THE WAR CONTINUES

I began writing these lines in Yerushalayim. In Israel’s capital, the war is not immediately evident, except in the reduced number of tourists visible on the streets or in restaurants. However, the pain of families losing loved ones is felt across Israel. Friends, acquaintances, or acquaintances of acquaintances. Israel is one big family, and the pain of one is the pain of all.

The army is currently fighting on two fronts: first, Gaza. The plan is for Israel to fully clear the northern part of Gaza and relocate Palestinians to a humanitarian camp in the south. The northern zone, which includes Gaza City, J’abalia, Bet Lahia, and Bet Hanun, would come under strict Israeli control. This would prevent, among other things, terrorists from attacking or invading Israeli territory as they did on October 7, 2023. To achieve this, some towns and cities still need to be conquered. So far, Israel has had much success in the war, B”H. In the northern region, only about 200,000 Gazans remain, and the plan is for the humanitarian aid entering Gaza daily—about 350 trucks per day—to be distributed exclusively in the south, encouraging all who need it to move there.

The second active military front is in Lebanon, which currently demands the majority of the Israeli army’s attention. Hezbollah’s weapons are much more advanced than those of Hamas. Hezbollah has massive tunnels in southern Lebanon, some reaching depths of 80 meters, designed to infiltrate Israel and carry out mass killings of thousands of Israelis. The war in Lebanon has only just begun, and we must continue praying for God to protect our brave and heroic young soldiers.

MORE SOLDIERS NEEDED

One of Israel’s most pressing challenges is a lack of human resources in the army. More soldiers are urgently needed, and one possible solution is recruiting Haredi soldiers—those Jews who study Tora full-time and are legally exempt from military service. I remember in my youth, for instance, that Argentina’s law exempted Christian or Jewish seminarians from the mandatory military service. The original Israeli law, established by Ben Gurion, was implemented when Medinat Israel had a negligible Haredi population. Today, however, B”H, the Haredi population numbers approximately 1 million people, representing 15% of the total Jewish population, and it continues to grow. In these critical times, Israel urgently needs more soldiers to fight and protect its borders.

ARMY AND RELIGION

Until now, there was only one combat unit for Haredim, Netzach Yehuda, which has existed for some time. The good news is that the Jewish army is organizing a new brigade to accommodate Haredi soldiers, called “Hashmonayim,” which strictly aligns with the Haredi lifestyle. Hundreds or even thousands of young Jaredim are enlisting voluntarily, and this trend will only grow. The integration of Jaredi soldiers will give the Israeli army a much stronger Jewish identity.

Consider the case of the Zionist religious Jews, Dati Leumi, who have always served in the army and are known for their high combat spirit and sense of responsibility. Their service reflects the Tora’s mitzvot regarding assisting, saving, and being ready to sacrifice for another Jew. All these mitzvot come to life when a Jewish soldier is on the battlefield. Jaredi soldiers will contribute not only as human resources but also spiritually, with Boré Olam, the Creator, as the commander-in-chief of the Israeli army.

MENDEL AND NAHSHON BEN AMINADAV

This is a very important and historic video. The protagonist is a 33-year-old Jaredi man, Mendel Roth, a direct descendant of the Baal Shem Tov from Mea Shearim, who is set to begin his service in the army in one month.

The message speaks volumes: the idea that Haredim do not serve in the army seems like something from a past generation. Now, in this new unit he will join, Hashmonayim, it is possible to combine these two worlds—his commitment to the Tora and his responsibility toward Am Israel.

Roth hopes to be an example and inspiration for others, showing that there is no contradiction between religious devotion and serving the nation.

Mendel explains that this decision not only brings him personally closer to God and the redemption of the Jewish people but also represents an act of unity aimed at healing one of the main fractures within the people of Israel. In his words, his example will change the perception of those who believe there are Jews who do not contribute enough to the country, making this a great Kiddush HaShem.

In the army, Mendel will not settle for an administrative or desk role; he has decided to join KRAVI service, meaning he will fight and risk his life for his people. Mendel speaks about how this decision marks a historic change in the country.

He emphasizes that the most critical factor for him was that this new brigade, Hashmonayim, is fully adapted to the Haredi lifestyle, maintaining a religious environment that ensures soldiers can complete their service without compromising their commitment to Judaism—something that was previously difficult to guarantee within the military context.

Mendel is paving the way for a trend destined to grow. His courage and decision serve as an inspiring example for all young people who, like him, wish to serve Israel without giving up their religious identity.

It is crucial to listen to his words in full, as his message represents a significant group of young Haredim eager to participate in the army and assist in defending Israel.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton

THE DISCOVERY OF THE CENTURY

As a teenager, I remember reading an exciting book called “The Bible as History” (I read it in Spanish “Y la Biblia tenia razón”), which first introduced me to the fascinating world of Biblical archaeology. The book, written by a German author who fought against the Nazis, Werner Keller (1908 -1980) was published in 1955. With the limited information available to him in those days, the author did an excellent service to Biblical studies since he first demonstrated that no archaeological discovery contradicts the Tora narrative. And secondly, despite the thousands of years that have passed, solid evidence of Biblical stories and accounts continues to appear. But Keller predicted something about two Biblical cities, and fortunately, he was wrong. I quote: “Today we can affirm, with complete certainty, that any search for Sodom and Gomorrah that is intended to be carried out in the future will be completely useless since the enigma of the ruin and disappearance of both cities cannot be clarified.” (Page 47, Spanish edition). 

Very recently, in 2018, a group of modern archaeologists discovered the remains of Sodom near the Dead Sea. Moreover, they have also been able to verify, in an extraordinary way, the nature of the catastrophic event that led to its destruction. The story is exciting, but I will need the reader’s patience to explain it in detail.

THE WEALTH OF SEDOM 

The Torah mentions Sedom (en English Sodom) in the Perashiyot that we have read these last weeks, Lekh-Lekh and Vayera. Abraham and Lot had a lot of cattle. So much so that both shepherds fought over territory, to avoid escalating the conflict, Abraham proposed to Lot to separate from each other: Abraham would go east if Lot wanted to go the west, and vice versa. The Tora then describes what led Lot to decide where to move: “Genesis chapter 13: 10: “Then Lot looked up and saw the entire Jordan Valley, as far as Tzohar, which was a fertile land, like a garden [blessed by ] God, like the land of Egypt. This is how [this area] was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah… Lot established himself in the plains and spread his tents as far as Sedom.” The first thing we learn from this text is that this area was very fertile, which is in complete contrast to the extreme aridity and salinity of the surroundings of the Dead Sea. The second reference says that Sedom was like Egypt. What is this referring to?

SEDOM AND THE NILE  

Two particular points characterize Egypt. 1. First, unlike all the other countries in the Middle East, Egypt does not depend on rain; it depends on the Nile. And droughts, therefore, do not affect it. For this reason, Egypt was the favorite destination for those who fled other regions, escaping droughts and hunger. The Tora alludes to the migrations of our patriarchs to Egypt several times. 2. There is an area in the North of Egypt known as the Nile Delta. There, the Nile divides into channels, transforming the entire area into an extraordinary, fertile, prosperous natural garden. This is probably the Goshen area (archaeologists call this place Avaris), where the Jews lived when they came in the times of Yosef. Before the destruction of Sedom and its surroundings, the Jordan River might have had similar water channels that formed a delta around the city and fertilized the region. This area must have been prosperous and independent of rain on both sides of the Jordan River. And it is, therefore, logical to expect travelers, or refugees, to seek shelter in Sedom, as the Tora tells us that happened with the foreigners that Lot welcomed into his house.

FOR RICH GUYS ONLY

The Tora then relates the terrible habits of the inhabitants of the city of Sodom: 13:13: “The men of Sodom were wicked and committed grave sins against God.” These “sins against God,” as we see in the story of Lot, were more like “crimes against humanity,” the abuse of foreigners—murder, robbery, sexual violence, etc. — that it was “normalized” because, as the Tora says: everyone participated in attacking the foreigners to “from the young to the elderly .”On the one hand, the population was very prosperous. On the other hand, they were ruthless, selfish, and infamous for their immorality (hence the famous word “sodomy”). God punished Sedom and its surroundings with extinction. God destroyed the city, its surroundings, and “all the vegetation of the land” and disappeared. The question that has not yet been resolved is how God destroyed this city.

ARCHEOLOGY

For many years, archeologists believed that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located south of the Dead Sea. And they supposed that the ruins of these civilizations were not found because the Dead Sea swallowed the cities. That’s why Keller said no one would ever discover these cities. He also assumed incorrectly that an earthquake had destroyed these civilizations. However, when describing the destruction of Sedom, the Tora mentions that “fire fell from heaven”, which does not happen as a consequence of an earthquake. Was then a meteorite that destroyed these cities? Well, a meteorite would have left an enormous crater. None was found. Another interesting fact is that Abraham saw the aftermath of the Sedom cataclysm from his place, Hebron. Abraham saw “smoke as from a furnace” rising from that area. Did Abraham see something similar to a mushroom cloud produced after a nuclear explosion? If so, what could have caused that?   

So, where was the city of Sedom located, and what was the nature of the cataclysm with which God punished these cities? 

DICTIONARY:

Opportunism is the art, policy, or practice of taking advantage of opportunities or circumstances, often with little regard for principles ….

Synonym for opportunism: exploitation

KINDNESS WITH STRANGERS

This Parasha provides us with some details of the personality of Abraham Abinu. Already close to 100 years of age, what does Abraham dedicate his life to? The man who discovered God, how does he spend his precious time? Abraham, the Tora tells us this week, is sitting in his tent actively looking for people who need help. We know the story of the three “visitors” of Abraham, but perhaps we do not absorb the enormous magnitude of what Abraham does. Let me explain: Abraham lifted his eyes, and behold, he saw in front of him three men [foreigners, people totally unknown to him]; he stood up and ran toward them, bowed down to them” and invited them to his house. We know the visitors were “angels” [messengers of God, prophets, etc.] but the main point of the story is that Abraham did not see anything special in these men. He did not reach out to them because they had money, and he wanted to take advantage of them: The Tora describes them as “walkers” – a sign of poverty – and not as traveling merchants riding on donkeys or camels. Abraham saw this, but far from discouraging him, the fact that these people were (or seemed) humble was the opportunity Abraham was waiting for! Abraham lived a very comfortable life in material terms. In passing, the Tora mentions that he had a house, food, livestock, workers, property, and silver. Abraham was sitting at his tent’s door, waiting for an opportunity to help others. This behavior is entirely abnormal!

OPPORTUNISM IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION

“Opportunists see a chance to gain some advantage from a situation, often at the expense of ethics or morals. An opportunist seizes every opportunity to improve things for himself.” 

A stranger you have never seen before is the perfect potential victim of tricksters or con artists who cheat, steal, and abuse. Without fear of retaliation because strangers are defenseless. Notice that the very word “opportunism” is always used negatively. Abraham’s opportunism, however, is 180 degrees different. Abraham was purposely on the lookout for someone who needed help. Please think if you have ever met someone like Abraham Abinu! Someone is standing outside a supermarket, for example, waiting for the opportunity to selflessly help people who need assistance getting their shopping bags to their car or something like that. Are there individuals like this? Human angels, who spend time “waiting for the opportunity to help the humble and the needy” selflessly?

CHESED IN YOUR DNA …

Abraham is proactive in his kindness; he does not wait at the door of his house for someone to come and ask for his help. The visitors did not even approach Abraham’s tent. It was Abraham who literally “ran” to meet these strangers; he offered them water, food, and shade as if he had something to sell! The Tora records this particular story because, in the end, these men announced to Abraham that Sara would have a son, but we must remember that this action of Abraham was not the exception but the rule. Abraham devoted his life to this Chesed. The Sages explained that Abraham invited foreigners to his house regularly. And they added that when the guests finished eating and wanted to bless Abraham for his generosity, he would tell them, “You don’t need me to thank me, we need to thank the Creator, who has provided us with this food” (nebarekh sheakhalnu mishelo). Abraham is from a different planet.

PROOF OF JUDAISM

Our Sages say that we, the descendants of Abraham Abinu, have inherited this virtue from him. The Sages affirm that the Jews possess three hereditary characteristics transmitted by our ancestors. So strong (and meaningful) is this genetic load that a Jew who does not have these virtues may not be a Jew: the first one of these traits is Gemilut Hassadim, the inclination of Jews to assist others, to proactively and selflessly care for those in need.

God revealed himself to Abraham in a vision while sitting at his tent’s entrance. Abraham notices that three travelers pass near him, and as was his custom, he runs to invite them to his house. The men accept the invitation and Abraham prepares a sumptuous banquet for them. These men, sent by God, reveal to Abraham that Sara will give birth to a boy within a year. Sara, almost 90 years old, heard this and started laughing. God rebukes Sara reminding Abraham that nothing is impossible for Him.
The men/angels depart and head to Sodom to destroy the five cities of that region for their tremendous corruption. God informs Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom. In another display of his boundless goodness, Abraham tries to dissuade God and asks him not to destroy the city if fifty righteous people live there. God considers Abraham’s request. But Abraham “negotiates” with God, and finally, God accepts to spare Sodom if only ten righteous people would be found in the city.
The men sent by God reached Sodom. Following what he learned from Abraham, Lot invites them to his house to rest and eat. But the news of foreigners in Lot’s house spreads throughout the city, and people react badly. Accustomed to abusing foreigners, the outraged residents of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house to assault his guests. Lot tries to protect them, but the Sodomites try to break down the door. The angels blind everyone around the house and rush Lot to flee Sodom with his wife and daughters.

God caused fire and brimstone to fall from heaven on Sodom, which destroyed the entire region. (By the way, modern archaeologists have found ample evidence of a meteorite falling in that geographic area, forming the Dead Sea and making it the lowest place on earth. See here). Lot’s wife looked back and was petrified, like a statue (perhaps because of the ashes produced by that mega explosion. Ash states were found in Pompei after the eruption of volcan Vesubio in the year 79 CE). Lot and his daughters took refuge in a cave and thought God had destroyed the whole world and that they were the last survivors. The daughters intoxicate his father with wine and seduce him to repopulate the earth. Both gave birth, and each had a child who eventually became the patriarchs of the Ammonites and Moabites nations.
Abraham moves to the Philistine city of Gerar because of the famine. Abimelekh, the king of the Philistines, takes Sara, who Abraham presented as his sister. But God punished Abimelekh and the members of his palace. God appears to Abimelekh in a dream, warning him about Sara being Abraham’s wife. Abimelekh obeys God, frees Sara, and showers Abraham with gifts as compensation for the damage caused.

Just as the angels who visited Abraham had anticipated, Sarah conceives and gives birth to a son at the age of ninety. The child is called Isaac, “he who will laugh” (or “the one who will make his parents laugh with happiness”). Abraham circumcised Isaac at eight days.
Isaac grows up, and Sara realizes that Ishmael, Isaac’s older half-brother, negatively influences her young son and demands that Abraham expel Ishmael from the house, along with her mother Hagar. God tells Abraham that he must listen to Sarah. Hagar and Ishmael run out of water in the desert and nearly die of thirst. But an angel “opens Hagar’s eyes” and helps her see the water well. Ishmael grew up in the desert and became a skilled hunter.

Seeing that Abraham is God’s chosen one, Abimelekh asks Abraham to make a pact with him: neither of them would try to conquer the other for three generations. Abraham agreed but pointed out to Abimelekh that his man had stolen a well of water that Abraham’s men had dug. Abraham took seven sheep and gave them to Abimelekh as a testimony that he, Abraham, had dug the well. Abraham settles in the city of Beer Sheba and proclaims the name of God to everyone he meets.

In the last Aliya, God tests Abraham’s loyalty. He commands Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to Him. Abraham sets out for the mountain with Isaac and two of his servants. When he reaches the place, Abraham goes up the mountain with Isaac and builds an altar there. He binds Issac’s hand and foot and prepares to carry out the Divine order. At that moment, he hears an angel of God ordering him to stop. Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. He takes the ram and offers it as a sacrifice to God. God blesses Abraham and his descendants for his loyalty and obedience.
Abraham hears that his sister-in-law Milka has given birth. One of his sons, Bethuel, was the father of Rivka, the future wife of his son Isaac.

THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD

When God created humanity, He endowed them with a neshamá—the soul, intelligence, the capacity to think, and the freedom to choose. These faculties were described in the biblical text as being “in the image and likeness of God.” Humanity was not created as just another part of nature but as a supernatural being with the potential to choose between good and evil, to follow the Creator’s guidance, or to be swayed by earthly, insatiable desires.

Ten generations after creation, humanity, as a whole, chose the path of evil. Corruption and violence became normalized in that generation. The powerful—those who should have used their ability and power to lead, organize, and inspire—exploited their leadership for personal gain and to oppress the weak. The prevailing rule was “the survival of the fittest,” where the strong devoured the weak. Corruption is contagious, and human society degraded itself, sacrificing its divine image. Humanity transformed into an intelligent predator, driven solely by the satisfaction of animalistic instincts. This generation is known as Dor haMabbul, the generation deemed deserving of being wiped from the earth by the Flood.

One man, Noah, proved to be an exception to this rule. Compared to the rest of the world—or, according to another view, despite the widespread corruption—Noah conducted himself with integrity, living with an awareness of God’s existence, something that had become obsolete for the rest of humankind.

God saves Noah and grants humanity a second chance. Noah builds the ark, and he, his wife, his three sons, and their wives—a total of eight people—along with the animals, survive the devastating Flood.

THE FIRST LAW

After leaving the ark, God blesses Noah, urging him to be fruitful, multiply, and repopulate the earth. He presents a set of fundamental laws to educate humanity and prevent its moral decline. The first law pertains to animals. God permits Noah and his descendants to kill animals and consume their flesh (Genesis 9:3), something that was previously forbidden, as God had instructed Adam and Eve to consume only plants: seeds, vegetables, and fruits. Now, God allows humanity to take the lives of animals. This law reflects humanity’s new status: having once been the protector of the animal kingdom, humans would now be the predator at the top of the food chain.

Nevertheless, or perhaps because of this, God imposes one limitation to preserve, in some way, their humanity in this area: humans cannot mutilate a living animal and consume its flesh, as carnivorous predators do with live prey. Before consuming an animal’s flesh, it must first be sacrificed. This law is known in Hebrew as eber min hachay (prohibition against eating from a living animal).

THE SECOND LAW

The second law God commands Noah also pertains to killing, but this time about another human being. This law is formulated differently than the “You shall not kill” of the Ten Commandments and states: “Whoever sheds the blood of a man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind” (Genesis 9:6). This law establishes capital punishment for the crime of murder. It is formulated primarily to prevent the impunity that characterized the previous generation’s widespread corruption. Here, it will not be God who enforces justice but humans themselves, who are tasked with punishing abuse and establishing that, regardless of position or wealth, every human being deserves respect, having been created in the image and likeness of God.

THE COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND NOAH

In a sense, God entrusts humanity with the responsibility of enforcing punishment where it is due, which is why one of the seven Noahide laws—though not explicitly written—is the obligation to establish courts of justice that apply the law and punish criminals. For His part, God promises never to bring another flood or universal catastrophe to destroy humanity. The rainbow will serve as a reminder that the rain will eventually cease and that God will not erase humanity from the face of the earth.

These three basic laws are the foundation of what is known as the Seven Laws of Noah: 1. Do not murder. 2. Do not eat meat from a living animal. 3. Prohibition of idolatry, 4. Blasphemy, 5. Theft, and 6. Incest. 7. The obligation to establish courts of justice that will prevent impunity.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

This year,  Parashat Bereshit, Genesis, which contains the account of the creation of the world, left us with only one day to study it—this past Shabbat—so before saying goodbye to Bereshit until next year, I want to share with you a brief reflection on something new we can learn from this Parasha. About ten years ago, I published my book “Awesome Creation”, where I explained the story of the world’s creation based on a faithful reading of the Hebrew Bible. I showed that when this literal reading (peshat) is ignored—voluntarily or involuntarily—many critical aspects of Emuná (Jewish faith) are affected, and the Tora can be discredited, reducing it to the level of fables or, God forbid, a irrelevant text. Today, I will mention an example of a topic I have not yet published. This example, I believe, deserves the first prize for ignorance of biblical Hebrew and its unexpected consequences.

THE FIRST ANIMALS

The initial chapter of Bereshit (Genesis) mentions the creation of the first animals that appeared on our planet on the fifth day. The Hebrew text says: וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹקים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֙ם֙ הַגְּדֹלִ֔ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֗ה הָֽרֹמֶשֶׂת֙

“And God created the  taninim gedolim and all [other] living creatures….”

What were the taninim gedolim?

Let’s begin with the first word. Tanin (singular of taninim) appears about 15 times in the Tanakh and describes a group of animals, including crocodiles, lizards, snakes, and vipers. In other words, in biblical Hebrew, tanin means “reptile.” The next word, gedolim, plural of gadol, does not necessarily mean “large” in size. Depending on the context, it can also mean “terrible,” “fearsome,” or “powerful.” In my book, I mention several examples of this connotation, such as when God punishes Pharaoh for taking Abraham’s wife. It says nega’im gedolim (Genesis 12:17), translated as “terrible” plagues or diseases. In our context, the best translation of the word gedolim, which expresses both size and the fear these animals inspired, could be “imposing or giant.”

Therefore, taninim gedolim should be translated as “great/giant reptiles,” but inexplicably, this translation almost doesn’t exist!

THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORANCE

Let’s look, for example, at a classic non-Jewish translation, the New American Standard Bible  from 1995

”God created the great sea monsters and every living creature”

Why translate taninim as “sea monsters,” two words that don’t appear in the original Hebrew text?

First, let’s clarify that in biblical Hebrew, the word “monster” does not exist (Note 1), simply because the Tora does not believe in monsters,  despite the fact that  ALL ancient civilizations believed in monsters and mentioned them regularly in their creation myths (see, for example, here: Tiamat). That’s is the reason why a translation that renders taninim as “monsters” instead of “reptiles” should be considered tendentious and even offensive, as it—voluntarily or involuntarily—equates the Tora with pagan mythological legends.

So, how should the expression taninim gedolim be translated?

IN GREEK AND HEBREW

Richard Owen (1804–1892) was a renowned British scientist and paleontologist known for his work in classifying fossil remains of prehistoric animals. In 1842, he coined the term dinosaur to describe a group of huge extinct reptiles. This term, dinosaur, is a combination of two words of Greek origin: deinos, which means gigantic, powerful, imposing, or fearsome (similar semantic field of gedolim) , and saurus, which means lizard or reptile. Thus, the term dinosaur means “the gigantic reptiles” of ancient times, the exact words that the Tora uses to describe the first creatures created by God on the fifth day!

MONSTERS OR MONSTROSITIES?

The word “monsters” found its way in the Bibles’s translations possibly from non-Jewish commentaries written before Owen classified these fossils as “dinosaurs.” Pagan cultures assumed that those giant fossils that appeared everywhere in the world, belonged to monsters or dragons, imaginary beings worthy of pagan mythology. This would explain why the word “monster” was used in the Middle Ages. But to translate taninim gedolim as “sea monsters” in the 20th or 21st century (Note 2) is unforgivable because it forces a mythological reading of the Tora and takes away its incredible historical credibility.

The translation of taninim gedolim as “dinosaurs”—or at least as “great reptiles”—should be the most literal translation, and a testimony that the Tora was the FIRST and ONLY ancient book that records the existence of these prehistoric creatures—the first animals created by God on earth—without legends or fictions worthy of Harry Potter.

Note 1: The word mifletzet, used in modern Hebrew for “monster,” describes a totem of pagan peoples, like pesilim, see Jeremiah 50:38.

Note 2: The word “sea” also does not appear in the text, which, by the way, does NOT describe only animals that inhabit the sea!