Jewish Institutions Should NOT Hire anti-Semites By Jonathan S. Tobin and Why Are Stillborns' Graves Unmarked? By Yehuda Shurpin and The Fastest Train Ever Built: The SCMaglev and How Tennis Ball are Handmade in a Factory in India and Rabbi Berel Wein on Jewish Responsibility (Parsha Pikudi) and our trip to the Nahariya Botanical Gardens

View in browser Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement. Love Yehuda Lave Join my blog by sending me an email to YehudaLave@gmail.com On the last day of January in 2022, the traveling Jews go to Nahriya to warm up. While there we go to the great little botanical gardens and enjoy the birds and animals The basic lesson in this week's Torah reading is accountability. God demands from Moshe and the others who formulated and created the Tabernacle in the desert, to account for all the material that was donated by the Jewish people for that purpose. The last piece of silver that was donated had to be accounted for, but Moshe was distressed that he could not account for 1000 measures of the silver. He finally remembered that this donation of silver was used for constructing hooks that bound the tapestries of the Tabernacle together. The hooks must" shout" to remind us of their presence, and to make Moshe's accounting complete and accurate. Accounting is a very painstaking project. Most people view it as bordering on boring. Nevertheless, there is no commercial enterprise that can successfully exist without good and accurate accounting practices. The financial accounting in our Parsha regarding the materials that were used in the construction of the Tabernacle is a template for proper human behavior concerning the use of resources in all areas of life. This is especially true in matters that border on religious institutions that are held to the highest of all standards and are to be above any suspicion of corruption. The Priest of the Temple wore garments that had no pockets and could not conceal any hidden items of value that might be removed from the Temple. This overriding meticulous standard and value of accountability is not limited to financial matters. Judaism teaches us that we are all accountable for our actions - behavior, speech, attitudes, and even thoughts. We were created as being responsible creatures – responsible to the creator and to the other creatures that exist with us on this planet. We are given talents that are unique to each one of us. The challenge that is put before us is how those talents and abilities can be used for good and noble causes. There are many who think that the gifts that they have been given are for their exclusive use, and that there is no need or obligation to share them with others. They are sadly mistaken in this view. People are accountable for what they have, as they were for the supposedly insignificant amount of silver that was used to construct hooks that kept the tapestries together. King Solomon states in Kohelet that one should realize that all actions and behavior will eventually be weighed on the scales of heavenly justice. We live in a time when accountability, to a great extent, has been replaced by excuses, socia engineering, economic and psychological theories. All of these are used only to avoid the issue of accountability. To be human is to be responsible, and that is the message not only of this week's Parsha but of everything in Judaism. Shabbat shalom Betzalel, Ahaliav and their co-workers concluded their task. Everything was ready for the Tabernacle to be erected and for the vessels to be placed in their designated positions. Every item was accounted for and presented to Moses for his approval. On the first day of the first month- just two weeks short of a year since the Exodus- Moses was instructed to erect the Tabernacle. "The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle by day and fire by night in the sight of the entire house of Israel" (Exodus 40;38). The construction and erection of the Tabernacle conclude a chapter in the story of Creation which is based on seven "thoughts" of the Almighty before He created the world: Torah, Repentance, the Garden of Eden, Hell, the Heavenly Throne, the Temple and the name of the Messiah (Tractate Pesachim 54). These seven "thoughts" are alluded to in the seven crowns that we see atop the letter "shin" in the word "Yisrael". (Rokeiach on the Torah) I noted an additional two letters 'shin" with seven crowns that are in contrast to the regular letters "shin" which are always written with three crowns. Jewish Institutions Should NOT Hire anti-Semites By Jonathan S. Tobin As far as Jessie Sander is concerned, she's being persecuted for her "political beliefs." She was hired by the Westchester (New York) Reform Temple last July but was fired 15 days later after the synagogue leadership was made aware of a blog post she co-authored a few months earlier when the Hamas terrorist group was raining down hundreds of rockets and missiles on Israeli towns and cities. Titled "israel [sic] Won't Save Us: Moving Toward Liberation," it contained a litany of lies and libels directed at the Jewish state, whose name the bloggers refused to capitalize. It spoke of the duty of "white American Jews" to support Palestinian liberation and rejected the right of the 7 million Jews of Israel to self-determination in their ancient homeland as "racism." Ignorantly declaring that Zionism was alien to Judaism, it also opposed all American aid to Israel. The article also repeated the "apartheid state" smear, and falsely accused Israel of committing "genocide" and "state-sponsored murder." As if that wasn't enough, it then repeated the anti-Semitic blood libel invented by Jewish Voice for Peace claiming that the Jewish state is training U.S. law enforcement personnel to murder African-Americans on the streets of American cities. Nevertheless, in an article about Sander's lawsuit to get her job back, The New York Times characterized this litany of conspiracy theories and lies in a feature about her plight as merely a case that was about "a Jewish teacher" who "criticized Israel." The notion that a person capable of spewing such bile at fellow Jews should be entrusted with the Jewish education of the children of families affiliated with this synagogue seems like the stuff of parody. But in the view of the Times, it was worth more attention that it routinely gives to violent attacks suffered by Jews in the Greater New York area. That this is so speaks volumes about the way the paper is influenced by its increasingly left-wing staff and far-left Jews like Peter Beinart, who are doing their best to legitimize anti-Zionism as a normal thing for respectable liberal American Jews to support rather than complicity with anti-Semitism. Indeed, it puts the Times in the same camp as the radical Jewish Currents publication where Beinart is also affiliated. That online magazine featured an article about the supposed injustice dealt to Sander on its home page, alongside another piece in which the expulsion from Britain's Labour Party of supporters of its anti-Semitic former leader Jeremy Corbyn was lamented. Sander's lawsuit is just as absurd. She has every right to say or write whatever she likes about Israel or the Jews but no right to be given a platform for her hate by Jewish institutions. For her lawsuit to succeed, the courts would have to rule that Jewish institutions have no First Amendment rights to religious liberty, which entitles them to hire only people who support the tenets of their faith. The point of her effort, supported by a letter signed by Beinart and several dozen other Jewish anti-Semites, is even more ambitious. It wants the courts to rule that their assertion that Zionism and Jewish ties to the land of Israel are not part of Judaism—something that no court in New York or anywhere else in the country is likely to do. Still, this controversy shouldn't be dismissed as nonsensical or irrelevant to Jewish life. On the contrary, it goes to the heart of the future of American Judaism. Just as ominous, it points to the way that anti-Semitic invective is being mainstreamed in the media. Clearly, the Westchester Reform Temple failed to vet Sander before she was hired to work at its school. Sander may have also confused the willingness of the synagogue's rabbi to criticize Israel harshly with a tolerance of her belief that it be eliminated. The Reform movement is often deeply critical of Israel's policies to the point where many of the Jewish state's supporters believe that there is no distinction between its stands and those of anti-Zionists. While there may be some temples where this rings true, the movement as a whole, as well as the leadership of this synagogue, is still committed to Zionism. As Warren Haber, the synagogue's president, said in a letter to the Jewish community: "Strengthening our commitment to Israel and the Jewish people of all lands and working to establish understanding and commonality among the various expressions of Judaism" is integral to its "religious mission." The Reform movement is also deeply invested in the politics of the left on a host of issues. That means it is going to find itself increasingly drawn into these sorts of conflicts because of the growing support for intersectionality and critical race theory among the leftist base—both of which legitimize anti-Semitism—of the Democratic Party. The acceptance of the idea that Israel is an expression of "white privilege" against which people of color and their supporters are bound to struggle is becoming normative among many liberals. Left-wing Democrats like the members of the congressional "Squad" led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) have made anti-Zionism and support for the anti-Semitic BDS movement fashionable in some quarters. With many, if not most, Reform Jews seeing their faith as largely bound up with liberal politics, it was inevitable that the debate within the Democratic Party about Zionism would spread to their communities as well. The Westchester Reform Temple's decision to fire Sander makes it clear that many liberal Jews understand the difference between being critical of the Jewish state and its government's policies, and Zionism itself. Sander's position wasn't a critique of the settlement movement or advocacy for a two-state solution that Palestinians don't even want. It was a pure expression of hatred for Israel that was fully in line with the worst of anti-Semitic propaganda being spewed by those who, like her, seek its destruction. There are some who argue that Jewish communities must tolerate arguments like hers because they are in accord with the views of a growing number of young Jews who have been influenced by the drumbeat of delegitimization of Israel that often crosses over into anti-Jewish hatred. They argue that in order to stay relevant with youth culture and with that of the intersectional left that is playing a growing role among Democrats, people like Sander should be welcomed rather than rejected. That makes sense to people who see inclusion as the highest value to which a Jewish community can aspire. But while a big tent is, in theory, a good thing, a Jewish community that is willing to treat anti-Semitism as a legitimate point of view, as long as it is expressed in terms that sound familiar to liberals, is one that stands for nothing. And a community that stands for nothing has no future, no matter the age of its members. That's why there can be no room in any responsible Jewish community for those who spread blood libels against Jews, even if, like Sander, they claim to do so in the name of tikkun olam, social justice or a vision of progressive Judaism. Jessie Sander's firing is more than an appalling though minor incident that the left is trying to inflate into a major controversy. It's part of a campaign to do away with religious freedom. It's also a battle for the soul of the Reform movement as well as of American Judaism. {Reposted from the JNS website} The Three Musketeers at the Kotel Why Are Stillborns' Graves Unmarked? By Yehuda Shurpin losing a child of any age is heart-wrenching, and I would encourage anyone who unfortunately is experiencing this to explore some of our articles on the topic. While the following is meant to focus on the specific question asked, I hope that it offers some perspective as well. It is important to note that although the term "stillborn" is usually defined as a child who was born without life, from a halachic perspective, it would also include a baby who was born prematurely and then died. The Hebrew term for both of these is nofel. Or Nefel. Practically, since it is usually hard to know whether a child is considered to have been born "prematurely" from a halachic perspective, this includes any baby who, G‑d forbid, passes away within the first 30 days of life. In general, a baby who dies within 30 days needs to be buried,1 albeit without the usual funeral and mourning rituals. None of the liturgies of the burial service, including Kaddish, are recited. There are, however, specific laws that pertain to the burial of this child, which are taken care of by the chevra kadisha (Jewish burial society). This includes giving the baby a name, as well as circumcising the baby if need be. The baby is buried privately, usually with just three people from the burial society present. Generally, even the family is not in attendance.2 One of the reasons for this is that until quite recently, the rate of neonatal death was quite high. In the Middle Ages, parents anticipated many pregnancies, fully aware that a high percentage of the babies would not survive. As sad as miscarriages and stillbirths were, the family and the community knew of the risks and expected a certain amount of loss. The rabbis were aware of this as well. Thus, the predominant position of Jewish law was that if a baby did not survive for 30 days, it was as if the baby had not lived.3 Although the child was buried, there was no funeral per se, the grave was left unmarked, and the parents might never know where the grave was located. It was considered an act of kindness to the parents and the community, for without the restriction, families would have been in mourning almost continuously. (Note: Since times have changed and stillbirths have, thank G‑d, become a somewhat rarer occurrence, there are some communities in which the parents attend the burial. One should consult with one's rabbi and/or the local burial society.) The Resurrection of the Dead Although, as mentioned, there is no funeral or mourning, we are still careful to bury the child. One reason for this stems from the cardinal Jewish belief that the soul is eternal.4 When people pass away, their souls continue on in the afterlife, and eventually, in the messianic era, the dead will be resurrected and reunited with their loved ones. This applies even to a stillborn baby. It is for this reason that a stillborn is named by the chevra kadisha and is even circumcised post-mortem (for more on this, see Post-mortem Naming and Circumcision for a Stillbirth). The Zohar explains that proper burial in the ground is conducive to the resurrection process and a reflection of belief in the resurrection of the dead.5 Why Were These Souls Born? There are esoteric reasons why a soul must briefly enter this world in such a fashion, usually related to the loftiness of the soul.6 This soul was not here long enough to be mourned or even to come into contact with (and perhaps be tainted by) the physicality of this world. So Kaddish and anything else to "elevate" the soul aren't needed. At the same time, this is a lofty soul that will eventually be resurrected together with all the other souls, and as such we make sure to bury the child. Furthermore, the Talmud7 states that Moshiach and the ultimate redemption will not come until there are no more souls in the heavenly storage house, and all the souls that are destined to come into this world have done so. This is accomplished even by souls such as these, which never fully lived. Thus, we can take comfort in knowing that these souls took part in hastening the ultimate redemption and the coming of Moshiach. May we merit the day when the words of the prophet Isaiah will finally be fulfilled: "Death shall be swallowed up forever, and G‑d shall wipe the tears from every face."8 Footnotes 1. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 263:5, 353:4; see also Darkei Chesed 18:4. 2. See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 353:4; Darkei Chesed 18:5. 3. Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Aveilut 1:6; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 374:8. 4. The other reasons relate to the laws of impurity as well as the prohibition of having any benefit from the dead. 5. See Zohar 1:116a, 3:177a. 6. For a fascinating example of this (albeit about an infant, not necessarily a stillborn) see The Reincarnated Prince. 7. Talmud, Yevamot 62a. 8. Isaiah 25:8. By Yehuda Shurpin A noted scholar and researcher, Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin serves as content editor at Chabad.org, and writes the popular weekly Ask Rabbi Y column. Rabbi Shurpin is the rabbi of the Chabad Shul in St. Louis Park, Minn., where he resides with his wife, Ester, and their children. The Fastest Train Ever Built: The SCMaglev And that's the key sentence there. "Even faster than flying." With Maglev line Japan can reduce the amount of their polluting and noisy airplanes. Maglev will pollute only as much as the power plant the maglev requires to run. And if the Maglev uses only, for example, nuclear power, it produces zero CO2 emissions. At the same time airplanes are chugging through fuel amounts measured in METRIC TONS. That's a colossal difference in produced CO2 emissions: zero vs metric tonnes. And still people get to move around aaand faster than with plane. How Tennis Balls are Handmade in a Factory in India or Pakistan In the developed world, this factory may have been closed immediately due to breaking all sorts of safety laws (exposed motor transmission cable that someone could get stuck in, questionable electric installations, etc). By the way, I would never have thought the balls are worked on one by one. See you Sunday bli neder, Shabbat Shalom We need Moshiach now! Love Yehuda Lave Yehuda Lave, Spirtual Advisor and Counselor Jerusalem, Jerusalem  Israel 972-585043210 YehudaLave@gmail.com You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us. Unsubscribe