Kahane Codes - Bereshit Shmot

We Want Moshiach (Ben Yoseph) Now (Farbrengen 2017) Rav Halperin spoke at the farbrengen and postulated that the long saga of Parshas featuring Yoseph were needed to convince the brothers that there is a Rebbe. I made a l'chayim and said I would like to add something. When people say 'We want Moshiach Now', what do they mean? The simple meaning is Moshiach ben David. Moshiach ben Yoseph, although he paves the way for Moshiach ben David and one might say he is part of a unified process, he still has his own unique role in this process which is different from Moshiach ben David. The joy of having a child is preceded with pregnancy and the pain of birth.Without the first part there is no second part. I believe that the long saga of Parshas featuring Yoseph were not needed to convince the brothers that there is a Rebbe but there was a Moshiach ben Yoseph which leads to a Moshiach ben David. How is Moshiach ben Yoseph described? He recognizes his brothers but they do not recognize him. This is Moshiach ben Yoseph. He can be right in front of you but you do not recognize him. If you did, you may seek to kill him like Shimon, or you may be more like Reuvain and say 'Who lo Shelanu' (he is not one of us), but we don't need to kill him. You may tolerate him but still feel that he is a black sheep of the family. There is something very unique about Parsha Miketz in that it shares the same amount of pesukim as Parsha Bereshit. There are 146 verses in Bereshit and 146 verses in Miketz. It is as if to say the whole world was created for the sake of Parsha Miketz. How can this be? What is so special about this Parsha? We learn that the world was created for Hashem's first born His (B') 'Reshit'. These are the products of the heaven and the earth when they were created (‫ ) בהבראם‬on the day Hashem G-d made heaven and earth’(Bereshit 2:4) (Behabarum – alluding to 'for the sake of Avraham) Hashem proclaims that from Avraham will be a great Nation and those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. We see in Parsha Miketz that this proclamation is fulfilled as Pharoah blesses Yoseph and Egypt in turn is blessed. We see in Miketz a glimpse of that future world where Israel guides the world and the world is blessed by accepting the yoke of Israel. On the other hand within the family of Israel has there ever been any more confusion? As the Parsha comes to its suspenseful end the family is on the verge of destruction even as they are standing inches away from the Moshiach. Is this what Hashem created the world for; for Israel to be standing between the verge of destruction or the verge of redemption? The final question that closes the Parsha and leaves us waiting till the next week is the following. The brothers are free to return in peace. They simply need to hand over Binyamin. They need not feel guilty or responsible. After all Binyamin caused the situation himself. If he was framed well then maybe it was still coming to him from above. Maybe Rachels side of the family was not meant to be part of the tribes of Israel. Was all of Creation really made for Avraham and was the refinement of Abraham's family all leading to this final question? Did Hashem create the whole Universe just to put the Jewish people in this predicament? Was the final redemption built into the origins of Creation and set to be triggered by this very question? It appears so. There is a Yoseph in every generation that suffers to bring the essential Torah into the world and is persecuted for it. In the end he is recognized and accepted. Rambam was persecuted for his Torah as 201

were Chabbad chassidim denounced by Jews and imprisoned for spreading the Tanya. Who is Yoseph today and who is Binyamin? Binyamin I submit is the territory of Binyamin; Yehuda and Shomron where the Har Habayit also lies. We may try and divorce ourselves from the 'settlers' and say we are different we are not part of that enterprise. We are the sons of a different mother. We can deny our destiny in the face of our accuser and our redeemer as the brothers stood before Yoseph, or we can say we are one with them. We can say if there is no Yehuda and Shomron there is no Israel. If there is no Jerusalem and East Jerusalem and Temple there is no west Jerusalem. It is only when we embrace Binyamin and are willing to sacrifice for him; only then will Moshiach come. I visit Shifra Hoffman regulary and she sighs sometimes when she recalls how the Rabbi suffered. It hurt her to see such a dedicated and refined scholar being beaten and imprisoned constantly. 'I was born to suffer' he would reply to her. When there are roads in Israel called Meir Kahane Boulevard and we admit who Moshiach ben Yoseph was and what we did to him there will be Moshiach ben David, but not before. Without the Mishkan in Shiloh brought by Yehoshua from the tribe of Yoseph there would not be a Bet Hamidgash built by David. Without the brothers being unified to fight for Binyamin and recognizing the martyr who fought Binyamins battles alone against a sea of hatred there will be no Moshiach ben David. I also want 'Moshiach Now' that's why I want us to recognize Moshiach ben Yoseph now. Without this Moshiach won't be coming today. Speculation (2020) Earlier in this chapter I brought down what I read in the Artscroll Siddur regarding the amount of passages in this weeks Parsha as well as the letters which amount to 2025 (Ner =250 x 8 = 2000) plus 25 alluding to Chanuka the 25th of Kislev. I thought to myself, why on earth would the rabbis connect Parsha Bereshit and Parsha Miketz with identical gematrias. Why is this Parsha singled out as the only Parsha in our Torah that records not only words but also letters to arrive at this Chanuka gematria? I began thinking about what I wrote a few years ago around Shavuot regarding the Chofetz Chaim and his ominous predictions which proved to be prophetic and seem to be continuing to unfold. The Second World War which he accurately predicted brought unspeakable destruction to our people however it also gave birth to a new reality – the Nation State of Israel. He also predicted a 3rd terrible time of destruction beginning in the year 2020. What would be born at the end of this period, I wondered? Then it hit me. Now one is not supposed to speculate on Moshiach and future events, however it seem quite probable that this is the reason that Bereshit and Miketz have this unusual connection. What is the purpose of Creation? Is it not for Hashem to build his Temple and dwell here below among us. Is this not the goal of Creation which we pray for each day? So when will this occur? What is the date of this future Temple dedication? It appears to me that based on the Chofetz Chaim's prophecy, Hashem may have whispered the secret to us within the pages. It will be in this weeks Parsha and year will be 2025. 202

Kahane in the Parsha Vayigash 203

Vayigash “I am Joseph, Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him because they were left disconcerted before him. (Bereshit 45:3) Again we see the name Kahane comes back to haunt those who tried unsuccessfully to murder his Torah by killing him and his son. It will be his Torah that saves them in the end, despite their previous hatred and ban. ‫ מהעוד נא יבי‬,‫סף‬,‫לא נחיו נא יני יו ת‬- -‫לל‬-‫סתף א‬, ‫מר יו‬-‫יא ל‬,‫ ג ומ ם‬3 And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?' And his brethren could ‫לונ לא שכ נִה‬ ‫א נחיו מל נע‬-‫ ני קֹכלו ל‬-‫א‬,‫נחי; ֹקול ם‬ not answer him; for they were left disconcerted ‫י ינ ֹקב‬ ,‫תו‬ ‫ות‬ ‫ימ נפ נניו‬ at his presence. (Bereshit 45:3) They could not answer, because they saw their mistake, just as they will see the Torah of Rabbi Kahane return much greater than before, and not be able to answer. ‫;חאי‬ ,‫בקֹניי‬ ‫סף‬,‫יו ת‬-‫עוד‬ ‫מרב‬ ,‫אל‬,‫יי קֹש נר ת‬ ,‫מלר‬- ‫יםא‬, ‫ומ‬ ‫כח‬ 28 And Israel said: 'It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.' ‫כאה אהנ‬.‫לרם נאמות‬- ‫ט‬-‫ קֹב ל‬,‫ קֹר ו‬-‫ת קֹל ֹוקאל‬,‫א‬ (Bereshit 45:28) Kahane Chai – hidden with 'Od Yoseph Chai' of the past is 'Kahane Chai' of the present. You can outlaw truth, you can ban it and throw it into a pit and sell it for 20 shekels but in the end it can never be destroyed, only made greater. ,‫תסף‬, ‫יו‬-‫אלל‬- ,‫ ֹקיהו נדה נש מלח ֹקל נפ נניו‬-‫את‬-‫ כח ֹוק ל‬28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him unto Goshen; and they ‫לג רש אנה‬.‫לשן‬- ‫ג‬,‫ מא קֹר נצה ם‬,‫םבאו‬, ‫; מו ני‬ ,‫ֹקל נפ נניו‬ ‫רת‬,‫קֹלהו ם‬ came into the land of Goshen. (Bereshit 46:28) Nes gadol haya sham = goshna. This alludes to Chanuka. Just as Yoseph united the Jewish people together so will Chanuka bring a new light from the revolution in the hills into the light of our homes. The success of the battle that the Rav waged against so many enemies will be the light that we kindle in our homes inspired by his example. ‫לו‬-‫שר ני ֹקל נדה‬-‫ נא ל‬,‫לרץ ימ ֹקצ מר יים‬- ‫א‬-‫ ֹקב ל‬,‫תסף‬, ‫תלד ֹקליו‬, ‫ כ מו יי נו‬20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath the ‫לכ להן לא‬-‫את‬-‫ ל‬-- ‫אן‬,‫ם‬ ‫פ מרע‬-‫פו יטי ל‬-‫מבת‬ ,‫נא קֹסנמת‬ daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore unto him. .‫לפֹק נריים‬-‫א‬-‫לאת‬- ‫קֹו‬ ,‫ה‬-‫ֹמק מנ לש‬ Yoseph became two tribes; Ephraim and Mensahe and they they resolved the stigma between the tribes coming from both Leah and Rachel. Yoseph lived to 110 years of age. The Twin Towers were 110 stories high. Maybe there is an allusion to the twins of Esav and Yacov, as well as the two products of 204

Yopseph; Menashe and Ephraim. September 11 signaled the end of the galut and time for for us to unite, resolve our differences and return home. The Haftorah ‫תנהכלה נִא אנ‬, ‫ יה‬,‫ד י ֹקיה יוה‬,‫ נא ממר ם‬- ,‫להם‬- ‫ל‬,‫בר נא ת‬,‫יט מד ת‬ 19 say into them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in ,‫ קפֹ מר יים‬-‫ לא‬-‫לשר ֹקב מיד‬- ‫סף נא‬,‫תעץ יו ת‬, -‫את‬-‫ק מח ל‬,‫נא יני ל ת‬ the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his -‫לאת‬- ‫ב נרו; ֹקו ננ מת יתי או נתם נע נליו‬,‫תאל נח ת‬, ‫תטי יי ֹקש נר‬, ‫ֹקו יש קֹב‬ companions; and I will put them unto him ,‫לא נחד‬- ‫ קֹו נהיו‬,‫לחנד‬-‫עץ א‬,‫ מו נע ישי יתם קֹל ת‬,‫עץ קֹיהו נדה‬,‫ ת‬together with the stick of Judah, and make them .‫ קֹב נידיי‬one stick, and they shall be one in My hand. (Yechezkel 37:19) Kahane the hidden Yoseph of today. No one managed to bring the Jewish people together from the many segments of our society as did Rav Kahane. He had followers from Charedi to Nationalist to Secular Jews all united to further the cause of Jewish survival both physical and spiritual. In addition the State of Judea which he envisioned may be the catalyst that rectifies and unifies the divisions between the various tribes of Israel. ‫דתשכש ִנאנש ה‬, ‫ מקֹ מק‬,‫נוה‬ ,‫ מהגו יים‬,‫כח קֹו ני קֹדעו‬ 28 And the nations shall know that I am the ‫ יב קֹהיות‬--‫תאל‬, ‫ יי ֹקש נר‬-‫לאת‬- LORD that sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary .‫ קֹלעו נלם‬,‫ֹקבתו נכם‬ shall be in the midst of them for ever.' ‫י י קֹי‬ ‫ימ ֹקק נד ישי‬ (Yechezkel 37:28) The Nations will know, because just as they knew when Kahane was alive and he sanctified Hashem, they will know when he returns. His Torah was the authentic one, and the Nations will accept it and so will Israel and then there will be Moshicah and justice and peace. Vayigash 2006 The Midrash tells us that when Israel saw Yoseph they embraced and Israel said the Shma 'Shma Israel Hashem Elokenu Hashem Ehad'. Who more than Yisrael saw the unity of Hashem when he saw the dead come back to life? My friend Yehuda writes in his online Parsha ...Only by arriving at the awareness of \"One\" – the intrinsic unity and collective destiny of Am Yisrael – will Jews be able to break free from their psychological prisons of egoism and recognize G-D's unity in history and Creation. And once the Hebrew Nation is free, we can focus on living up to our national destiny as a Kingdom of Priests and holy Nation that will shine the light of Torah to mankind. The Gaon of Vilna was agitated by the possibility of Jews suffering greatly during the time of Redemption due to our remaining in the exile of our own free will. In the first chapter of Kol 205

HaTor, his teachings on Mashiach ben Yosef and the Redemption process, there is mention of refugees. \"Refugees in Zion. The fifth principle is that `for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape… and among the remnant, those whom the L-rd will call.' (YOEL 3:5) Since according to Midrash Tanchuma, Zion is in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef, whatever befell Yosef, befell Zion. The Gaon said that this is hinted at also in the word `among the remnant' which in numerical values equals `Mashiach ben Yosef'' (566), means of whom, according to the Gaon, the ingathering of the exiles will be accomplished. As the number of ingathered increases, so the Sitra Achra (evil forces) will increase its strength. Then another prosecutor will be added, against those who do not strengthen the ingathering of exiles after the beginning of the Redemption has started with the ingathering, for then in `Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape… and among the remnant...' A word to the wise is sufficient. This distressed the Gaon a great deal.\" Mashiach ben Yosef (566) Meir and Binyamin Kahane (566) ‫ = מאיר כהנא‬Meir Kahane = …....327 ‫ = בנימין כהנא‬Binyamin Khane = 238 565 + 1 (kollel) = 566 Was there any leader more than Rabbi Kahane that urged Jews to return home? Eleven years before September 11 he was gunned down in New York during his last speech. He called his speaking tour Project ZEERO (Zionist Emergency Rescue Operation). While the majority of Jews in the exile felt quite comfortable (and still do) the Rabbi felt the urgency for immediate aliya. He warned of disasters approaching long before they began to strike. Ironically he was the first victim of Al Keida. If the law enforcement agencies at the time had done a proper job and investigated his assassin they would have discovered the links to Al Keida and would have prevented the September 11 tragedy. In the year 2012 twenty two years later the words 'Od Yoseph Chai' may yet be heard again. It was twenty two years that Yacov waited for Yoseph and mourned his disappearance. This seems to be alluded to in 'Od Yoseph Chai'. Od Yoseph Chai and Kahane Chai ‫;חאי‬ ,‫בקֹניי‬ ‫סף‬,‫יו ת‬-‫עוד‬ ‫מרב‬ ,‫אל‬,‫יי קֹש נר ת‬ ,‫ר‬-‫א למ‬,‫מוים‬ ‫כח‬ 28 And Israel said: 'It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.' ‫אכה אהנ‬.‫רם נאמות‬-‫ט ל‬-‫ קֹב ל‬,‫ ֹקר ו‬-‫את קֹל ֹוק לא‬, (Bereshit 45:28) 206

Vayigash 2009 The External and Internal Yoseph I often wondered why the ultimate Moshiach story and example for all future generations takes place in the exile. An idea came to me this week that seems to make sense. The story of Yoseph is the story of the tikkun or correction of Am Israel. When this tikkun takes place it will affect the whole world and bring about the ultimate times of Moshiach and harmony in the world. The times leading up to it, like our Parsha are very dramatic and the whole world seems to be falling apart until the very last moment. As it was written so I believe will it be played out in the present. The times are very close and the seeds are sprouting and about to give birth. The tikkun is two fold for there are two Yosephs; this tikkun has two faces. There is the external Yoseph and the internal Yoseph. The tikkun of the external Yoseph is the tikkun of the orthodox world and the Nation of Israel. In this tikkun Yehuda represents the orthodox world and Yoseph the State of Israel. Yoseph asks ' Are you truly concerned about Israel our father? You who threw me into the pit and caused him so much suffering. Why did you ban me? Because of your ban millions died when Israel was forbidden to them. The internal Yoseph is the tikkun within the State of Israel where Yoseph is represented by the inspiration for the settlement movement and ultimately the State of Judea. Yoseph admonishes again. 'You claim to love your father Israel? Why then did you cause Him to mourn when you expelled his children in Gush Katif and dug up the graves of the heroes who defended our Land. How did you persecute Rabbi Kahane and his son and you claim now that you are being persecuted unfairly?' Both segments will be shocked and unable to answer. Am I really the one who held you back? Its your own ideas that brought suffering to our father. Both of these corrections are taking place at the same time and as they evolve from outside and from inside a new world is developing that will pave the way for the Kingdom of Israel. The center of the drama in our Parsha focuses on Binyamin and the center of the focus of our modern day drama takes place in much of the territory of Binyamin – Yesha; Yehuda and Shomron. Now let me explain in more detail. The External Yoseph: Today, the Messianic times have begun and many still call it the exile. Israel exists but for many it does not exist. To them not only is it not part of the Moshiach process but in fact it is detrimental. To some in the Charedi world Israel is like the hated brother Yoseph who resembled cousin Esav and for that reason was banned from the holy family. He was accused of being dangerous for the future of Am Israel and for this reason he was banned and it was forbidden to be associated with him. Before the Shoa many rebbes forbid their congregants to go to Zionist Israel for fear of losing their Jewish soul. How many souls were condemned to death when they could have been encouraged to be part of the process of redemption and add to the soul of this new Nation. Was it really adherence to Hashem’s Torah that forbid them or was there also jealousy as they watched the land becoming green and the sacrifice of these Jews who like Bar Kochba found their long lost courage and brought back the Isralite might of the past. In the not so distant future as their religious brothers in Yehuda and Shomron are increasingly 207

becoming persecuted the Charedi world must ask themselves are we now prepared to sacrifice for Israel? These Jews are Torah observant Jews who live in the Land of Israel. The only difference between them is the size of their kippa and the fur on their hat, but they both study Torah and keep the Halacha. If the Charedim are against the State of Israel can they also be against the State of Judea? The truth will come out as the State of Judea is formed. The blood on the hands of those who forbid escape and then say there is no answer to the Holocaust will be put to the test. Will they encourage their followers to come to the aid of their Torah observant brothers in Judea? Will Yehuda stake his eternal reward for the protection Binyamin? In our day will he come to the support of his observant brothers in the territory of Binyamin? This is the external tension between Yehuda and Yoseph that began at the turn of the century and will be resolved soon as the new days begins to dawn. This time Hashem Himself will place the gold chalice in Binyamins bag and create signs and wonders that will help us see our mistakes. The Internal Yoseph – The internal Yoseph is Meir Kahane who’s actions took on historic significance in his lifetime and even greater significance as time goes on. As I have written elsewhere there were many examples of this. As the Rav stood up to speak in the Knesset many walked out in protest. At the same time in the UN when Israel spoke (measure for measure) many walked out in protest. The Rav was the father of Jewish activism and inspired settlements and pro-settlement protest. Long before the Gush Katif expulsion the Rav was carried out in the same fashion from Yamit. Today the Rav’s words are echoed by new army cadets who proclaim they love their country but will not obey orders that go against Halacha. They will not dismantle settlements. Just as the Rav was beaten and jailed so is the new generation that follows in his footsteps. They protest against authority that beats them because they follow a higher authority. They will not go quietly to their graves nor sell out their brothers. The Rav used many vehicles to get the message across, from militancy to Democracy. When he became too popular the government that masquerades as a Democracy banned him. It was at this point that he held the 1st conference of the State of Judea and had passports made up. The actions of this great shepherd of the Jewish people foreshadow future events. When the tension rises between the popularity of the settlers and the crumbling feudal system called Democracy there will be more banning and from this tension will arise the alternative State of Judea. The Internal Yoseph is a battle between two opposing forces within the State that have been at odds from the inception; the militant Irgun and the appeasement forces of the Haganah. The Haganah won the battle by killing their fellow Jews at Altalena. Even at a time when Israel desperately needed to be united as it faced so many enemies, still there was a struggle for who would lead. This struggle led to the murder of forces bringing much needed ammunition to help the Isralei war effort. Today these opposing forces of conquering Israel and disengaging from it continue to escalate. In the end is a battle of power and who will lead. Like our Parsha the end of days will be a confrontation of two great leaders;Yoseph and Yehuda. Who will go 1st? The original split of our Nation came from Jeroboam the son of Nebat who left Jerusalem and took the 10 tribes with him. They say that Jeroboam was also a big Tzaddik and did teshuva in the end. There is a Midrash that says Hashem said that Jeroboam would accompany David Hamelech in Gan Eden and Jeroboam asked who will go 1st ? Hashem answered David, and Jeroboam answered 'No I don’t want it.' When Israel is not fulfilling its task other Nations take up the mantle and act as the chosen ones. When we do not conquer we are conquered by a non-people and a non-god. When we do not learn the lessons of the Shoa, then people begin to say it didn’t happen. The forming of the State of Judea will be the 208

backdrop where the sins of the past will become rectified and the world along with it. The haftorah explains what I wrote above in a few sentences. ‫םב‬,‫ וכקֹת‬,‫לא נחד‬- ‫תעץ‬, ‫ ֹקלך‬-‫ מקח‬,‫ נא נדם‬-‫לבן‬- ‫ טז ֹקו מא נתה‬16 'And thou, son of man, take one wooden tablet, ‫תעץ‬, ,‫תב נרו; ו קֹל מקח‬, ‫אל נח‬,‫ני יי ֹקש נר ת‬,‫ ֹקו יל ֹקב ת‬,‫ נע נליו יליהו נדה‬and write upon it: For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions; then take another -‫ֹוקכנל‬ ,‫א קֹפ מר יים‬-‫ל‬ ‫תעץ‬, ‫תסף‬, ‫ ו ֹקכתוב נע נליו קֹליו‬,‫אלחנד‬- wooden tablet, and write upon it: For Joseph, the .‫תב נרו‬, ‫אל נח‬,‫בית יי קֹש נר ת‬,‫ת‬ stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel his companions; ‫תעץ‬, ‫ ֹקל‬--‫ קֹלך‬,‫לא נחד‬- -‫לאל‬- ‫א נחד‬-‫א נתם ל‬,‫ יז ֹקו נק מרב ם‬17 and join them for thee one to another into one .‫ך‬-‫ קֹב נידל‬,‫ל נחד; ֹקו נהיו מל נא נח ידים‬-‫ א‬stick, that they may become one in thy hand. Religious = Children without a house Nationalists = Those who have a house – The State of Israel Notice that it says Yehuda and Israel and then Yoseph and Israel. Both sides have the spark of Israel and the flame of Yoseph. As I wrote above there is an external and internal Yoseph. In a way you could say the Yehuda inside of Israel and the Israel inside of Yehuda; the Israel emerging from the religious Yehuda and banned for being un-Jewish and the State of Israel emerging inside of Israel that seeks the Torah. Why a wooden tablet? A tablet signifies the laws written in stone, while wood is something alive. This is the heart of the matter. To the Charedi world the Torah is written in stone. They do not see that it is alive and in front of them to rush and reclaim. They are blind to the greatest miracle and act of love that we have awaited for centuries – the return to our homeland. They see stone but soon it will become alive like wood and it will be a living Torah. In Israel they see the religion itself as stone. They are the new Israel and religion is not taken that seriously. When the spiritual revolution begins to threaten their power and they see that it is this spirit that they lack and need in order to survive, then the stone will become wood to them as well. Soon the Torah will become alive again and we will write its pages hopefully in tears of joy. The Second Geula In the morning Yoseph was in prison in the lowest place on earth completely destitute, isolated and alone. In the afternoon he became the King of all Egypt. The Geula of Yoseph was rushed into place two years from the day he interpreted the bakers dream. Can a redemption be any quicker than that of Yosephs twenty four hour transition? The answer is yes. The revelation of Yoseph to his brothers took only five minutes. The second Geula of the State of Judea will happen much quicker than the establishment of Modern day Israel that was formed overnight. I believe that even if it comes into being as a second Jewish State it will only be a temporary measure that will unite our people. Afterward it will be like the twin cities of Minneapolis and St Paul in the USA. We see now that as our cousins insist on East Jerusalem being the capitol of their imaginary Palestine, what they are really building unbeknownst to themselves is the twin city of two Nations that are really one Nation. They are preparing the home of our future Kings in the land of Judea. On that day we will have a new heart as we embrace our abandoned brother and our family is once again united. 209

Vayigash 2011 The Rav wrote a fabulous essay years ago called ‘Ban Chanuka’. He pointed out the irony of all the assimilated households gathering together to light the candles of a holiday that commemorates religious extremism. If they knew what they were celebrating they would ban Chanuka immediately. Typically each week, one sees the Parsha and the Jewish holiday calendar reflected in world events. In this Chanuka ‘time of extremism’ we see extremist elements breaking out from all sides. On one side the young macabee ‘hilltop youth’ who defy the authorites and sabatoge the vehicles planned to be used to destroy more settlements. The extreme reaction on the left hand side that live ammunition should be used against Jewish protesters. At the same time a few zealous Charedi people hurled insults at religious Zionist girls on their way to school in Bet Shemesh because their modest attire did not meet the Charedi standard. All the media is now over reacting and talking about ‘womans’ rights’ and their hatred for Charedi segregationism. One of the Charedi leaders came back and said it is forbidden for Charedi people to integrate into the work force and be involved in the army, even with government programs that encourage this. According to this leader these programs will contaminate the pure vile of oil that the Charedi camp represents. What is the common denominator in these extreme elements going head to head? What was formerly divided and entrenched is now going through changes, mostly positive I think. The extreme left knows that their days are numbered, because more and more religious Zionists are taking positions of leadership in government as well as in media outlets and within the judiciary. They scream and yell in their last attempt to touch our Achilles heel by claiming women are oppressed, or the Charedi are taking over the country, or are leeches telling us how to behave, or we must destroy the hilltop youth anarchists who refuse to obey the rule of law which legally determines that they must be raped and pillaged. In addition the overreaction to some religious soldiers who dismissed themselves from ceremonies with women singing has become ridiculous. Demands for religious coercion and banning of religious soldiers rights are heard along with protest for womens rights. On the Charedi side, one of leaders came out condemning the attempt to integrate religious people into the Israeli society and army saying that it would tarnish them. There is an amazing Midrash that explains one of the incidents that sparked the Macabee revolution. Each Jewish virgin by law had to have relations with the Greek overseer before she was given to her husband. The sister of Yehuda Hamacabbi at her wedding ceremony took off her clothes. All the people screamed in rage and threatened to kill her. She replied ‘ Now suddenly you are zealous! The enemies of Israel rape us each day and you do nothing but now you want to show your manhood by killing a defenseless and naked Jewish woman. You should be ashamed. Why don’t you be men and attack the real enemy!’ And this is how the revolution began. Why in this time of Chanuka are extremists battling other extremists especially in this year which is almost the beginning of 2012? The truth is that the extremists are screaming because the country is becoming more unified. The majority of this Zionist Nation has always been and is increasingly becoming ‘religious’ Zionist. Torah law and tradition is becoming more and more the fabric not only of society but government. Charedi men are joining the army and regular army soldiers are not adverse to a Torah lecture when a Rabbi visits. Women are completely integrated in society and the army and there are many very successful CEO’s that are woman. 210

It is only those with a particular agenda who refuse to take a public bus and prefer to create a scene on a private Charedi line so that they will get headlines. The leftist elite that has always controlled the Media and the judiciary is being slowly outnumbered by patriotic voices that challenge their minority rule. The various Charedi camps that were extremely anti-Zionist and lived behind walls in their various shtetels finds more of its members taking an active role in the re-birth of Israel. The divisions that saw their extremities between Yoseph and Shimon and Levi are now being unified through a common denominator called Binyamin. It is here in the land of Binyamin where the greatest tikkun is taking place. The people of Yesha are by far the most patriotic and loyal citizens who per capita have the most people in elite units in the army. Their contribution and dedication to building and defending Israel is recognized and respected by the other tribes. The Torah of Rav Kahane is not banned in Yesha. Many people who live there were inspired by him and Rav Kook. Binyamin and what he represents is the candles of Chanuka that are increasing each day and unifying the menorah from both extremes as one light with eight channels. Vayigash 2011 The death of Rav Meir and Rav Binyamin it seems were an unfortunate pre-condition towards the Moshiach. It didn’t have to be this way. In a similar vein the Israelites could also have entered Israel in seven days rather than forty years. It was a choice we made. In the Sephardi siddur there is a daily prayer for the salvation of Moshiach ben Yoseph; a hope that he should not meet this fate. The Rav himself very often spoke about geula coming quickly with glory or ‘in its time’ with suffering. To understand more on this topic I have quoted a few passages from the Shla in his commentary on Vayigash. ‘Just as the kingdom of Joseph had to precede the kingdom of Yehuda, so the Tabernacle in Shiloh, in Joseph’s territory, had to precede the Temple in Jerusalem. Even though the Tabernacle in Shiloh was destroyed, it’s very existence paved the way for the permanent Temple. It had been the ‘pipeline’ that led to the permanent Temple. Once the sanctitiy of the Tabernacle at Shiloh had been transferred to the Temple in Jerusalem, it remained there permanently. Joseph in his capacity of the Tzadik who is the pillar of the world, had still been the pipeline that had made possible the Presence of the sanctity on earth as manifest in the holy Temple.’1 ‘The re-instatement of the dynasty of David will be preceded by the Kingdom of Joseph, since the Moshiach ben Yoseph will precede the arrival of Moshiach ben David. After the arrival of Moshicah ben David the damage caused by the house of Joseph ever since the splitting of the Kingdom of David (Rechavam) under Yerovam will be repaired. The Moshiach ben Yoseph, when he comes, does not come in order to establish his own dynasty, rather he comes to help re- establish the Davidic dynasty. He will even sacrifice his life in order to accomplish this. His blood will atone for the sins of the Jewish people. This atonement will take the form of the Davidic dynasty being restored to the Jewish people as an everlasting kingdom.’2 ‘Joseph said three separate times “God has sent me before you.” The first time he referred to the literal meaning of “God sent me ahead to provide sustenance (45,5).” When Joseph mentioned 211

a second time that God had sent him ahead in 45,7, he phrased it thus: “To provide refuge for you in the land, and to keep you alive for a great rescue”. At first glance these words seem totally superfluous; ‘refuge’ refers to something insignificant, wheras ‘great rescue’ alludes to something major. Actually Joseph alluded to two separate missions that had been entrusted with in order to establish the kingdom of Yehuda. In this world i.e. the Exodus from Egypt, whereas the more important mission was that he would prepare the ground for the Messianic kingdom of David, i.e. play the role of the Moshiach ben Yoseph. He explained that the Moshiach ben Yoseph would be slain as a martyr on behalf of the people of Israel, and that following his death the enduring kingdom of David-messiah would arise. When that would occur, Joseph’s blood would be avenged. Reuben had already hinted at this development when he told his brothers (42,22) that Joseph’s blood was being demanded from them.'3 Rabbi Kahane broke through barriers and set precedents that were not set before. He was a living example for us of what is demanded from each and every one of us, and to what extent we could succeed. If one man could bring down Empires and governments then certainly if we all had a little Kahane flowing through our veins Moshiach would already be here. Today the Rav’s ideas, his very life, as well as Binyamin and his elucidations of his fathers Torah, continue to inspire and motivate. The Nation is slowly tranforming from these deep roots to the finest fruits of the tree. The process will not be complete however, until as a Nation we stand behind the people of Binyamin who are the people of Yesha as well as the Temple which stands on Binyamin and Yehuda’s shared territory. The blood that was spilled must be avenged and the best tikkun is for that blood to flow through our veins as well. It did not have to be, but now that it has we must understand that this destruction was for the sake of building. The building will not be complete until we recognize who was the architect. ‫אשהאבהן‬,‫ קֹלר ם‬,‫ נה ֹקי נתה‬--‫ נמ נאסו מהבו ינים‬, ‫כב‬ 22 The stone the builders despised has become the ‫ יפ ננה‬. corner-stone. The Stone ‘Even’ read: Av ve Ben (father and son). Hallel 212

Hey Tevet and Binyamin Kahane Chabbad Chassidim celebrate Hey Tevet because there was a legal case that was solved on this day. A family member of the Lubavitch Rebbe took possession of the Rebbe’s library, as he believed he was entitled to it as an inheritance. He refused to go to a Jewish court and so the matter went before a non- Jewish court. Normally according to the law the one who had legal inheritance would be able to take possession of the library. The Rebbe spoke to the judge and there was a surprise verdict. A precedent was broken. It was determined in this particular case that the library belonged to a ‘movement’ and was not the property of an individual. It was a victory for Chassidut. On Hey Tevet we also lost Binyamin Kahane. Is there a connection? Binyamin was not a follower of the Rebbe, nor was his father, however if the Torah of Rav Kahane connects to all of the Jewish people, then it must also connect to Chabad. Binyamin continued his fathers work and he toiled through harassment and imprisonment to continue writing and distributing the Darke Torah (insights into the Parsha of the Week). He expanded and related his fathers explanations and insights into the Torah each week. As we will explain in the book of Shmot, the staff of Moshe alludes to the Torah of Moshe. His Torah was different from all others for on one hand it looked like all others; a staff that one leans on, but on the other hand it could turn into a snake that frightened everyone. It was alive. The brothers of Yoseph did not recognize him because in their eyes he was dead. He was no longer relevant. He was a private story of a private family that caused problems many years ago and were no longer relevant. All of a sudden before their eyes they realized that it was his very Torah that was in power and they were at his mercy. This is indeed what will happen in the very near future. Just as the ancient library of Chabbad was ratified by the non-Jewish government to remain in the hands of those to whom they belonged, so will the ancient books of the Torah be ratified by the world, followed by the sages to be the authentic Torah as written by Rav Kahane. This does not mean that the many other facets of Torah are not integral rather they were not relevant ‘politically’. Just as many great scholars banned the Rav and his Torah from their holy abodes because it was ‘politics’ and not ‘Torah’. In the end we will see that this ‘politics’ will have changed the systems of power and will have been the relevant factor in bringing about the ‘Religious Nation’ that we were intended to be. It will not be a nation where everone wears the same black coat, but it will be a Nation that has meaning, purpose, and faith. The Rav attracted Jewish people from all different streams, just as Moshe Feiglin’s party does today which is strongly connected to Rav Kahane. It still may seem a stretch to connect Chabbad with Rav Kahane, but as I mentioned on the very first page of this book. If your Torah has not been banned, it’s not worth reading. At one time, Chabbad was also banned and persecuted. This is an indication that they too had a special light to bring into the world. The Kingdom of Yoseph will meet the Kingdom of Yehuda. Yoseph will change the rules of the game and Yehuda will accept this new reality and build upon it. 213

On Isolation and Victory I had two unrelated questions on the Parsha this week. After contemplating them it appeared to me that they are actually related and shed light on each other. One question is the following: If Vayigash symbolizes the concept of Moshiach and the instant rectification that takes place when our eyes are suddenly opened, then why didn't the story take place in Israel? Why does this rectification come about in the exile? The other question I had was, why did the brothers say previously that Yoseph was missing, and in todays Parsha they say Yoseph is dead? After some thought it seemed to me that there is a deep relation between these two questions. As we have discussed the animosity today, between the Charedi and the secular world, although very bitter in the earlier part of of the century, has become less so as we have integrated in Israel over the years. There is a growing middle ground that finds Charedi soldiers in the army, and secular soldiers in yeshiva. At one point Yoseph was 'aneinu', he was lost or missing; not one of 'us'. When does Yoseph switch from being 'missing' to being considered 'dead'? Today as Israel becomes increasingly isolated and the whole world unified by forces of darkness to eliminate Israel, there is only one solution; Binyamin. As Israel says, as he is left completely alone without his sons, 'if I lose him, I lose him'; but this is the only chance; this is the only hope. As pressure in the world builds for us to tear Binyamin from his fathers heart today and build a Palestine in its place it will create a catalyst that will unite the tribes of Israel to reconquer the Land; but this time it will be conquered for a 'unified' purpose. The reconquering of Binyamin will not be to build a nation like all other nations, as Israel was, but quite the opposite. It will be a declaration that we are not like other Nations, and that we are fulfilling the will of our Father in Heaven by settling this Land and (by opposing the will of nations to obey the will of God) we will make His Name great as we did in Chanuka. The ruse of Yoseph alludes to the ruse of the State of Israel today. Everyone suspects that although we pay lip service to a two state solution its not really what is in our hearts. We don't really want to tear Binyamin from his fathers heart. In the end we will stand alone and declare our bond and our allegiance to our brother and family and God. The whole world will be represented in this final battle over Binyamin and little Israel will be victorious. As the rules of war go, the winner owns the spoils, and therefore the world will be at the mercy of Israel as they were when Avraham alone battled the mighty kings of the world and saved Sodom. As Yoseph acquired Egypt, Israel will acquire the world that will will bless us and pledge their allegiance to us for saving them from death and famine that they were unable to foresee or defeat. The evil that comes against Israel will cause us to unite and despite our differences Binyamin and Yesha will be called brothers and we will fight for them. It is this that will cause our success and result in the conquest not only of Binyamin but the world. It is fitting then when faced with the death of Israel, when Yoseph who was not 'one of us' becomes Yoseph my brother who is threatened with destruction, that we see the only impediment of bringing about Moshiash was our internal divisions. When we are united in the struggle for Binyamin, it will be clear that our Moshiach, is not only the king of Israel but the king of the world. Nations will come and pay tribute to Israel for the blessing and salvation that Israel brought. Pharaoh acquired Egypt for the fifth, but by the hand of Yoseph. It is Yoseph who acquired Pharoah, and thereby the world. 'For [God ]has made me father to Pharoah. ' (Beereshit 45:8) Moshiach will be declared in the exile in a similar way that Esav announced the name Israel, but this time willingly. 214

Geula Instantly (said at a farbrengen 2015) The story of Yoseph holds within it the greatest secrets of all time. The whole process of redemption and the quintessential example of Moshiach is understood through this story. We learn about the process leading up to Moshiach as well as the revelation itself which in our story has two time frames. The first time frame is approximately 24 hours from the time that Yoseph was in the dungeons of Egypt to the time he became the Prime Minister of Egypt. The second time frame was about 10 seconds when Yoseph said 'Ani Yoseph, I am Yoseph, is my father still alive?' I had two questions about the Parsha and two possible answers, the second answer being a little deeper than the first one. The first question is why does the Torah give us the example of Moshiach in the Galut and not in Israel? The second question is why do the brothers say in Parsha Miketz our brother is missing (anenu), but here as they stand seconds before the revelation they describe him as being completely torn apart by wild beasts. It seems that at this point only seconds before the ultimate revelation Yoseph was completely non-existent even as he stood right in front of them. The first question of location I believe can be understood in the same way that we understand that the name Israel itself was a name that was first given to us by the angel of Esav and then later confirmed by Hashem. The beginning of the age of Moshiach that we are living in today had many battles that preceded it however within 24 hours it was revealed. That first 24 hour period happened in 1948 when the angels of Esav counted their votes. In 1948 a prophecy became a reality within about the same time frame that Yoseph went from the dungeon to the Prime Minister of Egypt. The internal battles between the Palmach and the Irgun, the Arabs and the British that led up to this historic event culminated in a new reality that suddenly emerged officially within this 24 hour time frame. What preceded this new revelation were bitter battles between the majority of Jews which supported the Palmach and a minority that were the despised brother called the Irgun. Just as Yoseph recognized his brothers and loved them despite their cruelty towards him, the brothers did not recognize him and his way was not relevant to their vision of co-existence and appeasement. It mattered little that the Irgun were the relevant factor that chased the British from Israel, they were still considered the black sheep of the family. The Future in Reverse Before I discuss the second revelation of 10 seconds let me digress a minute. It seems to me that the future happens in reverse order. There is an allusion to this in the monthly prayer of the moon which has passages that are read backwards. There is also a concept of Yacov being the first born however he came out in reverse order. The first to be exiled were the ten tribes and only later were Yehuda and Binyamin also exiled. Today we see the return in reverse order. We see the return of the Jewish people from every type of tribe imaginable however have yet to see the kingdom of Yehuda restored. It seems that the concept of the in-gathering of the lost tribes has occurred, and now we are waiting for the great kingdom of Yehuda to return. Of course the Jewish people are made up of all the tribes of Israel however with all of the great achievements Israel has made our leaders are Prime Ministers and not Kings. As we approach the second 10 second revelation in this age of Moshiach the same internal battles are occurring. That which will save not only Binyamin, but the whole family and destiny of the Jewish 215

people hinges on something that is despised and completely irrelevant, yet it stands in front of them and they cannot see it. The despised brother that reluctantly brought them Israel is the only one that can save them today while they continue to do everything they can to destroy him. The essential motif of these Parshiot is a simple word that we have discussed 'HaKerna' (do you recognize?). In 1948 Israel was 'recognized' as what it is today. There was 'recognition' in the world for the nation of Israel. Today the new wave of antisemitism has to do with delegitimizing Israel and not 'recognizing' this entity. The greatest hatred is focused on the territory of Binyamin. It is Binyamin most of all that is despised and must be defended now by Yehuda. The current boycott and labeling of products from the territory of Yesha (much of Binyamin's territory), as 'settlement produce' is being fought by the Israeli government. As in our story Yehuda is now the guardian of Binyamin for the fate of the future of Israel hinges on this younger half-brother. If he is allowed to be labeled then we all will eventually be labeled. And of course as the situation grows worse and all of Israel is labeled it is precisely Binyamin who holds the solution for us. There is only a small problem. The soldiers of Binyamin are being persecuted and disappearing in administrative detention. Binyamins way, like the Irgun is despised and feared because his way will anger the Gentiles who are already losing their 'recognition' for us. The second 10 second revelation will come only when the Torah of Rav Kahane which has inspired much of the settlement movement will be 'recognized' as the viable option which essentially is the Torah option that Yehoshua offered when he conquered the Land of Israel. Those three options were, relocation, peace only with pledging allegiance to Israel, or war. The final revelation of Moshiach must come from Yehuda either allowing or empowering the new State of Judea, or inviting the shepherd kings of Judea to govern the Land of Israel. As Israel increasingly becomes delegitimized only the most legitimate will rise to the top to defend and destroy our accusers once and for all. As it says in our Haftorah: I shall make them into a single nation in the land upon Israel's hills and a single king shall be for them all as a king; and they shall no longer be two nations, no longer divided into two kingdoms again. (Yechezkel 37:22) From the 'hilltop' youth that today linger in prison will come the salvation that Yehuda will claim as as his own. In the same way Israel claimed victory in 1948 and the Irgun joined forces, preferring peace between brothers than ideological differences. This next battle will be a more internal one and will cause us to search our past and reconcile our ideological differences. Will it be a State or Province of Judea that will liberate Israel from the internal enemies within and without? Or will Israel come to the aid of Binyamin and in doing so realize that he is now acting like Yoseph? What will be that second revelation that lasts only 10 seconds? Will it be an Atom bomb from Iran? I think it will be a few sentences that will be pronounced when the first King of modern day Israel is anointed. United Chasidim As I said earlier there is a second answer to my questions regarding Yoseph and this second answer is a little deeper. You may think I am discussing politics but I am not. I am discussing Chassidut. When you effect something internally it has much greater results externally. Chabbad chassidim understand that the Torah they study and brings them life, was once in prison and banned. A chassid understands that his Torah was banned precisely because it was the cure for that generation. That remedy continues to cure souls today. Today however the Tanya is not banned in fact it is welcomed in most places. There is a new disease and a new cure coming from the same Torah and a new ban. 216

You who understand the suffering that Rebbes went through in order to bring this light into the world should feel the pain of other chassids who sit in jail today because of their chassidut. They may not have the same Rebbe but they have the same love of Israel, a great love of the Land and of Hashem and His Torah. The silence and lack of protest from our Nation is deafening regarding these young boys thrown into administrative detention without any communication or lawyers or due process of law. The hatred and fear of this Chassidut seems to be shared by the indifference of the masses who don't seem to care whether these boys are innocent or not. The beginning of redemption will occur when Chassids like yourselves begin to feel a little of the pain that they feel right now. When the Chassidim of Yehuda begin the feel the pain of the Chassidim of Yoseph this will open the hearts of all Israel. When this occurs then together we will save not only Israel but the entire world from a disease they have no control over. Together we have the cure just as as Yoseph who fed all of Egypt and saved them from a great plague. The result will be that not only will we be 'recognized' but the world will pledge allegiance to Israel for saving them. As one fifth belonged to Pharoah through Yoseph so will the world be acquired by Israel and truma will be sent each year to our liberated Temple. The Despised Saviour (2018) said at Farbrengen (Rabbi Butman asked me to drive him home on his wheelchair. 'Before I take Rabbi Butman home let me say a few words.') This period of time; these parshas about Yoseph is a sad period of time for me. There are those who say we want Moshiach now; it's very easy to say. I always say I want Moshiach Ben-Yoseph now which is a bit harder to say and I'll explain why. Although there is an allusion to Moshiach Ben-David in this week's Parsha the last number of weeks we have been talking about Yoseph and indeed it is Yoseph that is the Paradigm of Moshiach because if there's no Moshiach Ben Yoseph there's no Moshiach Ben David. As much as you want Moshiach now, he won't come unless there's a Moshiach Ben Yoseph first. What is the job of Moshiach ben Yoseph? According to the Gra he establishes the Kingdom of Israel. He fights the battles of Israel and he sets the stage so that Moshiach Ben David can rule and perfect our nation spiritually. One of the definitions of Moshiach Ben-Yoseph is that 'he recognizes his brothers but his brothers do not recognize him.' His main adversary is the Erev Rav who seek to destroy him. If they succeed, Geula will still come but 'in its time' after a long period of suffering, until we learn and are ready If they do not succeed Moshiach Ben-Yoseph brings the Geula quickly and with Glory. Who are these Erev Rav? They're not only thugs who try to physically harm Moshiach Ben Yoseph but they can also be important powerful people and leaders. They can even be B'nai Torah who are either violently opposed to him or say he's not one of us or are just indifferent. And it seems that indifference is the greatest enemy of the Jewish people. Because of indifference reckless and self-destructive leaders are allowed to destroy our hope and salvation. Most of the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people could have been prevented if we weren't incapacitated by the disease of indifference How do we understand the concept of Moshiach Ben-Yoseph today? There was a Rabbi who came not too long ago in our time that qualified for the position of Moshiach Ben Yoseph. His name was Rabbi 217

Meir Kahane. Imagine what might have happened if we hadn't killed him or allowed him to be killed by our indifference. Today we would be sitting in an Israel without Arab enemies and with the Bet Hamigdash already built. Now I'm not here to say 'look at what we have done; look how we have failed as a people,' because a Jew always has faith and is always hopeful. They say that non-Jews know Hashem much better than we do. Why is that? Because they know how many times they've plotted to destroy us and how many times they did not succeed because Hashem thwarted their efforts. If this is so of Gentiles then the ones who know Hashem the most are the Erev Rav who knew how many times they plotted to kill Moshiach Ben Yoseph and even stand in front of him and say he's dead and torn to bits like in our Parsha. Yet they are the very ones that must admit in the end 'Od Yoseph Chai'. They understand what that means more than anybody else. When I say that I stand with Moshiach Ben Yoseph and I want Moshiach Ben Yoseph now, I'm standing with the persecuted who aren't 'dreaming' of Moshiach but are 'building' his Kingdom physically even as they're being beaten. There's a famous Hasidic story where a Rabbi says to his students it's better to be on the level of an epicorus (apostate) then to be a believing Jew. 'How can you say such a thing?' the students ask the Rabbi. The Rabbi answered, 'When someone comes to you with a problem you say don't worry God will help. When that same person comes to an epicorus, the epicorus doesn't believe in God so he knows only he can help him nobody else.' When I say I'm with Moshiach Ben Yoseph and I want him now; I'm saying that I'm with the downtrodden and I'm not indifferent. I see how the Erev Rav persecute the pure vile of oil called Binyamin who has no connection to the world of Esav and has no fear of him or Yishmael and continues to build and settle the Land. I protest with Binyamin even if I live in Tel Aviv. I wear a keepa that says 'we are all Binyamin' and it is in this place this area called Yehuda ve Shomron where Yehuda and Binyamin together will light a candle that will increase in strength and spread throughout the Nation. That purity will give us the faith to stand not only against our Gentile enemies but against the Erev Rav who destroy us from within and invite disaster. I want Moshiach Ben Yoseph now to increase the light of that little vile of pure oil within so that we overcome our indifference to Jewish suffering. I hope that even those who hate Rabbi Kahane and the Rashi and the Rambam that he proclaimed out loud, because of their fear and worship of the Gentile; even they one day soon will say Od Yoseph Chai. L'Chaim 218

Secrets of Hey Tevet (2020) The dramatic climax in this weeks Parsha is the most riveting of all the Torah. Such strong words we hear between two great kings, two great leaders and two schools of thought both dear to Hashem. 'How can you live with yourself after destroying my father', says one and the other answers in the greatest reproach in the Torah, 'I am Yoseph, is my father yet alive?' Throughout each generation there is a battle between Yoseph and Yehuda and as we approach the end of days what happened in the beginning is mirrored in our own time. In our century there are two great internal battles between kings that continue to be played out. These two players switch back and forth between Yoseph and Yehuda. Ninety years ago Yehuda of our time forbid Jews to escape to Palestine because of the anger against Zionism that threatened to destroy the house of Israel. After the Shoa there is the echo ' I am Yoseph is my father still alive?' However what do we say of the proud Zionist who sold his brother and dug up the graves of his loved ones, claiming the settlements are an obstacle to peace. The people of Gush Katif reply, 'I am Yoseph, is my father yet alive?' What do these great battles have to do with Hey Tevet? Throughout these weeks we have been reading the story of Yoseph and discussing the concepts of Moshiach from the perspectives of both Yoseph and Yehuda. The story however, is the story of a family with one son who became world renown and saved the whole world from famine. He made a great name for Hashem (a hint of Chanuka). Its the story of a special and unique family. In two weeks however we will not be discussing this family but the Nation that grew from this family. Just as we saw the generations that came before Egypt and then became a Nation so we learn about the family of Rebbe's that on Hey Tevet became more than a family but a Nation within the Nation. Something else occurred on Hey Tevet that most Chabbad people are not aware of. There is another holy family that threatened to make Israel a Holy Nation. Meir Kahane (H'Y'D) was elected to the Knesset with the mission of fixing the spiritual ills of the Nation. He was banned and due to our indifference assassinated and the truth that he bore was thought to have been buried. It continued however. Similar to Od Yoseph Chai, was Od Kahane Chai and his son continued to distribute weekly Parsha pamphlets to synagogues around the world. This came to an abrupt end when he too was assassinated. In his car were blood stained copies of his last Parsha on Moshiach ben Yoseph. It was Parsha Miketz and the Hebrew date was Hey Tevet. There is a second Nation within the Nation that is no longer a family but a movement. Hashem's truth cannot be destroyed or buried or silenced. These two Nations within our Nation carry the vaccines needed to save the body and the soul of Israel. On the street one sees Chabbad putting on tefilin. In the newspaper one reads of a hilltop youth killed in a chase by the Israeli police. We read about the uncompromising builders of Zion and their persecution in land of Binyamin and ask will Yehuda come to defend him? The two medicines, Ahavat Israel and Ahavat 'Eretz' Israel are very similar. Chabbad invites us to a farbrengen where the body and soul are fed while chassidim of Rabbi Kahane physically seek to throw out our enemies and physically build and settle the Land so that the Jewish soul can be free. Similar concepts, one politically changing the world and the other internally changing the world. Both will soon meet like Yoseph and Yehuda as the struggle progresses for Freedom and the building of the Bet Hamigdash in the land of Binyamin that will join them together. 219

220

Kahane in the Parsha Vayechi 221

Vayechi The famous gematria of Vayechi (34), defines for us the times when Yacov truly lived. The number 34 can be divided into 2 times 17. The 1st 17 years with Yoseph and the last 17 years with Yoseph. This number is both a sad number and a hopeful one. Just as Yacov said ‘od yoseph chai’(yoseph still lives?), so in our day, we said Kahane Chai. We believe that the Torah of Rav Kahane has not been murdered, it grows and sprouts roots and branches. There is another very deep connection to the number 34. This was the age of Binyamin when he was killed. His father was 58, also connected to Yoseph. If we add them up they come to 92 the gematria of Gedolim. (see Bereshit). Yacov thought the glory and essence of Israel had been destroyed but it was reborn. In our time we thought the hope of Israel was destroyed but Binyamin carried the torch. He proved that after death the Rabbi's Torah lives on and he brought his ideas into the yeshivas and bet knessets and street corners, where a fire was lit in the hearts of the people. And so it goes, Binyamin was also taken and now each of us holds the torch and must be reborn as a Nation – Vayechi. ‫ֹקב יני נע ילי נת;שמ הט הרף‬‫ימי‬ ,‫יה ֹקיהו נדה‬,‫ט גור מא קֹר ת‬ 9 Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, ,‫יה ו קֹכ נל יביא‬,‫נכ מרע נר מבץ קֹכ מא ֹקר ת‬ thou art gone up. He stooped down, he couched as ‫למנו‬- ‫ֹקי יקי‬ a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? (Bereshit 49:9) A lion cub is Judah; from the prey, my son, you elevated yourself. (Bereshit 49:8) (MiTeref) ‫ מח ניה נר נעה‬,‫נת ֹקב יני‬-‫םת ל‬, ‫מר ֹקכ‬-‫א ל‬,‫ לג מו מי יכי נרה מוי ם‬33 And he knew it, and said: 'It is my son's coat; ‫תסףאט לרף לט תרף‬, ‫ יו‬, an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without ;‫נא נכ נל ֹקתהו‬ doubt torn in pieces.' Bereshit (37:33) The gematria of Meteref = 329 Meir Kahane= 327 +2=329 The two extra allude to the double phrase Teref, Teref (37:33) that Yacov cried when he was presented with the torn tunic; also the two Kahane’s father and son which is the gematria Moshiach ben Yoseph. Yacov had suspected Yehuda of responsibility for Yoseph’s murder, a deed he described with the word. Teref, literally tearing apart. Thus Rashi perceives our passage to say; ‘You, my son, had risen above the act of tearing your prey, of which I had suspected you; to the contrary you were instrumental in sparing him (Rashi). If we go with this idea from Rashi, it implies for us that the Tikun of Yehuda will be, when he acknowledges the sins against Moshiach ben Yoseph and takes up his cause. Yehuda in our day, may be some of the religious communities, who did not ‘ban’ Kahane, and conspire against him, but nevertheless did not support him. Lenny Goldberg writes in The Wit and Wisdom of Rabbi Meir Kahane (Pg. 127): Before Rabbi Kahane was banned for the 1988 elections by the Israeli Supreme Court, great efforts were made by supporters to gather signatures of prestigious rabbis throughout Israel, in the hope that this may sway the Supreme Court decision. If enough signatures were garnished, 222

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 Jew and gentile 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 news story in Israel that day. For the first time in Israels 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 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 this in his car radio, Rabbi Kahane said with quiet disappointment but without bitterness: “I needed a signature not a eulogy”. Only when the Torah world acknowledges the greatness of Rav Kahane will the Tikun of Moshiach be corrected. 223

Vayechi 2006 -‫ מיי‬,‫למר‬- ‫יא‬,‫ף; ומ ם‬,‫ני יו תס‬,‫ ֹבק ת‬-‫לת‬-‫ א‬,‫תאל‬, ‫ ח מו מי קֹרא יי קֹש נר‬8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who .‫ה‬-‫ת לל‬,‫ א‬are these?' -‫ ננ מתן‬-‫ר‬-‫ נא לש‬,‫הם‬,‫ נב מני ת‬,‫ נא יביו‬-‫ל‬-‫ לא‬,‫ף‬,‫ר יו תס‬-‫א למ‬,‫ ט מו םי‬9 And Joseph said unto his father: 'They are my ‫תלמיהזה‬,‫ ננא א‬-‫לחם‬- ‫ נק‬,‫א ממר‬,‫; מוי ם‬ sons, whom God hath given me here.' And he ‫נב‬ ‫לאל יהים‬ ‫ילי‬ said: 'Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will .‫תכם‬, ‫ מו נא נב קֹר‬bless them.' (Bereshit 48:8) ,‫למך‬- ‫ ננא ֹקש‬-‫לר מה יגי נדה‬-‫יםאמ‬, ‫ ומ‬,‫קב‬,‫ ל מו יי ֹקש מאל מי נע ם‬30 And Jacob asked him, and said: 'Tell me, I pray ‫זהה‬,‫םתו‬,‫רך א‬-‫ית ֹקש מאל יל ֹקש ימי; ומ ֹקיבנ ל‬ thee, thy name.' And he said: 'Wherefore is it that ‫לנ נמה‬ ,‫מר‬-‫א ל‬,‫ומ םי‬ thou dost ask after my name?' And he blessed him .‫נשם‬ there. (Bereshit 32:30) The Shla in Shney Luchot Habrit writes that (ze) is reference to masculine torah as opposed to (zot). It is a torah that he acquired through suffering; like Itzchak. It is a torah he earned and that also preserved the nation. Just like the angel that his father wrestled with and acquired a blessing that was rightfully his (b-ze), the torah he acquires here is through (midat din). Just as the torah Yoseph acquires was through din as well; through all his suffering. On the other hand is mi eleh (who are these?). Yakov didn’t recognize them, because he saw future reshaim coming from these two, and Yoseph answered, it is Hashem’s ‘din’ that they were born here, in this. The galut would influence their progeny in a ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’ way. On the opposite side, the fire of a Baal Teshuva, who returns to Israel and transforms the klippa into light is a strange fire, in a ‘unique’ way. Just as Yakov is able to meet the malach of Esav face to face and defeat him on his own ground, Yoseph by extension succeeds in singlehandedly transforming all of Egypt into a circumcised Nation, and preserving the Torah despite all that he went through, and, as well passed it to his children, despite their surroundings. 224

‫םא‬,‫ר ל‬-‫אמל‬,‫ יכי נע נלה מה נשחמר; מוים‬,‫ח יני‬,‫למר מש קֹל ת‬- ‫א‬,‫ כז מוי ם‬27 And he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' ‫שאם לב תר רכ את שני‬. And he said: 'I will not let thee go, except thou - ‫יכי‬ ,‫תל נחך‬, ‫נא מש‬ bless me.' .‫ב‬,‫ ימענ םק‬,‫מר‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫למך; מוי‬- ‫ ֹקש‬-‫ ממה‬,‫א נליו‬,‫מר ת‬-‫א ל‬,‫ כח מוי ם‬28 And he said unto him: 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' (Bereshit 32:27, 28) What we spoke of above can be seen in the torah of Rav Kahane. He also destroys Esav, like Yacov and Yoseph. He is able to beat him with the same arguments and by doing so acquire the torah of 'Ze'. If we divide the ‘yud’ in ‘berechtani’ into two ‘Heys’ then we can read. ‫ה( י‬+‫ לב תר רכ את שנ )ה‬-‫( שאם‬Rav Kahane died) = ‫הרב כהנא מת‬ (Unless you bless me) We can read this passage as if to say. Just as Yacov and Yoseph acquire by din their masculine Torah, so too Rav Kahane acquired the right to judge Esav and to destroy his hold on Israel. He dies in order that his Torah would live. My friend Ruben once told me a chidush that Yacov suffered 147 years to counteract the 147 curses against Israel. Just as Yacov suffered 147 years against the 147 curses of Israel, Yoseph continues this work and suffers for the sake of Israel to both defeat Esavs sar (spiritual source) and to build a segregated community where the light of Israel will begin to shine on the Nations from within them. The Torah of rabbi Kahane gives us both the tools to survive and to return, and the tools to destroy that which is false morality. ,‫מך‬-‫ ננא ֹקש ל‬-‫ר מה יגי נדה‬-‫םא למ‬,‫ ומי‬,‫קב‬,‫ ל מו יי קֹש מאל מי נע ם‬30 And Jacob asked him, and said: 'Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.' And he said: 'Wherefore is it ‫ךתוי לא המר אל אמה הזה‬-‫ית ֹקש מאל יל קֹש ימי; ומיקֹבנ לר‬ that thou dost ask after my name?' And he blessed , ,‫אםתו‬, him there. .‫נשם‬ (Bereshit 32:30) Read: And Yacov asks, who are you that can make me Israel? He answers the Torah of Rabbi Kahane. ‫ אל אמה הזה‬,‫ = תוי לא המר‬Kahane’s masculine Torah ‫מאיר‬ ‫( = אלמאה‬75+1)= ‫מאיר כהנא‬ Similar to Moshe who inquired as to his mission in Parsha Ki Sissa, Yacov as well saw Hashem face to face. Hashem would only partially reveal His secrets but through this struggle the Torah of 'Ze' is brought into the world. 225

Vayechi 2006 ,‫ ו ֹקנ נשא מת יני יממיצקֹ מריים‬,‫ב מתי‬,‫אנ ם‬-‫ עים‬,‫ ל קֹו נש מכ קֹב יתי‬30 But when I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt ‫לשאא לנ שכ ה‬- ‫א לע‬-‫י ל‬ carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their ,‫םא ממר‬, ‫מוי‬ ;‫יב ֹקק כב נר נתם‬ ‫ו ֹקק מב קֹר מת יני‬ burying-place.' And he said: 'I will do as thou hast .‫לרך‬- ‫ יכ קֹד נב‬said.' (Bereshit 47:30) Just as Yoseph did so did Moshiach Ben Yoseph. He would be bound by Yacovs oath despite the consequences and return us to Israel. ‫לרץ‬- ‫א‬-‫ניך מהנו נל ידים קֹלך ֹקב ל‬-‫ נב ל‬-‫ני‬,‫ ה קֹו מע נתה ֹקש ת‬5 And now thy two sons, who were born unto thee :‫הם‬,‫ ת‬-‫ ילי‬--‫ליך ימ ֹקצ מר ֹקי נמה‬-‫א ל‬,‫ב יאי ת‬,‫ ם‬-‫ מעד‬,‫ ימ קֹצ מר יים‬in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as ‫תנ ה כש א‬.‫ליי‬-‫ יי ֹקהיו‬,‫בן וֹק יש קֹמעון‬,‫ קֹר ו ת‬--‫ל‬-‫ש‬ ֹ‫ומק‬,‫לא ֹקפ מר יים‬- Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine. (Bereshit 48:5) Like a bridge from exile back to Israel; from the erev rav returning to the shvatim; Rabbi Kahane bridged the gap between the sons of Leah and the sons of Rachel. He rejoined them and connected the rift between them. ‫רך‬,‫ קבֹך קֹי נב ת‬,‫לתאמור‬, ,‫תכם מביום מההוא‬, ‫ כ מו ֹקי נב קֹר‬20 And he blessed them that day, saying: 'By thee ‫קפֹרמ ייםרכ הא‬ shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as ‫לאל יהים‬ ‫קֹי יש קֹמך‬ ,‫מר‬,‫תלא ם‬, ‫תאל‬, ‫יי קֹש נר‬ Ephraim and as Manasseh.' And he set Ephraim ‫נת ה‬.‫לשה‬- ‫תני ֹקמ מנ‬, ‫ יל ֹקפ‬,‫לאפֹק מריים‬- -‫את‬-‫שם ל‬-‫לש ; מו ני ל‬- ֹ‫ וֹקכימק‬before Manasseh. (Bereshit 48:20) We bless our children to be like Ephraim and Menashe brothers united even though one was chosen over another (see Bereshit 48:19). In addition brothers that kept Judaism alive in a foreign land. Rabbi Kahane was born in the exile and fought for Jewish rights and freedom from his residence in America. He made aliya and continued the struggle for Jewish freedom in our sovereign state. There is a famous expression 'It is easier to take the Jew out of the exile than to take the exile out of the Jew'. Ephraim and Menashe represent a Judaism of mutual concern for one another regardless of position. ;‫עי ני נדיו‬,‫םר ת‬, ‫םפזו קֹז‬, ‫ מו ני‬,‫אי נתן מק ֹקשתו‬,‫שב קֹב ת‬-‫תת ל‬, ‫ כד מו‬24 But his bow abode firm, and the arms of his hands were made supple, by the hands of the ‫הא הבן‬.‫תאל‬, ‫יי קֹש נר‬ ‫לעה‬- ‫ר‬,‫ם‬ ‫ימ נשם‬ ,‫םקב‬, ‫מי נע‬ ‫נא יביר‬ ‫די‬,‫ימי ת‬ Mighty One of Jacob, from there, he Shepherded, the Stone of Israel, (Bereshit 49:24) 226

Artscroll Siddur writes: From there – i.e. his God-given position as viceroy, or from his position as victim of slander – Joseph became the shepherd who provided sustenance to Jacob, the stone of Israel. The word stone denotes kingship, the primary personage of the nation, as it is used in Zecharia 4:7. Alternatively, ‫ הא הבן‬can be seen as a contraction of the words ‫ אב ובן‬,father and son, thus alluding to Joseph's support of the entire family (Rashi). - from Artscroll Siddur pg 283 Rashi's explanation of ‫אב ובבן‬, father and son, may also apply in our own times. “The rock the builders despised has become the cornerstone”. (Hallel). Read: The father and son (Meir and Binyamin) that was despised has become the cornerstone. This is the Torah that is the cornerstone of our redemption today. To add weight to this idea the foundation of Yacov is directly connected to Rav Kahane Shoresh Yacov = 982 (the roots of Yacov) Meir David ben Yecheskel Shraga = 977 + 5 for the words = 982 “The rock the builders despised has become the cornerstone”. (Hallel). Read: The father and son (Meir and Binyamin) that was despised has become the cornerstone. This is the Torah that is the cornerstone of our redemption today. When Branches Become Roots (Jan 2017) The torah is a blueprint for both the natural order of the world and that which goes beyond that order. In the natural order of things from the roots of a tree grow its branches. In the Torah however there are cases where the branches become roots. Our Parsha is an example of this phenomena. Menashe and Ephraim which are branches of the family are now elevated to the status of roots, sharing in the inheritance of their uncles as equals. I suggest that this unusual process can be defined by three actions and exemplified in three different places in the Torah. The actions can be described as ‘Reward’, ‘Repair’, and ‘Revealed’. We see an example of reward in our Parsha to Yoseph as his siblings become inheritors along with his brothers. It is both a reward for the suffering of Yoseph and a truth to his brothers who paid for their crime by losing part of the inheritance they apparently we're so concerned with. The example of repair is Pinchas who is also a branch that became a root by repairing the breach in Am Israel. His zealousness corrected a flaw that revitalized, clarified and added a crown to the Torah. Revelation came through the question raised by the daughters of Tzelafhad. Their concern for their father's inheritance again clarified the Torah and added another crown. Here the students caused the teacher to bring a new Torah into the world. There are some interesting gematrias to note. When Yacov says li hem (‫ם‬,‫ תה‬-‫ ) ילי‬the Gematria hem 45 is related to the 'pesha' (gematria 450) of the brothers - their spiteful deed lost them some of their inheritance but consequently added to the tree of Israel. Forgive the spiteful deed ‫– נא ננא נשא ננא הפ תשע‬ (Bereshit 50:17) Man (Adam) is also Gematria 45. In a similar way on the day man was born it says tov meod Chazal explain that this is because of the yetzer that was also born then. Just as the yetzer moves the world yet 227

is transformed and slaughtered in the end of days (the leviathan) so in this Parsha do we see a spiteful sin transformed and beautified as a crown to the Torah. Another interesting Gematria is hem (‫הם‬,‫ ) ת‬and Bavel (‫ ) נבבל‬Gematria [44+1=45] Unity itself is not necessarily good. The unity in Bavel meant a rebellion against Hashem. Hashem needed to come down and disperse this ill served unity. The unity of the brothers also needed to be refined and so Hashem dispersed this unity in order to transform it to serve an even higher purpose and ultimately a greater unity. What do these concepts have to do with Rav Kahane? The Rav spoke often of the ‘authentic’ Torah. Healing the roots at a time where the branches have become deformed creates a healthier tree that bears more fruit. His Torah will be compensated like Yoseph and enlarged just as Yosephs Torah which seemed at one point to have been completely non existent. Completing the Cornerstone (Dec 2017) 10th of Tevet and Galut The 10th of Tevet was the beginning of a chain of events that would lead to the destruction of the temple. It is in the very beginning that one has the opportunity to repent and alter events or ignore them and by doing so allow further destructive events to follow. This is unfortunately what happened. It is not by coincidence that our Parsha falls out at this time. It is the last Parsha of Bereshit and the beginning of a long exile that will surely end with a great redemption. Looking into the future as Yakov's life came to an end he blessed his children and set up a unique order that would complete the cornerstone of the family and bring about the best possible sum of the various parts to cause the most fulfilling and balanced chain leading to our eventual redemption We mentioned earlier that there is a connection between li ‘hem’ (Gematria:45) and ‘pesha’ (Gematria:450). What the brothers feared actually happened, but it was for the good not for the bad. They feared that Yoseph would destroy the family and had to seperate from him as Avraham separated from Ishmael and Itzchak separated from Esav. In fact he did change the makeup of the family as their inheritance was diminished in a way, as Yoseph’s inheritance was enlarged. This addition to the family however was a blessing not a curse. In fact every Jewish child to this day is blessed with this 'addition'. Every Jewish boy is blessed to be as Ephraim and Menashe. They represent the example of two brothers that did not fight, even though the younger was chosen over the older, there was no jealousy between them. We wrote earlier that the only way to arrive at Moshiach ben David, is through Moshiach ben Yoseph. If the family is not concerned first and foremost with Binyamin and safeguards his well being then there is no security for all of Israel. Here as we begin the long road of exile Yacov ratifies this concept by making Menashe and Ephraim equals to their uncles. Even though they are younger and they were born in the exile the crown of Israel is placed on their heads. The city of Schem is designated to Ephrayim We learned earlier that the heart of Israel Jerusalem, shared in both Yehuda and Binyamin’s territory, 228

will thrive and be a healthy heart only when Yehuda’s main concern is for his brother from another mother. Now in this Parsha, Schem is also given to the children of Rachel. According to the Kabbalah Jerusalem is related to the heart and Schem is related to the liver, which cleans and purifies the blood. Two most important organs that ensure a healthy body. How is it that these children Ephrayim and Menashe who are born in the exile should have such an integral part in the inner sanctum of Israel? We simply need to open the newspaper today to understand these questions. The areas of Israel that cannot be disputed, as there is a record of their purchase in the Torah are Hevron, Jerusalem and Shem. Yet these three places are the most invaded and occupied by enemies that seek our destruction. According to the Kabbalah they are the heart, the liver and the mind (Hevron). In Israel the leftists often criticize the settlers as being foreign elements. They denounce Rabbi Kahane as an American who came to interfere with Israeli politics and they are upset at the disproportionate amount of dual citizen Israelis that settle in Yesha. They are seen as rebellious and extreme as they continue to build and grow and settle in the most integral parts of the nation causing friction between the Arab neighbors who want theses areas ‘Judenrein’. There will be no Moshiach ben David however, unless we embrace Moshiach ben Yoseph. World peace will be the result of Jewish peace between brothers. As long as the children of Ephrayim and Binyamin are considered extremists and dangerous there will be a continual rift between brothers and the story of Yoseph will perpetuate. Though many of the original settlers of Yehuda and Shomron came from the exile (like the original Ephrayim and Menashe) their children (like the territory of Binyamin where many settle) have no association with the world of Esav and no fear (Binyamin never bowed down to Esav). When the tribes of Israel embrace the hilltop youth that build and settle the most important and spiritual parts of our nation; when their spirit strengthens the other tribes to stand alone with our God and not rely on politics or allies (read: poli-tricks and all-lies) and do what is best for our nation; we will all dwell securely. When we purify our nation from enemies within that seek to overthrow us physically or confuse our purpose spiritually by overturning our Jewish identity and diluting it with christian concepts and hellenistic ideas then there will be a true and lasting peace. The crown of glory was given to Ephrayim and Menashe in the exile so that when they return though they be strangers to the land they will not have the stigmas of their brothers who seek to be loved to the point of being degraded, they will come as commanded to build God's Kingdom. They will have known only too well of Gentile love in the exile. Whether there is love or there is war they will come to build a Jewish Nation. Only then will there be true love of our own people and love and respect from other nations. 229

L'chaim to our Nephews 2020 (said at a Farbrengen) I would like to say a L'chaim to our nephews. Who are our nephews? Well, we had a brother once who we hated because he threatened the establishment of the State and we were worried incorrectly that there would be competing leaderships and so we said to kill him while he is yet young, and so we did. Right here in Tel Aviv by Bograshov beach, there is a monument to the Altalena, the boat we sank and killed those scrambling to shore. That brother had children however, our nephews. Many of them lived in the area of Binyamin. We tolerated them but we also had issues with them being obstacles to peace by the settlements they kept building. They were like children from another mother, not liberal Israelis like us. We did not travel in their areas because it was dangerous. We even had warning signs when we entered their jurisdictions. In addition our soldiers had to guard theses settlements which caused animosity in our tribal family. Similar to the original Ephraim and Menashe many of our troublesome nephews were born and raised outside of Israel. Often these settlers were hard core zealots, like the radical followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane, unlike we, their original Zionist uncles. I have news for you. Just as the State of Israel came into being after difficult times, the difficult times we find ourselves in now will give birth to a new entity. Soon our nephews will no longer be nephews. They will no longer be troublesome children to look after; they will become brothers and equals. I believe in the very near future the 3rd Temple will be inaugurated and the State of Judea will also be born. Our nephews will become equal tribes; two States side by side. The same Yehuda that gave the order to destroy Uncle Yoseph with Holy Cannons will now recognize the inheritance that was given to Yoseph through his sons Ephraim and Menashe. Now you may ask, don't we have enough troubles with one State? Isn't unity what we need and not more differences between brothers? Let me ask you a question. When someone makes kiddish and then pours some of his wine into 10 other cups what does this signify? Does this signify division or unity that we are all united in the same kiddish with our own unique cup? Half of the area of the Bet Hamigdash is in Yehuda and the other half in Binyamin. It is Yehuda who will make the kiddish in honor of his nephews who have become equal brothers and on that day Hashem will be One and His name will be One. L'chaim. 230

231

232

233

Kahane in the Parsha Book of Shmot 234

235

Kahane in the Parsha Shmot 236

Shemot ‘And now please let us go on a three day journey’ (El-Kana) ‫אל‬,‫תני יי ֹקש נר ת‬, ‫ללך; ו נבא נת מא נתה ֹקו יז קֹק‬- ‫םק‬, ‫ קֹל‬,‫ יח קֹו נש ֹקמעו‬18 And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou ‫הי‬,‫א נליו ֹקיה נוה לאל ת‬,‫לתם ת‬- ‫ מו נא ממ ֹקר‬,‫ללך ימ קֹצ מר יים‬- ‫מ‬-‫ ל‬-‫לאל‬- shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The ‫ אנא‬-‫נ קֹל אכה‬,‫ת‬ ‫קֹו מע נתה‬ ,‫תלינו‬, ‫נע‬ ‫ינ ֹקק נרה‬ ‫נה יע קֹב יר ייים‬ LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. ‫ קֹו ינ ֹקז ֹקב נחה מליה נוה‬,‫שת ני ימים מב ימ ֹקד נבר‬-‫רך קֹשל ל‬-‫לד ל‬- And now let us go, we pray thee, three days' ‫הינו‬,‫ לאל ת‬journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. (Shmot3:18) The quick way of redemption could have been three days. The Rav pleaded with us to do the right things and bring about the redemption in haste with glory. Otherwise redemption will occur but only after terrible tragedy; tragedy that we allowed to foster because of our negligence and lack of faith. Redemption will occur as in the past. It is our choice to leave Egypt and arrive in three days in glory, or to arrive after wandering forty years in the desert with many casualties. Also can be read: Kahane derech shel Shet. Shet was the son born to Adam after the tragedy of Cain and Abel. He was the continuation and rectification of this tragedy. Rav Kahane was a young boy during the years of the Shoa and his Torah is a rectification of the sins that led to it and potential future tragedies. ‘And now please let us go on a three day journey’ (Shmot3:18) (El-Kana) ‘Let me now go back to my brethren’ (Shmot 4:18) (El-Kana) ‫מר לו‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫ מוי‬,‫םח קֹתנו‬, ‫תר‬-‫י ל‬-‫ ל‬-‫לאל‬- ‫שה מו ני נשב‬-‫םמ ל‬, ‫לך‬-‫תי ל‬, ‫ יח מו‬18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him: 'Let me go, I ‫אכה אנא‬-‫שר‬-‫ מא מחי נא ל‬-‫אל‬-‫קֹו נאשו נבה ל‬ pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.' And ‫למר‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ מהעו נדם מח ייים; מוי‬,‫אה‬-‫א ֹקר ל‬-‫ֹקו ל‬ ‫ ֹלק‬,‫את‬ ,‫ֹקב ימ ֹקצ מר יים‬ ‫תלך קֹל נשלום‬, ,‫שה‬-‫מ ל‬,‫ יי קֹתרו קֹל ם‬Jethro said to Moses: 'Go in peace.' Yoseph followed his fathers orders and went to Schem in search of his brothers knowing full well how much they despised him. He had hoped that his brethren had evolved from their fear and hatred of Yoseph to their desire for brotherhood and redemption. He knew very well he was going into the lions den, but he had no choice. In Egypt the people had matured and desired redemption to some degree, but there were still informers and persecutors like Datan and Aviham whose provocations caused forty years of wandering and much suffering. Nevertheless Moshe, like Yoseph, had no choice but to follow his destiny. Neither did Rabbi Kahane. He knew full well that he was entering the lions den but there was no one else who had the vision, courage and skills despite his speech impediment. 237

Moshes Supporters The Midrash tells us that as Moshe went to the palace of Pharoah to demand the release of Israel, the elders of Israel and his supporters went along with him. As they got closer to the palace each one found a different excuse to leave until only Moshe and Aaron were left. In our times it is much the same. Rav Kahane understood those who opposed him, but those who supported him were harder to understand. The Rav would remark how he had many supporters who would say to him they agree with him and they were right behind him. When he needed their support he saw that indeed they were right behind him, very far behind him. He said you are lazy, lazy! (Shemot 5:17) Nirpim,Nirpim Gematria = 380+380 = 760 Kahane large gematria. The two Kahane’s together were trouble for the establishment because they threatened to defrock and expose the tyranny and persecution of the Israeli establishment and their American mistress in the White House. The cry destroy Kahane whatever it takes, forget democracy, forget the rule of law, just get him! This cry was similar to the frantic and arrogant cry of Pharaoh, destroy these visionaries that threaten to bring redemption, for then we would lose our positions. 238

Shmot 2006 --‫תלינו‬, ‫ נע‬,‫ט‬,‫פת‬,‫למר ימי נש קֹמך קֹל יאיש משר ֹקו םש‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ יד מוי‬14 And he said: 'Who made thee a ruler and a -‫לאת‬- ‫שר נה מר קֹג נת‬-‫ מכ נא ל‬,‫תמר‬, ‫םא‬, ‫ג יני מא נתה‬,‫ מה ֹקל נה קֹר ת‬judge over us? thinkest thou to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?' And Moses feared, and ‫ו מדעכן נ‬ ‫א‬,‫א ממר‬,‫מוי ם‬ ‫לשה‬- ‫םמ‬, ‫מו ייי נרא‬ ;‫מה ימ ֹקצ ירי‬ said: 'Surely the thing is known.' .‫הת נד נבר‬ Just as Moshe saw, so did the Rav when he said he was not afraid of the Arabs, but he was worried about the Jews. In the end, this is what killed him. First by the banning in the Knesset and quite possibly the 'wild beast' that destroyed both father and son was discreetly encouraged and set-up. The problem of Moshe today was the same as Moshe then – informers. The remaining letters spell -Kahane noda dvar – he knew this thing. There is an eery interview that the Rav made on 60 minutes with Mike Wallace. Wallace: 'people speculate that Meir Kahane could wind up dead. You know that.' Kahane: 'I know that' Wallace: 'and you suggested that it would not be at the hands of an Arab but at the hands of a Jew' Kahane:'yes' Wallace: 'why would they want to murder Meir Kahane' Kahane: 'because they are frustrated, they know of no other way to stop him. Their nightmare is will Kahane become Prime Minister? Wallace: 'you don't really believe you'll be Prime Minister, Rabbi Kahane' Kahane: 'I hope I will be Prime Minister to save the Jews from the Arabs and from themselves' 239

Shmot 2009 ‫ קֹב יני‬,‫כה נא ממר ֹקיה נוה‬,‫ ם‬:‫ה‬,‫ מפ ֹרקעם‬-‫לל‬-‫ א‬, ‫ כבוקֹ נא ממ קֹר נת‬22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith .‫אל‬,‫םכ ירי יי קֹש נר ת‬, ‫ ֹקב‬the LORD: Israel is My son, My first-born. ,‫ד יני‬,‫ קֹב יני ֹקו מי מע ֹקב ת‬-‫את‬-‫ מש מלח ל‬,‫לליך‬- ‫א‬,‫םא ממר ת‬, ‫ כג נו‬23 And I have said unto thee: Let My son go, that ‫בי קֹנך‬-‫לאת‬- ,‫תרג‬, ‫םה‬, ‫םנ יכי‬, ‫נה נא‬,‫ יה ת‬--‫ קֹל מש קֹלחו‬,‫תן‬,‫ מותֹקמנא‬he may serve Me; and thou hast refused to let him .‫רך‬-‫כ ל‬,‫ קֹב ם‬go. Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.'-- ,‫קֹיה נוה‬ ‫תשהו‬, ‫מו יי ֹקפ ֹקג‬ ;‫תב אמלון‬ ,‫רך‬-‫ד ל‬-‫כד מו קֹי יהי מב ל‬ 24 And it came to pass on the way at the ‫תקש נה ימיתו‬, ‫מו קֹי מב‬ the LORD met lodging-place, that him, and sought to kill him. ‫ענ קרֹ מלת‬-‫לאת‬- ‫םרת‬, ‫ מו ית קֹכ‬,‫ כה מו ית מקח יצפלראה לצר‬25 Then Zipporah took a flint, ‫ נד ימים‬-‫ יכי נח מתן‬,‫לר‬-‫םאמ‬,‫ קֹל מרגקֹלניו; ומת‬,‫ ומ מתגמע‬,‫ בקֹ ננה‬and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at .‫ אמתנה ליי‬his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' ,‫ נח מתן נד ימים‬,‫ נא קמֹרנה‬,‫מנו; נאז‬-‫ ימ ל‬,‫רף‬-‫ כו מו יי ל‬26 So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A .‫ לממולת‬bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.' {P} ‫שה‬-‫םמ ל‬, ‫תלך יל קֹק מראת‬, ,‫םרן‬, ‫אמהנ‬-‫אל‬-‫מר קֹיה נוה ל‬-‫א ל‬,‫ כז מוי ם‬27 And the LORD said to Aaron: 'Go into the --‫שהו קֹב מהר נה לאל יהים‬,‫ מו יי ֹקפ ֹקג ת‬,‫ללך‬- ‫י‬,‫ הממי ֹקד נברנה; מו ת‬wilderness to meet Moses.' And he went, and met .‫לו‬-‫ ומ יישמק‬him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. (Shmot 4:22-27) The passage above is very mysterious indeed. What is the connection between telling Pharoah that Israel is my first born, and Tziporra saving Moshe’s life by circumcising their 2nd born son? Often one can find connections by looking at the passages that border a topic. On one side is Hashem’s command to Pharoah and on the other side is Aaron approaching. In the middle is this strange story. The Midrash tells us that Moshe was justified in not circumcising his son because of the three-day journey, but faults him for not doing it the moment they arrived at the Inn. Instead of making preparations for their stay he should have done the brit right away. For this reason Hashem wanted to kill him and it was only by the calculations of his wife that he survived. What is this telling us? It seems to me that this story alludes to a premonition of Moshe’s future and Hashem’s first born cause. If we recall earlier in the Parsha Hashem was angry at Moshe and His wrath burned. Why? His wrath 240

burned because Moshe did not want to take on the mantle of leadership. Chazal tells us that at this point Hashem decided to include Aaron as a partner for Moshe. It was not His initial plan and this is why His wrath burned. And so He altered His plan. The events of Moshe’s personal life also reflected the events of the Nation. Originally it was Hashem’s intention to take a three day journey to the Land of Israel (Derech Shalosh Yamim). We have spoken about this elsewhere as the hurried redemption that Rav Kahane often spoke about and tried to bring about. In the end however, the Nation wandered for forty years. Moshe did not succeed in fulfilling the redemption in his time. His death here alludes to his future death for a similar future sin. Within the word for lodging place is the word Mol (circumcise). One could read the passage as: ‫ וןבתמאל‬,‫לרך‬- ‫ד‬-‫ מב ל‬- the journey toward circumcision One might read the passage below like this: And it came to pass along the intended three day journey, the journey of circumcision, became instead a resting place an Inn. Because of this failure Moshe did not succeed in circumcising the Nations heart and he was buried there. Not until the converts of the Nation and the receivers, the feminine aspect are able to discern the mitzvah and act upon it will the redemption be complete. Just as Yoseph’s brothers were forced into the situation of redemption because of the threat of death by famine, Tzipora was also forced into making her own calculations without the aid of the Tzadik. She had to take everything she had learned and put it into practice to save the future mission of Israel. ‫ענרקֹ מלת‬-‫לאת‬- ‫רת‬,‫ מו ית קֹכ ם‬,‫ר‬,‫םרנה צם‬,‫ כהה מו ית מקח יצ פ‬25 Then Zipporah took a flint, ‫דנמיים‬-‫ יכי נח מתן‬,‫למר‬- ‫םתא‬, ‫ לקֹ מר ֹגק נליו; מו‬,‫ מו מת מגע‬,‫ ֹבקננה‬and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at .‫ מאתנה ליי‬his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' Her action is the action of all future generations who were the sacrificial lambs (Parah Tzar – Parah Aduma of suffering) whose suffering educated the Nation. The Macabees were born out of terrible suffering and oppression, just as the modern Nation of Israel was born out of the Shoa. It may be a negative statement to say that our relationship to Hashem is a bloody one. On one hand the statement of Tziporra may sound like those who complain that the lot of the Jew is to be chosen for suffering. On the other hand her statement may allude to the baal teshuva’s who circumcise their hearts and are prepared to give their life’s blood to Hashem’s cause. In such times we are put in the position that we must act; we who are not leaders but are forced to become saviors and heroes. Hashem’s first born message and Aaron’s encounter that bookend these passages remind us of the original intention, the second intention (as it transpired), the failure of the religious leadership that lost an opportunity to bring the Nation home (see Parsha Shlach, Chukat), and the eventual redemption that will come when the Nation itself will be forced into circumcising their own hearts. 241

Shmot 2010 Binyamin’s Yortzeit Snake + Staff = Bayit (Gematria of Nachash and Mateh is the same as Bayit). What is the connection? ‫ = ‘ מ הטה‬Staff 54 + ‫ = הנ החש‬Snake 358 = 412 ‫ =ב הי מת‬House 412 ;‫ נה לאל יהים‬-‫לאת‬- ‫םדת‬, ‫ ני קֹראו מה ֹקמ מי קֹל‬-‫ יכי‬,‫ כא מו קֹי יהי‬21 And it came to pass, because the midwives ‫ באתשים‬,‫הם‬-‫ מו מי מעש נל ל‬feared God, that He made them houses. Before we explain the connection please read the following: In one of Binyamins essays he writes of a midnight visit from the Shabak who ruffle through his belongings, confiscate his computer and arrest him. As they are ruffling through his belongings he asks them if they are looking for the bombs or ammunition. They suddenly stop and he leads them to the secret hiding place. As he reaches up they put their hands on their guns. He tells them to calm down as he slowly reaches up to produce for them the dangerous terrorist weapons. ‘Here’ he says as he hands them a Tanach –‘Here are our weapons. It’s all in here!’ Those who sit in study halls do not threaten the State of Israel. The State resents them for not serving in the army and calls them leeches, but they are no threat whatsoever to the power of the State. There is only one branch of Torah that is harassed by the State, imprisoned, bullied, persecuted and assassinated. This is the authentic branch of Torah brought down by Rav Kahane for Kahane’s Torah confronts the entire world as well as the State of Jews and brings about miraculous change. His Torah is like a snake that makes people run from it in fear and call it hated and dangerous and bad for the Jews. However one can pick up this dangerous Torah in ones hand and see that it is the staff that we have always leaned on. The Torah of the Rav is not a perversion; rather it is the ‘authentic’ Torah, while others have perverted it. It is the Torah of action and self-sacrifice commanded to the readers of its dusty texts. Those who lean on it as a passive rod must be thrown down so that the letters awaken to scare evil doers away. It is a Torah that ‘awakens the complacent and arouses the contempt of the arrogant’ (Psalm 123). Why does the ‘snake and ‘staff’ spell out bayit (house)? They spell Bayit because the apple does not fall far from the tree. Greatness is born from greatness. Just as Yocheved sacrificed for Israel and was miraculously saved from the cruel Pharaoh, so she gave birth to the miraculous and the leader of the redemption. *It is interesting to note that Rav Kahane by his very presence sheds light on this Tehillim. “Our soul is fully sated with the mockery of the complacent ones, with the contempt of the arrogant.” (Psalm 123) If one places Rav Kahane as the subject we understand that those who would mock him are typically those who are generally complacent. Those who despise him with contempt are often reformists who lack humility and are arrogant towards Hashem and His Torah. 242

Shmot 2010 ‫למר לו‬- ‫א‬,‫ מוי ם‬,‫םח ֹקתנו‬, ‫תר‬-‫י ל‬-‫ ל‬-‫לאל‬- ‫שה מו ני נשב‬-‫מ ל‬,‫לך ם‬-‫י ל‬,‫ יח מו ת‬18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his ,‫בקֹ ימצֹקרמיים‬-‫שר‬-‫ מא מחי נא ל‬-‫אל‬-‫תא קֹל נכה ננא וקֹ נאשו נבה ל‬, father-in-law, and said unto him: 'Let me go, I ,‫לשה‬- ‫םמ‬, ‫ֹקל‬ ‫יי קֹתרו‬ ‫מר‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫מוי‬ ;‫תח שיים‬ ‫ תהעו אדם‬,‫ה‬-‫אל ֹקר לא‬- ֹ‫וק‬ pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in .‫תלך ֹקל נשלום‬, Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.' And Jethro said to Moses: 'Go in peace.' There appears to be a rebuke here similar to the rebuke of Yoseph to Yehuda ‘'I am Joseph; is my father still alive?'(Bereshit 45:3) What possible rebuke would there be? Rav Nachum Kahane suggests in his commentary ‘ With All Your Might’ that when Moshe discovered who his adopted father really was it was like in our times discovering ones father is the head of the Gestapo. He could not bear the emotional conflict between the father he loved and honored and his people who were suffering under his hand. His solution was to run away to where Uncle Yitro had run to when he was a child. He now understood the conflict that Yitro had had with his father when he was a child. Yitro had been in a position to save Am Israel and protested Pharoah’s actions, but his opposition was not enough and he could see the tides changing. He resigned and left Egypt not wanting to be part of its corruption. According to the Talmud (Nedarim 65a), Yitro insisted that Moses swear to him that he would never leave without his permission (Artscroll Siddur). Yitro had heard how Yacov made Lavan wealthy and then ran off. He did not want the same thing to happen so he made Moshe swear. Yitro benefited a great deal from Moshe’s arrival. He was blessed just as Lavan was blessed by offering shelter to the Tzaddik Moshe. One can imagine the emotional dialogue between the two of them after Moshe returned from his conversation with Hashem. Yitro was the lonely voice of dissent from the Gentile world against the anti-semetic plague. Maybe he could have done more, or maybe he was not in the position to. Moshe however was in the unique position of being the son Pharaoh loved. Only he could enter the palace at will and challenge his father. For Yitro to force Moshe to stay for his own personal benefit would betray his own sense of morality. It was that morality that brought him to Midian years ago. Maybe in this passage we see Moshe reminding Yitro of the consequences of his failed attempt to persuade Pharaoh. It’s up to Moshe now to carry the torch. 'Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.' Could Yitro insist on benefiting from Moshe in the exile without seeing the bigger picture of why he was sent there in the 1st place? I suggest that not only did he allow Moshe to return, I would venture to say that he inspired and encouraged him to go. The commandment of circumcision, that separates the Israleite Nation from the rest of the world is associated with a gentile named Mamre (see Vayera). The Torah that separates Israel from the rest of the Nations is associated with a convert named Yitro (the chapter of giving the Torah is called Yitro). I suspect that one of the reasons that this chapter is named after Yitro is because he pushed Moshe to return, despite his loss. Many critics of Rav Kahane often said that the way he acted wasn’t Jewish and was in fact bad for the 243

Jews. The opposite was true. Many gentiles were inspired by his frankness and unapologetic manner and eventually became converts. Moshe inspired Yitro and Yitro inspired Moshe. When Jews rise to the occasion and act as they are commanded by Hashem, the Gentiles also rise up (see Parsha Yitro). I heard an amazing midrash that relates that even though the Israelites saw many miracles including Har Sinai, they didn't truly believe in Hashem until Yitro came and recognized Him. The approval of the gentile is a huge factor that according to this Midrash seems to bring us to accept our higher calling. Shmot 2010 Tziporra and Ruth ,‫ נע קֹר מלת קֹב ננה‬-‫את‬-‫רת ל‬,‫ מו ית קֹכ ם‬,‫םצר‬, ‫םפ נרה‬, ‫ כה מו ית מקח יצ‬24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging- ‫ נד ימים מא נתהתר תו לת‬-‫ יכי נח מתן‬,‫מר‬-‫א ל‬ place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill ;‫קֹג נליו‬ ‫ֹקל‬ ,‫ומתמ מגע‬ him. ‫ ילי‬. ‫אר‬,‫ נח מתן נד ימים‬,‫ה‬‫נא ֹקמ‬ ,‫נאז‬ ;‫מנו‬-‫ימ ל‬ ,‫לרף‬- ‫מו יי‬ ‫כו‬ 25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she ‫ מלמ לו ת‬. said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' Consider why the name Ruth is hidden in these passages. Is there any connection? Let me propose an idea. On the eve of Geula, the Geula hung in balance; it might not have happened. What made it happen? Geula came from a convert who corrected a mistake from torah leadership. What she did saved Moshe, who then saved the nation. Moshe himself was like a stranger to the Jewish world, almost like a convert. He grew up as an Egyptian and finds out later he is Jewish and has the qualities to lead that the other Jewish leaders didn’t have. In addition as Pharaoh’s son he was in a position that no other leader was in. Strange how Geula came not from the typical Jewish source. What happened at the inn is maybe a hint that our ultimate kingship also comes from this clarification of Halacha brought about by unusual circumstances that are far from the mainstream. Tziporra who was a convert corrected a mistake by the greatest scholar of all time. Ruth brought about a torah revision and clarification that brought Moshiach. In our day Zionism an outcast to the religious world, will yet bring about a revision and clarification of torah. From the outcasts comes the rectification. 244

Shmot 2012 ‫ יכי‬,‫ קֹלך נהאות‬-‫לזה‬- ‫ קֹו‬,‫ליה יע נמך‬- ‫לא קֹה‬- -‫ יכי‬,‫מלר‬- ‫יםא‬, ‫ יב ומ‬12 And He said: “For I shall be with you; and this ,‫הנענם‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ ֹקבהו יצי נאך‬:‫נ יכי ֹקש מל ֹקח יתיך‬,‫ נא ם‬is your sign that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on ‫נה נהר‬ ‫מעל‬ ,‫ נה לאל יהים‬-‫את‬-‫ל‬ ‫מת מע קֹבדון‬ ,‫יממיצֹק מריים‬ this mountain. ‫זה‬-‫ מה ל‬. Shmot 3:12 This passage is very unusual. Normally when one is sent on a mission he is given signs to convince the people of his authenticity. In this passage it appears that Hashem is telling Moshe that ‘after the fact’ there will be a convincing sign. In other words, the sign itself has nothing to do with bringing the Nation of Israel out of Mitzraim, but rather, after the fact that they have left Mitzrayim, they will be convinced that they had done the correct thing, and they will experience something unique by the mountain that convinces them. Rashi reveals an amazing concept here. ‘This teaches that people can be judged and even rewarded on the basis of their potential. The very fact that the nation has within it the capacity for growth that will enable them to to listen to God’s word and accept His Torah is sufficient to justify the Exodus.’ Rambam adds ‘True faith is never based merely on miracles, because there is always a lingering doubt that miracles can be fabricated or brought about by means other than Divine intervention. This was the basis of Moses’ fear that the Jews would not believe him – even miracles could not induce perfect belief. To dispel this fear, God assured him that the nation would experience revelation on this mountain when they received the ten commandments. Israel’s faith in Moses and his prophecy was based on its own experience at Sinai, where it became indisputably clear to them that God was speaking to them. (Hil. Yesodei HaTorah 8:2) (Artscroll Siddur Pg 304). ‫אהאות‬, ‫לקֹך‬-‫זה‬-‫ קֹו ל‬,‫ליה יע נמך‬- ‫לא ֹקה‬- -‫ יכי‬,‫למר‬- ‫יא‬,‫ יב מו ם‬12 And He said: “For I shall be with you; and ‫שכי אא לנ שכי‬,‫ נה נעם‬-‫את‬-‫ קֹבהו יצי נאך ל‬:‫ֹקש מל ֹקח יתיך‬ this is your sign that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve ‫ מעל נה נהר‬,‫ נה לאל יהים‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ מת מע קֹבדון‬,‫ ימ ימצֹקרמ יים‬God on this mountain. ‫לזה‬- ‫מה‬ =For Kahane is my sign ‫שכי שכ אהנ אא אותי‬ These letters can be rearranged to spell ‘For Kahane is my sign’. What is the connection? As Rambam explains to us, real faith does not come from ‘miracles’. How many Israeli’s will tell you that the six day war was no miracle at all, simply Israeli intelligence and courage. How many Charedim will tell you that Israel itself is no miracle, and even some who will say that Israel is ‘occupied’ by an anti-Torah Zionist regime. Real faith comes from experience and understanding. One can practice religious rituals and lack much faith. One may not adhere much to religious rituals but have a 245

tremendous attachment to the Creator as he bravely accepts many self-sacrificing missions to protect his people. Rabbi Kahane understood our greatness and our weakness. He pinpointed our ‘Achilles heel’ and forced us to face up to ourselves by asking difficult questions. His Torah was a Torah of fire that destroyed the arguments of both the Torah scholars who did not participate in the greatest miracle before their eyes and the Zionists whose courage and vision lacked faith in God. He spoon fed the generation and explained to them simple ideas that they could not grasp. This is exactly what Moshe did. His sign was simply that he spoke the truth. He was like Avraham who smashed the idols before his father. Everyone understood that he spoke the truth but their answer was ‘But who are we?’ or ‘Yes, but this is not possible’, etc. He demonstrated that everything is possible and that even he alone with a handful of supporters could bring down the mighty Pharaohs of Russia and America and force the release of a million Russian Jews. He left us to finish the job and create a truly Jewish state and liberate Yehuda and Shomron. All of the arguments today are the same ones of twenty two years ago and he had the only true answer that cut to the heart of each and every Jew regardless of their positions. Just like our forefathers of the past, he set the path and demonstrated the courage that is required of us and the sensitivity to feel the pain of our brothers, whether they are oppressed by Gentile Nations or our own Nation. He planted the seeds within our Nation to encourage us to stand alone and grasp our destiny; to throw out our enemies and to unify our nation. Moshe feared that the Israelites were too spiritually impoverished to merit redemption. Hashem told him that he was wrong. If he speaks the truth to these people they will hear it, and they will follow, but he must lead and be an example. Today we see the seeds that he planted sprouting and bearing fruit. The hill top youth with their Kahane T-shirts defy the Nation and the whole world and will overturn its order to bring about Judea. Even inside the government itself Moshe Feiglin and other Kahane sympathizers like Mr Leiberman have positions of increasing power. Our Haftorah essentially addresses the point that is raised in our above passage. The sign that God sent Moshe comes ‘after the fact’. This was also true of David Hamelech. In his lifetime, even though he had great success and miraculous victories he was still called a ‘mamzer’. He wasn’t ‘Jewish’ and ‘pure’ enough according to many. These accusers were silenced however, ‘after the fact’. When Shlomo built the temple the doors would not open. He prayed in the name of Avraham, and Itzchak, and Yacov and nothing happened. He prayed in the name of his father David, and the doors opened. Once and for all it was understood who King David was. Our Haftorah tells us that the root of Yacov will bear fruit. Who is the root of Yacov today? Who shows us the example of ‘real faith’ that our forefathers had? Who is the one that can take the gems of Torah that have fallen in the mud of exile and make them shine again? Who is the one who spoon feeds the generation of heroes and gives them purpose to their missions? ‫ ני יציץ ו נפ מרח‬,‫ ו מה נב יאים מי רש לרש תי נִע לקב‬6 In days to come shall Jacob take root, Israel ‫ֹקתנו נבה‬ ,‫תבל‬, ‫תת‬, -‫ני‬,‫קֹפ ת‬ ‫ו נמ ֹקלאו‬ ;‫אל‬,‫ יי קֹש נר ת‬. shall blossom and bud; and the face of the world shall be filled with fruitage. Yeshiyahu 27:6 246

The gematria Shoresh Yacov = Meir David Ben Yecheskel Shraga ‫ = מאיר אד שוד בן רי הח רז לקאל רש תר אגא‬Meir David Ben Yecheskel Shraga 504 + 156 + 52 +14 + 251 = 977 (plus 5 for each word ) = Shoresh Yacov (982) ‫שרש יעקב‬ ,‫לטן קֹי מד ֹקע יתיך‬- ‫לב‬- ‫ נצ ֹרקך( מב‬-‫לרם אצורך )אל‬- ‫לט‬- ‫ ה קֹב‬5 Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, ‫ אנ שביא‬:‫שה רק תד רש שתיך‬ and before you left the womb I sanctified you; ‫חם‬-‫לר ל‬- ‫מ‬,‫צא ת‬,‫תת ת‬, ‫לרם‬- ‫ט‬-‫ו קֹב ל‬ I have appointed you a prophet unto the nations. ‫ קנֹתמ יתיך‬,‫ תלגו שים‬. Yermiyahu 1:5 If you add the ‘yud’ for the future tense; ‘In days to come’ Yacov will take root the gematria is 992. The passage above from the same Haftorah is equivalent. YiShoresh Yacov = In days to come Yacov will take root = 992 I have sanctified you and set you as a prophet unto the nations = 991 (plus kollel) = 992. Yermiyahu, like Moshe and like Rav Kahane was skeptical of his mission. He was imprisoned by the Jewish government because he was a messenger that tried to warn them of the doom that was approaching. They preferred to blame the messenger and listen to false prophets. Although his mission failed he laid the foundations for the future redemption. A prophet does not always succeed, in fact in most cases they fail. Their purpose is to lead the way, and to demonstrate what is possible. We mostly hear too little, too late, nevertheless the ground that the prophet has cleared for us shows us the path that we too can follow as a people and walk through the ocean to the other side. It is once we are on the other side that we can look back and understand who we have become and how it was made possible. The prophet or the Torah scholar or the prince of Egypt, or whomever finds himself with unique qualities and in unique positions and rises to the occasion will be helped from above. The ten famous martyrs that were killed by the Romans, led the way for us to keep the Torah despite all odds. The ten revolutionaries who were martyred by the British because they refused to accept British sovereignty led the way for us to build the glory of our new born Nation despite all odds. The Rav connected our heart and soul together and demonstrated how to unify our courage and our faith in the direction of Har Sinai. As the Nation follows in these footsteps and arrives on the other shore. We will all be surprised like the brothers were surprised at Yoseph the king who was considered dead, and themselves who are now unified under one purpose. The sign will be ‘after the fact’, just as ‘Kahane is My sign’ is hidden in the letters. Our destiny is also hidden until such time as we have matured after having been spoon fed as we read in the Haftorah. 247

--‫ ימי ני יבין קֹשמו נעה‬-‫את‬-‫ ֹקו ל‬,‫תד נעה‬, ‫רה‬-‫ ימי יו ל‬-‫ת‬-‫ ט אל‬9 Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom ‫ ימ נש נד יים‬,‫קי‬,‫ מע יתי ת‬,‫מחנ נלב‬,‫ ת‬,‫י‬,‫ גֹקמו תל‬shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts? ' ‫תעיר‬, ‫ קֹז‬--‫ מקו נל נקו מקו נל נקו‬,‫ י יכי מצו נל נצו מצו נל נצו‬10 For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, ‫תעיר נשם‬, ‫ ֹקז‬,‫ נשם‬. line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little. ,‫תבר‬, ‫ קֹי מד‬,‫לת‬-‫לחר‬- ‫ ובֹק נלשון מא‬,‫גי נש נפה‬,‫ יא יכי קֹב מל נע ת‬11 For with stammering lips and with a strange ‫זה‬-‫ נה נעם מה ל‬-‫לל‬-‫א‬. tongue shall it be spoken to this people; Yeshiyahu 28:9-11 There was only one leader who stood out from among all of our Rabbi’s and all of our political leaders and was banned and blamed and imprisoned and assassinated. However, everyone knew, his enemies included, that he spoke the truth. He laid out the map for us to follow. Our following and maturing as a Nation is the sign that Hashem sent us a Moshe in our own time. He spoon fed us ‘precept by precept’ so that we would become a ‘new Jew’, which is the ‘old Jew’. This is the sign for us ‘after the fact’, as we slowly become a religion that must leave the ghetto and become a Nation and a Nation that must leave the United Nations and be a Unique Spiritual Nation called Israel. The Revolution (2015) I was interviewed once for a Canadian TV show. They asked me what it was like moving to Israel from Canada and how I managed with all of the wars and intifada here in Israel. How did this affect me? I answered that the Jewish day begins at night. When its dark outside we already see the next day. I recalled this answer to Jews sitting at a Shabbat table and added among our people there are also those who live here in Israel and believe we are in the galut. There are others who already live in the time of Moshiach and are fighting the wars of Moshiach along with David Hamelech. ‫לשר‬- ‫ נא‬:‫םפט‬, ‫כם ֹקו יי קֹש‬-‫תלי ל‬, ‫לרא ֹקיה נוה נע‬- ‫תי‬, ,‫להם‬- ‫תל‬, ‫א ֹקמרו נא‬,‫ כא מוי ם‬21 and they said to them: 'May Hashem look upon ,‫ני נע נב נדיו‬,‫עי ת‬,‫עה ו קֹב ת‬,‫ני מפ ֹקר ם‬,‫עי ת‬,‫ ֹקב ת‬,‫תחנו‬, ‫תרי‬, -‫את‬-‫לתם ל‬- ‫ יה ֹקב מא קֹש‬you, and judge; because ye have made our very ‫גנו‬,‫ ֹקל נה ֹקר ת‬,‫רב ֹקב ני נדם‬-‫ח ל‬-‫ ל‬-‫לתת‬- ‫ נל‬. scent abhorrent in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to place a sword in their hand to murder us.' (Shmot 5:21) The foremen who had worked very hard to secure small favors for the Jewish people were violently opposed to Moshe and Aaron who came without experience and undermined all that they had achieved. In addition they were receiving now beatings from the Egyptians because of Moshe and Aaron. They had a valid complaint and Moshe was also distressed by this. His derech however was proven correct. It is interesting to note that the foremen who hated Moshe later became judges under Moshe. Rav Kahane writes on this Parsha that the revolutionary thinking of Moshe 'was not simply a change in the status quo but an establishment of an ideal world. We were not born to be slaves with improved working conditions..we were born to be redeemed.' The galut has ended. We no longer need to live with terror from our enemies. David's men are in the hilltops and on the news today. Where are we? 248

The Future is in Our Hands (2018) The Rav writes in Perush Hamacabee about the word 'tikach' (took) that is written four times in sefer Shmot. Yocheved ‘took’ the baby Moshe to the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter reached out and ‘took’ the baby. Miriam ‘took’ her tambourine and Tziporra ‘took’ a stone. In the first three examples it seems a bit easier to make a connection between them all. The last passage, however seems a bit more difficult to connect. Imagine a mother who can no longer hide her child from the cruel edicts of Pharaoh and must ‘take’ her child to the river where only a miracle will save him. Her prayers are answered when Pharoahs daughter reaches out and ‘takes’ the baby Moshe.The theme of faith is also connected to Miriam who in the face of doom ‘took’ her tambourine in her hand to celebrate victory. How are these explanations and consequences of faith related to Tzippora? I suggest that the story of Yum Suf may shed some light on our question. According to the Midrash in the beginning of Creation it was ordained that Yum Sum would split when the Israelites arrived there. So why did it not split when they arrived? Chazal explain that the sea did not recognize the Children of Israel. They appeared no different than the Egyptian idolaters who were chasing them. It was not until Nachshon jumped in that it was clear that these were the Israelites. As we have suggested in an earlier commentary the story of Tzipora is a hint of what is to come in the future. The gematria of Tziporra is the same as Yehoshua. Be Milon (at the Inn) can be read as Mul Hageula (standing before the redemption). The 'nun' (Gematria 50) of Milon equals Hageula (Gematria 50). Moshe arrived with the command of Din (judgement) against Pharaoh. Hashem commands Moshe to tell Pharaoh to release His first born Israel or he will kill Pharaoh's first born. The angel of judgement may have reacted as Yum Suf. Moshe agreed to give Yitro his firstborn for idolatry. What then is the difference between Pharaoh's firstborn and Moshes firstborn? Just as the splitting of the Red Sea had to come from the ‘people’ (as Nachson demonstrated) and not only from the leader; so too only Tzipora could save the Rebbe as it was because of her that he was being judged equal to Pharaoh. Only Tzipora the convert could save the Tzadik. In our orphaned generation that has left us without the great leaders that forged the path to Geula; we alone can redeem they who paid the ultimate price for our very existence. We who are like converts must circumcise our hearts and teach the next generation so that we may yet bring the Geula. One might say that Rav Kahane died because of our sins. Our animosity and apathy put the nail in his coffin. It is only we who can bring him back to life by continuing the mission. The stone that we lift from our heart will one day be used to accomplish the mission the great ones forged for us. As they 'took' in faith, so we must 'take'. They who sacrificed their lives to redeem the Jewish people are waiting silently for the Jewish people to redeem them. The future is in our hands. 249

The Loss We Must Gain (2021) Of the four books of *Perush Hamacabee there is only one which is a commentary of the weekly Parsha and that is Parsha Shmot. The nearly 800 pages of commentary cover only a third of the Parsha. The Rav was murdered and never finished it. Imagine for a moment if he wrote 800 pages for only a third of Parsha Shmot, what mammoth amount of Torah would his full commentary have been? Imagine what we have lost. Within this fragment he raised questions which he planned to answer further into the Parsha however we do not have the merit to know these chidushim for the Rav was cut down. We are like Tziporra who must deduce for our Rav has been swallowed. Imagine at the time, the future of the Torah and the destiny of Israel was in the hands of Tziporra the convert. What a grave obligation she had. We are lucky that the Rav in his short years left us a wealth of Torah, still how much more have we lost? One might say that even the Torah scroll we have today is only a remnant of the original Torah which was broken into fragments at Sinai, as we did not merit it. We have been left, what Hashem in His infinite wisdom has deemed necessary, with the knowledge that there was a greater understanding that we were denied. On Shabbat I pondered one of the Rav's unanswered questions. The Rav writes in Perush Hamacabee (The Torah is ambiguous; it is unclear whether the angel wanted to kill Moses or Gershom, his son. This is a well-known dispute among the Commentators, and see my comments below on Exodus 4:24) Persuah Hamacabee Pg. 465 The Rav was murdered before he wrote those comments. Although we will never know the Rav's Chidush, let me share some of my own ideas that come to mind from studying his words. It seems to me that the angel swallowed both Moshe and Gershom depending on your perspective. He brings down that based on the words Va-Yo-El Moshe (Shmot 2:21) we learn that Moshe made an oath to Yitro to give his first born to idolatry. ‫שה‬-‫םמ ל‬, ‫לאל‬- ‫ מויו‬- Moshe desired – According to the Talmud (Nedarim 65a) Yitro insisted that Moshe swear to him that he would never leave without his permission. The word Va-Yo-el is related to Alah, an oath which carries a curse for violating it. The Rav also brings down a Midrash that Yitro made Moshe swear an oath that he would give his first born over to idolatry and the subsequent ones to Hashem. (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Yishma'el, Amalek 3) He continues that this is difficult to understand for we know there are three cardinal sins that one must publicly deny regardless of the consequences, and idolatry is one of them. The Rav explains that in this instance however there was no public display but rather a secret agreement between Moshe and Yitro out of fear that the whole family could be in danger if it were known that Moshe and his son were not idolaters. For the sake of marriage, refuge and safety he agreed to this temporary leniency thinking the situation would change later. I would add there are a number of instances where situations are judged differently depending on circumstance or surrounding. One reason given to Rachels death upon entering Israel was due to the standard in the land of Israel which would not permit a marriage between two sisters. A leniency outside of Israel would not be permitted within Israel. Similarly once outside of the jurisdiction of Yitro the oath that Moshe gave took on a much graver consequence. 250