Lag B'Omer starts tonight and lasts through tomorrow night and Unique Sites of Israel: Lot’s Wife: Sodom & Gomorrah By Nosson Shulman and OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: Lot’s Wife and Sodom and Gomorrah and Jerusalem’s Demography 1880-1948By Yisrael Medad and What's My Line? - Jimmy Durante; Bobby Darin [panel] (Jan 31, 1965) [W/ COMMERCIALS]
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.
The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember.
The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave.
Jerusalem's Demography 1880-1948 By Yisrael Medad
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Today's anti/non-Zionists refuse to acknowledge Jerusalem's Jewish history and status or the fact that a concept of "East/West Jerusalem", at the most, was a 19 year aberration in the city's 3000 year history.
One measure is demography. What was the percentage of the city's Jewish community amongst the various populations prior to the city becoming "Israeli"? The city, by 1870, already had a Jewish plurality. And the succeeding years?
For reference:
The first table presents the growth of Jerusalem's population and as it is in Hebrew, we need read from right to left.
The years are 1880, 1900, 1910, 1931 and 1948.
In the walled Old City, the population dropped from 19,000 to 2,000 and of course, on May 28, 1948, the Jewish Quarter, the last of the areas where Jews still lived, surrendered.
In the New City, the Jewish population grew from 2,000 to 98,000.
The lower table focuses on the Old City with its Jewish and Arab population in 1880, 1910, 1922 and 1931, the last two years from the official British census counts (here and here). hy there are slight differences, do not know.
In any case, the Arab terror riots of 1929 and then 1936-39 quite clearly caused an ethnic cleansing result of Jews from the city where Jews had lived consistently since the 12th century and in previous centuries, from 135 CE, at the will of foreign subjugators and rulers as feasible.
What's My Line? - Jimmy Durante; Bobby Darin [panel] (Jan 31, 1965) [W/ COMMERCIALS]
Here's another rare episode that includes the original commercials, thanks to a second, unedited copy provided by epaddon. I preserved as much as possible of my original copy due to its much higher a/v quality.
MYSTERY GUEST: Jimmy Durante PANEL: Arlene Francis, Bobby Darin, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf
Unique Sites of Israel: Lot's Wife: Sodom & Gomorrah
Today we are visiting an unusual Biblical site, where truth is stranger than fiction! Located in the heart of the Judean Desert, Mount Sodom is completely composed of sulfur (as opposed to the rest of the desert which is composed of limestone).
Despite the fact that the rest of the Judean Desert is composed of desert limestone, Mount Sodom is entirely composed of salt. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
When standing at this abnormal "enclave" of salt, tourists immediately understand that this is not a natural geological feature. Indeed, the sulfur found here is unique (it's 98% pure and white, unlike natural sulfur formed by geothermal activity). What happened here would have remained an unexplained mystery, if not for the Bible recording what occurred here.
Millions of high purity (98% pure) sulfur balls with burn rings were found here, embedded in what looks like the ashen remains of cities. The picture on the bottom is Gomorrah. Photo from Public Domain
Four thousand years ago, the wicked people of Sodom were murderers, robbers, and well renowned for their selfishness. Even feeding the poor was a capital crime! According to Jewish sources, this was meant to keep poor people from having a reason to come to their town. Selfishness was so ingrained in their psyche that they used to strip the trees bare of fruits, lest any birds or animals should benefit even the slightest from their property. They were also exceedingly wealthy due to their precious stone mines and agricultural fertility as it says "It was all watering (full of springs) before G-d destroyed Sodom…Like the Garden of G-d (Genesis 13:10)". Indeed, the archaeological evidence shows that this barren, salty mountain was fertile up until that time.
Because of their evil deeds G-d decided to destroy Sodom, together with 4 nearby cities, by raining fire and brimstone on the city. Lot (Abraham's nephew) had settled in Sodom with his family. In the merit of his uncle, G-d sent angels to inform Lot's family that the city would be destroyed and that he needed to flee immediately. He also commanded them not to look back as the city was being destroyed. Despite the warning, Lot's Wife decided to turn around and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt along with the city and the Dead Sea.
Lot fled with his wife and two daughters. Lot's wife couldn't resist the urge to look and was immediately converted into a pillar of salt. Picture taken from public domain
In the end of days, the Bible tells us that Sodom and the Dead Sea will be healed and once again become a place of great fertility (see Ezekiel 47). In the meantime, you can still visit this wonderous site to see firsthand where one of the most dramatic Biblical events took place!
All photos are either the property of the author or leased for commercial use
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: Lot's Wife and Sodom and Gomorrah
archaeological evidence shows that the barren, salty Mt. Sodom was fertile up until the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
By Nosson Shulman, Licensed Tour Guide
"G-d caused rain of sulfur and fire to fall on Sodom and on Gomorrah…(Lot's) wife looked behind her and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:24-26)"
Today we are visiting an unusual Biblical site, where truth is stranger than fiction! Located in the heart of the Judean Desert, Mt. Sodom is completely composed of sulfur (as opposed to the rest of the desert which is composed of limestone).
When standing at this abnormal "enclave" of salt, tourists immediately understand that this is not a natural geological feature. Indeed, the sulfur found here is unique (it's 98 percent pure and white, unlike natural sulfur formed by geothermal activity).
What happened here would have remained an unexplained mystery, if not for the Bible recording what occurred.
Despite the fact that the rest of the Judean Desert is composed of desert limestone, Mt. Sodom is entirely composed of salt. (Shutterstock)
Four thousand years ago, the wicked people of Sodom were murderers, robbers, and well renowned for their selfishness. Even feeding the poor was a capital crime! According to Jewish sources, this was meant to keep poor people from having a reason to come to their town.
Selfishness was so ingrained in their psyche that they used to strip the trees bare of fruits, lest any birds or animals should benefit even the slightest from their property.
They were also exceedingly wealthy due to their precious stone mines and agricultural fertility as it says "It was all watering (full of springs) before G-d destroyed Sodom…Like the Garden of G-d (Genesis 13:10)."
Indeed, the archaeological evidence shows that this barren, salty mountain was fertile up until that time.
Because of their evil deeds G-d decided to destroy Sodom and four nearby cities with a rain of fire and brimstone. Lot (Abraham's nephew) had settled in Sodom with his family. In the merit of his uncle, G-d sent angels to inform Lot's family that the city would be destroyed and that they needed to flee immediately.
They were specifically warned not to look back as Sodom was destroyed.
Nevertheless, Lot's wife turned around and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt along with Sodom, the surrounding cities and the Dead Sea.
Lot's Wife overlooking the Dead Sea was turned into a pillar of salt some 4,000 years ago as described in Genesis 19. (Shutterstock)
The Bible tells us that in the end of days, Sodom and the Dead Sea will be healed and once again become a place of great fertility (see Ezekiel 47).
In the meantime, you can still visit this wonderous site to see firsthand where one of the most dramatic Biblical events took place!
Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series, which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.
