Israel’s mandatory wars

Milḥemet Miṣva (war by commandment or a mandatory war)  refers to the wars to conquer the land of Israel in the times of Yehoshua’ bin Nun; the war against ‘amaleq and any war that the Jewish people wages in self defense (see MT melakhim, 5:1), i.e., when lives are threatened and vital national interests are at risk. 
The Tora indicates that first, we have to offer peace to the enemies (Deut. 20:10). If they do not accept the offer of peace, then Israel should go to war to defend itself.  For this type of war, the King (=Executive power) was not required to ask for the approval of the Sanhedrin (=Legislative power). Milḥemet Miṣva is launched at the discretion of the King. 
One of the first Miṣvot for the fighters and soldiers who go into these wars is not to fear. In the words of Maimonides (MT,melakhim 7:15) “Once the man [the Jewish soldier] begins his engagement in war, he should rely on the Hope of Israel [=God] Who will rescue him in times of trouble. He needs to know that he is waging this war for the the sanctification of His name (Yiḥud Hashem). He should entrust his life in His hand, and he should not fear; not be scared…. And when a Jewish soldier fights with all his heart, without fear, and with the sole intention of sanctifying the name of God, he will be protected from harm, and nothing bad will happen to him, and he will [have the merit to] establish a solid family in Israel, and his merit will be for him, and his descendants for ever”   
In these days, the soldiers of the IDF are fighting a Milhemet Misva, a war to protect the lives of the citizens of the south of Israel.
They have unlimited courage, the highest morale and they rely on the Almighty, the Protector and Shield of Israel, to save them from harm and bring victory to Am Israel, by their hands. 
May the Almighty protect them and all the citizens of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom!   
Candle lighting in NYC:  4:17 p.m.
Shabbat ends in NYC:    5:25 p.m.



מי שברך לחיילי צה”ל
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵֽנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַֽיִם, וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה, בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן יְיָ אֶת אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵֽינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמוֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָּלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶֽגַע וּמַחֲלָה, וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵֽינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם, וִיעַטְּרֵם בְּכֶֽתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶֽרֶת נִצָּחוֹן, וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהוֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם, לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אוֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.



Rosh Hodesh Kislev

√ Today is the first day of the month of Kislev. Rosh Ḥodesh Kislev will be celebrated for one day only.  
√ Rosh Ḥodesh -the beginning of the Hebrew month- is a semi festive day. The hierarchal order of the Jewish festive days is: Shabbat, Yom Tob, Ḥol haMo’aed, and then Rosh Ḥodesh. In the times of the Bet haMiqdash, when there was a special qorban (sacrifice) offered in Rosh Ḥodesh with sounds of Shofar and trumpets, men used to avoid working in Rosh Ḥodesh. Today, in some communities, mostly Ashkenazi communities, women do not work or refrain from doing certain melakhot during RoshḤodesh. 
√ In Rosh Ḥodesh we are indicated to behave and be in a happier mood (ra-ui lismoaḥ bahem). As we said, although it is not forbidden to work on Rosh Ḥodesh, it is meritorious to celebrate Rosh Ḥodesh with a special meal (Shulḥan Arukh, OH. 419:1). This is done by having some foods on Rosh Ḥodesh which are considered luxuries foods, particularly meat and wine (By the way, this is the reason why Sephardic communities refrain from eating meat during the month of Ab, only from the second day of Ab, once Rosh Ḥodesh is over).
√ It is forbidden to fast on Rosh Ḥodesh. It is also customary to avoid visiting the cemetery on Rosh Ḥodesh. Most cemeteries are closed for visits on Rosh Ḥodesh. When the anniversary of a loved one (sal, yohrtzait) falls on Rosh Ḥodesh it is customary to fast or visit the cemetery before or after Rosh Ḥodesh. For this same reason -some exceptional cases apart- eulogies should not be delivered on Rosh Ḥodesh. Depending on the circumstances, rabbis will rather deliver a Debar Tora -general words of Tora wisdom- in honor of the deceased, minimizing personal emotional remarks, which might cause an additional sadness to the audience.
                                  מי שברך לחיילי צה”ל  
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵֽנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַֽיִם, וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה, בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן יְיָ אֶת אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵֽינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמוֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָּלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶֽגַע וּמַחֲלָה, וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵֽינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם, וִיעַטְּרֵם בְּכֶֽתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶֽרֶת נִצָּחוֹן, וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהוֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם, לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אוֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.
Click HERE to read “Operation Pillar of Defense” by www.debka.com



Rabbi Yishaq ben Walid (1777-1870)

 

“The western luminary” (Ner haMa’arabi). That was the title given by Morrocan rabbis to one of its most illustrious: Rabbi Yiṣḥaq ben Walid (or Bengualid) from the city of Tetuán, in the north (Spanish) of Morocco. 

Rabbi ben Walid belonged to a family of Rabbis, who left Spain after the expulsion in 1492. Since childhood, and despite the loss of his father at a very early age, he dedicated himself completely to study Tora.  After the death of his father, the financial situation of the family was so desperate that the mother had to sell her husband’s books, a set of the Talmud, to maintain themselves.  Rabbi ben Walid worked for years saving penny after penny to buy back what he considered to be his most important patrimony: The Talmud.
He was known for his brilliant mind, his piety and above anything else for his humbleness.  In 1830, after the head of the Rabbinical court, rabbi Moshe haLevy,  passed away, and knowing that the community leaders will consider him as a candidate, rabbi Ben Walid  fled to Gibraltar and hid for a while, running away from honors, as Pirque Abot indicates.  Only at the insistence of the community leaders who presented him a petition with the signatures of sixty of the most prominent rabbis of the time, Rabbi ben Walid accepted the new position. His condition, however, was that he will make his Halakhic decisions always with at least two other rabbis, and never by himself.
He had a special inclination for ḥesed and charity. He would provide food to the needy, especially before Shabbat and Holidays. One time he gathered the leaders of the community and told them: “My family is starving. I need a raise.” And he proposed to create a tax on kosher meat, the “gabela” (Spanish for community tax) , to generate the extra money. After the community leaders accepted the rabbi’s request he explained that the “starving family” he was referring to, were the needy people of the city, his brothers and sisters. And for many years all the money from the gabela was given to the most needy of the city.
√ Rabbi Ben Walid  refused to publish his book in order to avoid a financial burden on the impoverished Jewish community of Tetuán.  In 1855, his oldest son Shemtob, published his book vayomer Yiṣḥaq in the city of Livorno, Italy.  This book is a collection of rabbinical responsa which includes the Minhaguim and traditions of Spanish Moroccan Jews.  We present  HERE one of the first edtitions of vayomer Yiṣḥaq  from www.hebrewbooks.org

 

√ Those who read Hebrew and are interested in knowing more about the life of rabbi ben Walid should read the introductions/dedications written by his two sons, Shemtob Ben Walid and Vidal ben Walid, at the beginning of the book.  
  
√ Click here to see the unmarked grave of rabbi  ben Walid in the Jewish cemetery of Tetuán.


TEFILA: Netilat Yadayim

                  בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹ-ינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם.
One of the first things we do in the morning is washing our hands in preparation for our prayers. This ritual washing of the hands is called: netilat yadayim. 
Literally, netilat yadayim means “elevating, raising or lifting our hands”.  We use that expression because at the conclusion ofnetilat yadayim the hands are elevated.  Other rabbis (Abuderham) explained that the Hebrew word netila should be understood in the sense of ‘receiving’. i.e., receiving the waters that are poured into our hands. 
The rabbis are divided as to what the main reason for the ritual washing of the hands in the morning is. 
√ The first Biblical source for the washing of the hands is found in Exodus 30:19-20. The Kohanim (=Priests) would wash their hands (and feet) before performing the holy service.  The Rishba says that we imitate the Kohen, preparing ourselves to dedicate our day to serve God, by washing our hands every morning. 
√ According to the Rosh the main reason for netilat yadayim in the morning is basic hygiene. Our hands might have touched unclean parts of our bodies during sleep and therefore, before the morning prayer, we should clean our hands. 
√ The Shulḥan ‘arukh mentions also the reason of impurity (ruaḥra’a). In the words of Rabbi Melamed, when we sleep we lost part of our divine image, which we recover upon waking up.  But the state of impurity remains in the hands until we wash them ritually. This is why the Shulḥan ‘arukh (4:2) indicates that we have to wash our hands, alternating three times, as a purification ritual. 
√ Maimonides mentions the washing of the hands as a prerequisite for every prayer. (MT, Tefila 4:2). Thus, according to Maimonides we should wash our hands not only for the morning prayer (shaḥarit) but for the afternoon and night prayers as well.    Thus,  Psalms 26:6  says: “I will wash my hands in cleanliness,and [then I] will go around Your altar, O Lord”.


“When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.”
                                                                              Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972)



SHABBAT: Modifying a Shabbat timer

As we have explained before (see here) during Shabbat we can’t turn on or off any electrical appliance or lights. However, it is permitted to program a timer (sha’on Shabbat) from Friday, before Shabbat begins, to turn on and off lights or some other electrical appliances.
Modern Rabbis discussed the issue of modifying the time of the timer during Shabbat. For example, if I programmed the timer to turn off the lights at 10.30 p.m., and then I realize that I will need the lights for one more hour, can I reprogram the timer to turn off the lights at 11.30 p.m.?
Many Rabbis would forbid to do this, but Rabbi Obadia Yosef, Rabbi Auerbach and many other Rabbis authorize to reprogram the timer in the following circumstances:
1. First, it should be a manual timer (see for example this) , not a digital timer (see this ).  A digital timer cannot be modified during Shabbat.
2. When dealing with a manual timer we would be allowed to move the knobs forward, but not back to turn the lights off or even on. We could move the knobs, for example, from 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.,  but not from  2.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m..
3. Rabbi Melamed says (Penine Halakha, Shabbat B, p.24) that in exceptional circumstances (sha’at hadaḥaq) most Rabbis would also authorize to reprogram the timer to turn off the lights at an earlier time.  Rabbi Yosef mentions the case of a sick person (even in a non-life threatening situation) for example, if the lights don’t allow him or her to rest.  Similarly, in certain cases (leṣorekh Miṣva)  we would be allowed to reprogram the timer to turn the lights on at an earlier time. Rabbi Yosef mentions as an example,  Limud Tora.
Shabbat Shalom!
Candle lighting in NYC:     4:31 p.m.
Shabbat ends in NYC:         5:38 p.m. 

 



The 13 principles: # 12: The prerequisites for the Jewish Messiah

As we explained last time, the Mashiaḥ will be a Jewish King, descendent of the house of King David. According to Maimonides (MT, Kings 11:4) “We may assume that an individual is the Messiah if he fulfills the following conditions. (1) He must be a King, from the house of David, (2) immersed in the Tora and its commandments like David his ancestor. He must also follow both, the written and the Oral Tora, lead all Jews back to the Tora, strengthening the observance of its laws and (3) fight God’s battles.”
“God’s battles” are not meant here in a figurative sense like a salvation army. “HaShem battles” are the military wars and battles that the Jewish people wages against its enemies. The sort of battles that the IDF fights every single day. The Mashiaḥtherefore will be a man of wisdom, a leader and role model in Tora, and also a military man who fights against Israel’s enemies.
Where does Maimonides take these ideas from?
In MT, Kings, 11:3 he writes : “Do not think that the Mashiaḥ will have to perform signs and miracles. He will not necessarily change the course of nature or bring the dead back to life [= teḥyiat hametim might not happen at this particular stage. Y.B.], or anything else like that. We thus find that Rabbi Akiba, the greatest sage of the Mishna, was willing to accept Bar Koziba (Bar Kokhba, the leader of the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire in 132 CE) as the Messiah until he was killed… it was only when he died that they realized …that he was not the true Messiah”
It is through an analysis of the characteristics of Bar Kokhba that Maimonides describes the prerequisites of the Mashiaḥ: what rabbi Akiba saw in Bar Kokhba, we should expect to find in the potential Mashiaḥ.
(To be continued…).

 



Rabbi Shemtob Gaguin (1884-1953)

Rabbi Shemtob Gaguin(e) was born in Jerusalem in 1884.  Rabbi Gaguin was a British Sephardic Rabbi and a descendent of a famous Moroccan Rabbinical dynasty which emigrated to Israel from Spain at the time of the Inquisition. He was the great-grandson of R. Hayim Gaguin, the first Chief rabbi (Chakham Bashi) of the Israel during the Ottoman Empire.
He studied at the “Doresh Zion” school in Jerusalem and was a pupil of the celebrated Rabbi Jacob Alfiye. At an early age, he contributed articles to the Palestinian Hebrew Press (“HaChabbazelet”) on aspects of Jewish traditional observances, as well as on biblical and philological matters. He was awarded rabbinical diplomas by numerous authorities, including Rabbi Chayim Berlin (the son of the Natzi”b) and Chief Rabbis of Israel Ya’aqob Meir and Abraham Kook
In 1920 he accepted a position of Rabbi of the Sephardic community of Manchester and at the same time he was a Dayan (Rabbinical Judge) in the Manchester Rabbinical court (Bet Din).
From 1921 he was the head of the Sephardic communities of London. Rabbi Gaguin died in Manchester, 1953.

Rabbi Shemtob Gaguin

Among his works we find:
√ A study on origin and history of the Jews of Cochin (India)
√ Shulchan Arukh, a critical study of the Jewish Codex based on several old editions and unpublished manuscripts.
√ Commentaries on Midrash Rabba and Midrash Tanchuma
His most famous book is  Keter Shem Tob, an encyclopedic treatise which examines and compares the Tefilot and traditions of the Eastern (Turkey, Israel, Egypt Syria) and the Western (Amsterdam, London, NY ) Sephardim, paying particular attention to the customs of Spanish and Portuguese Jews. The first two volumes were published in 1934. The final work comprised a total of 7 volumes, the last 3 of which were published posthumously with the help of his son, Rabbi Dr. Maurice Gaguine.
Click HERE to download  Keter Shem Tob

 



TEFILA: Mode Ani Lefanekha

                       מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ, מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם, שֶׁהֶחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ.
Virtually all Siddurim (Jewish prayer books) that we have today begin with the prayer Mode (or Moda) Ani Lefanekha…  “I thank You, Oh living and everlasting King, for You have returned to me my soul with [Your] compassion. Great is Your faithfulness”. 
This is a short prayer of gratitude that is said when one wakes up in the morning. It is one of the best known prayers, although ironically, it was not mentioned in the Talmud or Shulchan Arukh.   The first time this prayer appears is in 1599 in the book Seder haYom, written by the Mequbbal Rabbi Moshe ben Makhir from Tzefat (16th Century). 
The content of this beautiful prayer alludes to the idea (or motif)  that  the soul–the sensorial elements of it– is stored by God and it is returned to us when we wake up in the morning.  This idea is based on the Pasuq from the Psalms (31:5) beyadekha -afqid ruchi… “In your hands, oh God, I entrust my soul”. With this prayer we express our gratitude to God for giving us back our spirit of life.  “Mode Ani” paraphrases the belief formulated in “Elo-hay, Neshama…”, which is the original prayer mentioned in the Talmud: when a new day begin and our inert bodies (pegarim metim) recover their vitality, we are virtually born again and for that new opportunity we thank the Almighty. Thus, our first thought and the first word that we utter everyday, is one of gratitude for being alive. 
Mode Ani was formulated to be said before we wash our hands (netilat yadayim) and this is why the name of God does not appear explicitly in it. God is referred to as the “living and eternal King”.  


√ Click here to listen to “Mode Ani”, the song. By Beny Elbaz. 
  
√ Read The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy by Charlie Harary



The 13 Principles: # 12: The Mashiah

The Twelfth principle involves our belief in the coming of the Messiah and the Messianic age. The Messianic age will take place when the Jews will regain their independence and all return to the land of Israel.
According to Maimonides in his commentary to the Mishna “We should not set a time for his coming, not try to calculate when he will come from Scriptural passages. Our sages thus teach us “May the sprit of those who try to calculate the time of the end [i.e., the time of the coming of the Mashiach] rot”. Many times in the history of the Jewish people there were those who disregarded this warning and endeavored to set a time for the coming of the Messiah.  In many occasions those attempts brought terrible consequences.  In the times of the false Messiah, Shabetay Tzebi (1665-1666 CE), many Jews lost all their properties and put themselves in danger, following false hopes.  We should simply believe that the Mashiach will come, “if not today, B’H, tomorrow”.
The word “Messiah” (Mashiach in Hebrew) does not mean “savior” but “anointed”. In ancient Israel, when a King was appointed by the court and a prophet (see Mishne Tora, Kings, 1:3) he was anointed with a special oil (shemen hamishcha). When the prophet Shemuel appointed Shaul, the first King, the Scripture says: “And Shemuel took the jar of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him” (I Samuel, 10:1).   The Mashiach, therefore, will be a King, a political leader like Shaul, David or Solomon. He will be a leader who will be known by his “wisdom and understanding, his counsel and power, his knowledge of  HaShem, and his reverence for Him.”
The Mashiach will be a descendent of the house of King David. God promised King David that every King in Israel will come from him.
(to be continued)
Hurricane “Sandy” and Abraham Abinu
In the aftermath of the devastating storm that hit U.S. Eastern Coast we elevate our prayers to Bore Olam, first of all to thank Him for our personal well being. Too often we take our welfare for granted, but when witnessing the overwhelming power of God’s natural acts, we realize how blessed we are to be alive, safe and sound. 
We pray to HaShem for those who were not as blessed and fortunate. Now, inspired by our realization of the easy way one can lose shelter and material comfort, when seeing how fragile and God-dependent we all are, we should pray with more sensitivity for the wellbeing of the people who lost lives, health or possessions. 
These difficult times are a irrepetible opportunity to excel in acts of Chesed, opening our homes to receive guests, like Abraham Abinu did in this week’s Perasha; helping those with lower means to resume their lives and cheering friends up with a smile and words of hope and comfort.     
May HaShem bring safety, good health and relief to everyone. 
May we all be inspired to act toward others with the kindness of Abraham Abinu.  

 



“Sandy” and the blessings of a blackout

We are expecting a big storm in New York today. In our area the worst part will probably begin after 7.00 PM. We have already taken all precautions: all lose objects are placed in the garage. The windows are decorated with a big X of masking tape. We got flashlights, a batteries-less radio and we have gathered probably more food (and bottled water) than what Noach took with him to his ark. 
We are ready for the worst: a blackout. No power for who-knows how many days (last time, with Hurricane “Irene”, we had no power for 10 days). The big-game changer is that children have no school today and tomorrow.    As I was nervously talking to my wife yesterday I noticed that she was no worried at all, on the contrary, she was excited: “A blackout is the greatest opportunity for quality family time”. 
She is right: in a sense these days are like a long Shabbat: no work, no school, no computers, no X-Box, etc., just the family together indoors.  We are all by ourselves, with our children. 
Like Shabbat, try to build a positive atmosphere of peace, with patience. 
Select some books for quality reading; take from the basement old family pictures, and get ready to play games and tell stories of Abraham Abinu. Then  have points of discussions and Q&A on the Perasha of the week (see, for example, this) one of the richest Perashiot for children!. 
It is also a great opportunity to explain our children how privileged we are to live in a time and a place where B’H we have refrigerators, washing machines and electrical light. 
We are hoping that B’H everybody will be safe and sound, but we can’t get over the excitement of having this window of opportunity for quality Jewish parenting.

√ Clickhere to learn a beautiful new / old song about Abraham Abinu (in Ladino)
√ See the lyrics here