העורך Editor

Don’t Wait For Mashiach!

Some Mitzvos cannot technically be fulfilled without Mashiach’s might. But there is a prohibition against making a Mitzvah unjustifiably conditional upon Mashiach’s arrival, as Rabbi Brand explains here: “Lo tenasu es Hashem”. If jailed outside the land, such as Jonathan Pollard (still!) it is certainly not possible to make Aliyah. Until circumstances change – which can be brought about through Mashiach, as well, “Onness Rachmana Patrei”. B

ut this is true only in extenuating circumstances. One may not say “We’ll come to Israel/wear Techeiles/ascend the Temple Mount when Mashiach comes” when the two events have nothing to do with each other.

This same point is made in this article by Bob Blue.

An excerpt:

Hashem did not say, “Sit on your hands in the land and wait until Moshiach comes to do your job for you”. Hashem said, “drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their temples, destroy their molten idols, and demolish their high places”. Hashem said, “clear out the Land and settle in it”. Hashem said, “You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them”. Hashem said, “You shall demolish their altars and smash their monuments, and cut down their asherim trees, and burn their graven images with fire”. Hashem said, “You do this!” He did not say, “Wait for Moshiach to come and do it”.

See the rest… [Deleted.]

כיצד להשתיק את ‘קול המונה של רומי’ בקלות

מסירים מימון ממשלתי, פשוט מאוד.

ציטוט מאתר קו ישר בנושא:

השאלה היסודית היא: האם הממשלה צריכה להשקיע כסף ציבורי בארגון שעשועים? המשחקים יפים, מרשימים ומשעשעים ללא ספק, אבל הם בוודאי לא חיוניים. אז מדוע הממשלה מתעסקת בזה? מדוע היא מוציאה כסף גדול של אחרים? האנשים אוהבים משחקים אולימפיים (ושעשועים אחרים)? אין ספק שאוהבים. אז, שיכניסו יד לכיס ויממנו, כל אחד לפי רצונו ולפי מידת אהבתו. שיאורגנו המשחקים על בסיס מסחרי או על בסיס פילנתרופי (תרומות מרצון), ומי שאוהב הכי הרבה – ייתן הכי הרבה כסף. מדוע צריך לקחת כסף בכוח מאנשים (באמצעות מיסים) כדי לספק שעשועים?

התשובה היא, כמובן, שאין דבר שהפוליטיקאים ואנשי הציבור אוהבים יותר מאשר לבזבז כסף של אחרים. כמה שהפרויקט גדול ויקר יותר הם אוהבים אותו יותר – זה נותן להם תחושה של כוח, של חשיבות. זה מניב יחסי ציבור, ויוצר אינספור אפשרויות להתעשר באופן אישי משחיתות.

ושאר הכתבה…

Bertrand Russell Would Have Loved Brisk

“I am looking forward very much to getting back to Cambridge, and being able to say what I think and not to mean what I say: two things which at home are impossible. Cambridge is one of the few places where one can talk unlimited nonsense and generalities without anyone pulling one up or confronting one with them when one says just the opposite the next day.”

  • Bertrand Russell

From Wikiquote, here.

Rabbi Kahane on Allowing Non-Jews Into Israel

Here are some excerpts from Ohr Hara’ayon, translated by Tomer Devorah here:

If a non-Jew sincerely wishes to be a resident alien [ger toshav], to abandon idolatry and undertake the seven Noahide laws, thereby sanctifying G-d’s name, better that he should do this and live in Eretz Yisrael than to live outside the Land as an idolater and profane G-d’s name. Clearly, however, all this applies only if he accepts conditions guaranteeing that he remain isolated from Israel, and ensuring his understanding that Eretz Yisrael is the exclusive land of the Jewish People and that he has only the right to reside there.

Therefore, besides the conditions enumerated above, the Torah established additional restrictions. First, Sifri says [Ibid.), “‘In your midst’: And not on the border.” The reason for this is simple. We still suspect him lest he aid the enemy and endanger us. Second, Sifri teaches (Ibid.), “‘[To reside]… in your gates’ (Deut. 23:17): In your gates and not in Jerusalem.” Jerusalem’s holiness cannot bear the impurity of a non-Jew, hence, even a non-Jew allowed to live everywhere else in Eretz Yisrael is forbidden to live in the Holy City. It would seem that to live there while passing through is permitted, for that is not called “residence.”

Sifri also teaches (Ibid.): “‘He shall be allowed to reside with you’ (Deut. 23:17): And not in the city itself.” I believe the simple interpretation of this is that although a particular non-Jew can be permitted to live in Eretz Yisrael “with you,” …we are still required to separate from him, hence we are forbidden to settle him among us in the same city with Jews.

…we are allowed – not obligated – to let such a non-Jew live in Eretz Yisrael. If, for any reason, we fear danger or deception, then we are certainly permitted and required to forbid every non-Jew, even the resident alien, to live in the Land(after all, even converts were rejected during certain periods for certain reasons).

These laws are easy to forget without constant review.

For more on this by Rabbi Kahane, see here.

Or search Rabbi Brand’s site.