Thursday, January 27, 2022

Normal People Think Ahead Rav Binyamin Kahane 1992

Kahane on the Parsha Rabbi Binyamin Kahane- Parshat Mishpatim NORMAL PEOPLE THINK AHEAD On the verse, "If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt on his account" (Exodus 22:1), Rashi cites a passage in the Talmud that is certain to shock liberal Jews: "If one comes to slay you, rise and slay him first. And this thief indeed came to kill you since he knows that a person will not stand by quietly and watch his possessions being stolen, hence, he is prepared to kill you if you confront him." Absolutely amazing! In other words, the Rabbis are telling us that the rule of "If one comes to slay you, rise and slay him first" does not exclusively address someone with a knife being held to his throat. The rule is much more expansive. The Rabbis teach us that a person is obligated to think a few steps ahead and anticipate. If he thinks there is a real threat that someone may kill him, he is required to "rise and slay him first." In this Talmudic passage, the Rabbis enter the psyche of the thief. They reason that the thief, knowing the likelihood of resistance, has prepared himself to kill the owner if necessary. Therefore, the owner may kill him immediately upon confronting him without waiting to see how the thief will react to being caught. How we have distorted the concept of "If one comes to slay you, rise and slay him first"! The average Moderdox Jew thinks that one can only rise and slay the Arab who is throwing a Molotov cocktail or yelling "Allahu akhbar" as he chases his victim with a hatchet. He believes that if the danger is not "this very instant"- but rather will reveal itself in one hour or one week- the law does not apply. What was obvious to the Rabbis- that one MUST think a few steps ahead and that a person does not "not stand by quietly and watch his possessions being stolen"- is not obvious in today's society where "humanism" and distorted concepts of morality run rampant. In Israel, Jews continue to passively accept being beaten and humiliated by our enemy, lacking the healthy and normal survival instinct to "rise and slay him first." This self-restraint is justified with the argument that the situation is not life-threatening. And so, soldiers and settlers shoot warning shots in the air after being attacked since the danger, as they see it, is not imminent. According to IDF guidelines, soldiers, upon seeing a terrorist, must shout a warning, shoot in the air, and, if the situation gets really hot, shoot at the terrorist's legs. Only a Jew who is already dead can shoot to kill since anyone who does so before that point will find himself facing murder charges. In short, we have learned two important lessons. First, the rule "If one comes to slay you, rise and slay him first" is not limited to a situation where someone is pointing a gun to your head; one is permitted to anticipate potential danger to life. Second, only a nation devoid of any self-respect doesn't rise up and fight back. After all, the Talmudic passage we quoted at the beginning of this article concerns fighting for one's property. Shouldn't its logic apply all the more so concerning fighting for one's life? We must cease to interpret and define halacha in accordance with our Western mentality and mindset. We must rise up, just like one rises early for vatikin (shacharit/morning services), and think a few steps ahead so that we can kill the murderous trespassers before it is too late. Darka Shel Torah, 1992 Shabbat Shalom Barbara Kahane on the Parsha can be purchased on Amazon.com Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles and would like to be, please contact me at: barbaraandchaim@gmail.com To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com Facebook: Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Rav Kahane Divrei Torah Pictures Viewpoints Youtubes Telegram link: https://t.me/RKDTVP

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Is Unity Always Good ? Rav Binyamin Kahane 1994

Kahane on the Parsha Rabbi Binyamin Kahane- Parshat Yitro IS UNITY ALWAYS GOOD??? So much is heard these days on the need to be united. Indeed, "unity" has become a major buzzword in the mouths of those Jews who seek solutions to the problems plaguing us. If only we were united, they say, we would overcome our enemies, live in peace- even bring the redemption. Even the most outspoken and uncompromising types talk of unity as an elixir that would solve all our problems. And so the question that must be asked is: Is it true? Is unity really the cure-all? In Parshat Yitro, we find a rare moment of unity among the Jewish people. The Torah writes about the moment they arrived at Mt. Sinai: "And Israel encamped near the mountain." The Rabbis, noting that the word "encamped" is written in singular form ("VaYichan"), tell us they encamped "as one man, as one heart." What an awesome moment!!! The Jewish people are standing at Mt. Sinai about to receive G-d's Law, and the Torah reveals to us that this particular moment was unlike any other. This time there were no quarrels, no bickering. Everyone was united around one idea, one goal. But there is a tremendous difference between this unity at the foot of Mt. Sinai and the unity that so-called leaders of today babble about. For the question isn't whether unity is good or bad, but rather: What cause are you uniting around? G-d dispersed the generation of the Tower of Bavel because they were united for evil. Therefore, despite their unity they were branded the "Dor Haflaga"- the generation of "splitting" or "schism." Their unity revolved around an evil purpose. It was a unity of wicked people, who "split" or separated from G-d. In other words, unity of the wicked is bad. As our Rabbis state, "The scattering of the wicked is good for them and good for the world" (Sanhedrin 72a). Uniting for evil purposes is abhorrent to G-d. Leaders and scholars should pay heed to the words they speak. By preaching unity in such loose terms, they mislead the nation. Every unity has its limits- it MUST BE for the doing of good. Darka Shel Torah, 1994 Shabbat Shalom Barbara If you are interested in reading more Divrei Torah from Rabbi Meir and Binyamin Kahane HY"D, you can purchase the book at both of the following two links: http://brennbooks.com/ http://www.amazon.com/Kahane-Parsha-Meir/dp/098867680X Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Kahane and would like to be, please contact me at barbaraandchaim@gmail.com To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com Facebook: Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Telegram: Rav Kahane Divrei Torah, Pictures, Viewpoints, Youtubes Good Link: https://t.me/RKDTVP

Don't Be So Humble 1968

Kahane on the Parsha Rabbi Meir Kahane- Parshat Yitro DON'T BE SO HUMBLE We are told that when the L-rd desired to give the Torah to the Jewish people, instead of choosing a lofty and majestic mountain, He selected Sinai, a small, humble little mount barely more than a hill. His purpose in this symbolic act was to teach us that man must turn his back on overbearing pride and reject a false ego. The Gerer Rebbe asked: If G-d intended to teach us that man must turn down false pride, why was the Torah not given in a valley? The Rebbe answered: It is not enough, he said, to reject overbearing pride. Too much humility is also wrong. Man should- man must- possess some pride in his being; otherwise he is not a man. I never cease to be amazed that we continue to be valleys. I never cease wondering at our choosing the way of the meek. One would imagine that after all the "help" we have failed to receive, we would remember the lesson of the mountain. The fact is that we are living in sad times when we must- just for the moment- still the voice of Jacob and, for the sake of Jewish honor, of Jewish protection, don the hand of Esav. Vandals attack a yeshiva- let that yeshiva attack the vandals. Should a gang bloody a Jew, let a Jewish group go looking for the gang. This is the way of pride- not evil pride, but the pride of nation, of kinship- the pride of the mountain. There are those who will protest: This is not the Jewish way. And yet, since when has it been a mitzvah to be punished and beaten? Since when is it a Kiddush Hashem to be spat upon? It is not a Kiddush Hashem, it is quite THE OPPOSITE. It is a disgrace to the pride of our people, our G-d. More important, there is a rule in the hoodlum jungle: The more the victim backs away, the more the hoodlum moves forward. So up from the valley and up to the Mount. Jewish rights are not cheap and Jewish defense is not wrong. This is the lesson of the Mount The Jewish Press, 1968 Editor's note: Rabbi Meir Kahane wrote this dvar Torah shortly after forming the Jewish Defense League, which at first devoted itself to protecting vulnerable Jews in New York City, which was experiencing an upswing in crime in the 1960's. He later often repeated this dvar Torah Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles and would like to be, please contact me at: barbaraandchaim@gmail.com

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Rejoice When The Wicked Die -1986

Kahane on the Parsha Rabbi Meir Kahane- Parshat BeShalach REJOICE WHEN THE WICKED DIE "Then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this song..."--Exodus 15:1 Avraham Tirosh, a member of the Mafdal party (מפד"ל- מפלגת פועלי דתי לאומי) or the NRP (National Religious Party), recently wrote an article whose basic theme is love of all people, even enemies; equality of all people; and the sin of rejoicing over the death of our enemies. He begins, of course, with the usual partial quote from the Talmud (Megillah 10b) that when the angels sought to sing a song of praise as the Egyptians were drowning in the Red Sea, G-d said: "The work of My hands is drowning in the sea and you want to sing?" Says Tirosh: "All who are created in the image of G-d, even the Egyptian, are G-d's work and thus we must relate to them. When a disaster occurs to ANYONE, EVEN if he is your ENEMY, EVEN if he seeks to DESTROY YOU--do not sing praise. Or, in the words of King Solomon (Proverbs 24:17), 'When your enemy falls, do not rejoice, and when he stumbles, let your heart not be glad.'" As always, the Tiroshes of the world selectively and very partially quote the Talmud. The selection he cites really begins with R. Yehoshua Ben Levi starting his lecture on Megillat Esther with the verse, "As the L-rd rejoiced over you to do you good, so the L-rd will rejoice over you to cause you to perish" (Deuteronomy 28:63). And the Talmud asks: Does the Almighty then rejoice over the fall of the wicked? And to prove that He does not rejoice, the story of the angels asking to sing praise is cited. And this is where Tirosh stops. BUT THERE IS MORE! The Talmud continues as follows: "Rabbi Elazar said: It is true that HE does not rejoice, but He causes OTHERS TO REJOICE." Ah, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! And a clear answer to the obvious question: If G-d does not want us to rejoice and praise Him when our enemy falls, why in the world does it say: "Then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this song to the L-rd..."? And a clear answer to why the Rabbis say (Mechilta, Beshalach 2:6): "Moses asked Israel: Will you stand and do NOTHING while the L-rd performs miracles and glories for you? Said Israel to Moses: What should we do? Said he to them: You will glorify and praise and give song and glory and greatness to the One to whom wars belong." Of course, the Almighty, the totality of compassion, the father of all, grieves for His children--all of them. HE does not sing. His angels, who are not of this world, do not sing. but the JEWS DO! Not only are they ALLOWED TO, THEY ARE COMMANDED TO...Why? For the very same reason that the Almighty, though He does not sing, DOES destroy the work of His hands when it turns evil. Yes, of course He grieves. He grieves at those who were made in His image have so perverted and destroyed the greatness of that image. But in His grief He does not have pity. He destroys. He knows that evil and He cannot share the same world, as our Rabbis say: "As long as the wicked rule in the world, the Holy One Blessed Be He, so to speak, cannot sit on His throne" (Yalkut, Tehillim 47). And thus do the Rabbis declare (Shemot Rabba 23:1): "This is the meaning of the verse 'Your throne was firm from then (az אז)' (Psalms 93:2). Although You exist from time immemorial, Your throne was not made firm and You were not renowned in Your world until Your children sang...[W]hen we sang before You 'Az Yashir,' then (az אז ) Your kingdom and throne were made firm." And that is why King David sings (Psalms 58:11-12): "The righteous one shall rejoice when he sees vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked." Why? Because only when we see the wicked punished, only when we see vengeance for their sins, do we have proof that G-d really exists and rules. And David continues by saying: "So that people shall say: There is, indeed, a reward for the righteous; there is, indeed, a G-d who judges on the earth." And that is why the Rabbis tell us that "Moses yearned to see vengeance against the Midianites" (Bamidbar Rabba 22:5). Moses. Yearned. To see vengeance on the wicked. What shall we do with the fanatic Moses...? The incredible perversion of Judaism by confused and guilt-ridden Jews, ignoramuses and learned alike! Our Rabbis tell us (Yalkut, Beshalach 241): "'And Israel saw the great hand of G-d' (Exodus 14:31). When the Almighty wished to drown the Egyptians, the Archangel of Egypt (Uza) said, 'Sovereign of the Universe! You are called just and righteous...why do You wish to drown the Egyptians?'...At that moment Gabriel rose, took a brick, and said, 'Sovereign of the Universe! These who enslaved Your children in such a terrible slavery as this, shall You have mercy on them?' Immediately, the Almighty drowned them." And allow me to introduce two other Talmudic sayings: "The generation was one of tiny faith, saying, 'Just as we rose from the sea on this side, perhaps the Egyptians rose from the other side.' The Almighty ordered that the bodies be washed up and Israel saw them" (Pesachim 118b). And Midrash Tehillim (22:1) adds, "Each Jew took his dog and put his foot on the throat of a dead Egyptian and said to his dog, 'Eat of the hand that slaved me, eat of the heart that showed me no pity.'" Poor Tirosh As for the tiresome perversion of the verse, "When your enemy falls, do not rejoice" (Proverbs 24:17), it is time that Tirosh went beyond a Biblical verse and learned that G-d gave us an Oral Law, a Talmud, that explains verses. Let him open the Talmud (Megillah 16a) which tells of Mordechai kicking Haman as the latter bent over to help him climb on his horse. Haman, too, in a startling echo of Tirosh, wails: "Does it not say in your Torah, 'When your enemy falls...'?" And Mordechai answers Haman, and Tirosh: "That applies to a Jew but concerning you the Torah states: 'And you shall trample upon their high places' (Deuteronomy 33:29)." The Jewish Press, 1986 Shabbat Shalom! Barbara If you are interested in reading more Divrei Torah from Rabbi Meir and Binyamin Kahane HY"D, you can purchase the book at both of the following two links: http://brennbooks.com/ http://www.amazon.com/Kahane-Parsha-Meir/dp/098867680X Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Kahane and would like to be, please contact me at barbaraandchaim@gmail.com To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com Facebook: Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Join Telegram: https://t.me/RKDTV Join by above link for Divrei Torah, Pictures, Viewpoints, Youtubes of Rav Meir Kahane and Rav Binyamin Kahane