we be bound to our covenant with Hashem (and therefore liable to punishment when we break that covenant) but it will be a covenant of loving-kindness. A hurried redemption with 'loving kindness' is preferable to a painful redemption 'in its time'. This is the point. The Torah of Rav Kahane contrary to the slander is actually the Torah of loving kindness because Hashem wants to help us to drive out our enemies and if we were concerned for His honor and His people and the orphan and the widow and the persecuted by our enemies that grow bolder by the hour Hashem would be delighted to fight for us if we fought for Him. 'You shall possess and you shall settle in it, for to you have I given the Land to posses it.'(Bamidbar 33:53). If we run from our obligation then the opposite will occur. And it shall be that what I had meant to do to them, I shall do to you (Bamidbar 33:56). If we continue to be the Ekev and do not stand up like Israel then Moshiach will still come but with a painful birth accompanied with terrible tragedies, as Ulla and Rabba exclaim: Let him [the Messiah] come and let me not see him” (Sanhedrin 98b). The ways of appeasement and weakness give birth to cruel and tragic times. Expelling our enemies and rebuilding our Land may bring confrontation but will also bring the help of the Almighty along with His loving kindness. This is the secret of the Torah of Rav Kahane. Although on the surface it may look like a fist, it is actually the definition of kindness. Defending the innocent and driving away the oppressor is an act of sacrifice that safeguards the kindness that Hashem swore to our forefathers. 359
The Condition for Unconditional Kindness (2022) 'And it shall be if you hearken to these judgments and heed and do them, then the L-rd your G-d will keep for you the covenant and the lovingkindness which He swore to you forefathers.' (Devarim 7:12) and the lovingkindness - It was taught: Three goodly gifts did the Holy One Blessed be He confer upon Israel: Mercy, shamefacedness, and lovingkindness. Whence is \"lovingkindness\" derived? From: \"then the L-rd your G-d will keep for you the covenant and the lovingkindness\" (Yerushalmi Kiddushin 1:1) The nation of Israel is distinguished by three characteristics: They are merciful, bashful and benevolent. (Yevamot 79:a) The root of our 'kindness' is found in this passage but how is it conferred upon us exactly and what do keeping ordinances have to do with an innate quality that we were given? When wrapping tefillin we say 'I betroth thee with Righteousness, Justice, Kindness and Mercy'. Since 'Justice' precedes 'Kindness' can we say that 'Kindness' is a result of 'Justice'? 'Modesty'*seems to have been infused in us from above as a result of our fearful encounter at Sinai in which we jumped back and preferred to hear Hashem's words indirectly through Moshe. Kindness, as described here, however seems to be a result of an action and not an internal character trait bestowed upon us from above. In addition what is the connection between covenant and kindness? If this passage is the root of the kindness in our nature, what does this have to do with the covenant? Can we say there is a kindness in the covenant? As Elul approaches we read about the parable of the 'King in the field.' This parable is actually an answer to a question of the Alter Rebbe in how we connect the 13 attributes recited during the month of Elul to the 13 attributes recited on Yom Kipper? He uses the parable of a king making himself accessible in the field where we work for our daily sustenance and initiate from below our renewed relationship for a month preceding the royal coronation that takes place officially on Yom Kippur. The Days of 'Awe' in the chassidik world are also a time to rejoice and bond with the King. If we look at the roots of the covenant with 'our King,' we see an unconditional kindness conferred on Avraham. 'And he trusted Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness' (Bereshit 15:6). Rambam interprets that God had made the promise unconditionally, without regard to Avraham's future merit. The covenant, however, although eternal, has within it a sifting process. ' Your offspring will be aliens' and 'they will oppress them – four hundred years.' (Bereshit 15:14) The 13 attributes demonstrate Hashem's enormous patience and forgiveness, however there is also 'punishment' within for a specific amount of time 'the third and fourth generations' and unlimited kindness for other things 'for thousands of generations.' (Shmot 34:7) When we follow these ordinances do we activate this unconditional love? The question remains, is kindness the result of an action or an innate quality? Here is how I would explain the internal quality and how it connects with an unconditional covenant that has within it a conditional sifting process. If we look at the story of Avrham where this kindness originates, herein lies the answer. Was this quality of unconditional kindness infused from above to below or was it a reward from an action ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * The root of our modesty is found here (Shmot 20:17) The root of our Mercy is found here (Dvarim 13:18) 360
demonstrated below? What action could this be? In addition,why in Parsha Ekev is it written covenant and kindness when in the story of Avraham the kindness comes first followed by the covenant. Why is it reversed? Here is my suggestion. What preceded this kindness and covenant, was the story of Avraham who battled against five kings. He went to war against impossible odds and for what reason? To save Lot who he disagreed with? To save a Jew who had left the fold and went to live in Sodom? Yes. Avraham himself, demonstrated unconditional love when he went with complete self sacrifice to save his nephew regardless of how religious he was. This incidentally, is also the secret of Rav Kahane and the kindness he increased when he went to battle for the Jewish people regardless of their religiosity and to put an end to Chillul Hashem. I suggest that it was because of Avraham's unconditional love that Hashem told him unconditionally that his offspring would proliferate like the stars above. Avraham's unconditional love and concern for Lot and the Chillul Hashem of him being taken captive caused Hashem to pledge an unconditional kindness upon Avraham; that he will be a father of a Nation unconditionally even if they do not deserve it. Following this unconditional kindness comes the explosive question by Avraham 'How will I know'? From this question the unconditional kindness and unconditional covenant is now tempered with a sifting process of 400 years of slavery. Kindness is a quality that grew out of Avraham and then was bestowed upon by Hashem. The covenant is an unconditional promise however within it there is judgment and mercy and 13 attributes that are extremely forgiving, but have limitations. There is a sifting process within this eternal covenant of the Nation. I suggest that the reversal in Ekev implies that if you follow these ordinances - in other words return to the blueprint of Avraham's actions, I will fight your wars and demonstrate the eternal covenant. In addition, even more than that, I will give you an unconditional kindness like I gave to Avraham even before this conditional covenant. If we follow and understand the Torah of Rav Kahane who refutes the falsifiers of authentic Torah that claim the concept of Milchemet Mitzva is dependent on 'danger to life' and therefore erase this mitzvah entirely from the Torah and throw it under their heels, whereas Rav Kahane explains logically there is always danger in a war, and the issue here is Chillul Hashem, not danger to life. If we understand and activate this secret we are rewarded with a great Chesed (kindness) both nationally and individually. If we use our innate Chesed inappropriately and are kind to the cruel, we do the opposite and increase persecution and suffering. The tikun of Canaan was to be a servant of servants. In other words, 'Israel' who is a servant of Hashem. In this way he shines. The tikkun of Ishmael is to follow the ways of his mother Hagar who chose to be a servant of Avraham rather than the queen of all Egypt and in this way she was blessed. We are warned of cruel and troubling times when a slave becomes a ruler or a handmaiden becomes heir to her mistress (see: Proverbs 30:21). These are the times we have brought upon ourselves by elevating jealous and barbaric people who hate Hashem and His people. The secret of Rav Kahane is to restore Chessed to its proper place and I have written about this before. When we dance and parade without fear on Yom Yerushalyim and come in droves to Har Habayit on Tisha Bav, Hashem enforces our covenant with military success and rewards us with kindness that is unconditional. When we show our honor and concern for Hashem, Hashem honors us and former enemies come to serve and stand with us. If only we understood this secret; the secret of Rav Kahane, we would understand the conditions of unconditional Chessed. 361
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Kahane in the Parsha Re'eah 363
Re'eh – To See There is no greater inspiration than when one 'sees' an example. From the very beginning of our history Nimrod sought to destroy Avraham because he set a dangerous precedent. Here was a man who was a living example of the 'standard' of righteousness. If he could live up to this standard then it compelled others as well to live up to this standard. This 'standard' is what threatened Nimrod and his false morality. If we kill the 'standard bearer' then we put fear into others who dare carry this standard and can get away with 'murder'. Nimrod was not successful, nor Pharaoh and every other tyrant that tried to erase the 'standard' of Israel. The Rabbi in our time continued to carry that authentic torch of Torah which fearlessly defied the false moralists that tried to destroy him. They succeeded in destroying his body but his Torah lives on and the greatness of this Torah is that we 'see' it. We have witnessed what one man can do and what he can inspire. His example leads the way for us. 'Thus' (Kach), this is the way. If the world comes to conquer Israel the answer is not to run away or give away Yehuda and Shomron. The answer is to stand strong and redeem our Land. Avraham and his servant (two men) conquered the whole world in their time. They returned the world back to these kings on the condition that they recognize what is the true 'standard' of righteousness that must be maintained in the world. If we look a little closer at Reeah Anochi we can see the example we spoke about above. If one man can stand tall as this than we too have the ability to stand tall and we are obligated to do so. : כהיום--יל נפ יני הכם הנ יתן הא הנ יכי,כו כר ןאה 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: ו נק הל הלה,נב הר הכה (Dvarim 11:26) הא הנ יכ,ה: כהיום--יל נפ יני הכם כו נר יא 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and הנ יתן י ,נב הר הכה a curse: ו נק הל הלה (Dvarim 11:26) כראן י, נב הר הכה: כהיום--הנ יתן יל נפ יני הכם 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and אהנהכי ,כו ה a curse: ו נק הל הלה (Dvarim 11:26) = רהאיי כיהנשאהvision of (look and see) Kahane Look and see with your own eyes Rav Kahane and what he did and you will understand what you also can do and what is expected of you to do. If we do not go in this way, or we do nothing but close our eyes and hope that bad will go away we will experience the curses that we are afflicted with daily. If we go in this way however we will bring great blessing not only upon ourselves but the entire world. 364
There Won't Be Quiet (2014) Binymin Kahane wrote on this weeks Parsha that we have two choices, either being blessed or being cursed. There is no third choice of mediocrity. We see this concept very clearly today as the heart of Hamas is hardened like Pharaoh of the past. No matter how much we want to make peace and have a ceasefire, Hamas cares less. No matter how much we have destroyed of their infrastructure and tunnels and people, they could care less. All we want is quiet. All they want is to die and kill as many infidels that they can take along the way. We try to explain our situation to the world and they also could care less. As I have written before we are 'reluctant conquerors'. Hashem knows this and this is why He creates these situations so that we have no choice but to rise to our greatness and fullest potential which in turn brings miracles from above and demonstrates to the world that there is a G-d of Israel that neither slumbers nor sleeps. We see in our Parsha that this dynamic has existed from the beginning. נא השר, כהגו יים- כי נכ ירית ניה הוה באל ההיך האת- כט יכי29 When Hashem your God shall cut down the ; ימ הפ הניך-- הש המה הל הר השת או התם- כא התה הבאnations to which you come to take possession from them, before you, and you will take נו הי כש נב הת נב כא נר הצם,נו הי כר נש הת הא התם possession from them and settle in their land, (Devarim 12:29) Hashem causes our enemies hearts to be hardened so that we have no choice but to conquer them. The next stage is to take possession of their land and to settle it. We cannot settle without taking possession. Without repossessing our land they will continue to attack us and be a thorn in our side. Disengaging from parts of our Land does not bring a solution, but only makes the problem worse. Instead of blessing we continue to be cursed. The world may react with support for our enemies however Hashem reminds us and we in turn remind the world of whom we are dealing with. - יכי הכל: כליה הוה באל ההיך, כת נע השה יכן- לא ל הא31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God; יכי-- העשו ילאל יהי ההם, תו נע כבת ניה הוה נא השר הש ינאfor everything that is an abomination to הב יאש יי נש נרפו , נב הנ יתי ההם-נו האת נב יני ההם-כגם האת Hashem, that He hates, have they done to their ילאל יהי ההם gods; for even their sons and their daughters have they burned in the fire to their gods. (Devarim 12:31) We are dealing with people who want to kill their own civilians and children in order to win the propaganda war against Israel. It is a battle of light against darkness, the book of life against the cult of death. Our survival and our destruction of our enemies means the survival and rehabilitation of the whole world. The cancer of radical Islam is spreading around the world and we are in the forefront of this battle. Those who are merciful to the cruel, will in the end be cruel to the merciful. We are warned in the same passages not to add or subtract from these commandments nor to follow false prophets. 365
-- נא השר הא הנ יכי נמ כצ הוה הא נת הכם, כה הד הבר- א יאת הכל1 All this word which I command you, that shall נול הא, הת יסף הע הליו- ל הא: כל נעשות, האתו ית נש נמרוye observe to do; thou shalt not add thereto, nor ית נגרכע מי המנוdiminish from it (Devarim 13:1) ; או הח ילם נחלום, היקום נב יק נר נבך הנ יביא- ב יכי2 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a או מו יפת, נו הנ כתן יא הליך אותdreamer of dreams--and he give thee a sign or a wonder, ((Devarim 13:2) This warning comes for future generations. , כא נח ירי, ית הנ יקש כא נח ירי ההם- הפן, ל יה הש המר נלך30 take heed to yourself lest you be attracted after ית נד הרש ילאל יהי ההם- יה הש נמ הדם ימ הפ הניך; ו הפןthem to follow them, after that they are -האת יאי הכה כי כע נבדו כהגו יים הה יא הלה,ילא המר destroyed from before you; and lest you seek out הא יני- כגם, יכן- נו הא בע השה,באל יהי ההם their gods, saying: 'How did these nations worship their gods? even I will do likewise.' ((Devarim 12:30) 'Clearly the generations closest to the defeat of the Canaanites would not be tempted to imitate them, but with the passage of time people unfamiliar with the past might be tempted to resurrect the ancient practices of the natives.' (Alshich) The phenomena of 'Peace Now' and Jews marching for Arabs and betraying and accusing Israel in an attempt to cause world condemnation is a mentality born from confusion and ignorance of the past. The false prophets and even religious leaders that add and diminish the laws so that we either do not confront reality or invent an illusion far from reality increase in the generations after the original conquest. Hashem hardens the hearts of our enemies so that these illusions are destroyed and we must come to terms with reality and the cruelty of our enemies. From the animosity of our cousins comes our refinement. And from the animosity within our family comes our complete redemption. One leads to the other. Hashem hardens the heart of Pharoah and forces us to destroy him so that we will be blessed. After a generation or two, when some begin to romanticize the people of the past and feel guilty of our success, Hashem reminds us that these people throw their own children into fire. They represent everything that is cruel and unjust and He despises these people. He reminds us not to add or subtract to the commandments he gave us. The heritage of the servants of Hashem is that we judge and condemn and destroy evil so that good will flourish. As it goes for Israel so it goes for the world. As I sat in Bet Knesset today someone told me that the war will make people do teshuva and keep shabbat,etc. I told him what Binyamin wrote in this weeks Parsha. Of course teshuva is good, but Shabbat and Tefillin is not the only teshuva that is needed. The teshuva that is really needed is 'do not add or subtract'. Do not forget that when you arrive in the Land of Israel you must throw out your enemies or they will be a thorn in your side. This is the real teshuva. This is why it says drive away and settle. There is no settlement without driving away. The false prophets in our own time have an influence on the people that has a much more detrimental 366
effect than our cousins in Gaza and elsewhere that have an ax to grind. They sooth us with words of 'quiet' but there will be no 'quiet'. The pressure from outside will force us inside to silence the false prophets and do what we must do to survive because we no longer have an option. We must destroy our enemies or be destroyed. It is as simple as that. Either we conquer and are blessed or we are cursed. There is no middle road. There is no settlement without possession. There will not be quiet until we conquer our enemies and then we will flourish and be blessed. We see in the past from the struggle with the angel of Esav came the name Israel. In our times as well, the struggles of Europe (Esavs domain) gave birth to the physical State of Israel. The struggle with Ishmael will give birth to Judea and our spiritual perfection. As it says in our Haftorah: הנ יפ כח נב יאש-- הב הרא יתי הח הרש, טז הן ) יה ינה( הא הנ יכי16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows on ומו יציא נכ ילי נל כמ נע ישהו; כו הא הנ יכי הב הרא יתי, הפ החםa charcoal flame and withdraws a tool for his כל שח ןבל, שמ כש יחיתlabor; and I have created the destroyer for ruin. הלשון- כו הכל, ל הא יי נצ הלח, נכ ילי יו כצר הע כל ייך- יז הכל17 No weapon that is formed against you shall כת נר ישי יעי; ז האת כנ נח כלת, יא התך של ימ כש הפט- התקוםprosper; and every tongue that will rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is ניה הוה- ננ מאם-- ימ יא יתי, כע נב ידי ניה הוה נו יצ נד הק התם. the heritage of the servant of Hashem, and their righteousness is from Me, the words of Hashem. (Yishayahu 54:16,17) [Haftorah Re'eh] The Missing Link As we said above the mitzva of settling is not complete without possessing. If we settle without throwing our enemies out, in the end they will throw us out and 'posses' as they do today in Gush Tatif. נא השר, כהגו יים- כי נכ ירית ניה הוה באל ההיך האת- כט יכי29 When Hashem your God shall cut down the ; ימ הפ הניך-- הש המה הל הר השת או התם- כא התה הבאnations to which you come to take possession נב כא נר הצםוכיהרששכתה וכיהשש כבתה from them, before you, and you will take ,הא התם possession from them and settle in their land, (Devarim 12:29) This week I looked at the difference between the two words ( נו הי כש נב התsettle-718) and ( נו הי כר נש התposses- 916). The difference is 198. = צכחהקlaughter – 198 And Sarah said: 'God has made laughter for me (Bereshit 21:6) = כב ןעי ןנינוin our own sight – 198 and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers (Bamidbar 13:33) When we 'settle' without 'possessing' our enemies laugh at us. In addition there are many needless sacrifices like Itzchak (root ) נצ החק. All of these needless sacrifices are because of our lack of vision (Re'eh). We are small in our eyes, surrounded by giants. Let it be this year when we see the king walking through the field and He blesses us for a healthy and prosperous year that we bless Him in return by saying, 'It's not appropriate for a King to be walking through the field. This year let us throw out your enemies and build you a palace'. 367
All your children will be students of Hashem ( Haftorah - Yishayahu 54:13) I was waiting in line at the grocery and a secular Tel Aviv man was complaining about the lower brands of Tuna that may contain Dolphin meat. I pointed out that most Tuna has a Hechsher (kosher stamp). He shouldn't worry because Dolphins are not kosher so there is no way there would be dolphin meat in Tuna. The man refuted my argument by adding 'what about batel b'shishim?' (Battle Bshishim – There is a principle in the Talmud of batel b'shishim (nullified in sixty; that is, permissible so long as forbidden ingredients constitute no more than 1/60 of the whole) . Here I am in a grocery store with a secular man who refutes my theory based on the Talmud. Only in Israel. To See is to Know (2019) That which we see with our own eyes we are certain about. Yet often we fail to understand even that which we have actually seen with our own eyes. Many years ago in the time of Avraham there was an evil king named Nimrod. Nimrod saw with his eyes that this man Avraham was raising the moral standing in the world. If this righteous man existed then he would be an example to others of a higher expectation and accountability of humanity. They would fear the God of Avraham and not Nimrod. And so Nimrod tried to assassinate the first Hebrew. Luckily he did not succeed. In the end Nimrod came to a bad end and Avraham was fruitful and multiplied. Many years later Pharaoh saw with his own eyes the Nation of Israel developing inside of Egypt and though bringing much blessing to his nation their moral influence was not wanted and he feared they would undermine his rule. His persecution of the Hebrew tribes gave birth to the Nation of Israel. The consequent downfall of Pharaoh and Egypt became a symbol to the world of freedom and emancipation for the persecuted and downtrodden throughout history. In every generation there is one who represents this higher standard for us to see. The rabbis tell us within Israel there is a Yoseph in every generation who is despised and persecuted because he represents this higher standard of accountability. His adversaries often have a similar solution. If you kill the messenger you kill the message. The moral standard of Israel however can never be destroyed for it is built into Creation. If we bring a curse upon ourselves through our lack of faith understanding and vision, we will surely suffer but eventually be redeemed and reborn again into an even greater level of influence in the world. From the near annihilation of the Hebrew tribes came the birth of the Israelite Nation. From the near annihilation of all world Jewry came the rebirth of the modern State of Israel. The standard bearer that is despised comes to save us in every generation from needless suffering and to free us without the need for a rebirth that comes after persecution. What we see with our own eyes however, and how we interpret it, may be the difference between life and death. The standard bearer that came in our recent time like Avraham and Moshe in their times was Rav Meir Kahane. In order to diminish his message and the standard he wished to raise us to, he was jeered at and defamed by those who could not debate the truth he represented. In every generation Hashem sends us an example that we can see with our own eyes. He demonstrates the standard to which Hashem knows we can attain and are expected to attain and will save us from our 368
enemies and from needless suffering. The standard bearer comes to teach us that the enemies that we believe are giants can be easily conquered and fear that we have in our hearts can be transformed into faith that will strengthen us. He shows us with our own eyes what is expected and he demonstrates what can be achieved. Even if the Nimrods come to assassinate we know now what is possible if only there were two or three or four more Meir Kahanes. The standard bearer represents for us what is expected and blazes the trail that leads to the mountain top where what was thought impossible is now possible. So this month of Elul as we prepare to meet the King and return to our source let us be inspired by the standard bearer we saw with our own eyes. Let us see that there really is a possibility to fulfill the commandments that we read in every chapter in the book of Devarim. Let us fulfill the spiritual and physical commandment to disinherit our enemies so that we can truly settle our God given Land. When we rise to be what we were born to become, then Hashem will also see with His eyes and say ‘this is the son I was waiting to see.’ 369
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Kahane in the Parsha Shoftim 371
Shoftim נלךהנ יביא ימ יק כר כבך 15 A prophet from your midst, from your הי יקים ,ימ כא החיך הכ המ יני ו brethren, like me, shall Hashem, your God, ית נש המעון,יא הליו ניה הוה establish for you – to him shall you hearken. :באל ההיך (Devarim 18:15) נלךהכ המ ינ 15 A prophet from your midst, from your brethren, הי יקים ,ו הנ יביא ימ יק נר נבך ימ כא החיך י like me, shall Hashem, your God, establish for ית נש המעון, יא הליו:ניה הוה באל ההיך you – to him shall you hearken. (Devarim 18:15) Like Me – Moshe A prophet like Moshe will arrive in every generation; one who is known to the people like Moshe and who through a particular set of circumstances finds himself in a position to lead the people against his own will, because the prerequisite of this job comes with a tremendous risk, ridicule,and is a thankless job that most aspiring leaders will run from. The JDL didn't begin with Meir Kahane, it began with Moshe who killed a Jew hating taskmaster that was beating a Jewish slave to death. He was informed on by Jewish leaders who wished to show loyalty to Pharaoh and were also jealous of Moshe's courage, integrity, and faith. Moshe became a fugitive for many years, and his whole life was fraught with trials and rebellion. There are many similarities with Meir Kahane whose life was embittered (often by Jewish leaders) because he spoke the essential Torah truth that many people knew and felt but did not have the courage to stand up and fight for. Like Moshe he was also denied the benefit of the fruits of all his labors. There is a Midrash that says when Israel matures in the future Moshe will rise again and we will all enter the Land together. - שעל, יבי-כא שויה הוה יה כת שא שנף 21 Hashem became angry with me because of - נל יב נל יתי הע נב ירי האת,יד כב ןרי תכם; כו יי הש כבע your deeds, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that נא השר, הה הא הרץ כהטו הבה-ב הא האל- ו נל יב נל יתי, כה כי נר ידןgood land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee ניה הוה באל ההיך הנ יתן נלך כנ נח הלהfor an inheritance; (Devarim 4:21) Rabbi Meir David Ben Yecheskel Shraga = 977 יד כב ןרי תכם- שעל, יבי- = שו יה הוה יה כת שא שנףHashem became angry with me because of your deeds = 956 956 + 20 for each letter = 976+1 (kollel) = 977 372
נלךימ יק כר כבך 15 A prophet from your midst, from your הי יקים ,ימ כא החיך הכ המ יני ו הנ יביא brethren, like me, shall Hashem, your God, ית נש המעון,יא הליו :ניה הוה באל ההיך establish for you – to him shall you hearken. (Devarim 18:15) = ימ יק כר כבךIn your midst = 362 = מדם רב כהנאfrom the blood of Rabbi Kahane = 362 נלךהכ המ יני 15 A prophet from your midst, from your brethren, הי יקים , ו הנ יביא ימ יק נר נבך ימ כא החיך like me, shall Hashem, your God, establish for ית נש המעון, יא הליו:ניה הוה באל ההיך you – to him shall you hearken. (Devarim 18:15) = הכמהנייlike me = 120 = דם כהנאblood of Kahane = 120 נלךהי יקים ,ו הנ יביא ימ יק נר נבך ימ כא החיך הכ המ יני 15 A prophet from your midst, from your brethren, ית נש המעון, יא הליו:ניה הוה באל ההיך like me, shall Hashem, your God, establish for you – to him shall you hearken. (Devarim 18:15) = יה יקיםwill be established = 120 = דם כהנאblood of Kahane = 120 Moshe left his Torah behind for us to study and internalize so that one day we will enter the Land together. Every generation has their Moshe who serves as an example to the people like the original Moshe, and demonstrates what we are capable of and what is demanded of us. I have always felt that if Moshe appeared today he would most resemble Rabbi Kahane. Moshe's spiritual revolution in Egypt was also a political revolution that turned the Hebrew tribes into a Nation. Rav Kahane shook the world and caused political change that freed millions of Russian Jews. He went on to sow the seeds of our spiritual liberation from the mentality of the exile both outside and inside Israel. Our Modern Nation needs the same spiritual revolution that our ancestors demonstrated through political change inspired by a rejuvenated faith. Rabbi Kahane's greatest dream was to lead the people and be in a position to make the changes needed for Israel to become not a state of Jews but a Jewish State. He could have prepared the way to build the third temple. However, like Moshe, because of our sins, he was not allowed to. He was left isolated and demonized. They say a wicked person is dead even though he is alive, while a Tzddik continues to grow long after his life ends. We see today that the 373
seeds that Rabbi Kahane sowed have been integrated into the masses and his message is now clear and understood even to former enemies. As we become increasingly isolated as he was, his words of hope and courage ring true. He may no longer be with us, but his dream lives on and grows. Being Wholehearted ; הכמוך, יח הנ יביא הא יקים הל ההם ימ הק הרב נא יחי ההם18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put My words כו יד תבר, כב יפיו, יאתכד הב שרי,נא ילי ההם נו הנ כת יתי in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all נא כצ הונו נא השר-הכל that I shall command him. (Devarim 18:18) כו יד תבר, כב יפיו, = כד הב שריMy words in his mouth, and he shall speak = 327 = ר מאיר כהנאR. Meir Kahane = 326+1 = 327 יעם ניה הוה באל ההיך, יג הת ימים ית נה היה13 Thou shalt be whole-hearted with the LORD thy God. (Devarim 18:13) -- נא השר הא הנ יכי נמ כצ הוה הא נת הכם, כה הד הבר- א יאת הכל1 All this word which I command you, that shall נול הא, הת יסף הע הליו- ל הא: כל נעשות, האתו ית נש נמרוye observe to do; thou shalt not add thereto, nor תיגנ כרע מי המנו. diminish from it. (Devarim 13:1) The Rabbi wrote that it is a sin to lie to someone but a crime to lie to yourself. We often put our heads in the sand and hope for the best. He forced us to look at our Achilles heel, the point where all of our half backed theories crumble. Avraham did a similar thing when he broke all the idols in his fathers store. When his father returned he explained that the idols had a fight and that’s how they got destroyed. His father said 'idols cannot talk!' Avraham answered, 'let your ears hear what your mouth just said'. The Torah of Rav Kahane is 'whole-hearted'. The political world and the spiritual world were not mutually exclusive. His Torah spoke about the issues that prevented us from bringing redemption. Here is an example from Lenny Goldberg's book. To explain the legitimacy of his position to expel the Arabs from Israel, Rabbi Kahane used impeccable logic. If Israel is a democracy, then that means that the majority rules, no matter who that majority is, be it Jewish , Arab or Chinese. This is the basic axiom of democracy. On the other hand, if Israel is a Zionist state, then that means that Jews must rule their own country. That is, the minimal definition of Zionism is that Jews are the masters of their ship, and are entitled to run their own state after 2,000 years of not having one. The question he posed was simple: what would happen if the Arab minority became the majority? According to Democracy, they have every right to take over the country, but according to Zionism, they do not. And so, there is an inherent contradiction between democracy and Zionism. The Jewish leaders in the west and Israel had no answer to this basic contradiction. The Rabbi said that these leaders were ideologically schizophrenic, an admixture 374
of two contradictory world-views. Using the simple argument, the Rabbi approached Jewish leaders to ask the following painful question: “Theoretically, do the Arabs have a right to democratically and peacefully vote 61 members to the Israeli Knesset, and become a majority, and turn Israel into Palestine? Answer Yes or No” Since all Jewish establishment leaders pride themselves on being both Zionist and for democracy, they evaded the question as much as possible. As Rabbi Kahane put it: “If they answer 'yes' to the question, that means they are not Zionists (since they are allowing the Arabs to rule the country). And if they answer 'no'. Then they are “Kahane” , but backwards.. ( from The Wit and Wisdom of Meir Kahane Pg. 101-103) The Rabbis 'wholehearted' position was not personal but was based on the laws of the Torah. The people living in the Land of Israel when the Jews arrive are given three choices; expulsion/relocation (with compensation), accepting Jewish sovereignty and living with personal rights but no national aspirations, or making war. This is the Torah's way of solving the peace process. It is this issue that destroys the idol that democratic Zionists conveniently believe without having the integrity to choose one or the other. In addition this issue exposes the lack of faith of those who purport to be God fearing and fully observant. [The Rabbi] often quoted the verse in Numbers, 33: “And you shall drive out the inhabitants of the land...and those that remain will be thorns in your eyes and thorns in your sides...” Many people agreed with his position, but felt it wasn't “realistic”. What did they mean “realistic”? The Rabbi said that what they were really saying is: How do you dare do it. What will the world say? That is, it wasn't a technical problem of “how” can we throw them out, but something much deeper. It was a matter of faith. Do we believe God is more omnipotent than the President who is occupying the White House? Do we dare fulfill the mitzvot that will save our lives, but might enrage the world? ( from The Wit and Wisdom of Meir Kahane Pg. 153) In an article he wrote in 1977 called 'Of Peace and Shrimps and Thorns' (Beyond Words/Vol2) he writes: “We are a people that daily separates Halacha from huge areas of life. Torah law becomes something for the kitchen and bedroom but not for politics. Rabbis are privy to the secrets of chickens and ritual bloodstains but politics is for generals and the Prime Minister. This is the erosion and perversion of Torah. This is the tragedy. ….we echo the words of the nationally known Orthodox Jewish leader who said to me: “Of course faith is important, but let us be practical..” There, right there, lie the tragedy and the cancer. A faith that is a luxury, to be patted and embraced and endorsed when times are good and the living is easy and it is never needed. But the moment that truth is called into play; when crisis strikes; when danger looms; when faith becomes a meaningful thing – that is precisely the time when we recoil from the danger, when we drop the pretense, when we betray faith in the All Mighty for 'practical' fear of flesh and blood.” The faith that the Rabbi demanded of us, hopefully has become a little more internalized from the examples that he set and the legacy he left behind for us to continue. In our own times as we become 375
increasingly isolated, we will be forced to stand alone against tremendous odds. We are forever the 'reluctant conquerors' but the Rabbi spoke to us like Moshe who said: , כה כי נר ידן- כא התה הע יבר כהיום האת, א נש כמע יי נש הר יאל1 Hear, O Israel: thou art to pass over the Jordan -- נג הד ילים כו נע מצ ימים ימ המ הך, הלב הא הל הר השת גו ייםthis day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fortified up כב הש המ יים,הע ירים נג הדלת ו נב מצ הרת to heaven, נא השר כא התה: נב יני נע הנ יקים, הגדול הו הרם- ב כעם2 a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, יל נפ יני נב יני, ימי יי נת כי יצב-- נו כא התה הש כמ נע הת, הי כד נע התwhom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard נע הנקsay: 'Who can stand before the sons of Anak?' הה הע יבר- יכי ניה הוה באל ההיך הוא, ג נו הי כד נע הת כהיום3 Know therefore this day, that the LORD thy God הוא כי נש ימי ידם נוהוא-- נל הפ הניך יאש הא נכ הלהis He who goeth over before thee as a devouring ,כמ יהר נו כה נא כב נד התם נל הפ הניך; נוהו כר נש התם,כי נכ יני יעם fire; He will destroy them, and He will bring them ככ נא השר יד הבר ניה הוה הלך down before thee; so shalt thou drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as the LORD hath spoken unto thee. כב נה הדף ניה הוה באל ההיך,ת הא כמר יב נל הב נבך- ד כאל4 Speak not thou in thy heart, after that the LORD , נב יצ נד הק יתי בה יבי כא יני ניה הוה, הא התם ימ נל הפ הניך ילא המרthy God hath thrust them out from before thee, saying: 'For my righteousness the LORD hath כהגו יים ו נב יר נש כעת: הה הא הרץ כהז האת-הל הר השת האת brought me in to possess this land'; whereas for ניה הוה מו ירי השם ימ הפ הניך,הה יא הלה the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee. , כא התה הבא, ו נב הי השר נל הב נבך, ה ל הא נב יצ נד הק נתך5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness , יכי נב יר נש כעת כהגו יים הה יא הלה: כא נר הצם- הל הר השת האתof thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; ו נל כמ כען הה יקים,ניה הוה באל ההיך מו ירי השם ימ הפ הניך but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD , כה הד הבר נא השר ינ נש כבע ניה הוה כל נא הב התיך-האת thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and נל כא נב הר ההם נל יי נצ החק ו נל כי נע הקב that He may establish the word which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Devarim 9:1-5) The promise of Israel's success is more secure than even America on whom we lean. We don't need charity. The world needs Israel and those who wish to do business with us will be enriched. Those who come to malign, boycott, delegitimize and weaken us will not succeed. 376
The Egla Arufa הב נא הד המה נא השר ניה הוה באל ההיך, יי המ יצא הח הלל- א יכי1 If one be found slain in the land which the ימי, ל הא נו כדע: כב הש הדה, הנ יפל, הנ יתן נלך נל יר נש התהLORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath smitten יה הכהו him; - האל, נו הש נפ הטיך; ו המ נדדו, ב נו הי נצאו נז יק הניך2 then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, נס יבי הבת הה הח הלל, נא השר, הה הע יריםand they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain. נו הל נקחו-- הה הח הלל- כה נק הר הבה האל, ג נו הה היה הה יעיר3 And it shall be, that the city which is nearest מע כבד- נא השר ל הא, יז נק יני הה יעיר כה יהוא הע נג כלת הב הקרunto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been נב העל, המ נש הכה- נא השר ל הא,הבה wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke. - האל, הה הע נג הלה- ד נוהו ירדו יז נק יני הה יעיר כה יהוא האת4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the ; נול הא יי הז יר כע, יי הע יבד בו- נא השר ל הא, כנ כחל יאי התןheifer unto a rough valley, which may neither be כב הנ כחל, הה הע נג הלה- השם האת-נו הע נרפו plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. יכי הבם הב כחר ניה הוה-- נב יני יל יוי, ה נו ינ נגשו כה הכ נה ינים5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come - ו נל הב ירך נב ישם ניה הוה; נו כעל, באל ההיך נל הש נרתוnear--for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto Him, and to bless in the name of the הנ כגע- יריב נו הכל- הכל,יפי ההם יי נה היה LORD; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be. - האל, כה נק הר יבים, יז נק יני הה יעיר כה יהוא, ו נו הכל6 And all the elders of that city, who are nearest , הה הע נג הלה- כעל, ני ידי ההם- האת, יי נר נחצו-- הה הח הללunto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the הה נערו הפה כב הנ כחלheifer whose neck was broken in the valley. שה הדם- ל הא שפכה תאת, הי ןדינו: נו הא נמרו, ז נו הענו7 And they shall speak and say: 'Our hands have ל הא הראו, נו יעי ינינו, כה הזהnot shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. (Devarim 21:1-7) Collective Responsibility In many speeches the rabbi spoke about the Egla Arufa. He explained the concept as written above and then asked a question. Why would the Rabbis declare that their hands did not spill this blood? Did anyone even suspect the Rabbis of spilling this innocent blood? Of course no one suspected this. The point of this declaration is to say that we as leaders of the community did everything possible to ensure the safety of travelers and residents in our community. Then the Rabbi would turn to the audience with a rebuke and say 'Can we say this today?' Are our leaders doing everything possible to make sure Jews are not being murdered in the Land of Israel? Our indifference is like having blood on our hands. 377
The Stain on Our Hands כה הדםנ א כה-האתשפ 7 And they shall speak and say: 'Our hands have לה, הי ידי ו: נו הא נמרו,ז נו הענו not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. ל הא הראו, נו יעי ינינו,כה הזה כה הדםו פ-כה האת 7 And they shall speak and say: 'Our hands have ש הלא, הי ידינ: נו הא נמרו,ז נו הענו not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. ל הא הראו, נו יעי ינינו,כה הזה כה הדםיהדןי הל ש-פכה האתא 7 And they shall speak and say: 'Our hands have ,נו : נו הא נמרו,ז נו הענו not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. הראו ל הא, נו יעי ינינו,כה הזה Devarim 21:1-7) = כהנאHidden in 'Our hands did not shed this blood' is Kahane = הי ןד שלי ופThe inside letters allude to 'My Hand' and 'Mouth' = השפלהfrom the root of = שפלdegradation, humiliation Not only was the Rabbi correct regarding our indifference which resulted in having 'blood on our hands.' His own death was the result of our indifference. Lenny Goldberg writes: Before Rabbi Kahane's Kach party was banned for the 1988 elections by the Israeli Supreme Court, great efforts were made by supporters to gather signatures of prestigious rabbi throughout Israel, in the hope that this may sway the Supreme Court decision. If enough signatures were garnished, perhaps the Supreme Court would think twice about disqualifying Rabbi Kahane's party. These rabbis were not asked to sign a letter of support for Rabbi Kahane's platform but rather to simply state that intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles negates the Jewish halacha. Since Rabbi Kahane's party was being deemed as racist and anti- Democratic for its stance on intermarriage between a Jew and gentile, signatures from these world-renowned Orthodox rabbis stating that the Torah is against intermarriage, may have influenced the court. Unfortunately, not one Rabbi signed. Each one was afraid to be the first to sign, and stipulated that his signature was dependent upon other signatures preceding his. Since none of them agreed to be the first to sign, no signatures could be gathered. Following this series of events, Rabbi Kahane's party was promptly banned by the Supreme Court for its “racist” views, his political career utterly destroyed. The banning of Rabbi Kahane's Kach party was the hot new story in Israel that day. For the first time in Israel's proud democratic history, a party had been disqualified from running for Parliament. During the course of the day, the media interviewed the Chief Rabbi of Israel, the same one who did not sign the letter (and who also happened to be Rabbi Kahane's personal 378
Rabbi). The Chief Rabbi proclaimed on Israel radio for all to hear: “Rabbi Kahane is a great Torah scholar and everything he says is according to Jewish law.” Upon hearing is in his car radio, Rabbi Kahane said with quiet disappointment but without bitterness: “I needed a signature not a eulogy” . (from The Wit and Wisdom of Rabbi Meir Kahane Pg. 127) The lack of protest from the people, from religious leaders, even from advocates of Democracy and free speech resulted in 'bringing down' the hope of Israel. Left abandoned and without the protection that Knesset speakers are normally afforded he was an easy mark for a terrorist. His many enemies in the Knesset may have even suggested this target to get rid of this 'thorn' in their sides. Politically he had already been destroyed but to him it was only another set back on the road to victory. That victory is in our hands today as the ruling party becomes more representative of the vision Rabbi Kahane lived and died for. We killed Rabbi Kahane with the indifference of our own hands and we can bring him back to life by fighting for the State of Judea that will unify our Nation, bring G-ds glory to the world and make our enemies flee once and for all. On Willfulness The days when 'Dinah' went out and the 'willfulness' of our detractors from within must come to a end. , נא השר הי נל הדה נל כי נע הקב, יל האה- א וכ יתציא ידי הנה כבת1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had יב נבנות הה הא הרץ, יל נראותborne unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. (Bereshit 34:1) נל יב נל יתי נש המ כע, כי נע השה כב הזדון- יב נו הה יאיש נא השר12 And the man that will act with willfulness, not ניה הוה- כה הכ יהן הה הע ימד נל הש הרת השם האת- האלlistening to the Kohen who stands there to serve ,כההוא הה יאיש ו ימת-- כה הש יפט- האל, או,באל ההיך Hashem, you God, or to judge, that man shall die, ו יב כע נר הת הה הרע ימ יי נש הר יאל and you shall destroy the evil from among Israel. (Devarim 17:12) ימ ימך, הב הנ ייך; נמ הה נר כס ייך ו כמ נח ירי כב ייך, יז ימ נהרו17 Your children will hasten to repent, but your יי יצאוspoilers and your destroyers must depart from you. (Yishayahu 49:17) [Haftorah Ekev] = ידי הנהDinah = 69 = כב הזדוןwillfulness (presumptuousness) = 69 The willful spirit that causes us to be attracted to foreign cultures and feel aversion to our own heritage ends with abuse and scorn. There has been a large teshuva movement recently as those who are willfully blind can no longer hide their head in the sand as missiles are falling around them. The cloaks of deception are being torn off of to reveal the cruel face of our enemies. Of all the political solutions we seek, the only true solution is the Biblical one. 379
Judges and Officers (2022) What happens when the judges are perverted and they have officers to enforce their perversion and cruelty? That evil grows like a cancer we understand. Why people allow it to grow and do nothing is more difficult to understand. Rabbi Kahane writes in article about a mysterious phenomenon that occurs in nature. For some unknown reason every once in awhile a group of whales decide to commit mass suicide and beach themselves to die. A new scientific study was published that attempted to explain this perplexing phenomenon and they postulated that the reason behind this strange behavior is that the group of whales was following a 'disturbed' leader When Rav Kahane heard of this latest theory he proclaimed: 'Voila...the self-destructing whale has a baffling parallel in the form of the suicidal Jew. Why is it that whole communities and, indeed, national Jewish groups will adopt policies of sheer madness, insanity, destruction of self-interest, suicide - nothing short of suicide?..\"Because they follow sick leaders..\" (Beyond Words Vol 6 P.517) How does one ascertain which whale he is following? Rav Butmans son explained that according to Chassidut the generations have evolved from a Rebbe who 'commanded' to the next generation where the Rebbe 'spoke.' The next generation the Rebbe only 'suggested.' The idea is that as the generations evolve we should need less officers to enforce and become more self-enforcing and desire the knowledge of what the Judge on high requires of us. We will consult with our spiritual leadership for guidance because 'connection' will become something we desire. In every dark period where tyrants take over because of our indifference and lack of protest or because we followed 'disturbed' leaders, we hear the same plea to the enforcers not to enforce their evil decrees. From Charlie Chaplin's soliloquy in 'Modern Times'.. 'soldiers put down your guns...you are not machines' to Gush Katif where we pleaded with soldiers not to obey their orders, to today where we appeal to those who say 'we are just following orders,' enforcement is challenged. I would hope as the command of the King above becomes embodied in a desire below and it becomes clearer for us to discern between the forces of good and forces of darkness that there is also an evolution of the enforcer. Maybe there is a hint of this in our Parsha when the 'officers' are the ones who lead the battle against the adversaries of Hashem. They who represent judgment and enforcement now take on a more merciful role. Their battle cry 'Shma Israel - Hear O Israel', is conditional (Dvarim 20:3). 'If you feel you can take on the yoke of Heaven join us and Hashem will fight for us. If you cannot for whatever reason then go home and you will still be blessed and not cursed.' May it be that as 'we the people' take on more responsibility and can discern between light and dark, truth and falsehood then deranged and corrupted judges, though they be affiliated with the largest whales on the planet be helpless to rape and pillage because those who are called on to enforce will only follow 'higher' orders. Let the deranged whales beach themselves but let not the rest follow. Let us be with the officers who are battling for the Kings honor, who do not require enforcement. Let us be with the officers who are merciful and do not conscript the enslaved multitudes to uproot evil but only give an opportunity for quality and refined people to walk before Hashem and witness the demise of Gog and Magog and to see with our own eyes Hashem's house that we are 'building back better.' 380
Kahane in the Parsha Ki Tezeh 381
KiTezeh and Kitavo In the morning we read KiTezeh and in the afternoon we read Kitavo. One means when you 'go out' and the other means 'when you arrive'. KiTezeh talk about going out to war, and Kitavo talks about ideas connected to arriving in the Land and blessing the fruit of our labor. In the Haftorah of Kitavo there is a famous phrase: 'In its' time I will hurry it.' (Yishayu 60:22) Rav Kahane often spoke about this passage. He would question if it is 'in its time', then how can it be hurried? He would reply that the Rabbis answer if we merit it, redemption is hurried, otherwise it comes in 'its time' accompanied with many troubles and suffering. If we rise to the occasion five will chase twenty, and one hundred will chase ten thousand, or like in the Haftorah Kitavo “The smallest shall increase a thousandfold, and the least into a mighty nation.” (Yishayu 60:22) He was constantly trying to raise us to the level of the 'hurried' redemption by inspiring us to protest and take action, that would force the redemption to come quickly. This concept can also be understood in KiTezeh and Kitavo. If we are prepared to go out to war and are fighting Hashems war, then Hashem is in the forefront and we will succeed and arrive in Peace and Plenty in all our undertaking. If however we only want quiet and run from confrontation, then the war will come to us and there will be no quiet. Blessing will come in it's time after suffering that we indirectly caused by indifference, fear, lack of faith, lack of action or it can come gloriously because we are decisive and fulfill our mission. The first passage of KiTezeh reads when go out to war 'against' our enemy. The rabbis tell us that we learn from this that we do not go out 'with' or 'over' our enemy but 'against'. Our certainty is our advantage. If we are uncertain of our moral right or fear the tides of hatred against Israel then we only make our situation worse. When we are doing Hashems will there is no force on earth that can stop the will of the Creator and the promise to His people. If we go to war, we are already at rest. If we want to rest and ignore evil, then the war will come to us. KiTezeh in the morning and Kitavo in the afternoon. The King in the Field There is a parable told in the month of Elul (the weeks preceding Rosh Hoshana) of the King walking through the field. This Midrash explains that before the King enters the royal chamber on Rosh Hoshanna He walks through the field as a commoner to see His people at work and meet those who wish to make a personal request. I have always found this parable difficult to understand. Do we not talk directly to the King on a daily basis? Do we not pray directly to Hashem and not through any intermediary? One of the explanations I have been told is that He is in a better disposition during this time, and it would be a good time to make a request. Although I admit that I do not understand this parable very well, the best way that I understand it is in reverse. It is a time of accounting. When many Jews collectively are making an accounting and reviewing the preceding year, that in itself causes Hashem to descend, for as we think of Him, He thinks of us. In the same way that a minyan of ten enhances your 382
own personal prayer, a collective thought process among many Jewish people may affect your own personal one. The field also reminds us of our source. Our original meeting with Hashem was in Sinai. Our National relationship began in a desert. Our leaders also met Hashem in fields, next to a burning bush, alone with their herds of sheep. Today the hilltop youth, and the young Jewish shepherds that dwell in Yehuda and Shomron continue with that vocation, while in large cities we also feel sometimes like a desert; abandoned by the world and protected only by the One above. None of us know our destiny this year, however we each can be inspired by L'David (the extra tehillim we begin reading in Elul). We can pray that we dwell all our days in His house, and that by strengthening ourselves and our commitment He will strengthen us as well. It is a good time to make an accounting, to plant a new resolution firmly in the ground, and to reap its benefit with the fruits of Pesach. L'David begins in Elul and is concluded in the time of Sukkoth. The conclusion that begins in this time reminds us that our physical world is but a sukkah made for our spirit; as our spirit returns to its source. In Pesach we are reminded that our mission is in fact the Sukkah. The physical world is not only a place that shapes our soul, but our soul must shape the physical world. The revolution of Egypt is another New Year when the people of Israel swim against the stream like salmon to meet their National calling. The Hole in the Needle (2017) Rabbi Butman is having his second Bar Mitzvah this week. He is eighty three. He spoke at kiddush about Rosh Hoshanna. He said we must open more room for Hashem to enter. All we need to do is make an opening the size of a needle and He will open a large gateway. We have all heard this drasha before however he added a most important thing. If you take the needle and slowly press it into your hand there is a point where it begins to hurt. This is the opneing you must make. An opening in a place that hurts you a little. Each one of us has a different point, however this is the point that must be enlarged. Then the rest should follow. The King in the Theatre (2017) The moshal of the King in the Field has never been that clear to me. The way I see things the King is more like a writer sitting in an empty theater. It is a month before Creation and He is thinking again what to do. Everyone will be in the play whether they know it or not. I may find the writer alone who is also my father and ask Him. What is my role here? I have some thoughts however you know better than me. I understand that the purpose of the script is for the performance that happens at Pesach. I know that with this performance you wish to change the world and for you to dwell in it. I understand that this is your target and that if successful we will perform before the King of Kings on Shavuot. But who am I and why did I come here, and what is my role? Today is the time that I look at the world that was created for my transatory spirit, while in Pesach I 383
look at the body of the world that has been transformed. Now is the time for preperation and understanding our individual role. Once rehearsals begin after the ceremony of Rosh Hoshanna, then the real work begins. There may be some small alterations until Chanuka however even now one can start rehearsing their part. Some things may be discontinued and some renewed; some remembered and some forgotten. The writer is in the empty theatre. He is approachable. We reflect on all that we have created and what we wish to continue to create. It is a time of the thought and actions that will be planted as a seed hoping to bear fruit in the spring and enjoyed throughout the summer. 384
Kahane in the Parsha Ki Savo 385
Ki Savo – 2006/12 -או הצרו כהטוב האת- יב יי נפ כתח ניה הוה נלך האת12 The LORD will open unto thee His good יאת, ו נל הב ירך, כא נר נצך נב יעתו- הל יתת נמ כטר, כה הש כמ ייםtreasure the heaven to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand; יה כל יוי הת גו יים שר יבים, נו ;הי הדך כמ נע ישה-הכל and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou נו כא התה ל הא ית נל הוהshalt not borrow (Devarim 28:12) Lending to other nations may not only mean physically but philosophically. Israel leads the battle against radical Islam for as it is with Israel, so it is with the world. The torah of Rabbi Kahane continues to clarify much moral confusion in our fight against evil. We are not borrowing from the worlds moral dilemma, we are leading them and teaching them and justifying the response against savagery. We have a long way to go however the Torah of Rav Kahane clarifies much of what the Torah response should be in warfare and dealing with the enemies of Israel. As Israel is transformed and becomes less of an appeaser and more of an avenger, this will reflexively affect the world for the good. The Arabs don’t want a Palestine, they just want to destroy Israel, along with London, Paris, Madrid and New York. The world will borrow from Israel more and more and the Torah of Rav Kahane will hasten this blessing. As Israel learns and adapts the authentic Torah of Rav Kahane it will influence the world. The common sense of the authentic Torah will not only save Israel but the whole world. Recently Netanyahu spoke at the UN and showed a diagram of the 'red line' that Iran must not cross in its production of an atomic bomb. A friend sent me a copy of the popular picture of Netanyahu holding up this diagram but had superimposed Kahane Tzadek on the diagram. The joke was that Netanyahu was sounding more and more like Rabbi Kahane defending the world against Islamic barbarism. I read the accented lines above this way; with Kahane's Torah you will influence many nations. You will no longer need to beg and borrow. קנרהיכ הני א ,הה הא הרץ נו הראו 10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that י ישם ניה הו כע ימי-הכל י the name of the LORD is called upon thee; and המ הךיה כרא ימ, הע הליך; נו וthey shall be afraid of thee. (Devarim 28:10) The name Meir Kahane is hidden in this passage. Through Rav Kahane people of the earth saw the name of the Lord and were afraid. Rabbi Kahane demonstrated the path that we should follow. When we strive to be the sensitive yet fearless Nation which we were born to become then the nations will see that God is called by our name and will be afraid not only to harm us, but of the retribution of the harm they inflicted on us in the past. An acquaintance of mine Rabbi Lewin used to get a ride to Knesset with Rabbi Kahane. One day as they approached there was some leftist demonstration going on in front of the Knesset. The Rabbi disturbed by this stopped the car and said 'wait a minute ill be right back'. As he approached the crowd 386
the leader spotted him and and cried in fear 'OK Rabbi Kahane were leaving'. The demonstrators left and the Rabbi returned to his car. Simply his presence and image put fear into the detractors of Israel. So it will be when Israel stands up like David and strikes down the Goliaths that taunt us. In its Time The Rabbi spoke almost on every occasion about this concept. Something is either 'in its time' or 'hurried' it cannot be both. The Rabbis explain that if we merit it, it will be 'hurried', and if we do not it will still come but in its natural time accompanied with suffering and persecution. The Rabbi encouraged us to hurry the redemption as he himself was doing. If only others were a little like him, the Temple would already have been rebuilt. It was up to us, and we chose 'in its time'' and allowed the Rabbi to be killed in such a way by our lack of protest. We failed the test, both the people and our rabbinical leaders who lacked the courage to stand with this man in his time of need when only a signature was required of them. Its interesting to see the passage that resides next to this passage. There is often some insight into reading the passages that border each other. ; נו כה הצ יעיר נלגוי העצום, כב כה הק הטן יי נה היה הל הא הלף22 The smallest shall increase a thousandfold, נב יע התה נא יחי הש הנה, נא יני ניה הוה. and the least into a mighty nation; I the LORD will hasten it in its time. (Yishayahu 60:22) One night at Vasloi a man quoted Rabbi Nachman to me. He asked me 'what is the opposite of faith?' I answered 'disbelief?' he said to me 'incorrect'. According to Rabbi Nachman the opposite of 'faith' is 'fear'. What a tremendous insight! Our government is desperately trying to appease the world by releasing terrorist and paving the way to give away Yehuda and Shomron. Why? Because the government has no faith. Where there is no faith there is fear, and all of these appeasements are the response of fearful men that believe they have no other choice. In the parsha there is also an allusion to the future war of Gog and Magog where America representing the eagle will swoop down on us. I believe that both the 'hurried' and 'in its time' occur simultaneously. Our history seems to repeat itself and even in the final days it will be no different. When we arrived home, it was the small spark of the 'Etzel' that frightened the British into leaving (despite their persecution by their brothers and the 'appeasement force' of the Palmach). Without the persecution of the Palmach, Etzel may have led Israel on to much greater victories, but that ended with the Altalena. At that point the 'hurried' redemption became 'in its time' as the Etzel joined their brothers to fight the War of Independence according to the rules of Ben Gurion. In our own time it is the small spark of the Kahane Jews who will not give up Yehuda and Shomron and will drive out the oppressors and give birth to Judea. When the whole world comes against us in the war of Gog and Magog we will be forced to unite as one Nation ( the activists and the appeasers) and take back our ancestral home. Circumstances will force us into having the faith needed to become fearless. We will have no one to lean on but our God and then 'in it's time' and the 'hurried' redemption will take place, as we all become a little more like the Rav and learn what true faith is. Then 'the small shall increase a thousandfold and the least into a mighty nation.' 387
The Simple Meaning is Sometimes the Deeper One Said at Farbrengin (2017) נב יע התה נא יחי הש הנה- In its time I will hasten it. (Yeshiayu 60:22) The famous phrase above (read in our Haftorah) was repeated almost every time the Rabbi spoke. If it is 'in its time' then how can you hasten it? Chazal explains that if we merit it, our redemption will be hastened and if not it will come 'in its time' but accompanied with terrible suffering. The Rabbi wanted us to hasten it. In a language that Chabad would understand, it was his way of saying 'We want Moshiach now'. He wanted redemption to come today with glory rather than with terrible suffering that could be prevented. Their are two roads that lead to this hurried redemption. I will call them the Pshat (the simple meaning) and the Pnimiut (the inner meaning). Rav Halperin spoke about the Pnimiut of the Torah which is Chassidut. From the Chabad perspective the spreading of Chassidut in the world will hasten the redemption. From the viewpoint of Chassidut all that Hashem does is good and even all of the curses in our Parsha are actually blessings in disguise. This may be so on a deeper level however it may be confusing on a simple level. How does one prevent calamity? If all the curses are really blessings then one might conclude that even the curse of the Shoa brought about the blessing of Israel. It may be so that ultimately everything is moving towards good. However couldn't the blessing of Israel have been brought about without this tragedy? Rav Kahanes son Binyamin wrote about his father and said that people often complained that he was so negative and depressing all the time. He was always talking about terrible things that were happening or warning of catastrophes that would take place. He was a doomsayer. His message however was much like our Parsha this week. Many have asked why the list of curses is totally disproportionate to the number of blessings in this Parsha. In Parsha Ki Tavo 14 verses of blessings are brought down, followed by a list of no less than 54 verses of curses. Why so many curses? He goes on to explain that blessings are easy to visualize. Who doesn't dream of a nice home, abundance, freedom, peace and plenty? Terrible things however are hard to imagine. When they happen we tend to look the other way and hope for the best. We say 'it will be good’ and continue putting our head in the sand. Then things get worse, and we get accustomed to this as well. We keep saying it could be worse, and then it does get worse. The disproportionate curses serve to wake us up so that we can receive the blessing, as the Rabbi tried to do so often in order to hurry the redemption. When September 11 occurred I saw right away the clock ticking and knew I had to leave as soon as possible. I left the exile like the Jews left Mitzrayim, unprepared but understanding the times. Sixteen years later as anti-Semitism continues to grow rapidly my secular Israeli friend Shmuel said to me on Shabbat 'why don't the Jews get it and come home'? He 'got it' twenty years before me. This by the way proves that you don't necessarily need a Rabbi or a Rebbe to have the common sense to save yourself from the curse of the exile. When I arrived and settled in Israel I realized that my 'love' of Israel is much greater than my 'fear' of the curses of the exile. However, the lower level of fear is still quite a deep motivating factor that can 'overtake ' one and lead them to those higher levels. The fear motivated me to push myself which led 388
me to discover this love. כה נב הרכות-הכל הע הליך ו הבאו ב 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you, כו יה ישיגאך,הה יא הלה will listen to the voice נבקול ניה הוה באל ההיך, יכי ית נש כמע: and overtake you, if you of the LORD your God. (Dvarim 28:2) The Rabbi writes about a question his father used to ask. Why does it say the blessings will 'overtake' you? One can understand a curse overtaking you, but why would a blessing need to 'overtake' you. Isn't a blessing something everyone wants? He answers that the problem is sometimes we see blessings as a curse and we flee from them. The Rabbi writes about our national fear of throwing out our enemies because it will lead to animosity from other nations and isolation. Isolation is one of our worst nightmares, however this is actually a great blessing to be 'A Nation that will dwell alone' (Bamidbar 23:9). In my case experiencing the curse of the exile drove me to blessing. Rather than accept curses and see them on a higher level as blessings, I would rather follow the Pshat and do away with evil in order to do good (sur mi ra ve oseh tov – Turn from evil and do good - Psalm 34). If this results in the curse of isolation then I will be happy to study the deeper meaning; that this curse is really a blessing and enjoy the peace and tranquility it will bring. I much prefer the Chasidut of doing mitzvot that appear to be curses, rather than the higher level of experiencing curses and seeing them as blessings. To me the Pshat is much deeper and less painful. The Calculation of Our Times (2020) Although I always remember this week the mantra of Rav Kahane from our Parsha regarding the 'hurried' redemption ( )אחיישנ אהas opposed to the one 'in it's time' ( )באעי אתה, this week I realized something I hadn't noticed before. Why dafka is this passage placed in the Parsha with the curses and blessings? Of course it makes perfect sense if you wish to gauge the extent of our suffering and to what degree we have been blessed this simple equation sums it up quite accurately. Both words ( )באעי אתהand ( )א יחישנ אהseem to be related to Rav Kahane. One of them through fire and one through Torah. The day we killed Rav Kahane ( read Eglah Arufa to understand the 'we') I understood instinctively that we have now chosen 'in it's time' which was the fate that the Rav tried to save us from. The 'hurried' redemption has a value of 374, which can be read as 300 for the Shin of fire and 74 which is two short of Kahane. The two short of course are the Rav and his son whom we killed by our indifference. Sadly, we were only two letters short of the 'hurried' redemption. The fire and the light of Rav Kahane just wasn't enough for this generation. What have we earned now? The redemption 'in it's time'. This has a value of 477 which can be read as 400 for the taf of Torah which is being engraved as it was in the Shoa (see Bechukotai) and 77 for the sins against Kahane 76 and the chatima (signature) of the One above making it 77. Let us hope that what must now to be engraved will be softened by the 76 and the One Above so that we can as quickly as possible reshape the Corona into the Crown of the King. 389
Curses and Blessings (2021) (Message to the dispersed body of Israel) Rav Kahane's father asks a question. Why does it say that blessings will 'overtake' you? We understand that curses may 'overtake' us but why would we be running from blessings? He answers that sometimes there are blessings that we see as curses and we run from them. Last week Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Yimach Shmo) taunted us by asserting that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan should serve as a lesson to Israel that the US is not a reliable partner. He he thought he was cursing us and we too think this is a curse - however this is not a curse. This is a blessing. We are commanded to be a nation that dwells alone - This is a people who dwell alone, Not reckoning themselves one of the nations. (Num. 23:9). Our isolation is our strength and our blessing, and the friendships and alliances that we rely upon are in fact the root cause of all the curses. In 1948 we had no friends. In 1967 we had no friends. In 1973 we 'did' have friends who told us not to start a war and pressured us, and we listened to our friends and look what happened. Our friends ask us not to throw out our enemies, and not to build our temple, and to help our enemies and to bulldoze the builders of our nation. Is this what friends do? Imagine how our King feels when we enter the Bet Knesset on Rosh Hoshanna and proclaim that He is our King and we are His servant, but outside the Bet Knesset we really rely on another king for our security. Imagine how He feels? So many of the terrible things we allow to happen to our Nation and our people are because we don't want to hurt the feelings of our friends upon who we truly rely upon and this is the reason that curse after curse befall us, but no more! We have no friends, and this is good for us in Israel. If we understand that and realize that there is no one to help us except the voice and hands of Yacov and our father in Heaven who we must cry to with all our might, we will dwell securely and be blessed. Here in Israel we are alone, but we have a fighting chance if our hands are no longer tied by fake agreements and alliances that frantically cause us to betray and persecute the builders of Zion. We are fighting to survive and we will, with the help of G-d. In America however, the situation is much worse. There is no government or police force that will intervene to save Jewish communities as our enemies are now plotting our demise with new weapons of destruction from Afghanistan and open US borders for every terrorist in the world, let alone the American haters that are waiting for the next riot. Its now Rosh Hoshanna and time for a cheshbon nephesh. There is a small window to escape and come home but that window gets increasingly smaller. Hashem will not abandon us in Israel. In the past when we were isolated and fought on our own, Hashem rescued us with miracles and blessed us. However when we rely on foreign nations to help us in foreign lands that optimism has always proven to be delusional. As the curses grow and multiply in America, turn fear into strength, by returning home. The King is waiting and he wants to bless us. Don't be isolated in the darkness of Egypt, be isolated with the tribes of Israel and venture out into the desert. Start making plans. Where there is a will there is a way. Come home. 390
The New Light (2022) We stand today at a precipice before epic times. The 'hurried redemption' or the redemption 'in its time' we read about in the Haftorah this week, which seem to me directly related to the curses and blessings. Will we have an easy birth because we have become more flexible and accepting spiritually or will we have a difficult and painful birth as we fight each contraction against our will? Will we have a redemption with many tragic events or a quick and easier birth like the Temple falling from Heaven? After these High Holidays there will be elections in Israel and the USA. The greatest fear for governments that have usurped power, and know very well they do not reflect the masses they represent, is a free and fair election. In America the constitution hangs by a thread as high-level forces that represent goodness and decency are harassed, persecuted and arrested in order to undermine any legitimate opposition. What will be? Will there be free and fair elections in Israel as well? This is the last stand for freedom. Forces that seek to completely overthrow and enslave are still easier to resist than forces that have 'already' enslaved and conquered. Better an outside force seeking to gain access within than a small force within seeking to get out. Where would that small force even go when global punishment becomes fully connected? The determining factor in our 'hurried' or 'in its time' birth is calculated based on the preceding line. 'The smallest shall increase a thousandfold.'(Isaiah 60:22) Rav Butman says that Teshuva is like pressing a pin slowly into your hand. The point where it begins to hurt, this is the point that needs to be fixed. We all have various points. When we address those points even in a very small way, Hashem will multiply our redemption a thousand times. It is the last week in the month of Elul. The King wanders through the field unrecognized and questions His subjects and examines their state of mind and calculates what type of new light He will bring. What type of new light is now needed? How much do we desire our destiny as Israel and being the light unto the Nations? Was the death of the Queen of England a symbol of the last vestige of monarchy disappearing? Has the pledge of allegiance to God and country and service to a higher authority been forever banished? Will Israel lead the way in restoring morality based on Torah values or will it be offered as a sacrifice to Moloch as the final stumbling block against unfettered paganism? Apparently, hundreds of Arab Terror attacks were thwarted in recent months in Israel. Will this assistance from above continue? We recently buried another hero who had thwarted the latest one. Will Ben Gvir a student of Rav Kahane be strengthened to scatter our enemies? Are we aware and awakening and rising to the occasion with positive actions, or are we fearful and compliant and trusting in the multitude of ungodly forces seeking to undermine us completely? The answer lies within each individual that has a potential army of one thousand more. This Rosh Hoshanna is like Chanuka where one light must light another against forces of aggression cloaked in a democracy that they have already overturned yet can still be repelled. May it be that when the King passes through and hears our hopes for Him and His Kingdom that He considers each prayer. When He hears of our fears of wild beasts and stone-hearted demons that are calculating our final capitulation and their swift rise to power may He also be preparing a surprise for them. When He sees there are those who are resisting to be enslaved like prisoners with digital ankle bracelets may He not hide His face to us. Let it be that He sees our attempts to connect to Him and that in His Kindness and Mercy He multiplies each connection and answers our call. Let it be that He surprises the calculated and cruel who thought victory was assured and exposes their plans. May our light increase a thousand times as we return the days of old to new days even better and crown our King with a hurried new light. 391
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Kahane in the Parsha Netzavim/Vayelech 393
The New Heart נל כבבומהל- נו האת, נל הב נבך-ו ניה הוה באל ההיך האת 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD נל הב נבך- נב הכל, ניה הוה באל ההיך- נל כא נה הבה האת:כז נר העך thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, נל כמ כען כח הייך-- כנ נפ נשך-ו נב הכל that thou mayest live. = ו המלwill circumcise = 76 = Kahane In the future we will receive a 'new heart'. It is the Torah of Rabbi Kahane that has awakened the new Jew with a 'new heart' which is the old Jew; like King David; the scholar-warrior. The 'new' Jew does not feel 'guilty' or 'apologetic' for his existence and need not appease enemies, or 'friends of our enemies'. The 'new' Jew stands alone against a sea of hatred and speaks in the name of his Father in Heaven and a multitude of Gentiles respond 'we have been waiting for you, show us the way!' The 'new' Jew is heroic and humble, courageous and kind; a proud citizen of Israel with a constitution based upon the Laws of the Torah. The Rabbi's famous slogan 'Never Again' does not mean that 'never again' will there be Jewish persecution, but 'never again' will we be silent. When Jews are being persecuted we must protest and take action to ensure their safety. The seeds he sprouted in the early 70's have blossomed into a generation of new leadership that gives hope and direction to the Jewish people. It is interesting to read some of his earliest speeches when he began the fight for Soviet Jewry and completely changed the approach which inevitably succeeded in opening the doors to mass immigration. ..Picketing is a good thing but hardly enough. How many headlines does a peaceful picket line make? We must make headlines and they are made only by audacious and dramatic activities....these activities cannot be confined to sweet respectability and legality...A sit in inside the Soviet Mission; the disrupting of a United Nations session at which the Soviet delegate rises to speak -these are some of the ways that the entire nation will hear the plight of Soviet Jews....It is not a pleasant task, but this is not a job for people who fear getting their hands soiled. Soviet Jewry will not wait upon respectability and gentility. Uncannily Meir foresaw the results of such audacity: It will mean condemnation from the “respectable” elements within Jewry who fear more for their own image than for Soviet Jewry. The struggle for Palestine was made infinitely more difficult because there were Jews who refused to act like “gangsters” and use force. In the end of the minority that was unafraid to fight [the Irgun] was proven correct and it was their way that won the day. (from His Life and Thought Volume One Libby Kahane Pg. 77-78 ) 394
Nitzavim and Sept 11 (2012) This Parsha is the Parsha of our generation for it explains the concept of individual and collective punishment. No one explained the true meaning and relevance of these concepts in our time as Rav Kahane did. Nitzavim introduces the concept of Arvut. The Artscroll Siddur explains: On the last day of his life Moses gathered together every member of the Jewish people, from the most exalted to the lowliest, old and young, men and women, and initiated them for the last time into the covenant of God. What was new about this covenant was the concept of arvut responsibility ( )ארבותfor one another, under which every Jew is obligated to help other observe the Torah and to restrain them from violating it. This is why Moses began by enumerating all the different strata of people that stood before him, and why he said (v 28) that God would not hold them responsible for sins that had been done secretly, but that they would be liable for transgression committed openly (Ohr Hachaim). This is essential to the world view of the Jew, for it explains why one may not be apathetic to the shortcomings of others and why public desecrations of the Torah are the concern of every Jew of good conscience. Midrashically when the people heard the frightening litany of ninety-eight curses in the Admonition (ch 28), they turned colors in fright at what seemed to be a hopeless future. Thereupon Moses comforted them, saying that despite all the sins of the past, they were still standing...before Hashem. Just as he had not discarded them before, so he would maintain them in the future. Fear of the Admonition would prevent them from sinning, and if they did sin, the punishments would bring them atonement, not destruction (Rashi). Artscoll pg 29 Chazal explain that the concept of Arvut was not initiated until we entered the Land of Israel. Only as a Nation are we able to fulfill our destiny and function as a complete body. In this sense the 'body' of Israel is both rewarded and punished. It seems there is a collective experience on both the exit and entry into Israel. When we live in the land and corrupt it we are collectively punished and expelled and when the gates are reopened and we ignore them we are also collectively punished as we enter. This happened in Egypt and it happened in our time. We are the descendants of the courageous 5th that left Egypt and went into an unknown desert. Most of the Jews (4/5th) didn't make it and died an assimilated and tragic death in Egypt. In this century again only a small remnant went to Israel when the doors opened – and our generation today is the last call. Rabbi Kahane was the only Rabbi who was able to explain the relevance of the Shoa and extract the proper lessons from this collective experience. The hidden things are for Hashem, as we read in this weeks Parsha, but what is revealed is an obligation for us to understand, for our very life depends upon it. In the booklet 'Confronting the Holocaust' Rav Binyamin and Rav Meir explain many questions that other Rabbis say are not answerable. If every bruise is decreed from Heaven and yet this great catastrophe cannot be answered then it becomes a Chillul Hashem, (a desecration of G-ds name). It makes G-d out to be an angry G-d that every once in awhile blows up and destroys millions of innocent and pious people for no apparent reason. Why would he punish those who were much more religious than today? Why would one want to pray to such a God? Rav Meir goes on to explain what preceded the Shoa and how the Jewish world at one time was mostly 395
Torah observant when they lived in the ghetto, but what else could they be? As soon as they were given an option and the ghetto doors opened the Jews went rushing out to assimilate. This unprecedented assimilation had never occurred before. They became better Germans than the German, more French than the French, more aristocratic than the English. Just as they shaved off their beards and arrived en mass in America so did they assimilate into European culture. Those who remained faithful to the Torah saw the gates of Israel opening but refused to enter because it was being led by people who were not observant and the environment was not 'kosher' enough. And so it was only a small remnant – just like in Egypt that saw the doors opening and went through. If the Jews had left en mass in the 1920's when the doors of Palestine were opened, there would not have been a Shoa and there would most likely be a King called Moshiach. This however did not happen. Today not much has changed. Jabotinsky tried to awaken the people. He cried 'liquidate the exile before the exile liquidates you'. He was banned and called a fascist. The Jews were proud citizens of their adopted countries and went out of their way to prove that they did not have 'duel allegiance' much like the feeling that Americans have today when there is a conflict between 'American' and 'Israeli' interests. One might say that what Rabbi Kahane wrote about the Shoa is easy to say in retrospect but if one was living then things were not so clear. There were leaders like Jabotinsky however that could see the tragedy about to befall the Jewish people and tried unsuccessfully to wake the people. They blamed the messenger instead of heeding their call. When Rabbi Kahane confronted the Holocaust he also spoke about reading the signs today and warned of a terrible tragedy looming in our time. His last speaking tour in the USA was called project ZERO (Zionist Emergency Rescue Operation). He pleaded with Americans to come home now to Israel before its too late. He warned that the 'falsely inflated' economy would fall and Jews would once again be the scapegoat. He was murdered on that tour, and became the 1st victim of AlKeida. Eleven years later that same group brought the twin towers down a few miles away from where the Rabbi was gunned down. Project ZERO and Ground Zero have much in common with each other. Rabbi Nachum Kahana shares a letter written by a supporter in which he writes: If someone would have told one of our alte zaydehs a few hundred years ago that you could get into this flying machine and in less than 12 hours you would be in Eretz Yisrael under Jewish sovereignty with a house and a job, what do you think they would have done? Would they have stayed in Minsk or Warsaw? However, I believe our life in America is the Ribbono Shel Olam's way of leveling the playing field and maintaining the bechirah chofshis for us. Otherwise, we would all have been there in a heartbeat, like our alte zaydehs. (Pg 878) We bear the consequences of our actions 'collectively' as well as 'individually'. It is not always easy to determine. Rabbi Nachum Kahana writes about a lecture he gave. In the question period a man told a story of how had no intention of coming to Israel. He only came so that his wife would stop nagging him about it. The moment he arrived and stepped off the plane something happened to him that he could not explain. He fell in love with Israel and never went back. The Rabbi said that when someone is called up for an aliya, he is called by name. His name was called and he made an aliya. Another woman stood up and asked a difficult question. When she was a little girl in Europe her father asked the local Rebbe for a blessing because he wanted to make aliya with his family. The Rebbe would not give him a blessing and tried to convince him to stay because Israel was not a kosher environment. It was the one the only time her father ever disregarded the Rebbes advise and they came 396
to Israel. Later they learned that everyone in the village was killed. They were the only survivors. Why did the Rebbe say that she questioned? Rav Kahana responded that its a difficult question that he too does not have a good answer for, but maybe the previous speakers story answers your question. You were chosen to receive an aliya. Why individuals suffer or escape are the secrets of Hashem. It is our job however to read the signs and understand what is revealed and what Hashem decrees publicly for us to follow. This lesson of Nitzavim came crashing through on September 11 when this Parsha was being read. Rav Nachum writes (With All Your Might Pg. 883): If one would have asked an American before 9/11 “what is the most erect, exalted, lofty, tall object in the USA?” most would reply, “The Twin Towers in New York City.” But very few people knew that the towers were financed by the Reichman brothers, that the engineer who built them was an Israeli and that the towers were owned by a Jew – they were “Jewish” buildings in a goyishe land. The week that the towers went down was the week we read in the Torah this weeks Parsha of Nitzavim. Nitazavim means erect, exalted, lofty, tall; and just in that week, the erect, exalted, lofty, tall towers came crashing down. There is a message here for us. The Parsha begins with the words of Moshe Rabbeinu to all the congregation of Israel, atem nitzavim – you the Jewish nation are erect exalted, lofty, tall because you now stand before God to renew the covenant and enter Eretz Israel after 40 years of preparation in the wilderness. You will continue to be erect, exalted lofty, tall as long as you are faithful to the covenant. For those who say that it is not for us to judge the generation of the Shoa and its not for us to ask or question G-ds decrees, then why does Hashem give us clear warnings like in last weeks Parsha Ki Savo or Parsha Bechukosai in Vayikra? These Parshas that vividly describe terrible events long before they happened (including the Shoa – see Becokotai Book 1) were there to warn us to choose the path of blessing. In this weeks Parsha we are told that one must understand that he is part of a collective and as an individual he will benefit and be blessed with his participation. But if he goes in his own sinful path and disregards the collective signs he runs the risk of having the full extent of these curses leveled upon him. I for one, saw the warning bell on September 11, 2001. Everything I had heard the Rabbi say more than ten years earlier suddenly became verified and uncomfortably real. Somehow I found a way to make aliya 12 months after. I was motivated by fear but when I arrived I quickly fell in love. Now with Iran aiming nuclear weapons in my direction I still feel much safer here than anywhere else in North America. I escaped and now I am in the land that G-d Himself protects and watches over. It is clear that Hashem has been ending the exile in stages and bringing His people home. The last to arrive will be the refugees from America but only those who can read the signs. Chazal writes that the final exile will be similar to the Exodus from Egypt when after many plagues the perceptive Jews will see the hand of G-d and make the move. Rabbi Kahane was greater than a prophet that prophesies in a dream state, he was a Torah scholar who deduced events by his clear thinking, perception and understanding of our history and destiny. For years the Rabbi ran a Holocaust Museum in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was not connected to Yad Vashem that memorialized the Shoa. His museum was called the Museum of the 'Potential' Holocaust and it exhibited and documented the rise of various anti-Semitic groups in North America among them 397
Holocaust Revisionists, skinheads, Klan, neo-Nazi and other hate groups. The moral decay in America, inflated economy, hate groups and radical Muslims operating freely were warning signs that the Rabbi spoke about. On September 11 I am sure that I was not the only one who saw the truth of his predictions. Today with the fall of Arab regimes and anarchy in the Middle East it is not far fetched to imagine a terrorist getting a hold of chemical or nuclear weapons. America is having financial difficulties while the economy in Israel is growing. America's foreign policy is weak and lends support to radical Muslim governments while Israel is becoming the sole defender of humanity. The signs are clear and I see them also written in the Torah. , כליה הוה-- כח כה ינ נס הת הרת28 The secret things belong unto the LORD ˙באל יהניוו;הנגלותל˙נ˙ו our God; but the things that are revealed כהז האת ו˙ל˙ב˙נ˙י˙נ˙ו˙ ע˙דעולם belong unto us and to our children for לעשות את כל דברי התורה ever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Devarim 29:28) In this mysterious passage there are 11 dots on top of the words 'us and our children'. It is from these dots that Rashi explains the concept of Arvut that only begins when we enter the Land. The transition of the Israelites from a tribal family to a nation took place gradually, only beginning with their redemption from Egypt, and only culminating upon their entry into Israel. Collective responsibility begins when we assume total responsibility for obtaining food, fighting wars, and settling land, from which we were exempt during the wanderings in the desert and throughout our current exile. In our time the 11 dots that we saw above these words on September 11 brings this concept from the Torah page crashing through our comfortable living rooms. We cannot be divorced from the community and 'add the watered to the thirsty' (see below) meaning furthering our lustful desires. If we continue in this way, ignoring the signs that shake the world, then we are responsible for the curses that will befall us. If however we join the community of Israel and return home we will be truly exalted, lofty and tall. , יד נב ירי הה הא הלה כהז האת- יח נו הה היה נב הש נמעו האת18 and it come to pass, when he heareth the words יכי-- ילי- נו יה נת הב ירך יב נל הבבו ילא המר השלום יי נה היהof this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, - האת,נל כמ כען נספות הה הר הוה : יא ילך,יב נש יררות יל יבי saying: 'I shall have peace, though I walk in the כה נצ ימ האה stubbornness of my heart—thereby adding the watered to the thirsty (Devarim 29:28) The 11 dots below not only spell out the collective responsibility that is active today. These dots also verify the truth of what Rabbi Kahane spoke about many years before. He spelled it out for us. He warned of a potential Holocaust and he pleaded for Jews to come home in his Zionist Emergency Rescue Operation (ZERO) tour and in his last speech in NYC he himself was murdered a few miles away from ground ZERO. 398
His name is hidden within that which is revealed, see below: עו הלם- כעד, = נו כה ינ נגלת הלנו ו נל הב ינינוbut the revealed things belong to us and our children forever = 954+22 letters +1 (kollel) = 977 =מאיר הדויד בן ני הח נז יקאל נש כר הגאMeir David Ben Yechezkel Shraga = 977 The ZEERO project was not the first time the Rabbi had urged emergency aliya. He spoke about it for many years. Here is an excerpt from one such occasion. In April, 1983, a grandiose event called the “Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors” in Washington D.C. was organized by the establishment Jewish groups. It was a huge affair in a giant hotel, a sort of reunion of Holocaust survivors, with booths spread out everywhere. Shifra Hoffman, a long time aid of the Rabbi, attended the event with her mobile “Museum of the Potential Holocaust Display”. The event organizer, a dour man named Spielman attempted to boot her out, but Shifra was persistent and manage to stand with her display in the doorway. That evening, the Rabbi called her: “Shifra, I'm coming to Washington to speak at the Holocaust Gathering”. “They're going to let you speak?” Shifra asked in great surprise. “I didn't say that; I just said that I'm going to speak”, the Rabbi answered. “But you have to get me into the hall,” He requested. Shifra herself had one foot out how could she get the Rabbi in? That night, she managed to convince a young girl to donate her name tag (she had a name that could also be interpreted as a man's name) to a very worthy cause. The next day the rabbi entered the Gathering. Spielman saw him and almost had a coronary. “Kahana what are you doing here?” “I came to speak”, the Rabbi answered. “Your not speaking here you weren't invited”. “Didn't you get my telegram?” - the Rabbi replied. The first scheduled discussion on the agenda was “Is Zionism Racism?” with a panel of leftists to discuss the issue. Rabbi Kahane strolled on to the stage and tapped the speaker on the shoulder. The speaker turned around. “Kahane what are you doing here!” “I'm going to speak”, the Rabbi answered and then pandemonium broke loose. Half said “let him speak” and half said “don't let him speak”. Finally it was decided to give him 3 minutes to speak. The Rabbi began: “Do you know why I'm here? Because,unfortunately you didn't learn the lesson from the first Holocaust, and therefore you don't understand the second one that's on its way...” In 3 minutes, the Rabbi said what most people need 3 hours to express. The moderator, with a thick European accent said “Rabbi your three minutes are up”. The Rabbi turned around and replied: “It's Jewish time”, and continued saying what he had to say as Shifra stood behind him exhibiting her mobile display. When he finished, the applause was overwhelming except for one woman who was still fuming that the Rabbi spoke uninvited. Noticing the number on her arm, Shifra said: “My dear woman what would you have done for a Rabbi Kahane during the time of the Holocaust?” (From the Wit and Wisdom of Rabbi Meir Kahane by Lenny Goldberg - p.213) 399
It wasn't easy for the Rabbi or his family to bear the great burden he undertook. During a particularly difficult time in an Israeli prison while sitting in solitary confinement for his activities on behalf of the Jewish people the rabbi almost broke. “Let someone else do this... I quit”, he thought to himself. At that moment, he pulled out his Tanach and inadvertently opened up to Jeremiah chapter 22 to the verse which says 'Then I said I will not make a mention of Him or speak anymore in His name but His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones and I'm weary with containing myself and I cannot'. The Rabbi trembled is he read these words in which Jeremiah described his own crisis in faith and overcoming it. The rabbi saw this is a sign from Heaven and it strengthened him. From that point on his faith in his mission never again wavered. (From the Wit and Wisdom of Rabbi Meir Kahane by Lenny Goldberg - p.140) We see this perseverance and self-sacrifice reflected in our Haftorah this week. ו נל כמ כען נירו הש כל ים ל הא, א נל כמ כען יציון ל הא הא בח השה1 For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her א שכ הנ ה יצדכ הק,ה יי יצ- כעד,הא נשקוט triumph go forth as brightness, and her salvation כג יוישו הע התה נכ כל יפיד as a torch that burneth. יי נב הער (Yishaiyahu 62:1) Hidden within this passage that speaks about the eternal passion for Israel and Jewish people we see the name of Rabbi Kahane and his epithet that can be seen pasted on walls all around the country. Read: Kahane Tzadek = Kahane was right The Four Flight Numbers The four flight numbers of the airlines that were hijacked and crashed into the Twin Towers, Pentagon and the one that crashed before reaching the White House have a most unusual pattern to them: American Airlines Flight 11 United Airlines Flight 93 = 9+3 = 12 United Airlines Flight 175 = 1+7+5 = 13 American Airlines Flight 77 = 7+7 = 14 Its quite unusual that the sixth aliyah in this weeks Parsha has only four lines. There are not many Parshas in the whole Torah that have only four lines. They are also in this sequence 11-14. 400
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