Stunning Photos and our Orthodox legal system and Shemini Atzeret

How one church handles Cell phone interruptions! And that is without violating shabbat.

This is from a fellow who visited a church in Burbank , CA , where they actually showed this video on how they handle cell phones in church. It's only one minute long, and a hoot!! http://www.youtube.com/embed/D2_c81Nnsc0

Good Traits are Easier Than You Think



Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (18th century Italy) wrote:

"I cannot deny that it will take hard work to free yourself from negative traits. Nevertheless, I can honestly tell you that not as much effort is needed as might at first appear. What you need appears more difficult than it will actually be in practice. When you are sincerely motivated to work consistently to free yourself from your faults, the positive habits you begin to establish will render the entire process much easier than you originally thought. Experience confirms this to be true."

Today, think about what positive habits you'd wish to master. Either write them down, or make a mental picture of how your life would be enhanced by mastering these traits. The stronger your feelings abut how much you will gain, the more motivated you will be.

Love Yehuda Lave

Attorney's are deeper than you think--Attorney Baruch Cohen for example:
An event, which took place more than 25 years ago, was a defining moment, sharpening Baruch Cohen' commitment to never apologize for who he was. "Ever since that day, I have worn my kippah everywhere, at bench trials and any other professional venue. If someone has a problem with my kippah, it's their problem, not mine. Orthodox Jewish attorneys should not feel like second-class citizens in the American judicial system. Our Torah pioneered all the core concepts of law."

A successful L.A. business and litigation attorney, Baruch Cohen says that today, it's common to see observant attorneys wearing kippahs in the courtroom, and he has never personally encountered flack from judges for it. But among the many articles he has written on the intersection of Jewish and civil law, one was based on a Texas judge who demanded an orthodox attorney remove his kippah in her courtroom or she would not allow him to argue his case there.

Baruch's  persona as an observant Jew, especially in the very public arena of courthouses, makes him a magnet for questions about Israel and Judaism. Once a Jewish colleague cornered him at the courthouse. "I can't understand why Israel won't make peace with the Palestinians," the man asked.

Baruch was outraged at the man's naivete. "This was a stacked question, so I employed a technique to get him to see the truth. Knowing the man was around 60, I asked him if he had ever had a CAT scan or MRI."

"That's an invasive question," the man countered.

Baruch repeated the question, and as he retells the story, he clearly savors the memory of the duel. His colleague admitted that he had not only had these medical scans but that a tumor had been discovered along the way.

Did you decide to make peace with the tumor or did you go to battle with it to save your life?

Baruch then went in for the kill: "Did you decide to make peace with the tumor or did you go to battle with it to save your life?" The other lawyer was so startled by the analogy that he actually invited Baruch to make a presentation on Israel to a group of lawyers, all of whom had biases against Israel.

"Lawyers are supposed to be evidence-based, which means they should be on the forefront of defending Israel," Baruch observes. In 2010, during the Gaza flotilla crisis, he was so outraged by the drumbeat of overwhelmingly negative press against Israel that he launched a blog called American Trial Attorneys in Defense of Israel. The blog includes links to Israel-related news articles, videos (including from Aish.com) blog posts and other commentary, and even the occasional parody, all meant to educate and enlighten readers about Jewish spirituality and Israel realpolitik. He credits Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz's books Chutzpah and The Case for Israel in particular as an inspiration for his own advocacy.

"In a court of law, I'd have the opportunity to impeach Israel's defamers. My blog is a cyberspace court of law," he says. A Jewish judge confided to Baruch that his notions about Israel had previously been formed by the reflexively leftist editorial pages of the Los Angeles Times. This judge, whose name had been floated as a U.S. Supreme Court nominee, has since done a complete turnaround on Israel in part from reading the blog, and has even taken groups of colleagues there. Baruch is satisfied that the blog is having an impact. "Besides, the attorney reading the blog today might be a senator tomorrow." Baruch has spoken several times on the case for Israel, including on behalf of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA.)

It is clear when talking to Baruch Cohen that this man loves a good fight. "I'm a student of Sun Tzu's The Art of War," he says. "I'm tenacious like a pit bull when in fight-mode." From his spacious ninth-floor office in midtown Los Angeles with floor-to-ceiling windows, on a clear day he can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean from one view and the skyscrapers downtown from the opposite view. Before a big case, he likes to pace the office in his stocking feet, practicing his arguments. "This is my lucky stress-reliever and helps focus my mind, like Bruce Willis in Diehard."
It's not surprising that a man who channels Bruce Willis and Sun Tzu would also boast of his "aggressive" legal tactics in advertisements for his practice. He was also delighted to hear that an attorney from the opposing side in one case was warned, "Be afraid, be very afraid" of going against him. Don't these "scorched earth" tactics and overt aggressiveness feed into negative Jewish stereotypes? Aren't they at odds with ideals of Jewish justice and sensitivity?
"Not at all," he states. "I'm aggressive but not abrasive. When a client is pursued wrongfully, it's therapeutic to have someone strong on their side. It is rehabilitative for a broken and downtrodden client to have someone willing to fight for them to the max. As long as it is done with honesty and integrity, I see no contradiction. And sometimes the best offense is a good defense."

These are beautiful....    Surfing a rainbow  Roller coaster in nature Jupiter and its moon, IO On the edge Dubai bathed in Sunlight Eerie Irish Countryside Cordon del Caulle erupts in Chile Giraffes at dusk Ice Canyon Shan Hai Guan. Where the great wall of China meets the sea Kyoto Bamboo forest Abandoned subway beneath New York Dubai at night The temple of sky, Iceland Castle in Werfen, Austria Garden Staircase in Kyoto, Japan Lightning Across the Sky Tamblian Lake, Indonesia Mount Kilimanjaro from above The Waterfall Island at Iguazu Falls Beautiful view from the lighthouse. Lengkuas island, Indonesia Creating the Palm Islands in Dubai Earth, Jupiter, and Venus seen from Mars Space from the Himalayas Sunrise over Lofoten, Norway Isle of Skye. Hebrides, Scotland Clear Water of Sameranger Lake, Austria Sailing into the moon Tomb of the Prussian Royal Family Trolltunga, Norway   The beauty of Guilin, China Stress free Wildfire Beautiful Burma Reflections Stunning. Lake Louise in Canada Living on the edge of the abyss Crazy supercell thunderstorm clouds Unreal photo of Dubai Amazing volcano eruption Coastal village of Manarola, Italy Buddhist monks, lantern lighting ceremony Reflections of Mont Saint-Michel A beautiful city. Tehran, Iran Morning in Tuscany A sea of sunflowers Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany Sveti Stefan Island, Montenegro Potala Palace, Tibet Chicago skyline in the sunset Obersee Lake, Germany Ancient Monastery in Armenia Largest statue of Ghenghis Khan in the world on the Mongolian Steppes Cave of the Crystal Sepulcher in Belize The Milky Way over Jackson Lake and Grand Teton National Park Broken Boat Chateau de Chillon, Switzerland Statue of King Decebal on the Danube Canyon, Romania/Serbia border Kalyazin, Russia Street Art in Poland Mount Fuji from the village of Saiko Albion Falls, Canada The fog hills of Sausalito Karymsky, Russia View from Mount Lycabettus, Athens, Greece

What is Shemini Atzeret?

Falling just after Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret the holiday on which Jews start praying for rain.

Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah FAQ

Everything you ever wanted to know about the holidays

(Abigail Miller/Tablet Magazine)

WHAT IS SHEMINI ATZERET?
Falling just after Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret is the holiday on which Jews start praying for rain.

WHAT IS SIMCHAT TORAH?
It's the holiday that celebrates the conclusion of the yearly cycle of reading the Torah, after which we begin anew reading the Five Books of Moses, starting from the first chapter of Genesis.

WHEN IS SHEMINI ATZERET?
Shemini Atzeret 2013 begins on sundown Wednesday, September 25, ending on Thursday, September 26. In Israel, it is celebrated on the same day as Simchat Torah. In the Diaspora, Simchat Torah falls the day after Shemini Atzeret.

WHEN IS SIMCHAT TORAH?
Outside of Israel, Simchat Torah 2013 begins on sundown Thursday, September 26, ending on Friday, September 27.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

The Book of Numbers explains Shemini Atzeret simply: "On the eighth day you should hold a solemn gathering; you shall not work at your occupation." That's about it. the "eighth day"—shemini—concept suggests the holiday is part of Sukkot, a final eighth day of the holiday; it is, however, not part of Sukkot, though the two holidays share a focus on agriculture and Shemini Atzeret follows directly after the holiday of Sukkot. Rushing to interpret the meaning of this strange and loosely defined holiday, the rabbis never lacked for creative explanations. Some, for example, argued that as Sukkot is a time to commemorate dwelling in temporary structures as guests of the Lord, Shemini Atzeret is a bonus round of sorts, a reminder that God loves his chosen people so much he is reluctant to let them go back to business as usual. Other scholars argued that while Sukkot is a universal holiday, in which we're commanded to invite guests into our homes, Shemini Atzeret is just for Jews, a time for God to bond with his favorite children.

There's also the matter of the holiday's proximity to Simchat Torah. In Israel, Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret are celebrated on the same day, right after Sukkot. Elsewhere, Simchat Torah is celebrated the day after Shemini Atzeret, that is, two days after Sukkot. We realize how confusing this is; luckily, there's nothing for us to do but sit in a sukkah and be in a festive mood.

The focus of Simchat Torah is the Five Books of Moses—finishing reading them, that is. On Simchat Torah, minyan congregants read the Torah's last portion and then jump right back to the beginning and read the first, creating a never-ending cycle of book reading.

Simchat Torah's festivities begin, as do all Jewish holidays, on the holiday's eve. The synagogue's Torah scrolls, confined to the ark except when they're being read during Torah services during the week, are removed, and members of the entire congregation (in some communities, only the men) pass the scrolls from hand to hand, dancing and chanting liturgy while circling the synagogue seven times. This is known as hakafot, or rounds. (Interestingly enough, hakafot is also the proper Hebrew word for the game of baseball.) While tradition only requires the revelers to remain inside the synagogue, many communities take the party to the streets, and children are customarily given colorful flags and candy.

In recent decades, Simchat Torah has become the occasion for political gatherings. In the 1970s and '80s, there were frequent, massive demonstrations across America in support of Jewish refuseniks in the Soviet Union.

WHAT DO WE EAT?

Whatever you like. There is no particular food associated with Shemini Atzeret. And while there is no echt dish for Simchat Torah, it is traditional to give children sweets to better emphasize the joyous nature of the holiday. Torah-shaped cookies and candied apples are perennial favorites. It has also become traditional for celebrants of Simchat Torah to enjoy the holiday festivities with the help of libations.

ANY DOS AND DON'TS?

The only "do" for Shemini Atzeret is to begin the recitation of a special prayer for rain, tefilat geshem, marking the beginning of the rainy season following the harvest. This plea is recited regularly until Passover.

On Simchat Torah, the Priestly Blessing, usually recited during the Musaf service, is bumped up to Shacharit, the early morning service. One plausible explanation for that is that Kohanim, or the priestly line of Aaron's descendants, are prohibited from performing the blessing while intoxicated, and the change of schedule allows them to perform their duties early on Simchat Torah morning and partake in the holiday's festivities for the rest of the day.

Another tradition has to do with the congregation's youngest members, who are honored with a collective aliyah during which they are all covered with a large tallit as Jacob's blessing to his children is read out loud. "May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the children," it reads, "and may my name be declared among them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they teem like fish for multitude within the land."
Some congregations also invite all eligible members for an aliyah, often repeating portions several times over to give everyone an opportunity to read from the Torah.

ANYTHING GOOD TO READ?
While Shemini Atzeret has no special readings, Simchat Torah is all about reading. We finish reading Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch, and start the cycle again, tackling Genesis from its opening verses.

ANYTHING ELSE TO DO?
• Watch Rabbi David Kalb explain Shemini Atzeret

• Get down with K'tonton's prayer for rain, everybody's favorite (and, possibly, world's only) Shemini Atzeret-themed children's book

• Go round and round on hakafot with the Viznitz Hasids for Simchat Torah.

• Sweeten things with some Torah-shaped cookies.

• Brush up on some of the celebration's social aspects.

• Read our commentary on the Torah's first parasha…

• …Or contemplate the last.

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