The psychological defeatism of the generation of the desert is also reflected in a detail I hadn’t noticed for many years: the spies saw themselves as tiny as insects—but why didn’t they describe themselves as ants, bees, or wasps, insects that the Tora mentions in other contexts? Why did the spies use locusts as a metaphor?

It occurred to me that they compared themselves to locusts because locusts have no sting—in other words, they cannot defend themselves or protect their colony. In a certain way, and quite subtly, they were admitting their numerical strength—let’s remember that the devastating effect of locusts happens only when they arrive in swarms of millions. Still, individual locusts are entirely harmless and vulnerable.

The men of the generation of the desert, Freud might say, saw themselves as locusts because they believed they were incapable of defending themselves—let alone achieving victory!

If we want to analyze it even more subtly, according to the culinary culture of the time, locusts were edible (many species are kosher), and unconsciously, they were describing themselves as food for the enemy.

Caleb and Yehoshua, on the other hand, presented the opposite view when they said, “Lachmenu hem”—the enemy is our bread—meaning: “they’re a piece of cake.”

דור הנצחון                                                  דור המדבר

The Jewish people were in the desert, just days away from reaching the Promised Land. God instructed Moshe to send twelve men, leaders of the tribes, to scout the territory of Israel and plan the most effective way to conquer it. The spies returned from their mission and showed the people the fruits of the land of Canaan. Everyone was delighted.

But what followed was inconceivable and unexpected: ten of the twelve scouts expressed total pessimism about the possibility of conquering the land flowing with milk and honey: LO NUKHAL. “We will not be able to conquer it! The inhabitants are too strong. They are giants. We are small and insignificant—like grasshoppers. We won’t make it!”

Yehoshua and Caleb, two of the scouts, tried to reason with the people and presented more or less the following arguments: “We are not just any nation. We are the people of God. Have you already forgotten who brought us out of Egypt just a year ago? Do you remember the ten plagues? Don’t you realize that God is guiding us and will help us conquer the land? Do not be afraid! ALO NA’ALE! We will succeed in conquering it!”

TISHA BEAV

The story ended badly. The people cried, screamed, and protested against Moshe and Aharon. Yehoshua and Caleb tried to calm them, but the crowd refused to listen and nearly stoned them. God had to intervene directly to prevent a collective uprising. There were casualties. God punished that generation in the worst possible way—karma: they would wander in the desert—as they wanted—until they vanished and were replaced by the next generation.

For years, I wondered what led the ten spies to be so pessimistic. The Torah, true to its style, leaves this question open to interpretation. I read a lot about this episode. At first, I couldn’t understand how they became paralyzed by fear. It was illogical. And not only because HaShem was with them. Even from a practical, pragmatic point of view—without relying on miracles—they had everything in their favor! The Israelite army had 600,000 soldiers: huge, even by today’s standards! In the Book of Yehoshua, we see that the Canaanite peoples had populations of 20,000, 30,000, or 50,000, and in fact, they were afraid of Israel.

And if they weren’t going to fight to conquer the Land of Israel—what was the plan B? Return to Egypt? Stay in the desert?

The idea of doing nothing was suicidal.

I’m convinced that the problem wasn’t ideological or military—it was psychological. The spies were part of the Generation of the Desert, and most of them—as shown by the proportion of 10 out of 12—suffered from a slave mentality and inferiority complex. The fear and panic of confronting another person—something they had been conditioned not to do—overcame them and paralyzed them. During the 210 years we were enslaved in Egypt, our mindset changed. The generation of the desert grew up with the conviction that they could not—and should not—defend themselves. And they were never able to overcome that.

GENERATIONAL SHIFT

Until 1948, the Jewish people lived in captivity—the Galut, or Diaspora—which lasted 1,900 years! In exile, we were subjected to all kinds of persecution, abuse, and subjugation. We lived on borrowed time and space. We had to apologize for our existence. We tried to stay invisible in order to survive. It was forbidden to draw attention to ourselves. We got used to not disturbing anyone. We had no rights, and it never occurred to us to demand them. That mentality of 2,000 years of exile became part of our character—and some still haven’t let go of it. Outside of Israel, and even within Israel, many still suffer from this defeatist mindset or inferiority complex that leads us to always see the enemy as stronger. Or the other is better. Or more righteous than us.

These past few days, like all of you, I’ve been glued to the news from Israel. And among other things, I heard analysts explain why Israel didn’t attack Iran 20 or 30 years ago—when it was much easier and far less dangerous. The answer I kept hearing was always the same: fear. Fear, because despite having a powerful army, we still saw ourselves as grasshoppers. Or fear that something might go wrong. Fear of Iran’s reaction, and especially fear of the world’s response: “What will they say?” That fear was paralyzing. That fear, in the long term, was suicidal.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TRAUMA

I believe that October 7 was, for many Jews, a transformational trauma. We were forced to realize that if we don’t defend ourselves, no one else will.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also transformed. He woke up—or became much braver—and showed that he had overcome his Galut-fear. Israel invaded Gaza, something it had feared doing for twenty years. To me, that invasion was the turning point. From that moment, under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel—for the first time in its history—was not afraid of the demonization it always faces in the media: false accusations of killing Palestinian children, of deliberate genocide, of attacking hospitals, etc. In the past, fear of global public demonization paralyzed us. It made us retreat—surrendering wars we had won. Hamas counted on our terror of “what the world will say.”

FROM GAZA TO IRAN

For the first time in many years, Israel was not paralyzed by fear of global opinion. We realized we would not change it anyway. We saw that the anti-Israel protests began on October 8! While we were still bleeding—long before we even started to defend ourselves! The October 7 massacre changed us. The future of our children mattered more than international criticism. And we invaded Gaza. We dared to withstand the criticism of literally EVERY nation on Earth. Those were mentally epic days! Later, Netanyahu also dared to act with enormous chutzpah, committing an unprecedented act of insubordination: disobeying a direct order from the United States. When Biden told him “DON’T” and forbade him from advancing into Rafiah—threatening to cut off weapons supplies—Netanyahu became a lion who refused to be intimidated. And to the world’s surprise, he charged forward. And so did our soldiers, inspired by unmatched bravery.

Then came the deliberation over attacking Hezbollah. The leaders of the desert generation—politicians, journalists, and ex-generals who appear daily on Channels 11, 12, and 13—all said: LO NUKHLAL, “We can’t do it” ” They kept warning against attacking Hezbollah, saying there would be tens of thousands of casualties.

And then Netanyahu gave the order to the Mossad to carry out Operation BEEPERS—the boldest intelligence mission in history.

Then we moved on to Syria, where Israel preemptively destroyed the entire military infrastructure, even capturing territory and declaring that it would not be returned.

October 7 marked –or produced– the generational shift.

We went from being the Generation of the Desert—Dor haMidbar—to becoming the Generation of Victory—Dor haNitsachon. The generation that lost its fear. That fought, conquered, and defended the Land of Israel.

These are historic days because of the events we are witnessing—the elimination of the nuclear threat from Iran. And they are biblical times because we have become the generation of Yehoshua and Caleb.

YEHOSHUA STRIKES BACK

That new generation—very soon, after the war—will also replace the desert generation in the political sphere.

And we will live in a safer State of Israel, less apologetic, less self-doubting, and more proud of its Jewish identity.

Today, with the faith and courage of Yehoshua and Caleb, we can bring their words to life when they said:

“…to the entire congregation of the children of Israel: ‘The land we passed through to scout is exceedingly good. If God desires us, He will bring us to this land and give it to us—a land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against God, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are like bread to us… God is with us. Do not be afraid!'” (Bemidbar 14:8–10)

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד
אִם חָפֵץ בָּנוּ ה׳ וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הִוא זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ
אַךְ בַּה׳ אַל תִּמְרֹדוּ וְאַתֶּם אַל תִּירְאוּ אֶת עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּי לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַה׳ אִתָּנוּ אַל תִּירָאֻם

Calculate your dates: enter the date of burial, and the calculator gives you all the Hebrew and civil dates below. Open the Mourning Dates Calculator

Everything starts from the burial

Every count begins on the day of burial. The day of burial is day one. Keep the Hebrew date of the burial in front of you.

To convert between Hebrew and civil dates, use the Hebcal converter.

Example. A burial takes place on Tuesday, 9 Cheshvan 5788 (November 9, 2027). All the dates below follow from that date.

Shiva

Seven days, counting the day of burial as day one. Shiva ends on the morning of the seventh day, after Shacharit. The Haft is held the night before.

In the example, Shiva begins Tuesday, 9 Cheshvan, and ends Monday morning, 15 Cheshvan (November 15, 2027). The Haft is Sunday night, November 14.

A holiday that falls during Shiva or Sheloshim can end or shorten the count. Each holiday works differently. See Mourning and Festivities.

Sheloshim

Thirty days, counting the day of burial as day one. The thirtieth day ends the Sheloshim. Relatives say kaddish through the Sheloshim, and may continue during the year when they are at a minyan.

In the example, Sheloshim ends on 8 Kislev (Wednesday, December 8, 2027).

Note: when the burial month has 29 days, Sheloshim ends on the same date number in the next month. When the burial month has 30 days, it ends one number earlier, as in the example (9 Cheshvan to 8 Kislev).

The 11 Months (Sons’ Kaddish)

The sons say kaddish for eleven months from the burial. The last kaddish is said at Mincha of that day.

In the example, eleven months from 9 Cheshvan 5788 is 9 Tishri 5789 (Friday, September 29, 2028).

In the Mashadi tradition, the children then stop for about three weeks and start again one week before the sal. In the example, they stop from 10 Tishri to 1 Cheshvan, start again on 2 Cheshvan (from Arvit on Saturday night, October 21, 2028), and continue until the sal itself, 9 Cheshvan (Sunday, October 29, 2028), with the last kaddish at Mincha. The pause keeps the kaddish from looking like a full twelve months, while still honoring the days before the sal.

The Year (Sal)

The sal is the yearly anniversary. It is kept every year on the Hebrew date of the burial, and begins the evening before.

In the example, the sal is 9 Cheshvan every year: 9 Cheshvan 5789 (Sunday, October 29, 2028) the first year, 9 Cheshvan 5790 (Thursday, October 18, 2029) the second year, and so on.

Leap Years

A Jewish leap year has two months of Adar, Adar I and Adar II. This matters in two ways.

First, when the 11 months pass through a leap year, both months of Adar are counted. The 11 months then end two months before the sal, not one, and the pause before the last week is longer.

Second, for a sal in Adar: a date in Adar I stays in Adar I, a date in Adar II stays in Adar II, and a date in a regular Adar is kept in Adar II of a leap year.

These cases are easy to get wrong. Use the calculator or the converter, and when in doubt, ask before fixing the date.

Visiting the Cemetery

It is customary to visit at the end of Shiva, at Sheloshim, at the 11 months, and every year on the sal. It is also customary to visit every year on Tisha Be’ab and before Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur. Apart from these days, it is best not to visit regularly.

We do not visit on Shabbat, Yom Tob, Chol Hamoed or Rosh Chodesh. If the end of Shiva falls on one of these days, the mourners visit afterward. If Sheloshim or the sal falls on one of these days, they visit before or after.

AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, we count from the day of passing.

In our community, after the first year, we count from the day of passing, not the day of burial. That is the day on which we fast every year in memory of our loved one.

I am writing the second volume of my book “Forgotten Giants”, in which I recount the history of lesser-known Sephardic rabbis (see here). This volume focuses on rabbinic leaders after the expulsion from Spain, mainly from the 17th century. While writing about Rabbi Shaul Levi Mortera, chief rabbi of Amsterdam, in the early 1600s, I came across a name I did not know: Rabbi and Doctor Eliyahu Montalto. His story is fascinating, and I’ve been reading about him for several days. Today, I decided to write about him and share his incredible biography with you. I feel that remembering his example is both a source of inspiration and an act of justice—Tehiyat HaMetim: reviving and rescuing from oblivion the memory of our forgotten Jewish heroes.

May the meritorious acts of our ancestors inspire us to love God and our Torah, to value our present religious freedom—which we take for granted—and especially the privilege of having our own Jewish State, Medinat Israel!

Enjoy the reading!

FROM PORTUGAL TO PISA

Eliyahu de Luna Montalto was born around the year 1567 in the city of Castelo Branco in the Kingdom of Portugal. He was the son of Antonio and Catarina Aires, who were anusim, Jews forced to convert to Christianity. He was officially baptized as Felipe.

He studied medicine at the University of Salamanca and later at Coimbra in Portugal. He settled in Lisbon as a physician, where he married Jerónima de Fonseca, the daughter of a family also forced to convert to Christianity in Portugal in 1497.

In 1593, he moved to Livorno, which offered residence and professional freedom to Jews and conversos from Spain and Portugal. There, he began to practice medicine professionally, and his wisdom was such that his reputation grew rapidly.

In 1606, he published his first medical treatise, Optica intra philosophiae et medicinae aream, a scientific work on visual processes in which he combined medical observations with philosophical and biblical references. For example, he developed an innovative theory claiming that vision originates in the brain—not in the eyes—based on a literal reading of Exodus 20:18: “All the people saw the voices.”

During the same period, he taught medicine at the University of Pisa, where he was considered for the highest chair in the medical faculty. Little by little, as he reconnected in Livorno with his Jewish origins, he moved toward a more spiritual life. As a first step, he changed his original name, Felipe (which means “friend of horses”), to Filoteo (which means “friend of God”).

IN THE VENICE GHETTO

In 1607, Dr. Montalto made the most critical decision of his life: he left Pisa and moved to the Venice Ghetto, where he renounced his Christian identity and began openly practicing Judaism. He was welcomed by the Jewish community, which had around 6,000 members, many of whom lived in poverty and desperately needed a good doctor. In Venice, he adopted the Hebrew name “Eliyahu,” and his wife, Jerónima, took the name Rahel. From then on, he lived fully as a practicing Jew. His first mentor or influencer was Daniel Franco, who was eventually burned at the stake in an auto-da-fé for his Jewish faith upon returning to Portugal.

While in Venice, Montalto studied Halakha (Jewish law) and Jewish philosophy while continuing to practice medicine. His teacher was the famous Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh de Modena (1571–1648). Montalto actively participated in the ghetto’s life and was part of the community’s leadership. His tomb refers to him as “Rab” (rabbi), which suggests that at some point, he officially received that title in Venice.

His high cultural level and deep knowledge of Christianity allowed him to debate non-Jews on an equal cultural background with solid arguments.

In 1612, he represented the Jewish community in a public debate in Padua against a Dominican friar. The friar’s unexpected withdrawal from the debate solidified Montalto’s reputation as a polemicist and defender of Judaism.

COURT PHYSICIAN IN PARIS

Years earlier, in 1605, Montalto had passed through Paris on his way back from the Netherlands. There, he was summoned by the royal court to treat Leonora Galigai, lady-in-waiting and childhood friend of Maria de Medici, wife of King Henry IV of France. Galigai suffered from what was then diagnosed as bulbus hystericus, a psychosomatic disorder. At the time, mental illnesses were usually treated by Christian clergy through exorcisms since such conditions were believed to be caused by demonic possession.

Rabbi Montalto treated the patient using a professional medical approach. He prescribed Galigai a regimen of diet, fresh air, walks, exercise, and abstinence. According to experts George M. Weisz and Donatella Lippi, this method could today be considered an early form of psychotherapy—and it was revolutionary for its time. Over time, the patient improved significantly, and Dr. Montalto’s reputation grew further. His fame spread, and many expected him to be appointed as the official physician of the Parisian court.

However, King Henry IV of France strongly opposed his formal appointment because Montalto was Jewish. Although the king respected him for his knowledge and accomplishments, he would not allow him to remain at court.

After the assassination of Henry IV in 1610, Queen Maria de Medici—now regent of the young Louis XIII—summoned him again to Paris. In a letter dated May 6, 1611, Montalto clearly stated the conditions under which he would accept the position:

• Papal permission to reside in France as a Jew and to practice Judaism openly
• Authorization to bring ten Jews with him to ensure a daily minyan, including a shochet
• Exemption from working on Shabbat
• The right to freely practice his religion and eat kosher food for himself and his companions

It was the first time someone of his stature had dared to present such a request, which was unprecedented in Renaissance Europe.

To the surprise of many, these bold and historically unparalleled conditions were accepted by Queen Maria de Medici. Thanks to her family’s connections with the Vatican, the Pope, Camillo Borghese, issued a dispensation (heter) allowing Montalto to practice Judaism in France. In September 1612, Montalto was officially appointed Consiliarus et Medicus—Counselor and Physician—to the royal court. He became the first Jew to publicly—and notably—practice his faith in Paris since the expulsion of the Jews from France in 1394. Among the ten Jews who accompanied him from Venice was his student and assistant, Shaul Levi Mortera.

DEFENDER OF THE JEWS

During his time at court, Montalto protected converso Jews, who were constantly attacked and discriminated against. In 1615, he prevented the dissolution of the community of conversos in Bordeaux and intervened to stop the expulsion of several conversos who were caught celebrating the Pesach Seder in Paris.

In 1614, he published his second medical work in Paris: Archipathologia, dedicated to Maria de Medici. This psychological treatise of 817 pages addresses 18 types of mental and neurological disorders, including melancholy, epilepsy, insomnia, vertigo, and coma.

DEATH AND BURIAL

In November 1615, Montalto accompanied the royal family on their journey to Spain for the wedding of Louis XIII to Anne of Austria. On the return trip to France, as they approached the town of Tours, Montalto contracted a plague and passed away. It was February 17, 1616—29 Shebat, 5376.

France had no Jewish cemetery at the time, and in his will, Montalto requested that his body be taken to Amsterdam, where his children lived, to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of Beth Haim. Queen Maria de Medici ordered his body to be embalmed—an exceptional measure—and personally funded its transfer.

His son, Moshe de Luna Montalto, and his disciple, Rabbi Shaul Levi Mortera, accompanied his body on the funeral journey to the Jewish cemetery in Amsterdam.

HIS JEWISH WRITINGS

Rabbi Montalto wrote two polemical treatises in defense of Judaism, responding to Christian attacks. The first was a Portuguese treatise on Isaiah 53, the chapter that describes the “faithful servant of God” who suffers persecution and pain because of his devotion to God. Rabbinic literature has always taught that this “Servant of God” refers to the people of Israel, while the Church interpreted it as referring to Yeshu.

When presenting the Jewish arguments, Rabbi Montalto was not only refuting the Christian reading but also seeking to educate the conversos—who had been indoctrinated by Catholic priests and teachers—to correctly understand this fundamental text for the first time in their lives.

His second book, written in Italian and titled Proposizioni convenevoli e inconcusse, rejects the Christian notion of redemption through vicarious sacrifice, i.e., through the suffering of Yeshu. Montalto explains that, according to the Torah, when a person transgresses, they are personally responsible for their wrongdoing and can only be forgiven if they recognize their sin, confess it—not to a clergyperson, but directly to God—and commit to correcting their conduct. Thus, Judaism emphasizes personal responsibility for sin and Teshuba , personal and direct repentance, as the path to individual redemption.

Another manuscript attributed to Montalto is a pesaq halakha, an eleven-page rabbinic responsum on the topic of Shabbat rest. As a physician, Montalto sometimes treated patients on Shabbat in critical cases, traveling in a covered wagon driven by non-Jews. Someone objected to this practice before the rabbinical court of Venice. The responsum, filled with rabbinic references and written in cursive Italian-Hebrew handwriting, may have been penned by Montalto’s assistant, Rabbi Shaul Levi Mortera.

HIS GRAVE

The location of his grave appears in a painting by the artist Jacob van Ruisdael, painted between 1650 and 1655, where his white tomb stands at the center of the canvas.

The Hebrew inscription on his tombstone was likely composed by his main Torah teacher, Yehuda Aryeh de Modena:

לישראל כהריאל והר תלול הלא זה הוא

יהי זכרו ואור שחרו באמרם לו פאר דור הוא

הרק עמו שמו עמו הלא שרים יבקשו הוא

והוא להם בחצריהם בקול יקרא ואלי-יה הוא

ה”ה האלוף הקצין הרב הכולל כמוהרר אליהו מונטאלטו זצוקל

שהיה יועץ ורופא למלך ולמלכת צרפת ויצוו לחנוט אותו

ויישם בארון הזה ויתהלך את האלהים בכ’ט בשבט שנת שלום

The Hebrew is poetic—an artistic work worthy of the great Sephardic rabbinic composers of the time. Some elements and references I can try to decipher, include the use of the Hebrew word har (mountain), as a play on his surname “Monte Alto”; the allusion to his ties with both the poor of his people (in the Venice ghetto) and the royalty, demonstrating his profound humility; the mention that his body was embalmed for transport from Tours to Amsterdam (Ya’akov); the textual reference to the burial of Yosef (and Yaakov); and finally, the phrase that he “walked with God,” echoing God’s commandment to Abraham Abinu.

First Aliya: Aharon received instructions to light the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum illuminating the interior of the Tabernacle. The Menorah was crafted as a single piece from pure gold. All the candles on the Menorah inclined towards the middle candle, which itself was directed towards the most sacred place or Qodesh haQodashim.

Second Aliya: Moshe was commanded to prepare the Leviyim (Levites) for religious service in the Tabernacle, a temple built in the desert. The Leviyim were then installed in their sacred service. They worked in the Tabernacle starting from age 25, and retired from this service at 50.

Third Aliya: The people of Israel celebrated their second Pesach since leaving Egypt. A second Pesach, one month after the first, was established for those unable to bring the Pesach sacrifice on time. Our sages say that those impure at that time were the ones who had carried Yosef’s remains. Yosef had made his brothers swear to bury him in the land of Israel. When those in charge of Yosef’s body came to Moshe, uncertain of what to do because they were impure and could not celebrate the first Pesach, Moshe didn’t know what to answer. Moshe then asked HaShem for instructions because everything Moshe did or said was through direct communication with God.

Fourth Aliya: This Aliya recounts the beginning of the long-awaited journey to the Promised Land. The Tabernacle or Mishkan was finished, and all the tasks related to it had been assigned to the Leviyim and the Cohanim. It was finally time to set out! The Israelites needed some sort of guidance (a GPS!) to know when to depart and where to go. HaShem indicated the creation of silver trumpets to signal when the camp should move. Also, a cloud that hovered over the Tabernacle would rise and move in the direction they needed to follow.

Fifth Aliya: On the 20th of Iyar, the Mishkan cloud lifted, initiating the journey which should have lasted a few months but ended up taking 40 years. This Aliya also discusses Yitro, who joined us before the giving of the Tora and now, a year and a half later, decided to return to his land in Midyan. The Tora illustrates that the Aron ha’Edut, the Ark of the Covenant, would always travel ahead of the people. This interesting point underscores a fundamental principle: the People of Israel must always follow the Aron, that is, the Tora.

Sixth Aliya: This Aliya begins with the famous verse “Vayhi Binso’a haAron” that we chant before taking the Tora out. Later, the Tora describes the complaints of the people about their living conditions in the desert. The Tora depicts the “manna”, a nutritious heavenly food the Israelites could gather in the desert, indicating they had ample food even in the desert. This clarifies that those complaining weren’t doing so out of genuine need. Moshe expresses his immense frustration at the people’s behavior. However, God promises to fulfill their desires and sends the “selav,” or quail, for the people to eat meat. Moshe is instructed to appoint a Sanhedrin to help him govern the people and teach them Tora. Moshe, the greatest prophet of all time, couldn’t lead an entire people alone. The Tora’s message is that a leader should always strive to lead alongside other capable individuals.

Seventh Aliya: Quails descended on the camp in large numbers, and the people ate more than enough meat. This obsessive behavior, given the availability of “manna,” wasn’t appropriate for God’s People. After overeating vast amounts of meat, many people died. Aharon and Miriam spoke negatively about Moshe (Lashon Hara), saying that Moshe was too occupied with his responsibilities to the people and never at home, even though he was married to Tzippora. Aharon and Miriam also thought it wasn’t right that only Moshe had direct communication with God (prophecy), as they were also prophets, and had regular lives with their families! HaShem responded that they couldn’t be compared to Moshe. Moshe was a “full-time” prophet who communicated with God 24/7, making a normal family life impossible. However, Moshe was the only exception in all of history exempted from having a normal family life. And yet, he was married and even had two children! Miriam was punished with a form of leprosy for speaking against Moshe, but Moshe interceded for her, and she was healed.

Rabbi Jacob Bitton

The Tora recounts that during the forty years the people of Israel lived in the desert, God provided them with a miraculous food called man (manna). This heavenly bread fell each morning in the desert and nourished the Jews sufficiently, daily, and directly. It could not be stored —except for Shabbat— nor hoarded, traded, or negotiated. Its purpose was not only nutritional but also educational.

The man came to break the chains of material and psychological dependency on Pharaoh, who until then had given them bread in exchange for keeping them enslaved. That dependency was part of a system of total control.

The man broke that system, as sustenance no longer came from the oppressor but directly from God. It wasn’t a transaction. It didn’t come with conditions. It didn’t create slaves. It was the bread that liberated an entire nation from tyranny.

THE BUSINESS OF HUMANITARIAN AID

Today, amid a terrible war that began with the October 7 massacre, Israel is once again doing what no one else would: being the exception to the rule. This time, by feeding the enemy — giving food to those who still hold malnourished hostages and who murdered Israeli civilians and swore to destroy the country.

Many —rightfully— ask: Why feed them without first demanding the release of the hostages that Hamas still holds?

The official answer came from Prime Minister Netanyahu: this food distribution operation, coordinated with the United States through the GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation), also has a key strategic objective — to break the dependency of Palestinian civilians on Hamas and thus deprive the terrorist organization of its most powerful weapon.

THE MERCHANTS OF HUNGER

Just like Pharaoh in Egypt, Hamas rules by controlling hunger. Until now, Hamas managed the food distribution coming from allied humanitarian organizations like UNRWA —or food that it outright stole, moved to its storage facilities, and then sold to civilians at exorbitant prices. With that money, they financed terrorism, kept their militants satisfied, and blackmailed the civilian population with food. Hundreds of thousands of people lived under Hamas domination to access so-called “humanitarian aid.”

Now, for the first time, the people of Gaza are receiving bread that —like the man— no longer passes through the criminal and enslaving hands of tyranny and is given without demanding anything in return.

THE END OF HAMAS?

This Israeli-American aid program represents an existential threat to Hamas and its grip on Gaza. And so far, it is working very well. In just three days, Israel has distributed over 1,300,000 food rations — unconditionally and with no strings attached.

Signs of panic are already visible within Hamas, while a glimmer of hope is rising among the population, which is beginning to overcome its fear and break free from the pharaonic terrorist organization.

For the first time, Gazans are expressing gratitude to the United States and Israel, to Trump, and Abu Yair (=Netanyahu).

The man falling from Israel’s sky is now descending upon the desert of Gaza — and it is showing both Palestinians and the world who builds and who destroys, who enslaves and who liberates, who gives and who blackmails with hunger.

Will it work?

Beneath Jerusalem: The Hidden City That Rewrites History

In rabbinic literature, there is frequent mention of an upper Jerusalem and a lower Jerusalem (Yerushalayim shel ma‘ala veYerushalayim shel mata). The classic or conventional meaning of this expression is that the lower Jerusalem is the city we know and miraculously recovered in 1967, while the upper Jerusalem is the celestial, platonic city—the “virtual Jerusalem.” However, today I believe this expression can be expanded or even reinterpreted: there is an upper Jerusalem, the one we walk today—the Old City and the plaza of the Western Wall (Kotel HaMa’aravi)—and another Jerusalem: the one currently being excavated beneath the plaza of the Kotel.

I’m not referring to the already famous Kotel tunnels (Minharot haKotel) or the fascinating ruins of the City of David (see here: https://cityofdavid.org.il/en/), but rather to a new excavation of subterranean Jerusalem—a significantly larger archaeological site—that began during the days of COVID, when the Western Wall plaza was virtually empty, without worshippers or tourists, making this delicate work finally possible. The site is still neither open to the public nor officially recognized, which is why there are no official videos of the location yet.

In this archaeological site, retaining columns have been carefully erected, and today the Kotel plaza is literally “floating” above this subterranean city. Thousands of archaeological artifacts have already been found but have yet to be classified or studied.

Over these past few years, archaeologists have partially reconstructed certain historical levels of Jerusalem. Israel’s best archaeologists and engineers are searching for ways to continue excavating to reach deeper and older levels while preserving the more “modern” layers.

Here are a couple of examples:

1. Aelia Capitolina and the burned granaries

The first level of the city being uncovered beneath the Kotel plaza is “Aelia Capitolina,” the city built by the Romans when they tragically destroyed Jerusalem in 68 CE and transformed the Jewish city into a Roman colony.

One of the most impactful and emotional discoveries at this level has been the granaries of Jerusalem, preserved in their entirety, dating back to the days of the destruction of the Second Temple. It was the year 67 CE. The Romans had besieged Jerusalem. Their strategy was clear: isolate the city until hunger forced its inhabitants to surrender. They had successfully used this tactic in Gaul and Britannia. However, the Jews of Jerusalem were prepared. They had constructed enormous water cisterns and irrigation systems. Most importantly, they had granaries—huge storage rooms filled with wheat and barley that could sustain the city for years. The Roman army, powerful as it was, could not indefinitely maintain an excessively prolonged siege due to the immense cost involved. Therefore, there was a chance that time would favor the entrenched Jews in Jerusalem.

But there were deep internal divisions regarding how to fight the Romans. Some believed it was wisest to resist from within and negotiate surrender as a last resort. Others argued for attacking the Romans. Those supporting the latter option tried to impose their views and force the people to fight. And what did they do? They burned the granaries (Sarfu et haAsamim)—setting fire to the entire city’s food reserves. This act became one of self-destruction. Not everyone left to fight, and those who did were defeated. Those wishing to resist could no longer do so and died from starvation. The result was the total collapse of Jerusalem. It was not in vain that our sages said Jerusalem was destroyed because of senseless hatred (sin’at chinam), meaning the “political hatred” among the Jews themselves.

I believe the discovery of these burned granaries carries profound symbolic significance because, unfortunately, today in Israel there are those willing to “burn the granaries” to impose their ideology without realizing the damage that destructive attitude causes to the unity of the nation and the future of Medinat Israel.

2. From your ruins I will rebuild you, O Jerusalem (מחורבותיך אבנך)

King Uziyahu ascended the throne at 16 years old, around the year 775 BCE, and reigned for 52 years. His reign began amid a national tragedy: a devastating earthquake estimated at 8 on the Richter scale. The destruction was so great that even the prophet Zechariah, writing 250 years later, referenced it as a symbol of Jerusalem’s worst natural catastrophe.

Facing that disaster, Uziyahu had two options: abandon Jerusalem and relocate the capital to another city, or stay and rebuild it from the ruins. He chose the latter. Instead of fleeing, he decided to act. He fortified the city, built watchtowers at strategic points, restored irrigation systems, and modernized the city’s defenses. He excavated cisterns, encouraged cultivation in desert areas, and developed advanced military technology. Instead of succumbing to pain and chaos, Uziyahu brought peace, economic growth, and stability to Israel. Most impressive is not just what he built, but when he built it: after collapse. His story reminds us that rebuilding after disaster is not only possible but is a duty of Jewish leadership.

Many of the structures discovered in these excavations at the deepest level excavated thus far indicate reconstruction after seismic collapse and are attributed to Uziyahu’s legacy.

The example of the king of Judah could not be more fitting for today. Israel faces a profound crisis following the tragedy of October 7, and, with God’s help (BeEzrat HaShem), King Uziyahu’s legacy will inspire us to rebuild from the ruins. Israel rises from mourning not merely to survive but to stand taller and firmer than before. Like in the times of Uziyahu, Israel stands up with determination, transforming pain into strength and destruction into a new beginning.

May the lessons of these ancient ruins inspire Israel, and may HaShem enlighten us to build a stronger and more united society than ever before

תרגום לעברית

בספרות הרבנית מדברים על “ירושלים של מעלה” ו”ירושלים של מטה”. הפירוש הקלאסי או המקובל של ביטוי זה הוא ש”ירושלים של מטה” היא העיר שאנו מכירים ושחזרנו אליה בדרך ניסית בשנת 1967, ואילו “ירושלים של מעלה” היא העיר השמימית, האידאלית, ”הוירטואלית“.
אך נדמה לי שכיום ניתן להרחיב או אף לפרש מחדש ביטוי זה: קיימת ירושלים של מעלה – העיר העתיקה ורחבת הכותל המערבי – וישנה גם ירושלים אחרת: זו שנחפרת בימים אלה מתחת לרחבת הכותל.
איני מתכוון למנהרות הכותל המוכרות כבר, או לאתר עיר דוד המרתקות (ראו כאן: https://cityofdavid.org.il/en/), אלא לחפירה חדשה של ירושלים תת-קרקעית, אתר ארכיאולוגי עצום בגודלו, שהחל להיחשף בימי הקורונה, כאשר רחבת הכותל הייתה כמעט ריקה – ללא מתפללים או תיירים – וכך התאפשר לבסוף לבצע את המשימה המסוכנת הזו. האתר עדיין אינו פתוח לציבור ואינו מוכר רשמית, ולכן אין עדיין תיעוד רשמי של המקום.
באתר זה הוקמו עמודי תמך בקפידה רבה, והרחבה של הכותל המערבי כיום ממש “מרחפת” מעל עיר תת-קרקעית זו. עד כה נמצאו שם אלפי ממצאים ארכיאולוגיים שטרם מוינו או נחקרו.
במהלך השנים האחרונות שוחזרו חלקית כמה שכבות היסטוריות של ירושלים. הארכיאולוגים והמהנדסים הטובים ביותר בישראל מחפשים דרכים להמשיך ולחפור לעומק – לשכבות עתיקות יותר – תוך שימור השכבות העליונות והמודרניות יחסית.
אשתף אתכם בשני ממצאים בולטים
איליה קפיטולינה והאסמי השרופים
השכבה הראשונה שנחשפת מתחת לרחבת הכותל שייכת לעיר “איליה קפיטולינה”, העיר שבנו הרומאים לאחר שבעוונותינו הרבים החריבו את ירושלים בשנת 68 לספירה והפכו את העיר היהודית לקולוניה רומית.
אחד הממצאים המרגשים והמזעזעים ביותר שנחשפו בשכבה זו הוא אסמי החיטה של ירושלים, שנותרו בשלמותם, המתוארכים לימי חורבן בית המקדש השני. השנה הייתה 67 לספירה. הרומאים צרו על ירושלים. האסטרטגיה שלהם הייתה ברורה: לבודד את העיר עד שתיכנע לרעב. הם כבר הצליחו בכך בגליה ובבריטניה. אך היהודים בירושלים היו מוכנים: הם חצבו בורות מים ענקיים, בנו מערכות השקיה, ובעיקר – היו להם אסמים מלאים חיטה ושעורה שהספיקו להזין את תושבי העיר במשך שנים. צבא רומא, חזק ככל שהיה, לא יכול היה להחזיק במצור ממושך בשל העלויות הגבוהות. הייתה אפוא תקווה שהזמן יעבוד לטובת המגנים היהודים.
אך בתוך ירושלים שררה מחלוקת קשה כיצד להילחם. חלק מהאנשים סברו שיש להתבצר ולהתנגד, ובמקרה הצורך להגיע למשא ומתן עם האיב. אחרים סברו שיש לצאת ולהילחם ברומאים. וכדי לכפות את דעתם על הציבור הציתו את התבואה של כל תושבי ירושלים: , שרפו את האסמים – . זה היה מעשה של התאבדות לאומית. מי שיצא להילחם – הובס. ומי שניסה להחזיק מעמד – מת מרעב. וכך נפלה ירושלים. לא בכדי אמרו חכמינו ז”ל שירושלים נחרבה בגלל שנאת חינם, כלומר: ״שנאה פוליטית״ בין היהודים לבין עצמם.
אני סבור שגילוי “האסמים השרופים” טומן בחובו סמליות אדירה, כי גם היום, לצערנו, יש בישראל מי שמוכן “לשרוף את האסמים” כדי לכפות את השקפת עולמו, מבלי להבין את הנזק ההרסני שנגרם לאחדות העם ולעתידה של מדינת ישראל.
מחורבותיך אבנך
המלך עוזיהו עלה לשלטון בגיל 16, בערך בשנת 775 לפני הספירה, ומלך 52 שנה. תחילת שלטונו התרחשה בעת אסון לאומי: רעידת אדמה הרסנית, שהוערכה בעוצמה של 8 בסולם ריכטר. ההרס היה כה נורא, עד שגם הנביא זכריה, שחי כ-250 שנה לאחר מכן, הזכיר את רעידת האדמה הזו כסמל לאסון הטבע החמור ביותר שפקד את ירושלים.
מול האסון הזה עמדו בפני עוזיהו שתי אפשרויות: לנטוש את ירושלים ולהעביר את הבירה לעיר אחרת – או להישאר ולבנות אותה מחדש מתוך החורבות. עוזיהו בחר להישאר. הוא בנה חומות, הקים מגדלי שמירה, חידש את מערכות המים ושיקם את מערך ההגנה של העיר. הוא חצב בורות מים, פיתח את החקלאות באזורים הצחיחים, וקידם טכנולוגיה צבאית מתקדמת. במקום להיכנע לכאב ולכאוס, עוזיהו הביא שלום, שגשוג ויציבות לישראל. לא רק מה שבנה מרשים – אלא מתי שבנה: לאחר החורבן. סיפורו מזכיר לנו ששיקום לאחר אסון הוא לא רק אפשרי, אלא חובה של ההנהגה היהודית
מבנים רבים שנחשפו בשכבה הארכיאולוגית העמוקה ביותר שנחפרה עד כה מראים סימני שיקום לאחר קריסה סיסמית, ויוחסו למפעל השיקום של עוזיהו.
דמותו של מלך יהודה הזה רלוונטית מאוד לימינו. מדינת ישראל חוותה משבר כבד בשביעי באוקטובר. המורשת של עוזיהו תעניק לנו השראה לשוב ולבנות מתוך החורבות. ישראל קמה מאבלה – לא רק כדי לשרוד, אלא כדי לעמוד זקופה, חזקה ונחושה מתמיד. כמו בימי עוזיהו, ישראל מתייצבת בעוז – והופכת כאב לעוצמה, וחורבן להתחלה חדשה.
יהי רצון ש ובעזרת ה׳, נלמד מן ההריסות הקדומות, וה׳ יזכנו לבנות יחד חברה ישראלית איתנה ומאוחדת יותר מאי פעם

THE PROMISED LAND

The establishment of the Jewish State was not an easy process, even after the Balfour Declaration (1917) in which the British, and later the League of Nations, recognized the right of the Jewish people to a National Home and assigned for the future Jewish homeland the entire territory of modern-day Israel plus the territory of Jordan. Two problems arose: first, the incessant violence and aggression of the Arabs and their refusal to accept a Jewish State. But the most serious issue was that Jewish leaders like Hayim Weizmann or Sir Herbert Samuel had assured the British authorities that once they have their land, Jews would arrive fast and in large numbers … but they did not … the conditions in Israel were very difficult and the “millions” of Jews who were escaping from Europe emigrated mostly to America.

PEEL COMMISSION

In 1936 a special commission headed by Lord Robert Peel was established to reassess the situation of the future Jewish state and unfortunately, the commission concluded that this project was unfeasible and should be abolished. The commission assigned only a few small and isolated territories where the relatively few Jews who were there will live (17% of Israel’s today’s territory. See here). But miraculously, and before this division of territories had an official character, it was canceled because the Arabs providentially rejected the offer of the English (75% of Israel’s territory. See map)

THE GREAT SPEECH

Anyway, today I want to tell you about the impressive (but not very well known) speech that David Ben-Gurion gave before the Peel commission to convince the English that the arrival of the Jews in Israel might take time, but it was imminent. Ben-Gurion insisted that the historical memory of the Jewish people, allows us to forget neither our origins nor our destination. To illustrate this point, Ben Gurion intelligently used the example of the “Mayflower”, when the first English settlers arrived in America in 1620. The story of the Mayflower represents the founding of the modern United States and the primordial link between the United States and England. 

BRITISH TRIVIA

Ben-Gurion addressed the English and the U.S. representatives saying: Over 300 years ago, a ship, whose name was the “Mayflower,” arrived in the New World. The Mayflower’s arrival at Plymouth Rock was one of the greatest historical events in the history of England and the United States of America. But I would like to ask any Englishman here on the committee: What day did the Mayflower leave the English harbor? And I would like to ask Americans: do you know when exactly the Mayflower arrived in the new world? Or how many people were on that boat? Who was the captain? How long did the journey take? What kind of food did they bring to eat on the boat?

BEN GURION’S PROPHECY

More than 3,300 years ago, long before the Mayflower departure, our people left Egypt, and any Jewish child in the world, wherever he is, knows: what day we left Egypt, how many of us we were there, who our leader was, how long the journey lasted for and even what food they ate when they left. What’s more: we still eat this food every year on the anniversary of our departure from Egypt. And we celebrate this event with a festive dinner where we tell the story of our beginnings to our children and grandchildren to ensure it will never be forgotten. And at the end of that ceremony, we say a very famous phrase: “Next year in Jerusalem.” Now we are trapped in the Soviet Union or Germany, where Hitler is destroying us, and we are still scattered all over the world. And although right now our return to the land of Israel is not visible, eventually, next year or the next we will return to Israel, because in the same way that we never forget our origin, we will never forget our final destination: Jerusalem.

And so it was …

Rabbi Yosef Bitton

כימי צאתנו מארץ מצרים הראנו נפלאות

Today, on the 28th of Iyar, we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim; the day when Jerusalem after 1900 years of being under a foreign nation, finally returned into our hands. This year, 2023, marks the 56th anniversary of this glorious day. As we previously explained, the events which took place on the Six-Day War are nothing short of Miracles of Biblical proportions. One example that pertains to the conquest of Jerusalem is that, against all logic, King Hussein of Jordan decided to join Egypt in the war against Israel. During the first day of the war, on the 26 of Iyar- Monday, June 5th, 1967- in the morning, Israel had already destroyed virtually all of the Egyptian warplanes and disabled all its airports and military bases. Miraculously, Israel’s air force had remained virtually intact. Israel had asked King Hussein not to intervene and assured him that they will not attack Jordan, as long as Jordan does not attack Israel. But Nasser, far from accepting defeat, was bragging that the Egyptians were defeating the Israelis, and that morning Jordan attacked Western Jerusalem, where the Jews lived. At that time Jerusalem was divided. The Western part belonged to the Jews while the Eastern area (including the Old City, Western Wall, etc.) belonged to Jordan.

YOU SHALL NOT ESCALATE!

At first, Israel’s reaction to the Jordanian attack was very moderate. Israel was willing to tolerate these attacks (as Israel does so many times today when Hamas attacks from Gaza), reasoning that it may have been only a symbolic demonstration of strength or to convey solidarity to Egypt. Yet despite Israel’s desperate pleas, the Jordanian army kept attacking the Jews- even beyond Jerusalem. The civilian population- schools and even the Hadasa Hospital- were attacked indiscriminately. The Israeli generals had no choice but to react and defend themselves. In the early afternoon, Jordan’s military air bases were destroyed by Israel. All Jordanian aircraft were inoperable. Once the Jordanian problem was over in the air, Israel faced them on the ground. Unlike the Egyptians, the Jordanians were very close to Israel, and it was easy for them to obtain reinforcements or supplies. But thanks to the unexpected and miraculously low number of Israeli losses, Israel was able to relocate three paratrooper brigades to improve the defense of Jewish Jerusalem. I insist on using the word ‘defend’ because at that moment, every Israeli and Jew in the world, prayed solely for Israel’s survival after the concerted attack of four Arab nations. No Jew in his or her right mind could have imagined or dreamt before the war of conquering any enemy territory, let alone the Old City of Jerusalem.

FROM DEFENSE TO CONQUEST

The bloodiest battle of the Six-Day War was simultaneously the most difficult battle in the history of the Israeli-Arab conflict. This battle took place on the second day of the Six-Day War at Giba’t HaTachmoshet (Ammunition Hill), the battle to defend Yerushalayim. The battle lasted several hours and claimed many lives. But eventually, Israel won. One reason why this battle was so arduous was that the Israeli army did not use air support to avoid civilian casualties and destroy religious sites in Eastern Jerusalem. The following day, on the 28 of Iyar (the Third day of the war) Israel went on the offensive. Prime Minister Levi Eshkol authorized the entry to Eastern Jerusalem (which was until then under Jordan) but clarified that Israel will be going towards the Old City; however, once the war was over, the Jews would leave Eastern Jerusalem immediately… It was as if the political and military leaders of Israel were afraid of success and did not see themselves as worthy of having Yerushalayim. “What would the world say?” They wrongly thought. They believed the world, particularly the Vatican, would not allow Jews to guard the holy Christian sites. I can’t avoid thinking about the spies that Moshe sent to explore the land of Canaan, that saw themselves as “locust in front of giants”, afraid of winning a war that HaShem promised they would win. I believe that at that unexpected moment –still carrying on our shoulders 20 centuries of endless persecution and humiliation– were not mentally prepared to win a battle for Jerusalem. all we desired for this war was to survive. Jerusalem was not in anyone’s plans. Only in God’s plans for His people.

A GIFT FROM HEAVEN

Then the unexpected happened. Israeli soldiers had entered the Old City and were able to conquer it almost without any resistance from the Jordanians. At 10:00 AM, the battle for Jerusalem was over. Israeli commander Mordechai Gur repeated twice the iconic words engraved into Jewish history, “HAR HABAYIT BEYADENU, HAR HABAYIT BEYADENU!” The Temple Mount is in our hands, The Temple Mount is in our hands!”. It was the providential and stubborn intervention of Jordan in the war that allowed us to liberate Yerushalayim. And how can anyone explain Hussein’s huge error of judgment, to enter a war which was already lost as evident from the first day of battle? When we escaped slavery in Egypt, HaShem intervened numerous times in ‘the heart’ (that is, in ‘the mind’) of Pharaoh. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and the ruler of Egypt made illogical decisions, which ended up dragging his own people to a total collapse. I believe that this should be our interpretation of what happened to the King of Jordan when he decided to attack Israel. King Hussein’s mind was (providentially) blurred when he made the decision to join the war against Israel. Otherwise, in theory; the Old City, the Western Wall, and all of East Jerusalem would still be in Jordanian hands…

AN UNFORGIVABLE MISTAKE?

But amidst the shock of unexpected victory, I believe that we Jews too, made a big mistake. The Jordanians had already capitulated and withdrew, defeated, from Jerusalem. The mayor of Jerusalem handed over the keys of the Old City to Israel, including the access to the TEMPLE MOUNT- the site of the Bet HaMiqdash, the Holiest place in the Holy Land for the Jewish people and the Jordanians assumed that the victorious Jews would rebuild the Temple. After all we have been praying for it for 2,000 years! However, inexplicably, instead of staying on Har haBayit and not moving from there, everyone, including the Army Rabbis, instinctively ran from the Temple Mount to the Western Wall…. a symbolic but humble ruin of the Temple of Jerusalem. How did we miss this opportunity? Was it a human mistake? An underestimation of the significance of the Bet HaMiqdash by the mostly secular Israeli Generals (See this article and a radio interview, and this article about this delicate issue, in Hebrew)? Or maybe it was not yet the right time to have the Bet HaMiqdash, and HaShem “intervened” in the judgment of our leaders and did not allow them to see the opportunity to recover our Temple Mount and rebuild the Bet haMiqdash. Perhaps it is too early to know the answer or understand the reason behind this. Meanwhile, we Jews of this generation enjoy the incomparable privilege that our ancestors could not have even dreamed of having again Yerushalayim, our Capital, the city where earth meets heaven.