Blog — Page 119 — Shorashim of the Old City

Withstanding Presidential Pressure

September 7, 2010September 6, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought”
YnetNews, September 4, 2010

Israel’s support among Americans is as robust as always, expected to be reinforced following the midterm November, 2010 election.
Anyone claiming that Israel’s Prime Minister cannot endure US presidential pressure – and therefore must accept sweeping concessions – is either dramatically mistaken, outrageously misleading or attempting to justify inability to endure pressure.

In August 2010, Israel was ranked by “The Rusmussen Report” – for the second year in a row – as the third most favored ally of the USA (71%), following Canada and Britain, ahead of Germany, Japan, France and Mexico, significantly ahead of Egypt (42%) and Saudi Arabia (21%).
In April 2010, “The Quinnipiac Institute” – often quoted by The New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN – documented public support of Obama’s national security policy, other than one issue: Israel! By an overwhelming majority of 66%:19% Americans expect President Obama to further his support of Israel.

The Healing Power of Elul love

August 30, 2010August 30, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

True and deep relationships develop with subtlety and gentleness, far from the public eye. During this month of Elul, whose initials stand for the verse, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” relationships with our Divine beloved are being nourished and developed throughout this land.

Makom BaLev (“A Place in the Heart”) supported and created by the OU runs centers in the development towns of Israel with the purpose of giving the youth and their families a place to serve as an oasis of warmth and spirituality in the midst of the hectic existence of Israeli life. It is only in the spiritual safety of such an environment that people can and do make qualitative decisions regarding the Jewish nature of their lives.

Elul: Teshuvah for the Generation of Rebirth

August 17, 2010August 16, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

“For some time I have been struggling with an inner conflict, and a mighty force impels me to speak about teshuvah (penitence). All my thoughts are focused on this theme alone. Teshuvah holds a primary place in Torah and in life; all the hopes of the individual and of society depend on it.”

So begins Rav Kook’s introduction to “Orot HaTeshuvah” (Lights of Penitence), probably his most popular work, first published in 1925. The compact, succinct book was beloved by its author, and he himself studied it during the month of Elul after the morning prayers. One student related that he heard Rav Kook say, ‘I worked extensively on “Orot HaTeshuvah”. Whoever studies it properly will find light in every word.’ He also declared, ‘”Orot HaTeshuvah” must be studied without end.’

What is so special about the book’s outlook on teshuvah?

The Courage to Dream

August 27, 2010August 16, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

Since the first handshake with the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat on the lawn of the White House we have been living in a strange, almost surrealistic, nightmare. Truthfully, the nightmare has been going on for a very long time. It actually began with the destruction of the Temple and the long night of exile. A long night that included pogroms, crusades, forced conversions, expulsions and gas chambers.

Yet, when an Israeli Prime Minister shook the hand of the devil in Washington, the nightmare became even more intense and frightening. The handshake symbolized the beginning of a time when nothing made sense anymore. The enemy ceased to only lie in waiting outside the ghetto walls or in the other part of the village. The dangers began from within the very body of the Jewish people.

Two Loves for The Land Of Israel

August 1, 2010July 30, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

Torah Portion Eikev

The Blessings of Torah Scholars

The Talmud (Berachot 50a) gives a litmus test to determine if an individual is truly a Torah scholar: listen to how he recites berachot (blessings). Clearly, when berachot are recited sincerely, they reflect a proper outlook on life and help instill important traits such as gratitude to God. What is less obvious is that even the detailed laws for blessings reflect fundamental concepts of the Torah. For this reason, Torah scholars are punctilious in their blessings.

Loving The Land

August 1, 2010July 30, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

A friend recently returned from a trip to the United States where he was teaching and lecturing. We discussed that common sense we all get of feeling depleted when spending time in the lands of the exile . We also agreed that the feeling upon returning is one of being replenished and refilled.

A recent Gallup poll showed that Israelis are amongst the top ten happiest populations in the world ,placing far ahead of the United States and Britain. The Gallup poll surveyed thousands of people in 155 countries focusing questions on their sense of overall “life satisfaction”. In fact some of the countries that topped Israel also top the lists regarding suicide and alcohol abuse ( both are areas in which Israel does not even enter the list). Another recent poll called ,”The War and Peace Index” conducted by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research found that 80% of the Jews polled defined their personal status as “very good” or “good,” 90% said they think Israel is doing “very well” as a nation; and 81% said they were “very optimistic” or “optimistic” as to the nation’s future.

Five Years Ago I Was Expelled

August 1, 2010July 26, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

My name is Rachel Saperstein. I am almost seventy years old. My husband and I have three children and twelve grandchildren. We lived in Jerusalem for close to thirty years, in Gush Katif for nearly nine years, and now we live in a plasterboard caravilla in the refugee camp of Nitzan between Ashdod and Ashkelon. During the Cast Lead war we were bombed by missiles coming in from Gaza. The missiles and rockets followed us from Gush Katif to Nitzan. There is no escape from enemy assault.

Perspectives

August 30, 2010July 26, 2010 by Moshe Kempinski

Moshe Rabbeinu ( Moses) is the man who walked between Heaven and Earth. He is the man who spoke to G-d as men speak to each other, panim el panim, that is to say, “face to face.” This is the man who walked into the fiery mountain and felt the Glory of G- d pass over him.

This man at the end of his life had but one request, one final plea (Deuteronomy 3: 24-25):The plea we read in this week’s torah portion. And I beseeched HaShem at that time, saying: “O HaShem G- d, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in Heaven or on Earth that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts? Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.”