The Media Are Prostitutes

Here is an excerpt from Rabbi Yisrael Rosen:

While we are on the subject, note the impressive number of articles in the press (without any regard for specific events and predictions of the future) – in written and broadcast media, and on the internet – where a journalist interviews his own colleague. “Write about me, and I will write about you.” Just like people who “decorate each other” (see Shabbat 34a).

What We Are Missing Without the Temple

Our Torah knowledge is in bad shape without the Beis Hamikdash. Chazal say so. But here it is with pathos from none other than Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum on Divrei Yoel II p. 451:

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No kidding.

Seek True Prophecy – But Why Now?

We have written here before about the crucial need (and possibility) of seeking prophecy.

An excerpt:

Jews must seek prophecy anew. This is not mere preference. We need a prophet for the various upcoming stages of Jewish history, such as building the Temple, establishing priestly lineage (“yichus”), waging wars, kingship, identifying the true Messiah, and more.

You might ask: why didn’t previous generations make the same effort? First of all, some did, as one can see in the introduction to Rabbi Chaim Vital’s “Sha’arei Kedusha”. Second, poor past actions by our forebears are never a good excuse for ignoring our obligations as Jews. Lastly, and here is the stress, the present time is far more opportune for this lofty quest, now most jews are located in Israel under Jewishly owned government.

This is because prophecy is mainly a public affair. As Chazal say, after Chet Ha’egel God threatened to remove Moshe’s gift of prophecy, since the gift was never granted for Moshe’s own sake alone:

וידבר ה’ אל משה לך רד, אמר הקב”ה למשה לך מגדולתך כלום נתתי לך גדולה אלא בשביל ישראל

Baruch ben Neriya, too, requested the gift of prophecy but was rejected (Yirmiya chapter 45), because, as God explains, he was about to exile the jews from Israel, anyway.

Our current national situation is quite the opposite, so the time is come.

פתרון החידה

בתגובתנו לחוברת נגד “קדושת ציון” שאלנו: מיהו ש.נ.?

כעת קבלתי את תשובת מערכת קדושת ציון:

… מדובר בחברנו היקר הרב שאול ניר, ממייסדי האגודה וממפיצי “קול התור“. בעבר היה במחתרת היהודית. שאול נפצע באופן קשה לפני שנה בחנוכה מירי מחבלים בשומרון, ובחסדי ה התאושש. בעת פציעתו ביקשנו בעלונים מהציבור להתפלל לרפואתו, ומכאן לקחו שונאי ציון את שמו ובטפשותם הבינו שהוא מ”מייסדי הציונות הדתית”.