Tonight is Rosh Chodesh Elul, One month until rosh hashanah. Have you ever heard of yom Kippur katan, the day before rosh chodesh each month? YOM KIPPUR KATAN (Heb. יוֹם כִּפּוּר קָטָן; lit. "minor day of atonement"), the eve of the new month which became for the pious a day of fast and repentance. The custom of keeping Yom Kippur Katan is a late one, and is not mentioned in the Shulḥan Arukh. It began among the kabbalists of *Safed in the second half of the 16th century and is first spoken of by Moses *Cordovero. The waning of the moon was conceived by the kabbalists as a symbol of the exile of the Shekhinah ("Divine Presence") and the diminution of the power of holiness during the Exile, and its renewal as a symbol of the return to perfection in the age of Redemption. They based this conception on the talmudic legend according to which God had said to Israel: "Bring atonement upon me for making the moon smaller" (Ḥul. 60b). Yom Kippur Katan
The day before each Rosh Chodesh (beginning of the month) is referred to as 'Yom Kippur Katan," the "Little Yom Kippur." R' Gedalya Schorr, in explaining why this is the case, first discusses the purpose of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, simply stated, is a day for one to take an accounting of what he or she has accomplished or failed to do. It is time for people to inspire themselves, to arouse within their heart and soul a desire to accomplish more, to strive for greatness. The very end of a month, when the moon is barely visible, is an appropriate time to remind ourselves of what we are to be doing with our lives. We can gaze upwards and see almost none of the moon, knowing that a mere two weeks later, the moon will be full. Similarly, we can gaze within ourselves and see not even a tiny spark of inspiration or desire to strive for greatness. At the same time, we should know that we have the ability within us to shine brightly. Right before we begin a new month, we should inspire ourselves to improve, regardless of the method we employ to do. For this reason, specifically the day before Rosh Chodesh is set aside for a day of self improvement and introspection, thus earning it the name Yom Kippur Katan
Monday, August 25, 2014
Obama's Hypocrisy on Hamas, ISIS, and Iran
Obama's Hypocrisy on Hamas, ISIS, and Iran
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The beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley
has raised concerns in the West about Islamist threats. But Israel has
been facing this specter for decades and – given Israel's proximity to
the Islamist threat – the Jewish State is the canary in the coal mine
for the West. But Gaza seems to be the Western blind spot, even though
the Hamas-ISIS parallels are glaringly obvious.
Since beheadings are the current media focus, and ISIS has beheaded infants, it's worth noting that Hamas praised the 2011 Itamar murders, which involved the decapitation of a baby.
Islamist beheadings should surprise no one, given that they've been
happening for much of (and despite) modernity – perhaps because "Islam
is the only major world religion today that is cited…to legitimize
beheadings," according to this study.
While there have been no reported Hamas beheadings of journalists,
the similarities between Hamas and ISIS are more important than their
differences.Both would like to establish a Caliphate. Hamas Interior Minister declared as much in this 2013 speech.
Both gain and keep power through savagery and fear. Hamas rose to power in Gaza thanks to its violent, 2007 coup, and recently planned a second putsch (in the West Bank). Hamas famously threw its political opponents off rooftops.
Like ISIS, Hamas uses clinics, schools, mosques, and charities to gain legitimacy, and inculcates children with the values of jihadi terror. A Vice documentary exposed how ISIS indoctrinates and uses children for war, but Hamas has been doing so for years, educating children to worship death and using child soldiers.
Hamas' use of human shields has been widely documented (and proven very effective in turning public opinion against Israel by exponentially increasing Gazan civilian casualties). ISIS used 500 Yazidi captives and 39 abducted Indians as human shields.
ISIS is known for its expulsion of Christians from Mosul and its genocidal murder of Yazidis and Christians who refuse to convert to Islam or pay the jizyah.
Hamas would undoubtedly behave the same way towards the religious
minorities within its reach, if Israeli Jews didn't have the protection
of a superior military, and if Hamas didn't depend on international
donations to Gaza that might dry up after a wholesale slaughter of the
tiny Christian community there. But even with these checks on Hamas'
brutality, Hamas regularly practices and preaches religious hatred. For
years, Hamas has attacked Christians, including defiling Christian graves, abducting and murdering Christians, and more recently using a Gazan church to launch rockets at Israel. Hamas preaches hateful incitement against Jews, has desecrated Jewish holy sites, and has murdered hundreds of Jews in terrorist attacks.
ISIS uses Sharia to justify its barbaric treatment of women. Also enamored with Sharia, Hamas treats women as second-class citizens and endorses honor killings.
Like ISIS, Hamas advocates the death penalty for homosexuals, lets Islamic morality police govern economic activity, and punishes crime with lashings, amputations, and executions.
There have been no broadcast beheadings of homosexuals by ISIS yet, but
such horrors can't be far off, given that ISIS fighters include gay-hating Westerners.
Hamas condemned the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, and ISIS aspires to surpass him.
Yet, astonishingly, President Obama and liberals have continually called for restraint
when Israel's military has confronted Hamas (after Hamas' countless
attacks against Israeli civilians) and Obama has pressed Israel to
negotiate with Hamas (as if the U.S. would ever negotiate with ISIS).
Worse still, the Obama Administration tried to advance Hamas' negotiating position and recently pressured Israel into letting Hamas keep its military capabilities. Given the opportunity to obliterate ISIS' terrorist infrastructure, would the U.S. ever spare any part of it?
Even more troubling – in terms
of the perils involved – is Obama's feckless strategy towards the
Iranian regime, which is the world's chief sponsor of Islamist terrorist
groups (including Hamas and Hezbollah). Like so many Islamist terrorist
organizations, Iran executes homosexuals; mistreats women; persecutes religious minorities; employs barbaric, Sharia-law punishments (like amputation and stoning); and brutalizes political dissenters (among myriad other human rights violations). But unlike the terrorist organizations, Iran could theoretically acquire a nuclear weapons capability in under two months. Imagine an Islamist state, which openly supports Islamist terrorists, possessing nukes. Alarmingly, Obama's overall approach and eagerness to negotiate any deal he can get with Iran have signaled weakness in a region that respects only strength. As if to laugh at Obama's naiveté, the Iranian regime has continued supporting Hamas despite the sanctions relief that Obama delivered
to the Islamic Republic. Obama's meek and misguided policy has only
emboldened the Iranian regime, improved its economic condition, and
given diplomatic cover to Iran's nuclear program.
Islamist groups like ISIS,
al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah, all seek the
destruction of Western values and civilization. The pursuit of nukes by
the Islamist state of Iran – which could eventually enable nuclear
terrorism by Iran's jihadi proxies – poses the greatest threat of all.
The West ignores these facts at its peril, and should therefore support
Israel's war against Hamas, and its efforts against Iranian nukes, just
as the U.S. has rightly (albeit tardily and minimally) supported the
Kurds in their fight against ISIS.
Noah Beck is the author of The Last Israelis, an apocalyptic novel about Iranian nukes and other geopolitical issues in the Middle East.
Netanyahu ISIS=Hamas
"Many
states in the region and in the West are beginning to understand that
this is a single front, that Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. They act
in the same way. They are branches of the same poisonous tree. They are
two extremist Islamic terrorist movements that abduct and murder
innocents, that execute their own people, that shrink at nothing
including the willful murder of children. In recent days we heard from
Hamas spokesmen that they admit to what we have been saying all along,
that they murdered [the three Israeli teens] Eyal, Gilad and Naftali."
"Both movements are, in effect, making an effort to establish Islamic rule, caliphates, without human rights, across wide areas, by slaughtering minorities....With every passing day the world understands more and more that Hamas operates like ISIS and that ISIS operates like Hamas. The State of Israel will continue to stand alongside the civilized world in its war against extremist and violent Islam." (Prime Minister's Office)
"Both movements are, in effect, making an effort to establish Islamic rule, caliphates, without human rights, across wide areas, by slaughtering minorities....With every passing day the world understands more and more that Hamas operates like ISIS and that ISIS operates like Hamas. The State of Israel will continue to stand alongside the civilized world in its war against extremist and violent Islam." (Prime Minister's Office)
Sunday, August 24, 2014
the signficance of the date 9-11
I have not seen this but it makes sense. Why 9-11 2001,? Why was
Benghazzi on 9-11? In 1683, on Sept.11, a force of 300,000 Muslims from
Istanbul attacked Vienna and hoped to destroy Vienna and then march to
Rome. They were opposed by a much much smaller force of Catholics, led
by the Polish king and a monk. The Ottomon general said this day will be
remembered in history. The Muslims miraculously lost. The monk told the
troops they were fighting for their families, for their faith,
for their civilization. They will never give up trying to take Europe.
They believe it is theirs, as well as Israel, since Muslims ruled it
before. This is a NEVER ending battle with islam. They will NEVER give
up. Gird our loins. Obama will be gone eventually. Keep up the pressure
with our congress so they understand. Hopefully Europe will wake up in
time. Fight the agents who have taken the side of evil or are too
stupid or pc to understand. . Nowadays Students for Justice in
Palestine, J Sreet, New York times, Time magazine etc. arer part of this
band of those undermoining the struggle. 97% of Israelis get it. Many
in Congress get it. Canadian leadership gets it. Even some muslims
understand now is not the time for them (Egyptian government, saudis
etc). This is a war for our preservation.
Israel says it found Hamas training manual in Gaza
By Luke Baker
JERUSALEM
(Reuters) - The Israeli army has released what it says is a page from a
seized Hamas training manual that would appear to support its case that
Palestinian militants deliberately use the cover of residential areas
for combat operations.
The Israeli army said the training manual was found in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun at the end of July, when troops were operating inside the enclave. The full manual is 102 pages long, the army said, but it released just one page of it.
That page appears to set out guidelines on how to hide weapons and ammunition in civilian areas, how to transport them into buildings and how to conceal or camouflage explosives.
It is marked at
the bottom with "Izz-el-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Training and Guidance
Branch, Engineering Corps". The al-Qassam Brigades are the military wing
of Hamas, the Islamist group that has controlled Gaza since 2007.
Unlike other Hamas documents, the page bears no Hamas logo.
"The process of hiding ammunition inside buildings is intended for
ambushes in residential areas and to move the campaign from open areas
into built up and closed areas," reads the document, written in Arabic.
Don't fall for Palestinian myth of moderation
Islamic Palestine and Arafat’s rejectionism
August 23, 2014, 10:14 am
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Second, Arafat continued to demand the complete return of all Arab refugees and their multitude of descendants from the original Palestinian-Israeli war of 1948. If such an event were to happen, Israel would become a bi-national state with a Jewish minority. The Jewish people have long experience with minority status in both the Muslim and the Christian worlds. Neither of these historical eras ever engendered the remotest sense of security or justice within the long memory of the Jews. Yet Arafat had the audacity to base his so-called “peace of the brave” on such a spurious concept as this “right of return”. Did this sound like the position of a man interested in anything other than the complete defeat of Jewish sovereignty in any part of the Holy Land?
From a historical perspective, Arafat’s statement has large elements of both truth and falsehood simultaneously. Yes, it is fundamentally true that in the minds of most Muslims, Jewish power in Palestine (an Islamic land from their theological point of view) is perceived as anathema. But there is nothing new about this. From the very inception of the Arab-Israeli conflict, from 1920 onward, the religious dimension was primary. The first Palestinian leader, Hajj Amin el-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, was a disciple of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Arafat knew this. He also felt that in a world of 1.2 billion Muslims, the Palestinians would certainly outlast Israel in a religious war of attrition. In order for that to happen, the religious dimension became essential. Arab nationalism never served the interests of Palestinian nationalism. On the contrary, in the various large-army nation-state wars against Israel, it was Egyptian, Jordanian or Syrian interests which always superseded the interests of Palestine.
Arab nationalism had a secular veneer, but it failed to take root in what is essentially a supernaturally oriented social structure. It was always couched with Islamic religious symbols. Arafat’s charisma was based on his personal ability to exploit many of these same symbols. But religion couldn’t save Arab nationalism. Its lifespan was brief, nothing more than fifteen years in its heyday. Arafat understood all along that religious authority in the Muslim world is far deeper in terms of culture and meta-historical psychology than any form of nationalism. Islam would fight the long war against the Jews, Arafat understood this. Hamas was the true future of the Palestinian movement, and Arafat understood this as well.
The Chairman of the PLO simply couldn’t sign on to a final-status agreement at Camp David. He refused to go down in history as a Sadat or a King Hussein. Arafat was playing for time, a whole lot of time. He understood that it was Israel which was the weakest and smallest party to the conflict. After all, Islam had once conquered nearly two-thirds of the known world. And Arafat was an Islamic believer, a nephew of the Grand Mufti himself. When his private plane went down in the vast desert of the Libyan Sahara, the PLO chairman termed his rescue no less than miraculous, the very work of Allah. When he started the second intifada, he had completely abandoned Oslo and was in full cooperation with Hamas. In fact, Arafat was always with Hamas, if not in body then in spirit. In the final analysis, he believed in the complete rejection of the right of the Jewish people to a state in any part of the ancient Holy land. At Camp David, when confronted by US President Bill Clinton as to the historical validity of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, he denied it ever existed. To a modern Jew or Christian, this response is not only contrary to history, it also reveals a deep structural rejection of anything but Islamic hegemony. It is extreme Islam at its core.
So what were the Oslo accords all about? The short answer is that Oslo represented the true genius of Yasser Arafat, or what I call the “myth of moderation.” Oslo was a mask, a disguise for a gullible left-wing European and American audience who knew next to nothing about the vagaries of language in the Muslim Near East. The PLO leader was the master of these two very distinct tongues — one in English, of moderation, and another in Arabic, as to true intentions. Even the Labor Party in Israel succumbed to Arafat’s siren song of peace, but not the Likud. They warned the West. They warned repeatedly, but to no avail. The nations of the European Enlightenment have a predilection for rational answers to most problems, including issues of war and peace. It mattered little to these Westerners that the battle for the Holy Land had a theological dimension, which can only be rooted out by a novel and revelational (Torah and Koran) approach to the Islamic-Judaic dialogue.
Normal, non-aggressive politics has long become the absent phenomenon within the context of Islamic political succession. As for interfaith struggles, the Crusades were a historical laboratory for long wars of Muslim attrition. The key lesson to be learned from these Crusades and the centuries of conflict is that the West Bank of the Jordan River is the vital strategic territory in the battle for Israel-Palestine. Arafat understood this. That was the reason for his mask. But when push came to shove at Camp David, the mask came off. When offered ninety percent of the West Bank for a demilitarized state, he refused. Arafat was a Muslim through and through. NO, he was NOT able to sign an agreement with an “end of conflict” clause. NO, he would NOT allow Israel to remain on the Jordan River Valley. His strict interpretation of his religion wouldn’t allow for such compromises.
Arafat was not a true moderate, because moderation is not a component of modern Palestinian history. For most of the conflict, religious sentiment has been the primary focus of Palestinian politics. Only for a very brief period were the Palestinians masquerading as secular socialists or democrats. Essentially, this was a tactical ploy in order to maintain a strong connection with the Soviets, while also engendering sympathy from their anti-religious left-wing friends in Western Europe. Islamic Palestine has always been the norm. Arafat’s rejectionism was merely a variant or subspecies of this ongoing religious paradigm. The Hamas “holy war” is as old as the conflict itself. In order for peace to reign, the Jews must always remain vigilant when confronted with demands for West Bank withdrawal. Simultaneously, they must develop a devastating theological argument (rooted in the current struggle itself) to overcome a vast world of Muslim religious rejection. If little Israel is successful, the region will have a future. If it isn’t successful, G-d will only help those who remain true to the idea of a genuine peace.
Gaza war is an Obligatory war in Jewish law
Maimonides Mishneh Torah Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 5.1
Amalek, as described in the Bible was a barbaric, terrorist nation that attacked civilians, women and children from the rear, as opposed to sending their soldiers to attack soldiers. This is a parallel to the way Hamas and other Islamic terror organizations
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