Kahane Codes - Bereshit Shmot

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Kahane in the Parsha Yitro 302

Yitro 2010 “…if you say that the Holy One, blessed be He, exalts Himself in the world only for Israel, this is certainly so. For Israel is the base of the shine of the candle. Yet when the other nations come forth to acknowledge Him through worship of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, then the base of the candle increases and is strengthened.” Zohar, Parsha Yitro Parsha Yitro is the Parsha that defines the special relationship Israel has with Hashem. It is the Parsha where the Nation of Israel meets Hashem and He gives them His precious gift of Torah designating them a chosen people from all other nations in the world. It is the one Parsha where the Jewish people stood as one person, like Adam Harishon and in one voice accepted the entire Torah. One would think that such a chapter would be named after Israel, or Hashem, or the Torah. The question arises, why would such a chapter be named after a convert to Judaism? It was the Israelite Nation that suffered the bondage of Egypt and the redemption, not Yitro. Why then is the reward of Torah found in a Parsha called Yitro? There are many answers to this question. 1 – Amalek heard about this special relationship of Israel and tried to destroy it. Yitro on the other hand was inspired by these political and spiritual events to join the Israel Nation. 2 – Yitro comes from the root Yeter, ‫ יתר‬which means to ‘add on to’. He added onto the Torah. His advice to Moshe was an addition that Hashem accepted. This is alluded to in his name. The letters Torah are found within the name Yitro +5. Yitro (616) Torah (611) ‫ = תורא‬Torah (611) ‫ = יתרו‬Yitro (616) 3 – The Zohar says that even though the Israelite Nation saw the miracles and salvation it wasn’t until another event happened that they all accepted and understood that there is no other than the Holy One blessed be He. This event was Yitro arriving and making this proclamation. Yitro was the head priest of Idol Worship and his denunciation of all other idols and affirmation of the truth of Hashem was similar to the Pope in Rome today telling all the Christians we were wrong, the Jews are right, and converting to become a chassid. According to Halacha, an idol worshiper must denounce his idol worship for it to be destroyed. A jew cannot do it for him. When Yitro made this denunciation it raised the world and prepared the Nation of Israel to accept its eternal mission. In other words the force of the Gentile renouncing idol worship and accepting Hashem and His Torah raises Israel itself to a higher level. The common thread in all of these answers is the following. The Torah is not a religion to be kept by a sect of Hashem lovers that are disconnected from the outside world. The Torah is meant to change the world and bring it back in its entirety to the original cause. Moshe’s Torah stood out from our long tradition of Hashem lovers and followers. Moshe’s Torah (as explained in Parsha Shmot) challenged the authority and brought about political change. This is also Rav Kahane’s Torah, the authentic Torah that seeks to transform systems of evil and make them good. He almost singlehandedly fought against the superpowers of USA and Russia and brought millions of Russian Jews home. This was not politics, it was the Torah way. With a handful of followers he brought about the most important change which is reforming the Jewish heart and soul. He was like a 303

comet that appeared in the sky and gave hope to the Jewish people that they can be lions and not sheep, that they can overcome their enemies and that it all begins by overcoming their leadership and destroying the idol worship we cling to. Our leaders like mice offer other mice as sacrifices to the blood thirsty cats in the vain hope of building friendship between them. The Rabbi knew that the children of Esav and Ishmael will hate us regardless of how determined we are to sell our brothers, so better to fight our enemies and win. Let the world hate us, and respect us. Many times I have heard of radio talk shows Gentiles who would call in to Rav Kahane and say ‘Why are there not more Jews like you? Those who persecuted the Rav like in Shmot and said ‘you are making it bad for us, you have put a sword in Pharaohs hand’,(Shmot 5:21) the opposite is true. When we stand up and act as we should act and change ourselves, the world will become more receptive to us. When we transform our communities, our cities, our Nation, then some of the world will hate us and make war like Amalek, but more importantly the Yitros will come out and run to join us. Only then will the planet be in the proper state to relate once again to its Creator and evil will be no more, only the pursuit of goodness. We must act like Moshe and change our political world, then we will lead the Nations by their own free will. This is when the Lord will be One and His name One. The Origins of JDL (2019) The JDL began in the 1960's by Rabbi Kahane in response to an increasing amount of antisemitic attacks and lack of Jewish response to protecting vulnerable Jews in New York City. He organized Jewish patrols that not only protected Jewish communities but hit their attackers back and spread a psychological fear among the Gentiles not to prey on the Jewish community. In one instance a martial arts expert dressed as a Hassid was approached by an antisemitic attacker who was promptly given a good beating. As the attacker lay on the floor the Hassid showed him his Tzizit. He said 'You see this? Every Jew that wears these can do what I just did to you. Tell your friends to be careful'. In another instance an attacker was cornered by a Jewish squad that was hiding in the alley and told to give them his ID. They studied it and told him he better not come around here anymore. They know where he lives and they will come after him. By using a Jewish fist and Jewish brain they succeeded in creating a psychological effect on the antisemites. It made them think twice before picking on the Jews because they feared the JDL. In response to criticism by Jewish leaders of the JDL tactics the Rabbi brought up a Hasidic story about Har Sinai. The Gerer Rebbe asked a question. If the Midrash tells us that Har Sinai was given on a small mountain to teach humility, then why wasn't the Torah given in a valley? Wouldn't that be a more appropriate symbol? He answered that it was to teach two things. Number one: Be humble. Number two: Don't be too humble. Don't be walked over and stepped upon. “It is a disgrace to the pride of our people, our God. More important, there is a rule in the hoodlum jungle: The more the victim backs away, the more the hoodlum moves forward. So up from the valley and up to the mount. Jewish rights are not cheap and Jewish defense is not wrong. This is the lesson of the Mount.” (Jewish press 1968) 304

The In-Laws (2019) Its hard not to notice that every time Yitro is mentioned it says Yitro 'the father in law of Moshe'. Rabbi Kahane often spoke about the dangers of assimilation. He used to joke about interfaith marriages and say 'A Jew must obey the Laws not the In-Laws.' I wonder sometimes about the effect Yitro had on Israel. He made a suggestion to Moshe 'If you do this thing – and God will command you...' he prefaces his suggestion. Now we don't see in the written text that Moshe asks Hashem as in Parsha Shlach when Hashem responds 'Send forth men, if you please..' or with the daughters of Zelophehad ..'and Moshe brought their claim before Hashem.'(Bamidbar 27) In this instance Moshe proceeds to implement Yitro's suggestion without consulting Hashem in the written text. Now I don't particularly like jokes about the differences between Hasidim and Misnagdim that I hear often at the farbrengen table. They may have been relevant two hundred years ago but it seems to me less relevant today when the question is not about the correct 'method' of serving God but rather whether we even serve Him at all in any form. Having said that I pointed out one day at the farbrengen table that Yitro must have been a Misnagid. The ears perked up at the Shabbat Table. How so? They questioned. 'Well, I answered. Every day Moshe was handing out dollars like the Rebbe and people could see him and be blessed and then Yitro comes in the picture and no more handing out dollars.' Rabbi Reichman particularly liked my suggestion. I am sure Moshe felt a great deal of gratitude towards Yitro for harboring Moshe when he was a fugitive but look at the effect he had even on Moshes children? According to a Midrash Yitro made Moshe swear to give his first born son to Idolatry. This marriage condition was probably due to the fear for the safety of Yitro's family. Nevertheless I wonder how much influence the in-laws had to the giver of the law. Would there have been less complaints if we had been in closer contact to the Tzadik? The Misnagid Chassid (2021) Imagine getting an invitation to a big Jewish wedding. 'The Goldstein Family and the Ginzberg Family cordially invite you to our wedding featuring a special dinner with our mutual Gentile friend Yitro'. Who is Yitro and what does this stranger have to do with this distinguished wedding? Is he mentioned in the Parsha because of the judicial advise he gave to Moshe? Was his advise proper? After converting to the Hebrew faith is it not a bit chutzpadik to tell the Rebbe that he suggests handing out dollars every day to the people is not a good idea as it will tire him out? Why does the Rebbe agree? In the Pshat do we see Hashem agreeing and saying 'wonderful idea' as He did with the daughters of Zelophehad? On the contrary we see Hashem writes in His Torah around fifteen times 'father-in law' suggesting to me a 'hint' to Moshe that even a 'Rebbe' should be careful about listening to advise from his father-in-law. Before offering more advise, Moshe sends him on his way. To make the question even stronger, Moshe was almost killed because of Yitro. When he lived in Midian Yitro made him swear not to circumcise his first born son for fear of the neighbors. When Moshe went to tell Pharaoh to release Hashem's first born son or else his first born son will be killed what happened? The one who came to judge was judged first and found lacking as his own son was uncircumcised. If it had not been for the quick thinking of Yitro's daughter Moshe and the whole story of the exodus would have ended there. Why then is Yitro's name on the wedding invitation? 305

I believe it is for three other reasons, not related to the above. The number one reason and most important is that Yitro saved the Rebbe's life when he was a fugitive. Imagine a Gentile hiding the Rebbe if he had remained in Europe during the Shoa? The Rebbe would be forever indebted to the self- sacrifice of that individual who saved his life and by extension was responsible for saving his entire mission. Secondly, Rav Nachum Kahane suggests in his book With All Your Might' that Yitro may have inspired Moshe. This might be similar to Mamre who advised Avraham to do what his God commanded him and was remembered for this. Maybe Yitro was a type of Shatchan to this big Israelite wedding? Imagine the conversation at the dinner table after a long day of shepherding. Yitro: Moshe, I see you thinking about your people day and night. I was in your fathers court long before you ran away. That place is completely corrupt. There is no way you can save your people. It's impossible. There is one slim chance however. You are the only person who could do it. You are Pharaohs son. He loves you. You are the only person who can just knock on the door and say tell my father I have returned. I know I have benefited tremendously from your presence here like Lavan benefited from Yacov, but I must encourage you to go. Its not right for me to insist you stay. You need to save your people. The third reason is the tremendous outcome that Yitro and Moshe never imagined in those early days. Not only did Yitro save Moshe and encourage him but now after seeing this epic historic event that will change the entire world, Yitro wants to be more than a Shatchan. He wants to be a member of this Nation for he deduces from these events, a love between Hashem and the Hebrew people that is unmatched anywhere in the world. The Egyptians wanted to destroy the 'body' of Israel and so Hashem Himself went to war against the Egyptians. Amalek tried to destroy the 'God' of the Israelite's, so the Israelite's went to war against Amalek. Where do we see a God that fights for His people and a people that fights for their God? It seems to me the name Yitro associated with this wedding reminds us of the self sacrifice and the reward for those who help the Jewish people when it is not popular to do so, as well as the results that happen when we the Jewish people, live up to our calling and how this unites and rectifies the entire world. Geula starts with words and actions of individuals. Shifra Hoffman told me the Rav used to ask, 'How did so much water fill up the oceans? He would answer 'drop, by drop'. In his mind Geula was already here. Our mission was to return home to our Land, throw out our enemies and build our Temple. It was a simple, clear and courageous mission. On radio talk shows I remember hearing Gentiles calling in and saying. Rabbi, we have been waiting for you. Why are there not more rabbi's like you? When one speaks Geula clearly the result is twofold; Amalek attacks because he is unmasked as the evil person he is and the Yitros of the world respond to the clarity of the message and wish to join. The Yoke of Heaven I have mentioned that the Parsha where Chabbad Chassidut and Kahane Chassidut meet is in Chaia Sarah, as shlichut is the essence of Chabbad and the word eved, repeated throughout the Parsha is the gematria 76 (Kahane). Someone replied but we say 'she lo asani eved' in the prayers (thank you for not making me a slave). Today Rav Butmans son spoke and gave me a good answer. At Matan Torah we had the distinction of not only being sons of the King but also acquired the status of someone sold by the court as a slave unwillingly. This acceptance that we submit our ego to is called Ol Malchut Shomayim and the Rav spoke about this frequently. Sometimes Chabbad helps me to understand my Chassidut as I sometimes help them to understand theirs. 306

Kahane in the Parsha Mishpatim 307

Mishpatim – 2012 ‫ית‬,‫ תב‬,‫ תנ יביא‬,‫תרי מא קֹד נמ ֹקתך‬, ‫ יבכו‬,‫תרא ישית‬, ‫ יט‬19 The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt ‫ בתחנִ ללב שאמו‬,‫ֹקג ידי‬ bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou ‫של‬,‫ קֹת מב ת‬-‫םלא‬, ;‫להיך‬- ‫לאל‬ ‫ קֹיה נוה‬. shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. ‫ה אא לנ שכ‬,‫ יל ֹקש נמ ֹקרך‬,‫לניך‬- ‫ ֹקל נפ‬,‫תל מח ממ ֹקל נאך‬, ‫ש‬,‫י ם‬ ‫נ‬,‫כ יה ת‬ 20 Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep ;‫רך‬-‫ מב נד ל‬. thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place ‫םנ יתי‬, ‫לשר נה יכ‬- ‫ מה נמקום נא‬-‫לאל‬- ,‫קֹו מל נה יבי נאך‬ which I have prepared. (Shmot 23: 19-20) When I look at these passages I see something different than most people. Once again I see Rav Kahane. It is explained that having an ‘angel’ leading us is a downgrade from having G-d Himself leading us. Moshe pleads with God in Parsha Ki Sissa regarding this and refuses to go on if Hashem does not go along with us. Here in the passages preceding the sin of the Egel it is not yet apparent why there is an angel being sent. After Parsha Ki Sissa we see it is a punishment. An angel is a servant of God and must obey the rules precisely and therefore is less lenient and forgiving of sins. What is the sin that takes G-ds presence away from us to the point where He can no longer walk among us? It is alluded to in the passage above. ‘Do not cook a kid in its mothers milk’. When Josephs brothers said ‘Look here comes the dreamer’ and planned to destroy him, what exactly where they destroying? Were his dreams and his intentions not for the benefit of his brothers and family? The Torah is like mothers milk that nourishes us and sustains us. Those who draft laws to persecute and condemn he who comes like a dreamer to save his people with laws are like one who takes the mother and boils her in her own milk. They destroy the one who brings them the remedy. They destroy the source of their nourishment. It is this evil that is too great for G-d to bear and so He leaves. Consistently throughout our history G-d sends messengers before the storm to warn us and to bring the remedy. Consistently we kill the messenger, and then G-d leaves and we are at the mercy of the Nations who have no mercy. The destruction of the Temple was preceded with the assassination of the prophet Zecharia who came like a mother to nurture the nation that boiled the mother in her own milk. We are judged by the way we judge others. The cruelty that comes to us is preceded with a cruelty we inflict upon ourselves. Alternatively when we follow the messenger and rise up from our apathy and go beyond our nature, then God goes beyond His nature to protect us and demonstrate His love or us. Why is the punishment alluded to here before the crime? The same reason that Tezaveh is written before Ki Sissa. In Ki Sissa Moshe pleads with Hashem to 'erase him from the book' if He will not forgive Israel's sin. In Tezaveh (the previous chapter) Moshe's name does not appear in fulfillment of this self-imposed curse. 308

A Blessing or Curse? :‫מר בו‬,‫ מת ת‬-‫ מאל‬,‫םקלו‬, ‫למר ימ נפ נניו ו קֹש ממע קֹב‬- ‫ כא יה נש‬21 Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice; ‫ יכי ֹקש ימי ֹקב יק ֹקרבו‬,‫כם‬-‫א יי נשא קֹל יפ ֹקש נע ל‬,‫ יכי ל ם‬. be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him. ‫םכל‬, ,‫ קֹו נע ישי נת‬,‫םקלו‬, ‫ קֹב‬,‫ נשמו מע ית קֹש ממע‬-‫ כב יכי יאם‬22 But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice, ,‫ קֹו מצ קֹר יתי‬,‫ביך‬-‫א ֹקי ל‬,‫ ם‬-‫לאת‬- ,‫ ֹקו נא מי קֹב יתי‬--‫תבר‬, ‫שר נא מד‬-‫ נא ל‬and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy ‫ליך‬-‫ ֹרקר‬,‫צם‬-‫אלת‬- . unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. -‫לאל‬- ‫לו לה יבי נאך‬- ,‫ניך‬-‫ ֹקל נפ ל‬,‫תלך ממ ֹקל נא יכי‬, ‫י‬,‫ ת‬-‫ כג יכי‬23 For Mine angel shall go before thee, and bring ‫ קֹו מה קֹפ יר יזי קֹו מה ֹקכ מנ נע יני מה יח יוי‬,‫מ ירי ֹקו מה יח יתי‬,‫ נה לא ם‬thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the ‫ קֹו מה ֹקיבו יסי; ֹקו יה קֹכ מח ֹקד יתיו‬. Jebusite; and I will cut them off. ,‫דם‬,‫א נת נע ֹקב ת‬,‫הם ֹקול ם‬-‫הי ל‬,‫לאל ת‬,‫לוה ת‬- ‫ ית ֹקש מת נח‬-‫א‬,‫ כד ל ם‬24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor ,‫סם‬,‫רס קֹת נה קֹר ת‬,‫ יכי נה ת‬:‫להם‬- ‫תשי‬, ‫שה ֹקכ ממ נע‬-‫א מת נע ל‬,‫ ֹקול ם‬serve them, nor do after their doings; but thou ‫להם‬- ‫תי‬,‫םב ת‬, ‫תצ‬, ‫בר ממ‬,‫תבר ֹקת מש ת‬, ‫ קֹו מש‬. shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces their pillars. -‫את‬-‫תב מרך ל‬, ‫ ו‬,‫לכם‬- ‫הי‬,‫את ֹקיה נוה לאל ת‬,‫ ת‬,‫תם‬-‫ כה מו נע מב ֹקד ל‬25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and ,‫ר יתי ממ נח נלה‬,‫מיך; מו נה יס ם‬-‫תמי ל‬, -‫לאת‬- ‫ קֹו‬,‫ מל קֹח ֹקמך‬He will bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will ‫בך‬-‫ ימ יק ֹקר ל‬. take sickness away from the midst of thee. (Shmot 23: 21-25) Although being led by an angel instead of the Almighty is a downgrade, still these passages seem very much like a blessing. Hashem will protect us, vanquish our enemies; multiply us and cause disease to be no more. It's possible that these rewards are not really rewards that we deserved but rather rewards given for the sake of the Tzadik. The Tzadik negotiated on our behalf and paid a heavy price. One may add that the glory given to Am Israel for its victories and for settling and protecting the Land are also given to us for His sake. As it is written. ‫בית‬,‫לשר יח קֹל כלהו ת‬- ‫ נא‬,‫שם נק קֹד ישי‬,‫ ת‬-‫ מעל‬,‫םמל‬, ‫לא קֹח‬- ‫ כא נו‬21 But I had pity for My holy name, which the ‫ נבאו נש נמה‬-‫שר‬-‫ מבגו יים נא ל‬,‫אל‬,‫ יי קֹש נר ת‬. house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they came ‫םד נני‬, ‫םכה נא ממר נא‬, ,‫תאל‬, ‫ יי ֹקש נר‬-‫בית‬,‫מר קֹל ת‬,‫תכן לא ם‬, ‫ כב נל‬22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus :‫אל‬,‫תבית יי קֹש נר ת‬, ,‫שה‬-‫ע ל‬,‫כם נא יני ם‬-‫א ֹקל ממ מע קֹנ ל‬,‫ ל ם‬,‫ ֹקיה יוה‬saith the Lord GOD: I do not this for your sake, O ‫מבגו יים‬ ,‫תם‬-‫יח מל קֹל ל‬ ‫שר‬-‫נא ל‬ ‫ נק קֹד ישי‬-‫תשם‬, ‫ קֹל‬-‫יכי יאם‬ house of Israel, but for My holy name, which ye ‫לתם נשם‬- ‫ נבא‬-‫שר‬-‫ נא ל‬. have profaned among the nations, whither ye came. ,‫ מה ֹקמ כח נלל מבגו יים‬,‫ קֹש ימי מה נגדול‬-‫את‬-‫ כג קֹו יק מד קֹש יתי ל‬23 And I will sanctify My great name, which hath ‫ נא יני‬-‫ ֹקבתו נכם; ֹקו ני קֹדעו מהגו יים יכי‬,‫לתם‬- ‫שר יח מל ֹקל‬-‫ נא ל‬been profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations ,‫כם‬-‫נב ל‬ ‫קֹב יה נק ֹקד ישי‬ ,‫קֹיה יוה‬ ‫םד נני‬, ‫נא‬ ‫ קֹנ כאם‬,‫ֹקיה נוה‬ shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord ‫הם‬-‫ני ל‬,‫תעי ת‬, ‫ קֹל‬. GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. (Yecheskel 36:21-23) 309

‫תםן לכה אא‬-‫ ֹקש ממ קֹע ל‬-‫א‬,‫תם ל ם‬-‫ מא ל‬,‫ ממר ֹקיה נוה‬- , ‫כ‬,‫יז לנ ת‬ Therefore, so says Hashem, “You did not hearken to Me to proclaim freedom, every man for his ;‫עהו‬,‫ר ת‬,‫א קֹדרור יאיש ֹקל נא יחיו קֹו יאיש ֹקל ת‬,‫ יל קֹקר ם‬,‫א מלי‬,‫ת‬ brother and every man for his fellow; behold! - I ‫רב‬-‫ח ל‬-‫ מה ל‬-‫אל‬-‫ ל‬,‫ קֹיה נוה‬-‫לכם קֹדרור קֹנ כאם‬- ‫תרא נל‬, ‫םק‬, ‫יה קֹנ יני‬ proclaim you to be free – the words of Hashem – ‫לכם לזועה‬- ‫א קֹת‬-‫ קֹו ננ מת יתי ל‬,‫ נה נר נעב‬-‫אל‬-‫לבר קֹו ל‬- ‫ד‬-‫ מה ל‬-‫לאל‬- for the sword, for the plague, and for the famine, ‫רץ‬-‫כל ממ קֹמ קֹלכות נה נא ל‬,‫ ֹקל ם‬,(‫) קֹל מז נע נוה‬. and I shall make you an object of trepidation for all the kingdoms of the earth. (Yermiyahu 34:17 – our Haftorah) In this passage we understand that our suffering and our exile is brought about by the way we treat each other. Why is the Rav's name associated with this passage? Early in his career the Rav founded the JDL (Jewish Defense League) as a response to rampant crime in New York City that often targeted Jews in poor neighborhoods. Many who were elderly and abandoned had no Jewish agency to help them and protect them. These Jewish activists succeeded in putting an end vandalism that visited Jewish cemeteries every Halloween. They heckled anti-Semitic speakers and protected neighborhoods that Jewish community leaders were not concerned with and had no practical solutions for. The love and concern that the Rav felt and acted upon was not only exhibited locally but globally. He called for protests against Jewish oppression by the Soviet Union. In one of his first articles about these issues in 1963 he wrote: “Silence is not always golden – sometimes its criminal. This being true, American Jewry must stand condemned for the crime of silence....While you read this two and a half million Jews in the East lie condemned to a spiritual death...They cannot train shochetim, kosher slaughterers, they cannot learn circumcision, they are harassed [for] any manifestation of Shabbath observance... And of course it will be protested: 'But what can we do? How can our protests and cries help the Jews from Russia?' To this we can only say; If a finger hurts, it may be of little benefit to cry out in pain. However if one does NOT cry out, one thing is certain: It does not hurt. If it did we would be marching at this moment around the Soviet consulate...We would cry out, boycott, protest, hold sit-ins... Let [Torah Jewry] take the lead in a campaign to re-awaken pain. Let us formulate a program of bold CONTINUOUS protest. By doing so we will give new heart to the Russian Jews who feel today that their brothers in the West have forgotten them...” (Meir Kahane : His life and thought pg.76) My brother Gavriel once pointed out a Gemora that asks a question: What do slave dream of? Although most people would answer 'freedom', the Talmud surprises us and says that a slave dreams of being 'the taskmaster.' In others words the sign of a real slave is someone who dreams of revenge, of making others suffer what he suffered, of being the 'boss' instead of the 'servant'. When this question is asked in Israel, surprisingly many Israeli's answer like the gemora. This of course indicates quite clearly that slavery is alive and well in Israel. It is the self-centered mind set of wanting to rule over others that defines one with a slave mentality. The Rav tried very hard to free us from this mind set, beginning locally in New York, then Internationally with the Russian Jews and then finally where it counts the most – in the Jewish State.. 310

The Jewish Slave (2018) We are approaching Adar and the holiday of Purim. Rav Spero in Toronto used to say that Purim is a sad day. After all of the festivities a Jewish woman (Esther) is still left married to a Gentile. This is redemption? A similar incomplete redemption we read about in our Parsha regarding the Hebrew slave. Why is this the first commandment that we read about after the giving of the Torah? Rav Kahane writes in Perush Hamaccabee When commenting on the Haftorah (Jeremiah 34:13-20). That is to say, you did not keep the mitzvah of the Hebrew slave, in which My power and My might and My mastery over the world are symbolized, and for the sake of which I took Israel down to Egypt – and I informed Avraham of My intentions when the fire passed between the parts of the calf in the Covenant between the Parts (Bereshit 15:4-21). But you transgressed My covenant, which is a hillul Hashem, because this mitzvah is the pinnacle of Kiddush Hashem. Perush HaMaccabee (1:22) Hashem took a holy people that represented Him in all of His goodness and brought them to Egypt where they were degraded into worthless slaves, beaten and tortured including the mass murder of Hebrew boys in the Nile. Then He performed great wonders and destroyed Egypt and brought them out as a free people. The Hebrew Nation became a symbol of hope and freedom and truth for the entire world. Now after giving of the Torah the commandments begin with the Eved Ivri. In other words Hashem was reminding them that it was I who foretold this to Avraham and I who brought you out as a great Nation. Instead of serving Pharoah you will now serve Me and in doing so always be a free people and a sign of truth and freedom for the entire world. One may ask how did Hashem allow this persecution to happen? There are many answers from different aspects. From the Israelite perspective there were those in Goshen who were not affected by the decrees of slavery as they remained aloof from Egyptian society in the Goshen yeshivas. From the Egyptian side if Pharaoh had simply allowed or even forced the Israelites out of Egypt he would have been called a saint. The extreme denials on both sides caused much of the suffering. The Israelites who refused to leave died in the days of darkness and the Egyptians who denied Hashem's request and were cruel and degraded the Hebrews were themselves destroyed. In our own time Hitler originally had a plan to expel the Jews from Germany however after noting the general apathy in the world he decided on the final solution. When we look at the concept of the Jewish slave we see that the status of slave came upon the Jew because of two reasons A: He owed money and sold himself to pay his debts B: He was a thief and placed in this situation by the court to repay his debts In the case of a thief one could say he was put into this situation because of his sins. The temporary servitude that he was placed in would pay his debts and then he would leave a free and rehabilitated man. Just as our National servitude and liberation were the results of consequences which eventually led to a type of rehabilitation and brought about a new 'liberated' Jew with its own army similar to our own time, the concept of the Jewish slave alludes to this epic birth of our own Nation. There is something very peculiar about the laws of the Eved Ivri. The Jewish master is allowed to give 311

his Jewish slave a non-Jewish wife to make children with. These children do not leave with him after his seven years servitute. They remain the property of the Jewish owner. If they go through conversion they may of course leave with him as a Jewish family. Alternatively he may decide to remain a slave forever and stay with his slave family. When I inquired about this Rav Halperin explained that an Eved Canaani was not a typical Gentile. The eved Canaani knew all of the Jewish laws as they were servants in a Jewish home. So we have here an unusual status of one who is not a typical Gentile and yet not a Jew either. The eved Canaani knows all of the Jewish laws and would find it much easier go through conversion and accept the yoke of Torah than a Gentile that is far removed from Jewish practice yet until they do so they remain an Eved Canaani. The Jew who is free to go after his seven years of servitude may also prefer not to be free and remain forever with his Eved Canaani. It is interesting to note that there is one simple difference between the times before Moshiach and the times after Moshiach. Rav Kahane in discussing the yoke of Heaven brings down in Persuch Hamaccabee an amazing quote from Isaiah And it will be on that day, that the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer 'rely upon its attacker'. They will rely upon Hashem the Holy One of Israel in truth..And it will be on that day that He will remove [Sennacherib's] suffering from your shoulders and his yoke from upon your neck. (Isaiah 10:20-27) The only difference between the times before moshiach and after is there will no longer be oppression from the gentile nations. This oppression however comes from our decision to accept the 'yoke' of the Torah or the yoke of the nations. When we stop 'relying on our attacker' for our security and instead rely on Hashem and move forward, then we are already in the times of Moshiach. There is something similar in the concept of the Jewish slave. One may know all of the Jewish laws just like the Eved Canaani but refuse to be free as a Jew. One may prefer the sustenance of a master who has permission to beat him and who governs his decisions and allows himself to be degraded as a slave or one can look around and see that the seven years have past and his debts are paid. He no longer needs to be a slave he can go free as a Jew who relies in truth on Hashem. A free Jew does not need a Jewish daughter to bed down with a Gentile king to be saved. He is a king himself as he serves the true master Hashem and a servant to a king is like a king. It's time we stopped to rely on our attackers and became truly free by relying in truth on Hasem. One who frees himself from this slave mentality is already living in the time of Moshiach. 312

Kahane in the Parsha Terumah 313

The Crack Part I – Terumah 'There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.' – Leonard Cohen Ever since the Garden of Eden there have been two evolutions in the world. The expanding tree of knowledge and the contracting Garden. The expanding tree I call the tree of Dos and Doubt. Dos in Hebrew is knowledge and along with this knowledge is a mixture of doubt. This knowledge continues to spread and grow and evolve and create new innovations in the world. The diminishing Garden is maintained by a small group of faithful that are zealous to retain the purity and holiness of what the world was intended to be. As they go seemingly separate directions, they are traveling actually in a circle and will eventually meet. As one expands the other contracts. The circle was completed once before at Har Sinai. The Garden took on a new form with Am Israel becoming in a sense Adam HaRishon but with the Chet HaEgel the Garden was hidden once again and diminished this time within the Mishkan. There is an illusion to Haman in the Garden of Eden when Hashem says “ HaMin Haetz?...” ‫נא נתה;ִנה שמן‬ ‫רם‬,‫תעי ם‬, ‫יכי‬ ,‫ֹקלך‬ ‫יה יגיד‬ ‫א‬ 11 And He said: 'Who told you that you are ‫ ימי‬--‫למר‬- ‫א‬,‫מוי ם‬ from which I naked? Have you eaten of the tree, -‫שר יצ יוי יתיך ֹקל יב קֹל יתי נא נכל‬-‫ נא ל‬,‫עץ‬,‫ נה ת‬- commanded you not to eat?' ‫ נא נכ ֹקל נת‬--‫למנו‬- ‫ימ‬ (Bereshit 3:11) Haman tried to destroy the Jewish people physically as well as spiritually which is alluded to the 50 amos gallows he erected that corresponds to the 50 levels of Kedusha. In the end he will be hung on his own tree; punished and destroyed similar to the original snake in the Garden and the Leviathan in the future. Although he brings about his own destruction he causes a bigger Garden to be revealed. The purpose of evil is the 'crack' that ultimately brings more light through his death. The Crack Part II - Tezaveh We understand the role of evil is to spread Dos/Doubt and in the end make the Garden greater. The role of the Tzadik is to preserve the 'purity' of the Garden. Moshe offered himself as a sacrifice in order to save the Jewish people from annihilation. Therefore he was erased from the Parsha Tezaveh. Although his name does not appear in the Parsha you can see it hidden in a peculiar place. There are two chains attached to the Shoham stones that rest on the shoulders of the Cohen. These chains carry the breastplate with all of the twelve tribes inscribed on it. The Shoham stones rearranged spell Moshe. We see an illusion to the Tzadik who carries the Jewish people on his shoulders. These Parshiot normally occur around the time of Purim. Purim is the last month of our National year which begins in Nissan. Our Nation was born in Nissan with the holiday of Pesach and the climax of our history is the end of the year with Purim. Purim is a time when the world turns upside down and is a very physical holiday. We have a feast, and we drink and we send mishloach manot (gifts of food). 314

Chanuka the other Rabbinical holiday is very spiritual. The laws of Chanuka have much to do with the purity of the oil and the spiritual joy of spreading these holy lights. Now if the goal of Creation is to return us back to the Garden would we not expect the final holiday of the year to be the most spiritual like Chanuka? To answer this question we must look at another transformation. It seems to me that there is another transformation that must take place in addition to the Dos/Doubt tree where all the good from evil is extracted and the shell discarded. One might even say that this parallel transformation is in fact the active ingredient that will extract this good from evil. What is this transformation? The tikkun of the Tzaddik. The Pach Katan; the small vile of pure Oil found in the Temple on Chanuka; the holy few that keep the light of Gan Eden shining, eventually must connect that light to the wax of the candle. As the physical becomes more spiritual the spiritual must connect the worlds together. Haman is not only seen in the Garden related to the tree of knowledge Haman is also released through the words of the giver of the Torah himself. How can this be? ‫ני‬,‫ קֹפ ת‬-‫לאל‬- --‫ מה נק נהל‬-‫את‬-‫ ל‬,‫רן‬,‫לשה קֹו מא נה ם‬- ‫מ‬,‫ י מו מי קֹק יהלו ם‬10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly --‫מ ירים‬,‫ ננא מה ם‬-‫ יש ֹקמעו‬,‫להם‬- ‫מר נל‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫ מה נס מלע; מוי‬together before the rock, and he said to them: 'Listen now, O rebels; shall we to bring you forth ‫לכם נמ ייםִנה שמן‬- ‫ נו יציא נל‬,‫לזה‬- ‫לס מלע מה‬- ‫ מה‬- water for you from this rock? (Bamidbar 9:10) It seems to me that the root of the ultimate redemption is concealed within these words. From within these words will come the physical manifestation of a spiritual reality. The anger of the pure against the Dos/Doubt tree precisely at the time when it is needed can cause great tragedy. An opportunity so close at hand can cause the greatest divide. For example a point at which the tribes of Israel could have been united was the same point that they were completely divided. The Holy One, Blessed is He, grabbed Yeravam by his cloak and said to him, “Return, and I, you, and the son of Yishai will stroll together in Gan Aiden.” “Who will lead?” he asked. “Ben Yishai will lead.” He [G-d] answered him. “If so,” he ended, “then I don’t want it!” (Sanhedrin 102a) Now one might say David is the pure one and Yeravam was evil as Baal Haturim writes in Netzavim: Perhaps there is among you a man, woman, family, or tribe, whose heart turns away from Hashem, our G-d today to follow and to serve the gods of these nations; maybe there is among you a source that would proliferate and spread evil in your midst, [who] upon hearing the words of this curse thinks to himself, “I will be fine, even though I do as I please.” In order to add the inadvertent transgressions to the premeditated one, G-d will not be willing to forgive him. G-d will be angry and His jealousy will rage against that man, and all the curses of this book will come after him. G-d will wipe away his name from under heaven. G-d will single him out for evil from all the tribes of Israel and cause him to experience all the curses of the covenant recorded in this Book of the Law. (Devarim 29:17-20) “G-d will single him out for evil … The gematria (of the Hebrew words) is equal to ‘This is Yeravam.'” (Ba’al HaTurim) However the Talmud tells us: When Yeravam left Jerusalem he met the prophet Achiah HaShiloni along the way, who was 315

wearing a new garment … (I Melachim 11:29) What does this mean? Rav Nachman said: Just as a new garment has no spots, so too did the teaching of Yeravam have no error. According to others: They renewed things that no ear has ever heard. What does, “And the two of them were alone in the field” mean? All other scholars were like the plants of the field compared to them. (Sanhedrin 102a) It seems that there is a type of anger or arrogance in deciding to be stricter than the Merciful One or indifferent to his manifestations (see Bechuchotai, and Vayera). In the case of Adam in Gan Eden part of the problem between him and Eve was the additional restrictions that he placed on the tree. This caused her to err. To physically touch the tree was not forbidden however Adam told Eve it was, as a precaution. When the snake pushed her against it and she didn't die, this confused her and the rest is history. The anger of Moshe caused a rift between the Jewish people precisely when the doors of redemption were beginning to open. One can see this reflected in our own century when inaction and indifference as the doors of Israel opened gave strength to Haman/Hitler. The Haman Arabs today are again testing this indifference as they spread throughout Europe and the world. Will we get angry at the rock to placate our enemies or be indifferent yet again when the new settlers are now God fearing leaving us no excuse not to join them? It seems we can see parallels sometimes between the Charedi world and the Arabs. Just as the Arabs who were offered so much of the Land refused on principle as they wanted it all; so the Charedi world stand aloof waiting for a perfect future where Moshiach will suddenly appear and the Bet Hamigash fall from Heaven. There is no compromise between good and evil yet between the two poles the world is being built. As the century evolves more physical Jews seek spiritual understanding and connection and more spiritual Jews seek to express the Divine by physically building and settling the Land. The settler movement is correcting the flaw of the pure vile and the Dos/Doubt tree by rebuilding Gan Eden over and over again despite hatred and demolitions from outside and within. Hamin Hasela? From this rock you expect salvation? Yes, the Land itself speaks. Purim is the high point of the Jewish cycle of the year where spirituality has progressed to the point that it is now physical. One of the main mitzvot of Purim is shaloach manot where we give people at least two gifts of food that can be eaten right away without preparation. This allows that person to consume one and give another to someone else. At the high point of our year we all become Chabadniks making sure we are giving to others and enabling others to also give. In addition the Torah is something we give and then we share with others however in the end of days the Torah will manifest itself physically as we resettle our Land, reclaim our King and Father in Heaven and thereby bring true peace to the world. It's interesting to note that at the end of the year where spirituality becomes physically represented in the shaloach manot in Nissan the opposite occurs. As this climax of freely giving food items comes to an end we begin again with the pure vile. For in Nissan, we restrict our diet and are very careful what we eat. We return to the concentrated Gan Eden restricted to chametz free items. And so it goes. From Gan Eden to Har Sinai to the Mishkan there is an expanding and contracting Gan Eden. The Haman in both is crucial for our growth while he himself becomes nullified. Moshes greatest success and failure is also alluded to in Tezaveh as he is erased so that Israel will live and in Parsha Parah; the rock which leads us to the elixir of life when our ways are corrected and we resettle Gan Eden. 316

The Hamantashen Obstacle to Geula (2021) If the journey of life begins with the physical needs of a baby and evolves to the spiritual aspirations of man, why is that not mirrored in the Jewish year that begins in Nissan when we were born as a Nation. It would seem appropriate that Chanuaka would be the final holiday in our yearly cycle as this is the most spiritual, dealing with light and oil, rather than Purim which is the most physical. Haman wanted to physically destroy the Jewish people and we send gifts of food to be shared and consumed. It may not be contradictory however, because in the language of Chassidut the generation of Moshiach, the seventh generation is a time where the physical becomes spiritual. It is a time where the Heavenly generations are joined to the physical world below. Now I am not a Chassid of Chabad however after hearing this concept at the farbrengen table I may offer a suggestion. Where do we see examples of this great physical spirituality in our time? I would say in the newspaper. On page five or six you may find a small article about a tribe in Africa killing thousands from another tribe. On the front page however you may find a big story about a Jew making an addition to his house in Yehdua and Shomron or building a second home next to him for his son in law. This is news. The United Nation has a special meeting. The ambassadors of America and Russia and Germany all have comments and declarations to make. The most mundane physical thing is so spiritual that it challenges the whole world. Now although this is clear to me, there are many Torah observant Jews who may not agree that this is spiritual and some may even think the whole Zionist enterprise is the work of the devil or at least the Erev Rav and there is a lot to validate their point. Some see the State of Israel as part in the process of Geula and some see it as a step against the Geula. Wherever one stands on these issues I believe we would do well to study something which I call the great Hamentashen that is suspended between Heaven and Earth and obstructing the Geula. What do I mean? Let's have a look at what the Torah Temima says on this weeks Parsha. 25:10. And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two and one half ells, its length; one and a half ells, its breadth; and one and a half ells, its height. two and one half ells, its length - R. Mesharshia said: Whence is it derived that “all who add detract\"? From: \"Two [amathaim) and one half ells, its length\"[If not for the addition of the “a” in the beginning, it would read: \"mathaim\" (two hundred)] (Sanhedrin 29a). And from Sanhedrin 29a Hezekiah said: Whence do we know that he who adds to the word of God subtracts (from it)? - From the verse, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it. (Bereshit 3:3) The Rebbe (Adam) as a precaution added 'do not touch' to his student Chava and the snake found an opening there to create the rift that changed history. He pushed her against the tree and she didn't die. This convinced her. The snake is also related to Haman from the family of Amalek. The Gemara (Chullin 139b) teaches that the verse in which Hashem asks Adam, “Hamin ha’eitz” — From the tree (that I prohibited to you, have you eaten?) — contains an allusion to Haman. Although the tree (etz) may allude to the tree Haman was hung on, it also alludes to the temptation of Chava that the serpent succeeded in instigating with Amaleks traditional weapon of 'doubt.' The Amalek family has always been instrumental in our downfall since the time of the original sin. Our 317

omissions (in the case of King Saul who was commanded to destroy Amalek) or our additions in the case of Adam create opportunities for Amalek to enter. Now we know that every descent is really an ascent. Before the giving of the Torah, there were seven generations [who angered G-d] that caused the Divine Presence to [withdraw and] ascend upward. And then there were seven generations afterwards that drew the Divine Presence downward, [making possible] the giving of the Torah. (Bereishis Rabbah 19:7 ) In a different seventh generation after being refined in the furnace of Egypt we stood at Har Sinai and collectively the Nation of Israel was now at a similar level to Adam HaRishon before being expelled from the Garden. The Garden was a much larger one now and had forever altered the physical world below. Our decline led to a greater ascension. The struggle between good and evil ultimately transforms the world so there is a harmony between Heaven and Earth which will ultimately be manifested with the future Bet Hamigdash. The nucleus of this struggle began with Adam (the Rebbe) who tries to protect, the student who misunderstands and Amalek who finds there an opening to destroy, who is himself destroyed, and through this the world is transformed. The exodus in our own time follows the same pattern. The Shoa and the birth of the State of Israel have transformed the world into a new reality. Personally I believe that preceding the 3rd Bet Hamigdash will be another new reality when the builders in Yehuda and Shomron declare the State of Judea. As Israel returned, so will Judea. This entity will not come into being to compete nor divide but rather to unite all of Israel and restore its purpose. This brings us back to the great Hamentashen floating in the sky between Heaven and Earth. We understand why the Gentile newspapers attack the builders of Yehuda and Shomron. We understand why anti religious Jews attack these builders for fear of the Gentiles. Let us examine however the Torah Jew who follows Rashi who explains that the Beit Hamikdash will descend from Heaven intact or Rambam who says it is it is a positive commandment to construct a House for G-d.* To what degree do they support reject or are indifferent to that builder in Yesha. To understand this better we must look at another place in the Torah where Haman is alluded to however not brought down anywhere (as far as I know). ‫ני‬,‫ קֹפ ת‬-‫לאל‬- --‫ מה נק נהל‬-‫את‬-‫ ל‬,‫םרן‬, ‫שה ֹקו מא נה‬-‫םמ ל‬, ‫ י מו מי קֹק יהלו‬10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly --‫םמ ירים‬, ‫ ננא מה‬-‫ יש ֹקמעו‬,‫הם‬-‫מר נל ל‬-‫א ל‬,‫ מה נס מלע; מוי ם‬together before the rock, and he said to them: ‫כם נמ ייםִנה שמן‬-‫ נו יציא נל ל‬,‫זה‬-‫לס מלע מה ל‬- ‫ מה‬- 'Listen now, O rebels; shall we to bring you forth water for you from this rock? (Bamidbar 9:10) The transformation of Gan Eden that began with the Rebbe Adam taking an extra precaution we see externally as our world evolves and the defeated Amalek's throughout the ages, that we gave birth to (because of our sins) are studied. Here however the Torah addition (which is a subtraction) is an addition of 'anger' in a place where Hashem was not angry. Is there an anger or resentment towards Zionism today that is not in line with how Hashem really feels? Is that possible? Do we need to add, which causes a subtraction and then delays the process of Geula? Does the anger cover up a doubt? If we don't feel worthy is that any reason not to do a mitzvah? Do we need to wait for Moshiach in order to put on Tefillin? Why are there no protests to build the Temple today? 318

The Haman in the 'Tree of Good and Evil' is easier to see than the Haman in the 'Rock' which is all 'Good.' A tree bears fruit and continually grows. The only growth that may be related to the 'Rock' is possibly the story of Rabbi Akiva who saw how a drop of water over time made a hole in a rock and concluded that the words of Torah might be able to enter his heart and make a change. Do we have faith that we can build Yehuda and Shomron and our Temple though it seems like there is so much against us? What is faith exactly when fears stop us from performing commandments? Is it better to wander in the desert and wait for the next generation? The great Hamentashen that hovers between Heaven and earth has the fruit of the tree in the center and the cookie on the outside resembling the rock that is also sweet. Both parts are challenged by Haman who is looking for an opening to delay Geula. Which is your favorite part of this Hamentashen? Whichever part you choose may it help to connect Heaven and Earth with a new physical reality which is spiritual. May it also be a healthy cookie with no additions which are subtractions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Rashi: Commentary to Talmud, Sukkah 41a and Rosh Hashanah 30a. Exodus 15:17 Rambam: It is a positive commandment to construct a House for G-d, prepared for sacrifices to be offered within. We [must] celebrate there three times a year, as [Exodus 25:8] states: \"And you shall make Me a sanctuary.\" Beit Habechirah - Chapter 1 319

Kahane in the Parsha Tezaveh 320

Tezave - 2012 Atonement Through the Body of the Tzadik Contrary to popular belief Christianity is actually based upon a Jewish idea, namely the concept of Moshiach Ben Yoseph, which is the concept of a Tzadik that suffers for the benefit of others. The concept was marketed to pagans by reform Jews and went on to become what it is today. Of course Judaism forbids human sacrifice however sacrifice is essential to our belief beginning with Itzchak who was a drop of blood away from human sacrifice. In the end nothing that Hashem creates is wasted. Everything serves a purpose. Truth is given in teaspoons to elevate the entire world. Even the shell of the fruit grows along with its purpose which is the fruit. The shell is the friendship and animosity of the many Nations that harbored the fruit which is Israel – Hashems first born son. Of course it appears that this shell is constantly trying and succeeding to destroy the fruit but in the end it too will be refined from a coconut shell to the shell of a lichee and will easily peel off. The Christian paradigm consists of three basic ideas that differ from Judaism only by mathematics. They are: 1. There was a Jewish man who was the son of God, and he looked just like everyone else, yet he was actually the son of God. 2. He died for the sins of the world. He also elevated the world through his death 3. No one can know the father (God) unless he knows the son. The only difference between this idea and Judaism is mathematics. It is this mathematics that some of the Christian world are beginning to understand and in the end those who grasp it will become part of the fruit. What is the mathematics I speak of? 1. 'All' of the Jewish people are the sons and daughters of God. We look the same as everyone else yet we are actually the sons and daughters of God and part of His essence is within the soul of each and every Jew. Our history and His desire are one and the same. 2. 'We' constantly die and suffer for the sins of the world. Albeit we bring on our own sins as well, but through our willing and unwilling sacrifice the world is morally elevated. The world sinned with the Shoa and through our suffering was also elevated. Having had enough of these constant persecutions Israel finally emerged as the avenger. 3. Those who truly want to seek God must come to His children the 'Jewish people' in order to understand what is demanded of them. We do not demand conversion like Muslims or Christians, we simply can explain what is expected of each individual from whatever point he wishes to serve God. We can however enforce what is 'not' permitted, which we are already doing by defending ourselves and the world. Every soldier that becomes a sacrifice elevates our Nation as a whole on Yom Hazikaron when we bond as a Nation and are strengthened in our resolve. Tzadikim who fight for Gods Torah and die in combat bring an even greater elevation and resolve. On a balance scale Rav Kahane was equivalent to all of the sages of our time (see Perkei Avot 2:12) and through his sacrifice this Torah is now becoming part 321

and parcel of our Nation. His body has entered our National body so to speak. What does it mean that his Torah was equivalent to all the other Torah's? Among all of our Torah leaders none could answer the burning questions of our times. Where was God in the Shoa and where is God today in secular Israel? He demonstrated by going into battle the 'flaw' in our souls that begs the question 'Where were 'we' in the Shoa and where are 'we' today in the re-born Israel? Where are we now when it comes to protest and where are we now when the gates of Israel are wide open? The small numbers that did come out to his protests and the great numbers who hated him are an indication of who we are and what is our flaw. This is the same flaw we had before the Shoa. He made it more apparent to us. One of his famous books was called 'Uncomfortable Questions for Comfortable Jews'. This is the point. We live in denial and then do too little, too late. After years of struggle and after dying in combat bringing these ideas into the heart and soul of our Nation, we are now on the way to becoming healed and hopefully soon will be ready to accept the Torah once again. It wasn't enough for Moshe to bring the Jews out of Mitzrayim, he also had to teach them and train them and heal them so that they could receive the Torah. This was the point. It wasn't enough for the Rav to protest and bring a million Russian Jews to Israel, it was the concepts that he taught us about what is a Jew and why we must protest. What is our vocation and what is demanded of us? How do we act in a way that brings glory and not tragedy? The sword of David and the Torah of David work together. His Torah which is medicine for the Jewish soul has revived the Nation and we see today how the governing powers are fearful because those who fear God are slowly taking over the Nation. Those who fear the Nations are saying 'we hope there is a God because our leadership is leading us to confrontation'. The Rabbi would often say 'Better an Israel that is hated by the world than an Auschwitz that is loved by them'. As the Kalisher Rav quoted at the beginning of this book 'If your Torah hasn't been banned then it's not worth reading'. Bob Dylan writes about JC who 'came and died a criminals death'. The Christians built a whole religion upon this Moshiach ben Yoseph concept. There is something to this idea. All of our great spiritual leaders have been chased and harassed by government authorities. Sometimes it's hard to tell who are the 'good guys' and who are the 'bad guys'. Moshe was a fugitive because he killed a Jewish oppressor. Rav Kahane was also banned, harassed and finally assassinated because he fought against Jewish oppressors. So how does one determine who is following the law and who is breaking the law? What leaders and scholars will make the Halacha clear? This is what the Rav wrote: The Jewish concept of government is clear; The government exists to serve the state. The state exists to serve the people. The people exist to serve God.....When the government demands that a Jew disobey a [Divine] law – he must disregard the illegal order. When the government refuses to allow a Jew to obey a legal obligation – he must defy the illegal attempt [of the government]. Settlement attempts in Eretz Israel are in the highest tradition of Jewish obedience to law and order....For the sake of the Jewish people and the Jewish State, [Jewish] law and order must be preserved. (Rabbi Meir Kahane:His Life and Thought Pg. 421) Not only was his life an example (of our failure) but he laid down the Halacha clearly for us to understand the great tragedies and great miracles of our times. Millions of lives could have been saved if the escape to Israel had been promoted before the Shoa. Today as well who knows how much damage has been done by the continued animosity towards Israel from large percentages of both religious and secular Jews that refuse to leave and participate in the miracle of Israel's rebirth. 322

Let's return to our Parsha. Moshes name is not mentioned even once in the entire Parsha of Tezaveh. This was the fulfillment of a curse which Moshe brought upon himself. After the sin of the Golden Calf, he told Hashem, “If You do not forgive their sin, I beg You, blot me out from Your book which You have written!” A Tzaddik's words must take effect (even if the condition attached to them is not fulfilled). Hashem consequently erased Moshe's name from Parsha Tezaveh. This doesn't simply mean he holds him to his word, it means he has paid the price for the people. Hashem is generous to us and the Tzadik pays by being removed from a chapter of the Torah. Although his name is erased it is hidden in the passage that describes the Shoham stones. The priest breastplate was attached by two chains that were attached to two Shoham stones that rested on the Cohen's shoulder. The breastplate represented the twelve tribes with each of their stones and they were all suspended by the two Shoham stones that were on the shoulders of the Cohen. The letters that spell Shoham are the same letters that spell Moshe (‫שהם‬/‫)משה‬. This is an indication that the Tzaddik pays the price for us all. The Tzadik is the Shoham stone that carries the whole Nation on his shoulders. By his example he shows us what is demanded and what is possible. He clarifies our confusion and inability to act against the Goliath's of our times. He takes them on himself. He demonstrates our flaw and weakness by our apathy or persecution of the Tzadik who comes to help us. He is the barometer of our condition. He is the minors canary. It is we who kill the Tzadik by allowing the messenger to be destroyed in his attempt to save us. It is we who are to blame for not defending him and leaving him a target for wild beasts. As we treat the Tzadik so will the Nations treat us, measure for measure. The cure is to take up his mantle, even though we do not have the same gifts. He showed us the way and what is demanded. In our own way we must answer the call and change the body of the Nation to reflect our true calling. We too must begin to carry the Nation upon our shoulders. In this way we become like the Tzadik. When we serve God in the way that He desires then God serves us as well and protects us from harm. This is the lesson the Tzadik brings to us. He demonstrates and defines for us the authentic Torah that is demanded of our generation. He trains us in the essential actions that prevent tragedy and bring glory to our Nation. Just as many Christians return to the roots of Judaism and eventually many will join the body of the Nation as Jews; in the same way we as Jews must return to our roots and act more like the Tzadikim who paid for our survival and glory. 323

The Masses are Shaped by the Power of the Small When a cow eats grass he elevates the grass into a higher form. Jews elevate the cow when they make a blessing and consume it. The Tzadik elevates the whole Nation when the Tzadik is consumed. When Moshe said 'erase me from your book' Hashem accepted his self-sacrifice and erased Moshe from Parsha Tezaveh which paid a price for us all. One of the remedies for the Nation after the sin of the Egel is seen in Parsha Ki Sissa. Giving the half shekel to the mishkan is a way of each one making a self-sacrifice for the benefit of the Nation. It also demonstrates that we are not complete without the other. Each one of us is only a half. We all must learn from the Tzadik to be like him, even if it is only a half shekel that we can give of our-self. In the temple atonement wasn't made until the Levites consumed the sacrifice. The Nation consumes the sacrifice of the Tzadik by in a practical sense, learning from the guilt they have of his loss; a loss that they could have prevented. Learning from his example; becoming more like him in their small way, the Nation is transformed and the Tzadik's Torah is digested. On a metaphysical level, he pays for the whole nation; the whole nation is elevated because of one man. Just as Moshe's sacrifice was connected to the half shekel, so was the Rav's sacrifice connected to the 'orange revolution' that came after him and embodied his spirit on a more National level. In Parsha Yitro we learn something interesting about Nadav and Avihu. Just as Nadav and Avihu in their elation were careless and died from their proximity to holiness, we see that actually the whole Nation has this ability. As a Nation we had to be warned twice to stay back and not get too close otherwise we would die. The desire to be close to the Divine is something innate in us all. During the Spanish Inquisition many non-observant Jews gave their lives rather than convert to Christianity. The tzadik prepares us to elevate ourselves to the point of sacrifice. He is the shemen zayit; the pure oil that is able to give himself in a way that elevates the nation by his example. His sacrifice is made to unify the nation. The irony is that Rav Meir was considered a pariah like Yoseph; one that was a threat; yet in the end; like Yoseph he will be understood as the great unifier. 324

The Shoulders of the Tzadik Teiku is a word used in the Talmud when there is no resolution. It is an anachronism for Tishbi yetaretz kushiyot ubaayot (Eliyahu HaTishbi will answer the questions we have when he comes). Although these questions deal with details of the Oral law and not philosophical questions, the question of why Tzadikim die for our sins, or 'pay the price' to elevate the Nation is still difficult to understand. The Midrash tells us that Moshe was shown Rabbi Akiva in the future explaining things in the Torah that even he had not seen. When he was shown Rabbi Akiva's end Moshe had difficulty understanding this. Moshe himself was taken out of one chapter of the Torah for the sake of the Jewish people and was commanded not to set foot in the Land that he desired more than anyone. He paid the ultimate price so that the Nation of Israel would live on. The gematria of Teiku is 516. This number has a few interesting correlations. The number 516 equals the word 'shoulders' which we spoke about in Parsha Tezave. ‫םפת‬, ‫ מעל יכ קֹת‬,‫תתי נה נא נב ינים‬, ‫ קֹש‬-‫את‬-‫ יב קֹו מש קֹמ נת ל‬12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the ‫רן‬,‫תאל; קֹו ננ נשא מא נה ם‬, ‫ני יי קֹש נר‬,‫ יל ֹקב ת‬,‫רן‬,‫תני יז נכ ם‬, ‫ מא ֹקב‬,‫פד‬,‫א ם‬,‫ נה ת‬shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of ‫רכ לת אפיו‬-- memorial for the children of Israel; and Aaron ‫תי‬,‫ ֹקש ת‬-‫מעל‬ ,‫קֹיה נוה‬ ‫ני‬,‫יל קֹפ ת‬ ‫ קֹשמו נתם‬-‫את‬-‫ל‬ shall bear their names before the LORD upon his ‫םן‬,‫ קֹלזי נכר‬two shoulders for a memorial. (Shmot 28:12) The Shoham stone which also spells Moshe (same letters) are placed on the shoulders with a chain attaching the breastplate with all the tribes of Israel on them. It is as if to say the Gadol HaDor carries all the tribes of Israel, the entire generation on his shoulders. The number 516 also is connected with the word possession ‘yerush’ . ‫תנה‬, ‫םא ננ מת נתה נז מרע; קֹו יה‬, ‫ ל‬,‫הן ילי‬,‫ ת‬--‫מר מא קֹב נרם‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫ ג מוי‬3 And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given ‫םא יתייורלש‬, no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be ,‫תבי יתי‬, -‫לבן‬- . mine heir.' (Bereshit 15:3) The Tzadik that truly conquers the Land continues on despite opposition even if it seems like opposition from above. God commanded Avraham to leave his life behind and come to a strange new Land and promised him that he will inherit this Land even though it appeared by the laws of nature to have been a mistake. Moshe tried to liberate the Jewish people and he only made it worse. He didn't give up and eventually they were liberated because of his persistence. The Rav also was defeated thousands of times in many perfidious ways and yet remained undefeated, even in death. “I must confess to being surprised. And a bit disturbed. Surprised to see so many good Jews depressed and despairing, asking: 'What now? Kach as been banned from the Knesset; what is going to be?' Upset to see that so many have turned the means into the end, they have made the Knesset – which was always only a tool – into the goal. Is the banning of Kach from the Knesset the end of the world? More, has it made Kahane a different person and my teachings any less true? Was the support of Kahane meant for me, or for my carriage and horses – the Knesset...” 1 325

-‫לאת‬- ‫תם‬-‫ו קֹנ מת ל‬--‫ קֹל נא יביו‬,‫תאין מא יחים‬, -‫ יא ֹקו יאם‬11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall ,‫תא נליו ימ ימ ֹקש מפ קֹחתו‬, ‫םרב‬, ‫ארו מה נק‬,‫ מנ נח נלתו יל ֹקש ת‬give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And ‫ ֹקל כח מקתרו אי תרש‬,‫אל‬,‫ני יי ֹקש נר ת‬,‫א נתה; קֹו נה קֹי נתה יל קֹב ת‬,‫ם‬ it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of ‫לשה‬- ‫םמ‬, -‫את‬-‫ ל‬,‫לשר יצ נוה ֹקיה נוה‬- ‫ מכ נא‬,‫ ימ קֹש נפט‬. judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.' (Bamidbar 27:11) The Rabbi spoke about the difference between a Torah scholar and a Navon. A scholar may have a great memory for the written and Oral Torah but a Navon is someone who can deduce. A navon has intuition and ability to read between the lines. -‫שר‬-‫לרץ נא ל‬- ‫ נה נא‬-‫לאל‬- ,‫להיך‬- ‫לו לה יבי נאך ֹקיה נוה לאל‬- ‫ ה‬5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt ‫אי ררשו‬,‫הי יט קֹבך קֹו יה קֹר קֹבך‬,‫ יוי יר ֹקש נתה; קֹו ת‬--‫תיך‬-‫ב ל‬,‫נא ם‬ possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. ‫יך‬-‫םתל‬,‫תמאנב‬, . (Devarim 30:5) All of the above have the gematria of 516 ‫ = אי ררשו‬possessed (Devarim 30:5) - 516 ‫ = רו אי תרש‬he shall possess it (Bamidbar 27:11) - 516 ‫ = יו לרש‬my heir (Bereshit 15:3) - 516 ‫ = רכ לת אפיו‬his shoulders (Shmot 28:12) - 516 ‫' = תיקו‬letting it stand' (to be explained in the future) - 516 Understanding our purpose and the meaning of our inheritance is a difficult question that we continue to suffer with. The Talmud tells us in Berachot 5a: “God gave Israel three fine gifts and all come only through suffering: Torah, Eretz Yisrael and the World-to-Come.” How many of our brightest and finest have given their lives to build this Gan Eden here on earth called Israel? How do we understand the price that they paid? Did they pay so that we can live freely? Where is the justice? Are they re-born again, somehow? What is their reward for their ultimate sacrifice? It seems to be a ''Taiko' something we will only understand in the future or maybe in the World to Come. That Israel is a great gift there is no question, but the suffering that every family has endured is very difficult to comprehend. In addition the whole idea of the Jewish people returning to the Promised Land is difficult for the world to grasp as well as our own people. The justice of our cause is debated not only internationally but internally. The death of Tzadikim from Torah scholars to soldiers to the many other victims of terror is difficult to understand and yet through this pain our resolve becomes stronger and we continue to grow and inherit the 'gift' that has been promised us. It is also a 'Teiko' I suppose how one person can carry a nation, but this was true of Moshe, of Pinchas, and of Rav Kahane. Their example created a new reality. From the time of Avraham, this new 'Israelite' reality threatened tyrants and oppressors. Rabbi Kahane's example proved a reality that threatened dictators and lawless people. Remove the example and then we no longer need to live up to a higher 326

standard. Rav Kahane was killed because he threatened to take away those in power. He threatened to bring law where there is lawlessness. He threatened to bring justice where there is injustice. He threatened to bring mercy where there is cruelty. Why are good people removed or at best treated with hatred and animosity? Maybe it has to do with possession. Pinchas was jealous for Hashem. Jealousy is the result of someone taking something that belongs to you and calling it his. Hashem is jealous when we take other gods that don’t belong to us. Maybe the lawless individuals who have power are also jealous that the Tzadik will take away their power. It is a war of jealousy between they who are in possession of the world and the king who truly owns it. The Tzaddik carries this weight on his shoulders. The Best Question Farbrengen 2019 'This was your best question' said Rav Butman to me with a smile, a shared concern, and deep thought, as it touched both of our hearts. What was the question? ‫יפ מת ֹקח נתו‬ ;‫םש מהם‬, -‫תני‬, ‫מא קֹב‬ ‫תי‬,‫ ֹקש ת‬-‫לאת‬- ,‫ֹקו נל מק קֹח נת‬ ‫ט‬ 9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of ‫תאלענ‬, ‫תני יי ֹקש נר‬, ‫ ֹקשמות קֹב‬,‫הם‬-‫תלי ל‬, . Israel: (Shmot 28:9) As we know this is the one Parsha where Moshe is missing because he told Hashem regarding Israel “If You do not forgive their sin, I beg You, blot me out from Your book which You have written!” (Shmot32:32). Moshe gave his life to preserve the Jewish people. Although his name is missing here we see it hidden in this passage. ‫םש מה‬, ‫נ קֹבי מ‬,‫םש מהם = ת‬, -‫ני‬,‫מא ֹקב ת‬ Shoham Stones = The Prophet Moshe The same letters that spell Shoham stones, spell 'the prophet Moshe'. Here we see the essence of the Moshe of the generation. The breastplate containing all of the tribes of Israel is held by a chain attached to two Shoham (Onyx) stones on the shoulders of the Cohen. The Tzaddik carries the Jewish people on his shoulders. Not only does he carry the people on his shoulders, each name of every Jew is inscribed in his heart. Even more than that, this inscription is like Noah's rainbow. When Hashem is angry His anger is subdued by this agreement between Hashem and the Tzaddik. Hashem is reminded by this engraved heart that destroying the Jewish people destroys Himself and His representation here. The Tzaddik stands between us and Hashem. He pays the price for the leniency towards the people and the demands of Hashem. The word engraved ‫ יפ מת ֹקח נת‬also has the same letters as Potaiach, to open. The price the Tzaddik pays also opens our hearts and shows us the proper path. The two Shoham stones may also allude to the original Moshe and the Moshe in every generation. There is another Shoham stone on the breastplate related to the tribe of Yoseph. So we see here Moshiach Ben Yoseph and the Moshiach that carries the generation are made of the same material. 327

Whether you think Rav Kahane was Moshe who carried the weight of the generation and the Rebbe was Aaron who was loved by all, or the Rebbe carried the generation and Rav Kahane was Moshiach ben Yoseph, it doesn't really matter. The Tzaddikim carry the generation and have the generation engraved in their hearts. I looked at Rav Butman and said this is a personal question for me and I think also for you and the Chabad Hasidim who knew the Rebbe. Of course the Tzaddik lives on, and of course he continues to open peoples hearts and his Torah continues to build the Nation. However I remember a time when I thought I am looking at the Moshiach. I may see the Bet Hamigdash being built in my time. I was convinced. And then I heard terrible news one day and I was shocked. How could this be? How is this possible? And I am certain you also were shocked when you heard the news and you knew you would not see the Rebbe again. I am sure you also said at that moment how could this be? So my question is the following. Today is the time of Purim. We read this chapter always at this time when we are supposed to be Marvim B'Simcha (increasing our joy). Why is it davka now when we remember the time the Moshiach left us that we must have a greater joy than usual? How is it that at a time we thought 'How can the world continue?' 'How will the sun rise tomorrow without this person in the world?' Who will carry us on their shoulders?' This is davka the time we have a greater joy than usual? Rav Butman who is from the royal family of Lubavitch looked at me with his heavy eyes and nodded, 'This is your best question', he said. Rav Halperin suggested the following. There is a joy that is limited and a joy that is unlimited. There are things we understand that give us joy and things beyond our understanding. He brought down a Midrash that describes the angels question to Hashem. They saw the end of Rabbi Akiva being tortured to death. They asked Hashem is this the reward for being a Tzaddik such as Rabbi Akiva? Hashem answered 'Be quiet or I will turn the world back to water'. 'They had a legitimate question', said Rav Halperin. 'Why answer in such a way?' He explained with another story. An antisemitic King commissioned a Jewish tailor to make him a special suit out of a priceless gold material. The tailor accepted and requisitioned the appropriate amount of material in order to make the suit. Now of course when making a suit not every piece of material is used, some needs to be cut off in order to fit correctly. After the suit was delivered the King sent soldiers to arrest the Jewish tailor for stealing royal material. As he stood before the firing squad the tailor was given one last request. The tailor said I can give you the extra material you accuse me of stealing but I must destroy the suit in order to do this as he had sowed the extra material into the suit. This explains Hashems answer to the angels. In order to explain these questions He would need to destroy the world to show were things that we don't see are hidden. I said to Rav Halperin, 'Then would you say in different words, there is great Simcha in what we see and understand. What we don't see and understand is an even greater Simcha?' We all nodded at what we didn't understand. L'chaim. 328

The Haman in the Hamentashen 2020 There is a famous passage that is often quoted of Haman alluded to in the Torah. There is another famous passage however that I have never heard brought down. Let me explain. The well known discussion is in the Talmud (quoted from Chabbad website below): ;‫םרם נא נתה‬, ‫תעי‬, ‫ יכי‬,‫ ימי היגייד לקֹך‬--‫למר‬- ‫א‬,‫ יא מו םי‬11 And He said: 'Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten of the tree, that I commanded you ‫נִה שמן‬-‫שר יצ יוי יתיך ֹקל יב ֹקל יתי נא נכל‬-‫ נא ל‬,‫תעץ‬, ‫ נה‬- that you should not eat?' ‫ נא נכ קלֹ נת‬--‫מנו‬-‫ימ ל‬ (Bereshit 3:11) The Gemara (Chullin 139b) teaches that the verse in which Hashem asks Adam, “Hamin ha’eitz” — From the tree (that I prohibited to you, have you eaten?) — contains an allusion to Haman. On a basic level this is a play on words. Since the Torah is not written with vowels, the word “hamin” can also be pronounced “Haman.” However, if the Torah chose to hint to Haman here, there must be a more profound connection between his errors and Adam’s sin of eating from the forbidden fruit. The Torah records (1:27) that Adam and Chava were created in Hashem’s image, and Chazal teach (Avos D’Rabi Nosson 1:8) that they enjoyed great honor in Gan Eden, as heavenly angels prepared food and drink for them. Hashem told them that the entire world was theirs, with one exception: They were forbidden to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Although one would think that they could overlook one item being withheld from them in light of everything else they had, the serpent succeeded in persuading them to sin by partaking of the one food they were commanded not to eat. Harav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, points out that this sounds remarkably similar to Haman. At the same time that he arrogantly boasted of his tremendous wealth and prestige, he lamented (Megillas Esther 5:13) that it was all meaningless to him as long as one old Jew named Mordechai refused to acknowledge his greatness by bowing to him. Haman is alluded to in the sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge because just as the serpent convinced Adam and Chava to focus on the one item that was denied to them, so too Haman was unable to appreciate his good fortune due to his obsession with the one thing he did not have. If this passage alludes to Haman then it seems to me that there is another famous passage that must also allude to Haman, namely; Hamin HaSelah. ‫ני‬,‫ קֹפ ת‬-‫ל‬-‫ לא‬--‫ מה נק נהל‬-‫לת‬-‫ א‬,‫םרן‬, ‫שה קֹו מא נה‬-‫מ ל‬,‫ י מו מי ֹקק יהלו ם‬10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly --‫מ ירים‬,‫ ננא מה ם‬-‫ יש קֹמעו‬,‫להם‬- ‫מר נל‬-‫א ל‬,‫ מה נס מלע; מוי ם‬together before the rock, and he said unto them: ‫לכם נמ ייםִנה שמן‬- ‫ נו יציא נל‬,‫זה‬-‫לס מלע מה ל‬- ‫ מה‬- 'Hear now, ye rebels; are we to bring you forth water out of this rock?' (Bamidbar 20:10) Let me suggest two interpretations. If the rock represents the exile, it is as if Moshe is saying. You think that your salvation will come from the exile? You think you have chosen freedom but you have really chosen Haman. Rav Kahane writes that the seventy 'souls' that went down to Egypt was an allusion to 329

the Mincha offering (which uses the word 'soul') that Yacov sent to Esav. He took the mincha which symbolizes faith in G-d – and sent it to Esav (see Rav Kahane on Parsha Vayikra). Through the suffering in Egypt we would learn to perfect this flaw in our faith. We are reminded each day in the Shma that Hashem took us out of Egypt to serve Him. We have two choices. We either serve Hashem and are free or we are serving Pharaoh and think we are free but we become progressively enslaved to the point of persecution. If we look at the rock as representing the land of Israel the thought is similar. If we despise this rock and do not come to the Land that Hashem wishes to bless us in will we not be punished? Will Hashem accept our excuse that Zionist Israel is not pure enough and a Glatt Kosher galut is preferable? ‫קש‬,‫ יב ת‬-‫ ימי‬--‫תלרנאות נפנני‬, ,‫באו‬,‫ יב יכי נת ם‬When you come to appear before Me – who sought this ‫צ נרי‬,‫ס חנ ת‬,‫ רֹק םמ‬,‫לכם‬- ‫לי ֹקד‬- ‫םאת ימ‬, ‫ ז‬from your hand, to trample My courtyards? --‫ נש ֹקוא‬-‫ נה יביא ימ קֹנ מחת‬,‫א תו יסיפו‬,‫ יג ל ם‬You shall not continue to bring a worthless meal offering - ‫דש ֹקו מש נבת‬-‫ח ל‬,‫ ליי; ם‬,‫ע נבה יהיא‬,‫רת תו ת‬-‫ט ל‬,‫ קֹק ם‬incense of abomination is it unto me; New Moon and ‫ון מו נע נצ נרה‬-‫או מכל נא ל‬-‫א‬,‫ םל‬,‫םא ימ ֹקק נרא‬, ‫ֹקקר‬ Sabbath, calling of convocation, I cannot abide mendacity with assemblage. (Yishayahu 1:12,13) Alternatively do those who live in the Land really believe that by selling this rock and betraying our destiny we will find freedom? Those who have lost their ties to the Torah and bring Mincha offering after mincha offering to the various Gentile Presidents and political leaders offering to abandon and forsake the Land which is not ours to give; will they be rewarded for this betrayal? Will Hashem be silent when we take His Land that was conquered with Jewish blood and offer it to our enemies in the 'deal of the century' or any other century? We celebrate our betrayal and think we bought freedom but actually we exchanged the Temple Mount for Haman. The rule is simple and one can read it throughout the Torah. If we spurn blessing and partake of that which Hashem forbids we will give birth to Haman. If we desire an exile that was designed as a punishment Haman will again arise in the very place we thought we could escape the yoke of Heaven, and if we despise that which Hashem desires and betray Him as Rav Kahane puts it 'with every turn of the Gentile screw', we again will give birth to Haman even if we are living in the Land of Israel. On the other hand if we desire the Garden and are not obsessed with what has been forbidden then instead of Haman we will receive Ha-Man, the Man that falls from Heaven. We will have everything our heart desires and it will taste better than that which is forbidden. If we do not desire the exile and desire to be in our home we will not suffer. We will have everything we need and more. In addition if we restore our King and His palace and expel His enemies we will succeed and be blessed. Instead of running after kings with Mincha offerings they will run after us and ask us to bless them. This is the flip side of the equation. We have only two choices Haman or Ha-Man. The blessing or the curse is in our hands to do it. 330

331

Kahane in the Parsha Ki Sisa 332

Ki Sisa In Parsha KiSissa there are two Hebrew letters written in a large font; (Nun) and (Resh) – together they spell (Ner – Candle). ,‫ ֹקיה נוה ֹקיה נוה‬,‫ מו יי ֹקק נרא‬,‫ נפ נניו‬-‫בר ֹקיה נוה מעל‬,‫ ו מו מי נע ם‬6 And the LORD passed by before him, and ‫לסד‬- ‫לח‬- -‫ קֹו מרב‬,‫לרך מא מפ יים‬- ‫לא‬- --‫אל מרחום קֹו מחנון‬,‫ ת‬proclaimed: 'The LORD, the LORD, God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and ‫למת‬- ‫לו לא‬- abundant in goodness and truth; ‫לפ משענל‬- ‫שא נעון נו‬,‫םנ ת‬, ,‫סד נל נא נל יפים‬-‫לח ל‬- ‫תצר‬, ‫ז‬ 7 keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and ‫תקד נעון נאבות‬, ‫םפ‬, --‫קה‬-‫םא קֹי מנ ל‬, ‫ ל‬,‫קה‬,‫קֹו מח נט נאה; קֹו מנ ת‬ that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the -‫תל ישים ֹקו מעל‬, ‫ יש‬-‫ מעל‬,‫תני נב ינים‬, ‫ ֹקב‬-‫ נב ינים ֹקו מעל‬-‫ מעל‬iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon ‫ב יעים‬,‫ יר ת‬the children's children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation.' (Shmot 34:6-7) ‫ יכי ֹקיה נוהר‬: ‫תח‬, ‫מא‬ ‫אל‬,‫ קֹל ת‬,‫וה‬-‫א ית קֹש מת נח ל‬,‫יד יכי ל ם‬ 14 For thou shalt bow down to no other god; for ‫אל מק ננא הוא‬,‫ ת‬,‫מק ננא ֹקשמו‬ the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God; (Shmot 34:14) Nun of Ner The neighboring words shed light on the power of these two letters that combined spell Ner (candle). The first letter (nun) is the center piece of Emet Notzer Chesed. The Emet, Nozer, Chesed, are part of a passage called the thirteen attributes. These thirteen attributes define Hashem's patience and endurance and is a formula recited each day to remind Hashem of the great secret He revealed to us. This great secret of the thirteen attributes was given to Moshe in this weeks Parsha and reminds us that if it was not for His great patience our measure of sin would be filled long ago and our lives would be forfeit. Connecting two passages of the thirteen attributes are these three words Emet, Nozer, Chessed. Hashem’s original intention was for the world to stand on Truth. This was not possible because man was fallible. Alternatively if the world was governed simply by Chesed (kindness/charity), then we would be like infants and would lack the true good of earning reward which is higher than Chesed. Notzer, represents the Tzadik, the Holy man who is able to live up to Hashem’s original standard. It is on his merit, that the world exists, and it is also on his merit that Chesed is given to others who are not able to live up to this standard. We see this idea played out a few lines earlier in the very same Parsha where Moshe requests to be blotted out for the sake of Israel. Resh of Acher The Resh represents Rasha, the evil of those who serve ‘other’ gods (acher). Contrast to this Bereshit ‫ ב שיתר ר‬or ‫ שית‬-‫( ב‬read: for the sake of His firstborn). Hashem created the world for the sake of His 'Raishit' His 'firstborn'. The jealousy and anger that Hashem feels towards those who worship 333

foreign gods, is parallel to the jealousy that the brothers had towards Yoseph. They were moved to an act of violence because they felt their very essence and power was threatened. Hashem is moved to acts of violence when His essence is threatened; which is our knowledge and recognition of Him. The special love that Israel had towards Yoseph is the same love that Hashem has towards His Tzadikim. Hashem may be lenient when we violate laws toward Him, however when His special love is violated, this brings out jealousy and retribution. As we saw with Yacov, as long as Yoseph was suffering in exile the divine presence left him. His light was extinguished for twenty two years as he mourned his favorite son. The Ner in each Generation In every generation there is a Yoseph. In every generation there is a Nun that represents ‘Notzer’. In every generation there are forces that seek to uproot this ‘Notzer’ because his essence represents the true divine command and ideal. His ‘Notzer’ can destroy their ‘Acher’ and so they must destroy him first. It is this interplay that orchestrates destiny. Yoseph understood this interplay and was able to orchestrate destiny himself as he manipulated his brothers in the chapters that follow. The Tzadik is able to orchestrate destiny because he is Hashem’s favored pupil. Just as Yoseph was Israel’s favorite pupil, the Tzadik is able to fulfill the truest intention of Hashem. Through the suffering of the Tzadik as well as the through the persecution of the Tzadik the original light of creation continues and is renewed. Whether the Tzadik survives, whether he is imprisoned, or whether he is assassinated, his purpose is to cling to the truest light and through him this light continues. The Ner in our Parsha It seems to me the struggle of Acher and Notzer is seen in our Parsha and alludes to the Moshiach Ben Yoseph of our day and our future (b’h). In the same way that the Israelite Nation is elected as a signpost to the world, Tzadikim are also selected as examples. There is a famous answer that Napoleon once gave when someone questioned him if there was a G-d or not. How can you prove there is a G-d he was asked. The answer is simple he said ‘The Jews’. Simply naming our Nation was enough to recognize the true light of Hashem. Now one might say there are many kinds of Jews and they all have many opinions. Who among them demonstrates the truest light of Hashem? Hashem answers us in His Torah. The thirteen attributes that delay and diffuse Hashems anger where brought down into the world by Moshe. The basis of these attributes is the large (Nun) of 'Notzer'. It is the Tzaddik who acts like a pendulum, giving freedom and flexibility to others while he bears the strain and pressure as the pivotal role that 'preserves' a world built upon true justice. Yehoshua Ben Nun alludes to this idea. He was like a son of the (Nun/Notzer) which was his teacher Moshe. He continued to wear the mantle of Torah, like the coat of Yoseph, that ensures the continuity and authenticity of what Hashem truly demands. He was the son of 'Nun' which also alludes to him being a disciple of Moshe who was the great 'Nun' of 'Notzer'. Yehoshua continued to wage the war of conquest of the Land of Israel and his self-sacrifice allowed for the greater freedom of generations to come. The 'Notzer' battling the 'Resh' of 'Rasha' or 'Acher' is the friction that creates light or 'Ner'. It is the 'Ner' of sacrifice, as well as the 'Ner' of remembrance for those who have been sacrificed as well as the fire that inspires us to continue to enlighten the world through sacrifice. 334

Ki Sissa and Rabbi Green Ki sissa is one of the deepest and most profound Parshiot in the Torah. We read it three times a year; once in its time, and twice on Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach, and Shabbat Chol Hamoed Succot. In addition we read sections every morning in our prayers. What is so essential about this Parsha? First of all it contains the 13 attributes with which Hashem judges His people. On Chol Hamoed we also read the background of how these 13 attributes were extracted from heaven. They are a secret that Moshe revealed to us and that describes the extent of G-ds patience to the rebelliousness of our nation. Hashem revealed this knowledge when Moshe realized that this was a time of 'favor' from Hashem and so he used this special time to get a commitment from G-d so to speak and explain to the Nation the nature of G-ds benevolence. This knowledge of G-ds patience and this special formula only became known to us through the unique efforts of the Tzadik - Moshe. In 2004 just after I had made Aliya I was in the old city of Jerusalem on Shabbat Chol Hamoed Succot. I had a simple question about this Parsha but I could not find a satisfactory answer. I went to 3-4 yeshivas and asked both students and Rosh Yeshivas and was not able to find an answer to the simple question I had until I arrived at Rabbi Greens Yeshiva. They say that most people use only 7% of their mental capacity if this is so then rabbi green uses 10%. I saw his super-computer mind spinning and in 5 minutes he gave me a simple answer to my question that I didn't find in the previous few hours visiting various other yeshivas. So what was the question? Moshe says in the above passage 'you told me - you have known me by name and I have found grace in your eyes' But if you search through all of the book of Shmot this quote is not found. My question was very simple Moshe wants to verify what he meant when he said 'x' yet no where do we see that in fact he said 'x' to complicate things further, the only place we do see that Hashem says this is a few lines after this passage. How do we explain this? ‫מר‬,‫םא ת‬, ‫אה מא נתה‬,‫ ֹקר ת‬,‫ קֹיה נוה‬-‫אל‬-‫לשה ל‬- ‫מ‬,‫למר ם‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ יב מוי‬12 Moshe said to Hashem, “See you say to me, ,‫א הו מד קֹע מת יני‬,‫ קֹו מא נתה ל ם‬,‫לזה‬- ‫ נה נעם מה‬-‫את‬-‫א מלי מה מעל ל‬,‫' ת‬Take this people onward,' but you did not inform me whom You will send with me; and You had ‫ ית קֹש מלח יע ימי; ֹקו מא נתה נא ממ ֹקר נת‬-‫לשר‬- ‫את נא‬,‫ ת‬said, 'I shall know you by name, and you have ‫ אמ אצא את לחן‬-‫ רו תגם‬,‫ רי תד רע שתיך רב לשם‬also found favor in My eyes.' ‫רב לעי אני‬ ‫תע יני‬, ‫ הו יד‬,‫לניך‬- ‫עי‬,‫תחן ֹקב ת‬, ‫ ננא נמ נצא יתי‬-‫ יג ֹקו מע נתה יאם‬13 And now, if I have indeed found favor in Your ‫תחן‬, -‫לא ֹקמ נצא‬- ‫ קֹל ממ מען‬,‫א נד נעך‬,‫ ֹקו ת‬,‫כך‬-‫ קֹד נר ל‬-‫את‬-‫ ננא ל‬eyes, make Your ways known to me, so that I may ‫זה‬-‫ יכי מע ֹקמך מהגוי מה ל‬,‫אה‬,‫לניך; ו ֹקר ת‬- ‫תעי‬, ‫ֹקב‬ comprehend Your 'you have found favor in My eyes.' But see that this nation is Your people. . (Shmot 33:12-13) 335

‫ניך‬-‫תעי ל‬, ‫חן ֹקב‬,‫ נמ נצא יתי ת‬-‫ יכי‬,‫תאפוא‬, ‫מה יי נו מדע‬-‫ טז ו מב ל‬16 How, then will it be known that I have found ‫ נא יני‬,‫ל קֹכ ֹקתך יע נמנו; קֹו ינ קֹפ ילינו‬-‫ ֹקב ל‬,‫ נהלוא‬--‫מך‬-‫ נא יני ֹקו מע ל‬favor in Your eyes – I and Your people – unless ‫ני נה נא נד נמה‬,‫ ֹקפ ת‬-‫שר מעל‬-‫ נא ל‬,‫ נה נעם‬-‫ ימ נכל‬,‫ ֹקו מע קֹמך‬. You accompany us, and I and Your people will be made distinct from every people on the face of the earth!' ‫לזה‬- ‫ מה נד נבר מה‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ מגם‬,‫לשה‬- ‫םמ‬, -‫לאל‬- ‫מר ֹקיה נוה‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫ יז מוי‬17 Hashem said to Moshe: “Even this thing of ‫ אמ אצא את לחן‬-‫ שכי‬:‫לשה‬- ‫א לע‬-‫ל‬ which you spoke I shall do, for you have found ‫יד מב ֹקר נת‬ ‫שר‬-‫נא ל‬ favor in My eyes, and I have known you by ‫ או לא אד נִעך רב לשם‬,‫ רב לעי תני‬name.” (Shmot 33:16-17) I asked one Rosh Yeshiva and he said to me that not everything is recorded in the Torah at the time it happens. For example maybe Hashem said this to Moshe when he was on the mountain and only now is he putting these passages into the text of the Torah. This answer to me seemed too abstract and ambiguous. First of all there is no such Midrash that I am aware of and secondly this is not a clarification or addition to something said earlier which is often the case, this is something that comes out of nowhere. Another Rosh Yeshiva showed me the Rashi which says that this line refers to when Moshe was standing on Har Sinai when the ten commandments were given and the whole Nation heard his voice amplified as he spoke to G-d and he was 'great' in their eyes. Well this is very nice, but it still does not answer my simple question. Moshe says 'What did You mean when You said 'x' but He didn't say 'x'. The only time He does say 'x' is a paragraph afterward in the 'present' tense. So what was Rabbi Greens answer? From what I remember he said something like this. The Torah is interpreted in three basic ways, like a court case. Sometimes the case is clear, like the district attorney, the law is the law, the judgment is strict. Sometimes like the defense attorney, we must take into consideration the background of the individual, other motivating factors and find room for leniency to stretch the law in such cases. Then there is a third way that is employed most regularly and that is 'deduction'. For example if case 'A' ruled thus, and case 'B' ruled thus, then should we not set a new precedent with case 'C' which doesn't completely fit 'A' or 'B'? This is what Moshe was doing and this explains the Rashi. Moshe was twisting Hashems arms, so to speak. Read the passage as follows: When I was standing on Har Sinai and you made me great in front of the Nation, what was the purpose? What were trying to achieve? Did you not want the Nation to know that I found grace in Your eyes and that You have known me by name? I will not go on unless you clarify this to me and if this is indeed so, then I insist that You, Yourself guide us and not an Angel. You must distinguish us from all other nations with Your direct supervision, if indeed I have found grace in Your eyes. Now the quote that confuses us by appearing in the future when it should have appeared in the past makes perfect sense on a simple (Pshat) level. Hashem answers, 'Yes' 'You win', I will admit and clarify that I have known you by name, and that you have found grace in my eyes, and because of this I will also commit myself to your request of my direct supervision. And now at this point when Moshe sees it is a time of favor he asks further to see G-ds glory and this is when Hashem reveals the secret of the 13 attributes. In our prayers, after making an accounting of our sins, we remind Him of the commitment He made to 336

Moshe and of His patience towards sinners that He revealed to us. It is interesting to note that I have 'known you by name' is the same gematria of Moshe ‫ = רב לשם‬by name = 342 + 3 for each letter = 345 ‫ = משה‬Moshe = 345 Read: You Moshe, have I known by name and you have found grace in my eyes. It is also interesting to note that Rav Kahane in the fullest sense of the gematria also finds grace in Hashem's eyes. ‫ אמ אצא את לחן רב לעי תני‬-‫ = שכי‬because you have found grace in my eyes = 761 ‫ = כהנא‬Kahane = 76 x 10 = 760 +1 (kollel) = 761 This seems to imply that Rav Kahane was the Moshe of our generation. I have known you by 'name', the name of Moshe. For those who say this was not the 'Jewish' way, Hashem seems to differ and on the contrary says he was the 'apple of My eye'. Then why did Hashem allow him to be assassinated? One could ask why was Moshe not allowed to enter the Land of Israel which no one more than he desired. It is the job of the Moshes of each generation to demonstrate the way for us, despite the Jewish people who cause him to be a fugitive (Shmot 2:14-15), or Jewish leadership that condemns him (Shmot 5:21). Even alone as Moshe went into the Palace of Pharoah and was laughed at and mocked, he continues unbroken. Eventually this man who began a one man revolution led a whole Nation out of darkness. It is the job of the Moshe of each generation to 'clarify' what is demanded of us, to show what is possible and to awaken us to the 'time' so that we read the signs and escape and come home. The 40 year trek could have been a three day journey, but this has to do not with the shortcomings of Moshe but with the sins and maturity of the Jewish people. Absence and Presence It is interesting to note that the Parsha in which Moshe is absent, usually occurs around the time of the anniversary of his death. In addition this time occurs every year around Purim. There is also a noticeable absence in the Megilla of Hashem Himself. The Midrash tells us that at this time Bnei Israel willingly accepted the Torah without the duress that occurred in the first giving of the Torah. How do we understand this willingness to accept the Torah at this time when both the Rebbe and the Creator seem to be absent? What was the motivation? One of the ways to understand the spiritual renewal that occurred at this time is with an anecdote of the Rav's father. He used to explain that the meaning of the prayer in our prayer book 'Sh Lo Asani Goy' (Blessing that I was not born a Gentile), has a few different meanings. He explained that it should be read not ' that I was not made a Gentile', but rather 'that a Gentile didn't make me'. In other words one should be Jewish not because of anti-semitsm but because of the beauty of Judaism. 337

Although Jewishness as a response to anti-semitism is a lower level, compared to choosing to be Jewish from love and desire, it is still a very significant action. Israel came into being largely due to a response to anti-semitism, from the time of Hertzel to the time of the Shoa. Returning to the Purim story, there was a great victory in the time of Purim against our arch enemy Amalek who tried to annihilate our Nation. This unifying force that united our Nation through adversity brought about a re-acceptance of our Torah and our belief in God which was dissipating with the onslaught of the exile. Chanuka and Purim There is a dispute in the Talmud between Hillel and Shamai regarding the order of lighting the Menora. According to Shamai we should light eight candles on the first night and diminish the candles each night so that the last night there is only one candle. According to Hillel we should begin with one candle and add another candle each day until we have eight candles on the last night. This is the rule we currently follow. One Chanuka I heard a mystical interpretation of the above mentioned dispute. The lecturer explained that the candles represented Hashems open miracles. As we move through history the open miracles are diminished and more responsibility is expected of us based on our experience and understanding of events. For example a father stands close to his young child as he learns to walk. As he begins to walk by himself the father steps back. In a similar fashion Hashem expects us to draw proper conclusions based on our national history and Torah constitution. Accordingly then Shamai was focusing on the receding of Divine intervention while Hillel was focusing on our growth and maturity. Purim and Chanuka are both rabbinic holidays which reflect our maturity as a Nation. The sudden turn of events from imminent disaster to victory and crushing blow to our arch-enemy Amalek (Haman), gave a new found hope to our nation. We understood that Hashem is still with us. The period preceding Purim there were great doubts that Hashem had disengaged Himself from our Nation. The month of Adar is joined to the month of Nissan; the month of redemption and birth of our Nation. The seeds of the first redemption bore the fruits of the latter ones. Disillusionment, lack of merit, imminent destruction and then a sudden reversal of events; these are similar themes throughout our history. We had little merit in Egypt and also in Shushan. The actions we took, by crossing the sea, the fast in Shushan and the war against Amalek were not only merits but National experiences that made us more spiritually mature. The child learns to walk by himself knowing that the father is nearby yet being forced to walk on his own. At that point the child is not the same child he was when he was crawling on his knees. The Rebbe that lifted us on his shoulders was Moshe. Hashem, Himself went down to Mitzrayim to personally carry us out and divide the sea. As we reach the climax of our historical experience our fathers are less present as we are occupied with our new ability to walk on our own. We recognize that it was on their merit but we are too overwhelmed by the full eight candles of our national glory or the one candle that we can light on our own. 338

A Jewish Leader (2018) My friend Yacov pointed out an unusual response by Moshe. After requesting that Hashem’s presence will stay among the Nation of Israel Hashem answers Moshe ‘My presence will go and provide you rest (Shmot 33:14). Moshe responds with ‘ If your presence does not go along, do not bring us forward from here (Shmot 33:14). Why does he respond this way when Hashem has already told him that He will go with him? My friend Yacov suggested that Moshe was essentially saying ‘We want Moshiach now!’ He wanted to see it now not in some future time. Rav Lipsker added that Moshe was not interested in his own benefit. If this special relationship was not actualized towards ‘Israel’ he did not want to continue. Both of these ideas are contained within what I have written previously (see KiSissa and Rabi Green). If Hashem admits to Moshe that indeed he found favor in His eyes, Moshes requests that this favor be used to benefit Israel and not for his own personal glory. It's fascinating to read Rav Kahane in Perush HaMaccabee describing Moshes encounters with Hashem. He writes that a prerequisite for a prophet or Jewish leader is their tremendous concern for Israel. Hashem turns to Moshe measure for measure as Moshe turns from his sheltered and affluent life in Pharaoh’s palace to protest the suffering of his people. Only one who is overcome with concern for his people to such a degree that he becomes a target and must flee for safety merits that Hashem will turn to him. One who lives the uncomfortable life of a fugitive because of his love of truth and justice is in a position to alter Heavenly judgements that supersede the human court. It is no coincidence that Ki Motze Chen b’Enai alludes to the gematria of Kahane. ‫ אמ אצא את לחן רב לעי תני‬-‫ = שכי‬because you have found grace in my eyes = 761 ‫ = כהנא‬Kahane = 76 x 10 = 760 +1 (kollel) = 761 Rav Kahane also had this prerequisite of every great Jewish leader. I wonder sometimes how much judgement was transformed into mercy on his account. From the example that he set, from the suffering imprisonment and torment he went through, from his prayers and his pleading for Am Israel, I wonder how often an angry God was appeased and how often judgement was delayed and patience extended. God is Good I asked Menachem Gottlieb, one of the teachers in Rav Kahane's Yeshiva to tell me a story as we drove back from the Rabbi's kever on his Haskara in 2017. He told me once he was driving in a car with the rabbi and noticed something peculiar. The Rabbi kept repeating to himself 'God is Good, Good is Good.' He asked why. The rabbi said that 'after the rally he agreed to check in to the police station where he will be incarcerated for a few months. The beds are full of lice there.' Menachem had them stop along the way to his place where he gave the rabbi some clean sheets to take with him. Imagine the self-sacrifice that the Moshe of our generation went through so that we could sleep comfortably at night. 339

Hashems Na'aseh V'nishma (2019) Rashi explains that the verse in our Parsha (I shall know you...) is directly related to Parsha Yitro. ‫תא מלי‬, ‫מר‬,‫םא ת‬, ‫תאה מא נתה‬, ‫ ֹקר‬,‫ ֹקיה נוה‬-‫לאל‬- ‫שה‬-‫םמ ל‬, ‫למר‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ יב מוי‬12 And Moshe said to Hashem: 'See, you say to ‫את‬,‫ ת‬,‫םא הו מד ֹקע מת יני‬, ‫ ֹקו מא נתה ל‬,‫לזה‬- ‫ נה נעם מה‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ מה מעל‬me: Take this people onward but you did not ‫ ית קֹש מלח יע ימי; ֹקו מא נתה אא תמ רר את רי תד רע שתיך‬-‫לשר‬- ‫נא‬ inform me whom you will send with me. And you ‫ אמ אצא את לחן רב לעי אני‬-‫ רו תגם‬,‫ רב לשם‬. had said 'I shall know you by name , and you have also found favor in My eyes. (Shmot 33:12-13) ‫לליך‬- ‫א‬,‫םנ יכי נבא ת‬, ‫תנה נא‬, ‫ יה‬,‫שה‬-‫מ ל‬,‫ ם‬-‫לאל‬- ‫מר קֹיה נוה‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫ ט מוי‬9 And Hashem said to Moshe: 'Behold, I come to ‫אה אעם רב תד רב שרי‬ ‫ תב נִעבור שי רש תמע‬,‫לה נעננן‬- ‫קבֹ מעב‬ you in the thickness of the cloud, so that the ‫תגד‬, ‫רלעו אלם; מו מי‬ ‫ רבך תי ִנא שמינו‬-‫ רו תגם‬,‫שע אמך‬ people will hear as I speak to you, and they will also believe in you for ever.' Moshe related the ‫ ֹקיה נוה‬-‫לאל‬- ,‫תרי נה נעם‬, ‫ יד קֹב‬-‫לאת‬- ‫שה‬-‫מ ל‬,‫ ם‬. words of the people to Hashem. (Shmot 19:9) If we examine this then it appears that: 'I shall know you by name' - corresponds to - 'so that the people will hear as I speak to you' 'you have also found favor in My eyes' - corresponds to - 'and they will also believe in you for ever ' It seems to me that their Naaseh V-Nishma – 'we will do and obey' (Shmot 24:7) is based on this. They heard Hashem speaking to Moshe and because of this they believed in him. When Moshe would later show them the laws they would accept them without having to understand because this was the proof that they saw and heard. In other words at this point it was Nishma V'naase, we will see and then do. Because of this it became Naase V'Nishma – we will do and obey without having to understand. With this in mind I asked myself why did Hashem answer Moshe by reversing his words? Why is 'finding favor' first and 'knowing by name' second? ‫לזה‬- ‫ מה נד נבר מה‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ מגם‬,‫לשה‬- ‫מ‬,‫ ם‬-‫לאל‬- ‫למר ֹקיה נוה‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ יז מוי‬17 And Hashem said to Moshe: 'Even this thing of ,‫רב לעי תני‬ ‫לחן‬ ‫ אמ אצא את‬-‫ שכי‬:‫שה‬-‫א לע ל‬-‫לשר יד מב ֹקר נת ל‬- ‫נא‬ which you spoke, I shall do, for you have found ‫וא לאדאעִנך רב לשם‬ favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name.' (Shmot 33:17) Could it be a type of Naase V'Nishma from Hashem? As if Hashem was saying 'Because you have found favor in My eyes I will do what you say and give the people a greater distinction than ever before. As the people accepted without having to understand I will also accept your request without demanding accountabiliy. The result of this greater distinction I give to them in the end will make them great but only because I have known you by name. 340

Corona Virus and the Elections (2020) Adversity comes to the world only for the sake of Israel (Yevamot 63a). The Talmud teaches us that we must learn from events around us. The name Corona Virus comes from the Latin word meaning crown. What could this virus possibly have to do with kingship and coronation? If we look at another unusual occurrence we see that three times we have had elections in Israel and three times we cannot form a government. Why? Because there is a virus that has taken hold of Israel and it is extremely dangerous. It is a virus that Rabbi Kahane warned about 20 years ago and instead of heeding his warning they killed the messenger. The Rabbi warned that the Arabs can peacefully make love not war and the children they give birth to can simply vote Israel out of existence. Today we see this happening. Half the country voted for a Jewish state and the other has been infected with a virus and wants a secular Israeli State and together with the growing Arab bloc has impeded the formation of a government. We are suffering an identity crisis and it is very dangerous. Not only did the Rabbi warn us of this, his solution to transfer the Arabs back to any of their twenty two Muslim countries and rebuild our Temple was met with violent opposition. Even many religious Jews were opposed to the Rav's ideas because if implemented, they shouted the whole world would be against us and we would be completely alone and isolated. The Rabbi replied that Israel isolated and alone is not a curse, this is a great blessing “lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.” ( Bamidbar 23:9) And so today as we were reluctant to crown our King or give him Kavod (honor) [similar to the English name of Corona (Covid 19)] we see the cure for this disease is precisely this – isolation. Maybe after this disease passes we will see that we can indeed live alone and be a blessing to the world with our unique laws that are not 'reckoned among the nations.' The plague intensified on the Shabat of Ki Sissa. When you lift up the heads of the children of Israel to count them (in a census), let each one give an atonement offering for his soul when they are counted, so that there not be a plague in the counting of them”(Exodus 30:12) King David made the mistake of counting Israelites individually and this caused a great plague. King David prays to Hashem and says; “Behold, I have sinned and I have transgressed, but these sheep (i.e. the Nation of Israel) – what have they done?” (verse 17) The prophet Gad then tells him what must be done to stop the plague: David must build a mizbeyach (altar) on Har Ha’Bayit (the Temple mount)! What exactly is the problem of counting Jews and how could this bring such destruction? The prophet Hosea (chapter 2),declares: “The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sands of the sea, which cannot be numbered and cannot be counted…” Rabbi Bachya ben Asher explains that we do not count separate individuals, since we do not want to single them out and bring judgment upon them. An individual may not have enough merit to pass that judgment. However, when counting as a community, even if judgment is brought upon us, there are sure to be enough good deeds in the community to ensure that they pass the judgment and are found worthy of G-d’s mercy. Some add that when Jews are united, blessings are abundant, but when we divide the nation into individuals, there will be individual scrutiny. It seems to me that all of the above apply today. There is a war between the 'ani' (I) and the 'anachnu' (the collective). If one considers himself a half shekel of something greater than himself, if he feels 341

connected to the body of Israel, he is blessed without measure and is an invaluable half shekel like each letter of the Sefer Torah that is unique and yet part of a whole. In addition, Reish Lakish says that the Machatzit HaShekel counters the shekalim that Haman paid Achashverosh to be able to annihilate the Jews. There is both safety in numbers and protection from disease when one's number is a half shekel of the collective body of Israel. If however one sees himself as one free of the community of Israel and the yoke of Heaven and wants to be the 'I' with only rights and no obligations he undermines the Jewish State and dissolves it from the unique people that worship the One God to the individual who worships Democracy to the point of self destruction. We also read Parsha Para Aduma that tell us that when one becomes contaminated by touching a dead body they must be sprinkled with the water of purification. The word touch (nogea) and plague (noga) are the same letters. What is this dead body that we have come in contact with that we must wash our hands from? The letters that spell water of purification (Mei Nida) also spell Medina (State, which I have suggested before alludes to the State of Israel). The destructive spiritual influence from the exile has distanced Jews in America from Jews in Israel. The Jewish people have been infected with a virus that has worsened over the year and now has exploded into Corona. This Pesach we must do what Hashem commanded David Hamelech in order to stop the plague. He told David to build Me a Temple. We must do whatever we can to build this Temple. Rav Shmuel Sackett made a tremendous suggestion to stop this plague that is now upon us and the whole world. We must bring the Korban Pesach even if there is no Bet HaMigdash. It is permissible and we are still obligated even without the Temple and most importantly it will restore our bond with Hashem and may turn these days of judgment into days of Mercy. We learn an interesting thing from the story of Gideon (Judges 6-7). God encourages war against Midian, Gideon assembles 32,000 soldiers, and God says they are too many for Him to place Midian in their hands. Too many? He puts them through various spiritual tests of character until he is only left with 300 against an enemy that far outnumbered his original 32,000. They ambush the army of Midian in the night and they are victorious. What is the message? Our victory is not in numbers but in quality and our connection to our Father in Heaven. May we restore the Bet Hamigdash soon and by bringing the Korban Pesach may it save us from destruction and transform our fear and grief into tears of Joy. 342

Corona and the Heavenly Court 2021 said at Farbrengen My friends we stand today before a Bet Mishpat (a judgment). Similar to Noah who sent forth the dove to see if the time was now or if he had to wait further we stand again in the same place as we did last year. Have we learned anything this year? Will it be different, will it be better or worse? A year ago Corrona had just arrived to Israel and it was Parsha Ki Sisa and we searched inside for clues. We see here a story of a plague as punishment for the Egel (golden calf) and we read about another plague concerning the counting that took place in the time of King David. In both cases the appeasement came through building a Temple. I mentioned a year ago that Coronna did not come from China. The virus began a year ago in Israel and because we were unable to fix the problem it escalated and the China virus visited us. The year 2019 was the first year that our State and our elections no longer functioned properly. Three failed elections resulted from a spiritual virus that had affected our Nation. What happened in 2019 was predicted many years earlier by Rabbi Kahane. The constitution that reads a 'Democratic' 'Zionist' State said Rav Kahane is a contradiction. [I will add that a Torah Scholar is on a higher level than a prophet. A prophet receives visions that overtake him however a Torah scholar can look at the world clearly using intelligence and wisdom see the future and take action, as the Rav did.] Rav Kahane posed the question whether the Arabs have the right to democratically become the majority and vote to change Israel into Palestine. Everyone avoided the question because to say 'no' you were Rabbi Kahane (and considered racist) and to say 'yes' you were anti Zionist. For years everyone could avoid the question until 2019. The reason we cannot have proper elections is because half the country wants to be a Jewish State and the other half want to be a Hebrew speaking Scandinavia. The Arabs who according to our Parsha* are to be transferred to any of their twenty two other countries have become the growing king makers in Israel who are increasingly able to determine the direction of this confused Democratic and Zionist State. The Arabs read Rav Kahane's book* and understood it very well. The vote is a much better weapon than rocks or missiles and there is no iron dome defense for it. There are Arab judges today in Israel who vote to indict rabbinic authors and acquit Arabs of charges of incitement. The desire to be Israeli's and erase our Jewish identity versus the desire to be God's Chosen People again stands in the balance in a new election one year after Corona. The judgment in Heaven awaits our decision. Will we vote for Ben Gvir and the Temple or will what happened to the USA happen now to us. My brother asked me what is the gematria of 19 regarding Covid-19? I answered achi (my brother) and goy (gentile). This is what hangs in the balance. Our loss of identity is a spreading virus. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Rav Kahane believed the Arabs in Israel have the same status as Canaanites. In his last article he writes: (Exodus 34:11-12). The Abarbanel writes: “Since the Almighty drives out His enemies, it is unseemly that we should make a covenant with them because this would desecration of His honor. [Furthermore,] a treaty with them not succeed since there is no doubt that they will always seek evil for Israel considering that the Israelites took their land from them. this is the meaning of the words 'the land to which you come 'i.e., since you, Israel, went into that land and took it from its inhabitants, and since they feel oppressed and robbed of it, how will preserve a treaty of friendship? Rather it will be the opposite; they will be 'a snare in your midst – i.e., when war breaks out they will join your enemies and fight you.” What a stupendously true and incisive comment by the great Abarbanel and how much it understands the reality of human nature. And how different from that of the sad Moderdox of our time, who not only prattle about equal rights for the inhabitants of the land under the Jews who took the land from them but who ignore - because they lack the courage to face up to it – the reality of human feelings and the unwillingness to accept crumbs rather than the sovereignty that was. * Revolution or Referendum – Rabbi Kahane 343

Studying the Virus Religiously Now one may be a Torah observant Jew and think that this is a problem that the Zionists created and he has always opposed them. If we study our Parsha however, we may discover that his hands are not as clean as he thinks. Lets look at the ingredients of our Parsha as the China virus entered Israel a year ago at this time. Let us examine the school of Aaron, the school of Chur and Moshes defense of 'what will the nations say? There is a discussion in Talmud regarding arbitration The wicked one exults in his personal desire and the robber [bozea'] praises himself that he has blasphemed Hashem (Tehillim 10:3) The root meaning of the word botzea is to cut – which is related to arbitration when the difference between two claims is split. Says R. Elizer: R. Eliezer the son of R. Jose the Galilean says: It is forbidden to arbitrate in a settlement, and he who arbitrates thus offends, and whoever praises such an arbitrator [bozea'] contemneth the Lord, for it is written, He that blesses an arbiter [bozea'] contemneth the Lord. (Sanhedrin 6b) R. Tanhum b. Hanilai says the verse quoted (Tehillim 10:3) refers only to the story of the golden calf as it is written: 32:5 And Aaron saw, and he built an altar before it. And Aaron called out and said: A festival for the L-rd tomorrow! And Aaron saw - What did he see? R. Binyamin b. Yefeth said: He saw Chur slaughtered before him, and he said: If I do not accede to them, they will do to me what they did to Chur and bring to pass (Eichah 2:20): “Shall there be slain in the sanctuary of the L-rd, priest and prophet!” - and they will never be able to amend it. Better that they serve the golden calf; perhaps they can amend it with repentance (Sanhedrin 7a). We all have heard Hillel’s famous statement in Pirkei Avot: “Be among the disciples of Aaron—a lover of peace (ohev shalom) and a pursuer of peace (rodef shalom); a lover of all people, bringing them closer to the Torah.” (Mishnah Avot 1:12) Aaron was known as a peace maker who would try and arbitrate between conflicts and settle differences without need for trials and judgments. Is there a point however where the peace maker does the opposite and angers God? Can his action be like a robber who praises himself that he has blasphemed Hashem? Was Aaron proud to be a peace maker in this instance or did he feel shame and embarrassment that through his appeasement the greatest calamity occurred? We have heard Aarons defense above however could it be that this was partially an excuse that Aaron told himself but inside he was afraid to meet the same fate as Chur and this is the real reason why he compromised? Don't we see this today? Look at how the Torah world abandoned Rav Kahane for fear of being labeled and losing their stipends and positions. That silence however, has ramifications. When the Torah is compromised terrible things happen and when it is not also terrible things happen; like what happened to Chur and Rav Kahane and many of those who stand against the mob. But let me ask you, who builds the temple? Not Aaron. He serves in it but the only one who can build it comes from Chur, just like today the ones who will build it and demand it come from a different spirit that is found in the students of Rabbi Kahane. As we read in the Haftorah Parah: 344

So shall the destroyed cities be filled by sheep-men – and they shall know I am Hashem (Yecheskel 36:38) Have we learned anything this year as we stand before a new election? Is the virus getting any better or with all our vaccines will it get much worse? The cure is within the State of Israel and if you are opposed the the State of Israel read the Parsha Parah again. There are two very important points to understand. One may discuss the merits or demerits of Zionism and the merits or demerits of those opposed to Zionism however the modern State of Israel came into being with both and without both. As we read in today's Haftorah: Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says my Lord/Hashem: Not for your sake do I act, O house of Israel, but for My holy Name that you have desecrated among the nations to which you came. (Yecheskel 36:22) The fact that Israel may have come into being through the labor and self sacrifice of non religious or anti religious Jews is not the point. The point is Hashem decided to end the desecration of His name by ending the Galut even though we do not merit it. Another point to those who fear losing their purity and being contaminated by Zionist Israel. We read in Parsha Parah today: ‫ ֹקו ינ קֹכ קֹר נתה‬,‫םא יי ֹקת מח נטא‬, ‫ יי קֹט נמא קֹול‬-‫לשר‬- ‫ כ ֹקו יאיש נא‬20 But a man who becomes contaminated, and ‫ ימ ֹקק מדש‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ יכי‬:‫לפש מה יהוא ימתוך מה נק נהל‬- ‫לנ‬- ‫ מה‬does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the congregation, because he ‫מא‬,‫ נט ת‬--‫נע נליו‬ ‫םז מרק‬, -‫םא‬, ‫ל‬ ‫ינ נדה‬ ‫מי‬,‫ת‬ ,‫מא‬,‫יט ת‬ ‫ֹקיה נוה‬ has contaminated the sanctuary of Hashem; ‫הוא‬ because the water of sprinkling has not been thrown upon him: he is contaminated. (Bamidbar 19:20) ‫םז מרק נע נליו‬, -‫םא‬, ‫תמי ינ נדה ל‬, - The water of Sprinkling has not been thrown upon him Read: ‫תמי ינ נדה‬, – ‫תמ נדי ינה‬, - Medina (State) If the State has not been thrown upon you, consider yourself contaminated and cut off. Within these letters one can also read ‫ לירוק‬- to spit. That's correct. If the State has not been thrown upon you and did not spit on you, consider yourself unclean and cut off from the congregation. And who has been kicked around and spat upon more than the builders of Yehuda and Shomron? These are the tzadikim of Chur who will build the Temple which will appease an angry God who has no need for a world or a Jewish people if they refuse the gift he gives them. This is why Moshe's defense to Hashem is 'what will the nations say? Although this people fails and is inadequate and rebels, and strives to be a goy instead of a Jew, if you destroy them completely you destroy Your own Name so to speak. Will the nations say there is no God of Israel? And so Hashem accepts Moshe's prayers but sends a plague. When we accept the treasure that Hashem wishes to give us and fight for it by standing up like Chur we will not only bring glory to the Nation of Israel but also peace and prosperity for the whole world. There will also be an end to this disease that began from our inability to fight the germs that attack the Laws of Heaven. Compromise with evil from the time of Aaron to modern history has only brought about the worst destruction. Standing against evil like Chur has a price to pay however a Jealous God can only be appeased by a people who are equally jealous for Him. 345

Kahane in the Parsha Vayechel/Pekudei 346

Vayechel/Pekudei and Parsha Para (2011/12) Most years when Yayechel/Pekudei coincides with Parsh Para we read the Maftir which explains the details of Para Aduma that Moshe gave Israel then we read the haftorah from yechezkel. The Maftir explains the details of the strange ceremony of the Para Aduma. The Kohen Gadol takes the bull that is pure red and never pulled a yoke and slaughters it outside the camp. The Cohen Gadol becomes impure as well as the slaughterer and he goes to a mikva and also must immerse his clothes in the mikva. Then another clean man can take these ashes and sprinkle them. The Maftir explains the ritual from ancient times and the Haftorah explains its significance in modern times. I was told once by Rabbi Matisyahu Glazerson that the Para Aduma is Israel from the dung to the head it is completely burned; the lowest and highest places. On one hand the cow is pure and on the other hand it has never pulled a yoke. Israel is compared to a bull that must be harnessed to the yoke of Hashem. It seems on one hand the bull seems to be alluding to a sinner who is disconnected to Hashem and on the other it is a very unique cow with not even one discolored hair. The Rav was one of the few who dared to explain the Holocaust and more than that criticized those who do not explain it for adding to the Chilul Hashem. Every Jewish soul is holy because this is their essence regardless whether they pull the yoke or not. The sages with long beards and the Jew married to a gentile all suffered the same fate. It is the Cohen Gadol who leads the bull out to be slaughtered and becomes contaminated. I suggest that this may allude our own Jewish leadership that has misled us and been contaminated as well. Then comes a pure man that sprinkles these ashes and and administers the solution while again becoming contaminated. I suggest that this second man alludes to the passage from the Haftorah which tells us Hashem will be sanctified again in the eyes of the world and will bring us a new heart. The leader who went down with the cow cannot be the same leader who explains the new Torah, which is the original Torah. In order to do this he makes himself a target by saying things that are politically incorrect. He becomes persecuted and chased away like something unclean. The Cohen who sprinkles the cleanliness becomes unclean, as the contemporary sage who is sacrificed in order to revive the Torah. He becomes unclean and eventually sacrificed because of our sins. However it is only through him that Hashem is glorified and we learn to feel with a new heart. The Torah of Yoseph was closer to his father than any of the other Rosh Yeshivas. Instead of learning from the Rav he was despised like Yoseph because he was like a mirror that reflected our inaction and apathy. The elixir of Torah that the Rav sprinkled us with is the faith that we can and must do things that seem impossible. Judaism is not just a practice of rituals done in the privacy of ones home but is a National expression of Hashems will. He single-handedly expressed that will and by repetition made it part of a dialogue that eventually became a new reality. This reality is still evolving from his footsteps. When I see his name in this weeks Parsha this is how I understand it. (see below) ‫ יצ נוה ֹקיה נוה‬-‫שר‬-‫ נא ל‬,‫את כח מקת מהתו נרה‬,‫ ב ז ם‬2 This is the statute of the law which the LORD ‫ליך‬-‫תא ל‬, ‫ ֹקו יי ֹקקחו‬,‫תאל‬, ‫תני יי קֹש נר‬, ‫ קֹב‬-‫אל‬-‫תבר ל‬, ‫ מד‬:‫ר‬,‫תלא םמ‬, hath commanded, saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer, ‫לשר‬- ‫נא‬ ,‫מום‬ ‫ נבה‬-‫תאין‬, ‫שר‬-‫נא ל‬ ‫נפ נרה נא כד נמה ֹקת ימי נמה‬ faultless, wherein is no blemish, and upon which .‫ל‬,‫ םע‬,‫ללי נה‬- ‫ נע נלה נע‬-‫לא‬,‫ם‬ never came yoke. 347

‫הן; קֹוהו יציא‬,‫םכ ת‬, ‫א ֹקל נע נזר מה‬-‫ ל‬-‫ל‬-‫ לא‬,‫אתנה‬,‫תלם ם‬- ‫ ג ונקֹ מת‬3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, .‫םא נתה ֹקל נפ נניו‬, ‫ קֹו נש מחט‬,‫נה‬-‫ ימחוץ מל ממ נח ל‬-‫ל‬-‫םתנה לא‬,‫ א‬and she shall be brought forth without the camp, and she shall be slain before his face. ;‫לא ֹקצ נבעו‬- ‫ ֹקב‬--‫ מי נד נמה‬,‫הן‬,‫םכ ת‬, ‫לא ֹקל נע נזר מה‬- ‫ ד קֹו נל מקח‬4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood ‫במע‬-‫של‬--‫ ימ נד נמה‬,‫תעד‬, ‫מו‬-‫הל‬-‫םא ל‬, ‫תני‬, ‫נ מכח קֹפ‬,‫ ם‬-‫לאל‬- ‫ ֹקו יה נזה‬with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood toward .‫ פֹקענ ימים‬the front of the tent of meeting seven times. -‫ת‬-‫םרנה קֹו לא‬,‫ע‬-‫את‬-‫ ל‬:‫תעי נניו‬, ‫ ֹקל‬,‫ מה נפ נרה‬-‫את‬-‫ ה ֹקו נש מרף ל‬5 And the heifer shall be burnt in his sight; her .‫רף‬,‫ יפ ֹקר נשה יי קֹש ם‬-‫ מעל‬,‫ נדמנה‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ קֹב נש נרה קֹו‬skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall be burnt. ;‫ו ֹקש יני תו נל מעת‬--‫אזוב‬,‫רז ֹקו ת‬-‫לא ל‬- ‫עץ‬,‫ ת‬,‫תהן‬, ‫םכ‬, ‫ ו ֹקו נל מקח מה‬6 And the priest shall take cedar-wood, and .‫ר מפת מה נפ נרה‬,‫תוך ֹקש ת‬-‫אל‬-‫ ל‬,‫ ֹקו יה קֹש יליך‬hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. ,‫ ֹקו נר מחץ קֹב נשרו מב ממ יים‬,‫תהן‬, ‫כ‬,‫לבס קֹב נג נדיו מה ם‬- ‫ ז ֹקו יכ‬7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he -‫ מעד‬,‫תהן‬, ‫כ‬,‫תמא מה ם‬, ‫נה; ֹקו נט‬-‫ מה ממ נח ל‬-‫לאל‬- ‫םא‬, ‫ ניב‬,‫ קֹו מא מחר‬shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he .‫ב‬-‫נהענרל‬ may come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. ‫ קֹו נר מחץ‬,‫תבס קֹב נג נדיו מב ממ יים‬, ‫ קֹי מכ‬--‫םא נתה‬, ‫תרף‬, ‫ש‬,‫ ח ֹקו מה ם‬8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in .‫רב‬-‫ נה נע ל‬-‫ עמד‬,‫מתא‬, ‫ קֹב נשרו מב נמ יים; קֹו נט‬water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. ‫ ֹקו יה יני מח‬,‫פר מה נפ נרה‬-‫תא ל‬, ‫את‬,‫ ת‬,‫ ט קֹו נא מסף יאיש נטהור‬9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ‫ ֹקב נמקום נטהור; ֹקו נה ֹקי נתה מל נע מדת‬,‫נה‬-‫ ימחוץ מל ממ נח ל‬ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the ‫ מח נטאת‬--‫ינ נדה‬ ‫תמי‬, ‫קֹל‬ ,‫לרת‬- ‫למ‬- ‫קֹל ימ ֹקש‬ ‫תאל‬, ‫ יי ֹקש נר‬-‫תני‬, ֹ‫קב‬ camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the .‫יהוא‬ congregation of the children of Israel for a water of sprinkling; it is a purification from sin. ,‫ קֹבגנדניו‬-‫לת‬-‫ א‬,‫פר מה נפ נרה‬-‫תא ל‬, -‫לאת‬- ‫תסף‬, ‫םא‬, ‫לבס נה‬- ‫ י ֹקו יכ‬10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer ‫תגר‬, ‫ ֹוק מל‬,‫תאל‬, ‫תני יי ֹקש נר‬, ‫רלב; ֹקו נה ֹקי נתה יל קֹב‬- ‫ נהענ‬-‫ מעד‬,‫מא‬,‫ קֹו נט ת‬shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the .‫עו נלם‬ ‫ ֹקל כח מקת‬--‫ֹקבתו נכם‬ ‫מה נגר‬ even; and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever. Bamidbar (19:2-10) When Parsha Parah coincides with Vayechel/Pekudei the regular Maftir is replaced by the passages above. When Parsha Parah coincides with Vayechel/Pekudei the regular Haftorah is replaced by a section from Yeheskel. Below I have highlighted some of these passages. 348

‫ד נני‬,‫כה נא ממר נא ם‬,‫ ם‬,‫תאל‬, ‫ יי קֹש נר‬-‫תבית‬, ‫מר ֹקל‬,‫כן לא ם‬,‫ כב נל ת‬22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus :‫אל‬,‫ית יי קֹש נר ת‬,‫ בת‬,‫שה‬-‫םע ל‬, ‫כם נא יני‬-‫א ֹקל ממ מע קֹנ ל‬,‫ ל ם‬,‫ קֹיה יוה‬saith the Lord GOD: I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which ye ‫מבגו יים‬ ,‫לתם‬- ‫יח מל קֹל‬ ‫לשר‬- ‫נא‬ ‫ נק קֹד ישי‬-‫ם‬,‫לקֹ תש‬-‫יכי יאם‬ have profaned among the nations, whither ye .‫תם נשם‬-‫ נבא ל‬-‫שר‬-‫נא ל‬ came. ,‫ מה ֹקמ כח נלל מבגו יים‬,‫שֹק ימי המ נגדול‬-‫לאת‬- ‫ כג ֹקו יק מד קֹש יתי‬23 And I will sanctify My great name, which hath ‫ישכ נִא שנ‬ been profaned among the nations, which ye have -‫י‬ ‫מהגו יים‬ ‫ֹקו ני ֹקדעו‬ ;‫ֹקבתו נכם‬ ,‫תם‬-‫יח מל ֹקל ל‬ ‫לשר‬- ‫נא‬ profaned in the midst of them; and the nations ‫ה‬,‫כם‬-‫ ֹקב יה נק ֹקד ישי נב ל‬,‫ד נני קֹיה יוה‬,‫ קֹנ כאם נא ם‬,‫ ֹקי נוה‬shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord .‫הם‬-‫תני ל‬, ‫תעי‬, ‫ֹקל‬ GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. ‫ ֹקו יק מב ֹקצ יתי‬,‫ מהגו יים‬-‫כם ימן‬-‫א קֹת ל‬-‫ כד קֹו נל מק ֹקח יתי ל‬24 For I will take you from among the nations, -‫לאל‬- ,‫לכם‬- ‫לא קֹת‬- ‫תבא יתי‬, ‫תה‬, ‫ נה נא נרצות; קֹו‬-‫כם ימ נכל‬-‫לא קֹת ל‬- and gather you out of all the countries, and will .‫כם‬-‫ מא קֹד ממ קֹת ל‬bring you into your own land. :‫תם‬-‫ ו ֹקט מה קֹר ל‬,‫לכם ממ יים ֹקטהו ירים‬- ‫לי‬,‫ כה ֹקו נז מר ֹקק יתי נע ת‬25 And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ‫הר‬,‫ נא מט ת‬,‫כם‬-‫תלי ל‬, ‫ יגלו‬-‫לכם ו ימ נכל‬- ‫תתי‬, ‫כל כט קֹמאו‬,‫ ימ ם‬ye shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses, and .‫כם‬-‫לא ֹקת ל‬- from all your idols, will I cleanse you. ‫תתן‬, ‫לא‬- ‫ ֹקורו מח נח נד נשה‬,‫תלב נח נדש‬, ‫לכם‬- ‫ כו ֹקו ננ מת יתי נל‬26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new ,‫כם‬-‫ ימ קֹב מש ֹקר ל‬,‫לבן‬- ‫א‬-‫תלב נה ל‬, -‫את‬-‫םר יתי ל‬, ‫לכם; מו נה יס‬- ‫ ֹקב יק קֹר קֹב‬spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give .‫נב נשר‬ ‫לב‬,‫ת‬ ,‫כם‬-‫נל ל‬ ‫קֹו ננ מת יתי‬ you a heart of flesh. When I see the letters Kahane hidden inside 'I am the Lord' (Ki Ani Hashem) it means to me that through Hashems disciples He is sanctified. How is God sanctified before our eyes? When the Rav was on radio talk shows there were often non-Jews who called in and said 'Why aren't there more Jews like you?' By daring to stand against the majority to do Hashems will and fight for Jewish causes the Rav sanctified God before the eyes of the world and the Jewish people. It was Mordechai who refused to bow to idolatry that started the whole Purim story rolling. It was Moshe who brought more suffering on the Jews by his defiance to Pharaoh that eventually led to our liberation. And in our time it is Meir Kahane who rocked the boat and refused to bow to world pressure or Israeli pressure and wake up comfortable Jews with uncomfortable questions. He and his son suffered countless imprisonments for the Jewish people. It is now the Jewish people who are imprisoned and his Torah is the key that will set us free. These keys are now in the hands of leaders like Dr. Michael Ben Ari and Moshe Feiglin. Rabbi Kahane and his son Binyamin paid the price with constant harassment and martyrdom so that now a new generation of Moshe Feiglin's and Ben Ari's even Leiberman's can be given positions to influence without the same hatred. The reason is that by forging Hashem's path and paying the ultimate price, the Rav gave us a new heart. He demonstrated for us how to be a real Jew. He gave us a heart less doubtful and less fearful and showed us the path to freedom. He was the freest person ever to be in 349

a jail. His courage inspired thousands of Jews to be a little bit like him. The Kohen who sprinkles the life giving mixture becomes contaminated himself as he gives life to others. He becomes unclean and abandoned and then sacrificed. But through him Hashem is glorified and we learn to feel with a new heart. (see also Parsha Chukat) Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Chur (Shmot 38:22) Bezalel as a young boy understood the deepest secrets of how to craft the utensils in the Mishkan. Rashi explains to us that the unusual addition of the grandfathers name (Chur) indicates that Betzalels divine spiritual gift was the special reward for the self-sacrifice of Chur . I often ask the question why is Chur given such a small remez (hint) in the Torah? During the Chet Haegel Aaron fearing that soon he will be stoned, tries to manipulate the people to buy time for Moshes return. Aaron is criticized for this by Moshe. 'What did this people do to you that that you brought a grievous sin upon it? (Shmot 32:21). Chur on the other hand did not play games. He told the people straight that they were sinning and must stop. He was stoned. This story, however is not written in the Torah. You will only find this in the Midrash. I once asked Yekutiel, one of the leaders of the movement, how this works. How does a grandson inherit Torah secrets because the grandfather died a martyrs death? He said to me that if I am alluding to the Rav's death I should understand that it is not simply the way he died a martyrs death that was important but that his whole life was one of self- sacrifice. He did not seek a martyrs death yet every day he went out to do and say what had to be done and said without fear knowing that one day he may pay the ultimate price for his actions, but he could not stand idly by. This is the definition of a Tzadik. Why is Chur not mentioned but his grandson Betzalel shows us the details of the inner Temple? One might ask why there is so much written about Avraham and Yacov but less about Itzchak who was the perfect sacrifice. One might ask why the secrets of the Zohar was received by a student of Rabbi Akiva who also died a martyrs death. He continued to follow in the path of his Rav and because of this became a fugitive. In his isolation he wrote the Zohar. I will remain with the question. It seems to me, however that those who sacrifice every day for the Jewish people like a Rabbi Kahane are on a different level that than the rest of us, even though they demonstrate to the rest of us what is humanely possible. The later generations that attach themselves to these great leaders attach themselves to the greatness and are rewarded in their way for continuing the work of Creation. Better to be the tail of a lion than the head of a fox. 350