העורך Editor

Old Yiddish Song – Gevalt Sh’breeder Vos Shloft ir שיר יידיש גװאַלד זשע ברידער

Read this enlightening article by Honenu to find out how the state robs its Jews of self-defense.

One recent case:

In February 2016 a member of a rapid response squad in a Yehuda/Shomron community turned to Honenu for assistance after receiving an announcement that his gun license had been revoked because of a case that had been opened against him four years earlier for his conduct in handling an incidence of terrorist infiltration to his community. The case was closed very quickly because he was found to have acted properly. However four years later someone decided to cancel his gun license because the police have a case, albeit closed, on record against him.

Almost certainly his weapon will eventually be returned to him once the process of appeals is complete, however the process involves lengthy forms, filing appeals, and enduring postponements that last months, and can last up to and over a year, despite the fact that all parties involved with the decision are fully aware that there were no grounds to revoke the gun license.

Any doubt this is purposefully perpetrated from above? Disarming Jews while giving Arabs the weapons to kill them with is what Israeli politicians are historically great at.

Check out Honenu here.

The only difference between Mashiach and everyone else is that Mashiach will succeed at what everyone else is commanded to attempt.

• The Editor

An excerpt:

Knowing how to behave does not necessarily translate into proper behavior. A student can study Torah and understand halacha and the expectations of the Torah but yet encounter difficulty in converting knowledge into action. Mussar is designed to address this issue. It is designed to provide encouragement and the motivation needed to advance from knowledge to action.

Based on this definition, it seems clear that the study of mussar is invaluable. But there is substantial controversy regarding the study of mussar. In fact, various of the Roshei Yeshiva of the famous Volozhin Yeshiva discouraged students in the Yeshiva from studying mussar. At least one even referred to the study of mussar as a distraction from the study of Torah.[1]

This controversy is difficult to understand. What is the basis for this discord regarding the study of mussar?

There is an interesting account of a debate between Rav Chaim Soloveitchik and Rebbi Yitzchok Belzer regarding the study of mussar that may illuminate the issue. Rav Chaim Soloveitchik was one of the last Roshei Yeshiva of the Volozhin Yeshiva. As mentioned above, the study of mussar was not encouraged by the Yeshiva. Rebbi Yitzchok Belzer appealed to Rav Chaim to reconsider the Yeshiva’s stance. He supported his arguments with a comment from the Talmud in Tractate Berachot. The Talmud explains that a person should always incite his yetzer ha’tov – his good inclination against his yetzer ha’ra – his evil inclination. If a person cannot overcome his yetzer ha’ra by this means, then he should immerse himself in the study of Torah. If this measure is not effective, he should read the Shema. As a final resort – when all else fails – the person should contemplate his day of death.[2] Rebbi Yitzchok Belzer believed that this final measure represents a mussar approach. Therefore, it is clear that the Sages of the Talmud endorsed the study and methods of mussar.

Rav Chaim pointed out that there is another text from the Talmud in Tractate Succah that seems to contradict the comments of the Sages in Tractate Berachot. The Sages comment that if a person encounters the yetzer ha’ra, the person should take his yetzer ha’ra to the bait midrash.[3] In other words, the best response to the yetzer ha’ra is to change one’s focus and concentrate on the study of Torah. Rav Chaim explained that the two texts do not contradict each other. In order to resolve the apparent contradiction between the texts, Rav Chaim offered an analogy. If a person is suffering from digestive problems, a doctor might prescribe castor oil. But for a healthy person, it would not be advisable to take this medication. In fact, use of this medication would make the healthy person ill. Based on this analogy, Rav Chaim explained the two texts. I person who is spiritually ill needs to be treated. The treatment for this ill person may include counseling the person to more carefully consider his mortality – a motivational or mussar approach. But a person who is healthy should instead respond to the impulses of his yetzer ha’ra by focusing on Torah study. For this healthy person, contemplation of mortality – or the study of mussar may very well have a negative psychological impact.[4]

From OU.org, here.