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Jerusalem Insight Podcast #5

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Torah Portion Vayetze Genesis 28:10 – 32:2 This weeks podcast focuses on the two dreams of Jacob and the lessons learned from Jacob’s ladder and his  dream about the goats. The broadcast then focuses on Dreams in general. Are they a function of our experience or are the hint and whisper of a Divine message? … Read more

We are not for sale

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If Netanyahu wishes to be remembered as something more than another hack, he should end these destructive talks and tell the Obama administration the truth. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is playing with fire. And Israel is getting burned.

Learning from Abraham and Jacob

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We read an unusual verse in Isaiah that says;

Therefore thus saith HaShem, who redeemed Abraham, because of the house of Yaacov: Yaacov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale;( Isaiah 29:22)

Avraham was redeemed for the sake of Yaacov. What can that mean? Avraham who was called the friend of G-d needed the merits of Yaacov to be redeemed
We read the following in Divrei Hayamim/, Chronicles:

“Didst You not O our G-d, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your  people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Avraham Your friend for ever? ( 2 Chronicles 20:7)

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Kever Rochel Painting

The Matriarch Rachel’s Gravesite

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Kever Rochel Paintingby Shira Smiles

(Israelnationalnews.com) There is a certain mysterious aura about Kever Rachel. What is the magnetic pull that draws so many Jews to pray there? Why was Rachel not interred in Me’arat Hamachpeila, the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron? According to Rashi, she was buried on the roadside so that the Jews being led to exile could pray at her grave.

In Parshat Vayeitzei, two midrashim further explore Rachel’s burial. When Yaakov met Rachel at the well in Charan, he wept because he foresaw that she would not be buried with him. The midrash again mentions Rachel’s burial in the story of the dudadim, mandrake root, when she made light of Yaakov and was punished by losing her place in Me’arat Hamachpeila.

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pomegranate

The Seeds of the Pomegranate

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pomegranate

Before the recent days of Rosh Hashana  I was standing in prayer at the Kotel .A man from the new community of Yevul that I had known from the days of the expulsion from Gush Katif ,tapped my shoulder. After warm greetings he said that he had a gift for my family in the car

The people of Yevul were all former residents of the Netzarim community that had been situated perilously close to the city of Gaza. They were a community that painfully suffered many losses to terrorism but nevertheless steadfastly held on to their belief felt that holding unto their land was critical for Israel’s security.

Yitzchak Rabin once said of this community, ” If Netzarim did not exist I would have to create it. Netzarim is the greatest reason for our military presence to be in an area so close to the city Gaza and its port .The Gaza port   has been the main funnel for destructive weapons and due to the courage of these people we are right there, watching”

What terrorism could not do,though, the government of Ariel Sharon did.

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