When Noahides express support of “Israel,” it is important to know who it is that you are supporting.

It is important because the spiritual concept of a Noahide is a soul that attaches itself to G-d’s people (as opposed to a convert who becomes one of them).

“I support Israel.”  Do you mean the Israeli government? the Israel Defense Forces? the Israeli Rabbinate?  The Israeli citizens?

Unfortunately, G-d has not brought us the Final Redemption yet.  Hence, the Land of Israel is filled with the Children of Israel, but run by (some) people who are very anti-Torah-of-Israel.¹  It’s a twisted situation of transition, and is far more complicated than this.

The Israeli government is not based on the morality of the Torah.  It is based on the morality of secular Democracy (with a sprinkle of Jewish culture).  Democracy is only a vessel, a garment, a body - but not a soul.  It holds no inherent moral system.  Rather, Democracy holds the morality with which it’s leaders and population inject it.

Hence, the Israeli Knesset’s (parliament’s) approval of Operation Cast Lead could not be more opposite from Torah values:

(IsraelNN.com) All Knesset parties except for Meretz [(very liberal party -iHN)] and the Arab parties approved the decision to support the action in Gaza. The decision stated: “It is the right of the State of Israel to defend itself just as it is the right of any nation to do so. It is the right of the citizens of Israel to live with security just as it the right of any other citizens to do so.”

First of all, all Torah thoughts aside, it is not the government’s right to defend its citizens, it is the government’s job!

Secondly, the secular Zionists did not found the State of Israel as a fulfillment of redemption from 2,000-year exile.  Rather, they wanted a state “like any other nation.” They thought that this would end the phenomenon of anti-semitism. It was their solution to the “final solution.”

But G-d does not want Jews to be like any other nation!  The Jews are meant to be a holy nation of priests who will share G-dliness with the entire world.

Because the secular society in Israel strives to be like “any other nation,” the hand of anti-semitism, no matter be it Kassam rockets in Israel or Al Qaeda terrorists in Mumbai, strikes a lethal reminder that we Jews are not like any other nation.

Neither should we live like any other nation, nor should we die like any other nation.

Therefore we must fight for our lives in the manner that befits G-d’s priestly people, and not in the manner of “any other nation.”  That is to say, relentlessly - without fear - and with complete faith in Hashem.

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I was shown the following in Rambam’s list of the 613 commandments.

Negative Mitzvah 58: Those engaged in warfare shall not fear their enemies nor be panic-stricken by them during battle. (Deut. 3:22, 7:21, 20:3)

IDF Soldier of the Nahal Haredi battalion dons his tefillin.

Deuteronomy 3:22 “You shall not fear them; for HaShem your G-d, it is He that fights for you”
Deuteronomy 7:21 “You shall not be terrified by them”
Deuteronomy 20:3 “1 When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for HaShem your G-d is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

2 And it shall be, when you draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

3 and shall say unto them: ‘Hear, O Israel, you draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint; fear not, nor be alarmed, neither be you affrighted at them;

4 for HaShem your G-d is He that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’”

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When a Jewish soldier is called up to the battlefront, he must trust in HaShem. He must realize that he is fighting for the sake of the Master of the Universe.

The Jewish soldier is commanded not to fear the enemy. He must gather all his courage and rely on HaShem to protect him.  This is no small feat.

A Jewish soldier who retreats from the enemy because of fear violates this Negative Mitzvah.

It is forbidden for Jews to give away parts of the land of Israel, even for “promises” of peace.  The only thing that has come out of Gaza since the Israeli government evicted 8,000 Jews from their Gaza homes is rockets and increasing Hamas terror (as well as worsening living conditions for Gazan Palestinians).  Since Israel left Gaza in 2005, the Palestinians have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel.  The current Israeli military campaign is a response to this Hamas terror.

Thank G-d, the first aerial strike against Hamas was successful. However, the Isaeli government says the military operation has just begun.

We pray that we will see victory of the kind that will bring true peace. With people like Hamas, seeds of peace do not grow in the soil of negotiations, no matter how much manure you add to it. (I will refrain from further gardening analogies that would include weeding and salting slugs.)

Rabbi Brody who lives in Ashdod on the coast of Israel recaps the situation thus far.

Below are Psalms to say when the Land of Israel and the Jewish people who dwell within her are in danger.

Psalms 83, 121, 130, 142

These should be said aloud, but need only be loud enough for you to hear the words yourself. If you feel the quality of your concentration is enhanced by saying them in a normal voice or crying them out, that should be done. The words are vessels, powerful vessels. Into these vessels one should place powerful spirit and intention, especially if you are moved to tears. Your spirit is like a bow, and the words are your arrows. Aim well. Give them strength to pierce the Heavens.

English is fine, which is why I posted English here. If you read Hebrew, you should say these Psalms (or “Tehillim”) in Hebrew even if you don’t understand the words. In that case, you should read the English first a couple times to know what you are saying.

There is no limit to the number of times you can or should say Psalms.  The same goes to personal prayer in your own words and native language.  I personally find it powerful to say Psalms and add my own prayers afterwards or in between the Psalms, aligning my own words to the themes of the particular Psalm.

I think you will find the first Psalm (83) most relevant to the war against Israel. See how those who hate G-d’s people are the same today as they were when Dovid HaMelech (King David) wrote these words!

Psalm 83

1 A Song, a Psalm of Asaph.
2 O God, keep not Thou silence; hold not Thy peace, and be not still, O God.
3 For, lo, Thine enemies are in an uproar; and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head.
4 They hold crafty converse against Thy people, and take counsel against Thy treasured ones.
5 They have said: ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.’
6 For they have consulted together with one consent; against Thee do they make a covenant;
7 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
8 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
9 Assyria also is joined with them; they have been an arm to the children of Lot. Selah
10 Do Thou unto them as unto Midian; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook Kishon;
11 Who were destroyed at En-dor; they became as dung for the earth.
12 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and like Zebah and Zalmunna all their princes;
13 Who said: ‘Let us take to ourselves in possession the habitations of God.’
14 O my God, make them like the whirling dust; as stubble before the wind.
15 As the fire that burneth the forest, and as the flame that setteth the mountains ablaze;
16 So pursue them with Thy tempest, and affright them with Thy storm.
17 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek Thy name, O LORD.
18 Let them be ashamed and affrighted for ever; yea, let them be abashed and perish;
19 That they may know that it is Thou alone whose name is the LORD, {N}
the Most High over all the earth. {P}

Psalm 121

1 A Song of Ascents. {N}
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: from whence shall my help come?
2 My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper; the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall keep thee from all evil; He shall keep thy soul.
8 The LORD shall guard thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and for ever. {P}

Psalm 130

1 A Song of Ascents. {N}
Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hearken unto my voice; {N}
let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning; yea, more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.
8 And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. {P}

Psalm 142

1 Maschil of David, {N}
when he was in the cave; a Prayer.
2 With my voice I cry unto the LORD; with my voice I make supplication unto the LORD.
3 I pour out my complaint before Him, I declare before Him my trouble;
4 When my spirit fainteth within me–Thou knowest my path– {N}
in the way wherein I walk have they hidden a snare for me.
5 Look on my right hand, and see, for there is no man that knoweth me; {N}
I have no way to flee; no man careth for my soul.
6 I have cried unto Thee, O LORD; {N}
I have said: ‘Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’
7 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low; {N}
deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me.
8 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto Thy name; {N}
the righteous shall crown themselves because of me; for Thou wilt deal bountifully with me. {P}

“Anyone who has been following the progress of the Jewish population in Eretz Yisrael can see clearly how from every step backward came an even greater development for the good, and out of every crisis came a step forward.”

(Rav Kook’s Ma’amarei HaRe’iyah: “Shuvu LeBitzaron”)

by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com)

A delegation of 16 Bnai Anousim, or Jews who practice their religion in secrecy, arrived from Europe this week for a visit from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France, arranged under the auspices of the “Shavei Israel” organization.

Bnai Anousim are descended from Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition more than 500 years ago, and who are now seeking to renew their ties with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

The delegation, which has spent the week visiting places like Jerusalem, Rachel’s Tomb, Tzefat, Tiberias, Haifa, Kibbutz Lavi and other spots, also has been taking in special classes on Jewish history, culture and religion in their native Spanish and Portuguese.

The delegates are also learning some Hebrew along the way.

Shavei Israel Chairman Michael Freund says that large numbers of Bnai Anousim around the world have started to openly embrace their Jewish heritage in recent years, a move he has been working hard to encourage.

“This visit to Israel by a delegation of Bnai Anousim is part of the process of forging a renewed relationship with the Jewish people and the State of Israel. I believe that we have an historic and moral obligation to reach out to the Bnai Anousim and to assist them as much as we can,” Freund said.

Shavei Israel is active in nine different countries, including India, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, China and South America, working with Bnai Anousim, sometimes referred to as “Marranos” by historians, in various locations.

The Torah instructs us to heed the words of the Levites, Priests, and Religious Courts of our day: “Do not stray to the right or left from the word that they declare to you.” (Duet. 17:8-13)

Yet we see so many people taking Judaism and twisting it to prove or support their own version of justice and righteousness. They take a verse of Torah out of context and enslave G-d’s word under their personal and political agenda.

Both Jews and Gentiles participate in this.

Here is an example of a person who went so far left politically, that he wound up on the same end as the terrorists. Hashem yerachem - G-d have mercy.

Post-Zionist Jewish Academic Converts to Islam

(source: IsraelNN.com)

Dr. Uri Davis, who has often termed Israel an “apartheid state” and refused to serve in the IDF, converted to Islam about a week ago and married a Fatah activist in Ramallah. The conversion ceremony involved two oaths in which Davis recognized Allah and the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Davis said he plans to follow the laws of Islam, but not devoutly.

The conversion took place in a Moslem religious court in Baka el-Garbiye, an Israeli-Arab town just outside northwestern Samaria (Shomron).

Davis’s lawyer explained that the Arabs of the Palestinian Authority know him for his great sacrifices on behalf of the “Palestinian problem” and the “realization of their rights.” He noted that the consent of the Arab woman and her family to the marriage to a Jewish activist is an “admirable social development.”

Just two months ago, David (more…)

(source: Alice Johnson
hat tip: Robert)

One of the toughest aspects of becoming religious later in life is coping with how friends and family respond to this big change.

There can be a major disruption in shalom. For a lot of people this is pretty frightening for all of the obvious reasons. I have tons of respect for people who are able to shout their new views to the mountaintops. What guts. I can’t do that a hundred percent of the time without feeling quite chicken. But I’m getting better.

The other night a dear old friend was visiting along with a bunch of other friends and acquaintances. After a delicious summer dinner everyone started talking about the big election in the fall.

I hate talking politics with most people for all the obvious reasons most people hate it. To me it’s a bunch of people who aren’t really experts on anything sitting around probably offending the heck out of each other for no particularly good reason. I mean how many people are seriously going to change their vote because of one of these arguments? Am I being too cynical? Perhaps.

So the topic of Israel comes up. And the fact that I have made it clear that I am a single issue voter. I vote for the person I think will do the least amount of harm to Israel. This is not the most popular viewpoint in this circle of friends.

My dear old friend says something like this: “Are you seriously going to tell me that you believe that God spoke to this one group of people and gave them a specific piece of real estate and all of that craziness! Where is my old Alice? Where did she go?!”

I’m not exactly sure what he meant by that because I have always been a passionate supporter of Israel, which he knows. I guess he meant that there is a religious component now.

Being a hundred percent honest, that comment kind of made me want to cry because I really like this person. I looked at him and thought, “Wow. Is he drawing a line in the sand? I don’t want him to go. I hope this isn’t the end.”

So I said, “X, you have known me for fourteen years. I certainly hope I have evolved and changed as a person over that many years. You have and I love you anyway. You can believe whatever you want. I can believe whatever I want. And if you don’t like it, that’s really just tough. Go ahead and think I’m crazy.” He made it clear he does think I’m way off my rocker and loves me anyway. I think we’re OK.

Ideally, a Torah-loving person loves his fellow man, and by this I mean not just the people it’s easy to love. Ideally the more religious a person becomes the more humble they become, the more in awe of all of God’s creation they become, and the more they see that we need to be really, really exceptionally nice to one another. I love my friends, truly. I really love people in general. And the more spiritual I have become the more I feel this way, by the Grace of God.

I wonder if part of the tension between newly religious people and our friends and family who see things differently stems from fear. Maybe old friends are worried that the old you is dead. Maybe they are worried you are critiquing them. (If we actually are, maybe we should be super careful with that because it can get ugly and hypocritical.) Maybe they are worried that it’s going to get irretrievably awkward at some point. Perhaps they are worried we will try to shove our views down their throat. Maybe they need to be able to share their views with you, no holds barred, or else the friendship will be kind of fake.

Speaking of fake, maybe they are worried that you will only like them, because now you are somehow supposed to, not because you truly appreciate them for the beautiful, unique person they are.

Bnei Noach struggle often because there is very little community for us in the traditional sense of a religious community. There isn’t a building where we can check in with one another once a week to be around like-minded people who are in exactly the same position.

That’s tough for the people who were once Christians or Muslims who are accustomed to having that place and that connection to others. It’s also tough for people who are maybe looking forward to finally having that after spending their whole life without it.

Here’s a flipside to this, as I see it. This lack of community, as it were, has forced me to see the whole world as my community and to see the whole world as my house of worship. I think in many ways this meshes nicely with a Torah-centered view of the universe.

Judaism is not about checking in to a building once a week. Ideally it is in the home with you, at work with you, on the subway with you, at the restaurant with you, and, not to be gross, but with you when you leave the restroom and thank God that your body is working correctly. It is everywhere you are.

Most of my friends see the world in very different ways than I. Nevertheless, they are my community. I am so blessed, gigantically blessed, to know so many unique and fine people. I’m glad God has put me in this position. I really can not find very many people who think like me, because there are so few who do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have community.

My community consists of people who like and love each other in spite of the fact that we don’t see the world the same way. I think that is true shalom and is a profound and beautiful thing. We are a community because we love each other for who we really are.

This is the second time that Israeli Arabs from eastern Jerusalem have used bulldozers from their construction sites to kill and injure Israeli civilians.

Thank G-d, this time, no one was killed.

Unlike the previous attack, this bulldozer terror attack was stopped relatively quickly.

On the other hand, just like the previous attack, this one was stopped - yet again - by a religious non-police civilian with military experience.¹

The terrorist was first shot by Yaki Asael, 56, father of eight, from the Judean settlement of Sussiya. Yaki is a company commander in the reserves.

Rabbi Brody points out the divine providence that this recent bulldozer terrorist attack happened on King David street - which is exactly where the Abomination Parade took place this year in Jerusalem (King David’s city).

Hashem have mercy on us all!

shouting…

Camera: Does anyone here know first aid?!
Man: Yes, yes, yes.
Camere: There’s someone here that’s injured!!

Someone shoots at the bulldozer.
The grey-shirted man who runs up to the bulldozer after those shots is a border police officer. The man in the white shirt next to him is Yaki Asael (see above).

Man: No, no, he’s not dead! He’s not dead!
The border officer then fires several rounds at the terrorist. (The reason Yaki did not jump back like everyone else is that Yaki is a company commander in the reserves).
CUT SCENE

Camera: You…what’s your name?
Yaki: Yaki.
Camera: Good work Yaki.
Yaki starts walking away.
Camera: Yaki, you were the first one to shoot [at the terrorist]?
Yaki: Yes
Yaki walks away, tzitzit dangling.

Guest post by Reb Ari

I recently verified this story from the grandson of the couple involved.

My friend’s elderly grandmother, Miriam, remarried a number of years ago to R’ Shalom. They live in Jerusalem. R’ Shalom is now in his mid nineties and in his youth he studied in yeshiva in Mir in Poland and had the opportunity to spend a week at the home of the Chofetz Chaim (R’ Yisroel Meir Hacohen Kagan, zs’kl). A few nights ago, in the middle of the night he woke and told his wife that the Chofetz Chaim had appeared to him in a dream and simply said that Moshiach will be here soon. The Chofetz Chaim said that it is time to get ready and to spread the message. My friend’s father (Miriam’s son) asked his rav, Rav Asher Weiss if this is something to take seriously. His response was that we are clearly standing right before Moshiach, and it certainly should be taken seriously and we should undertake to do Teshuva.

The second story I heard directly from the people involved.

There is a young girl about eight years old who needs a refuah (אביבא מלכה בת לאה) - she is currently in the hospital with loss of vision. Please pray for her. She has been in and out of the hospital for chemotherapy, and she has had multiple complications. A few months ago she had been in a coma for an extended period of time. When she finally came out of the coma, one of the first things she said was, “Did I miss the weddings? Did I miss Moshiach coming?” Her two older sisters were not engaged yet (I don’t even know if Aviva knew they were dating), but both became engaged and were married over the following few months. I was at the sheva brachos (post-wedding celebration).

May Hashem heal Aviva Malka bat Leah along with all the ill people of Israel with the coming of Moshiach, Amen.

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Reb Ari wrote a beautiful inspiring song about the coming of Moshiach: To listen, click here

Lyrics of “Finally Here”
As he walked home from yeshiva,
a sound reached his ears
clear and majestic, unmistakably near
Joy filled his heart
HE’S FINALLY HERE!!! Moshiach’s finally here!!!
He ran all the way home
said to his dad,
“Did you hear it - the shofar
or am I going mad?”
“Not now, my son,
can it wait ’til later, when the business news is done.”

CHORUS:
Where is our hope, our faith, our pride?
Where’s the desire, the love deep inside?
When we say we want Ben Dovid to come
We can’t fool ourselves or the Holy One.

She heard it, at first faintly
a note long and clear
steadily the sound grew
’til it was all she could hear
Joy filled her heart
HE’S FINALLY HERE!!! Moshiach’s finally here!!!
She rushed to the kitchen,
got on the phone.
“Sister, can you hear it
or is it me alone?”
“Can you call back tonight?
I’m facebooking now, so I hope it’s alright…”
CHORUS

When we finally hear the shofar
After all these many years
Our emotions can run deeply
moving us to tears
Joy will fill our hearts
WHEN HE’S FINALLY HERE!!! When Moshiach’s finally here!!!

We must strengthen our hope, our faith, our pride.
We can find the desire, the love deep inside.
When we say we want Moshiach to come
We can reconnect to the Holy One.

HaRav Yoel Shwartz shlit”a says in his book “The Noahide Commandments”:

It is stated in the book of Zechariah that after the Temple will be restored, during the holiday of Succoth (Sukkot) all the nations of the world will make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bow down before G-d. (Zechariah 14:1-21)

It is worthwhile for a person to take his vacation during this time. By doing so, a Noahide can use this free time to study, to observe nature and to meet with fellow Noahides for mutual prayer with emphasis on world peace just as Israelites did when the Temple existed and, as sacrifices were made for the welfare of all the nations, to pray for the coming of the Messiah who will amend the ways of the world.

The following video is from sukkot 2006, when gentile families made their way to Jerusalem to accept the Seven Laws of Noah before the Beit Din of Bnei Noah.

The great sage, Rambam, writes that “Anyone who accepts the Seven Laws and is careful to do them, this person is one of the Chasidei Umos HaOlam (very pious of the nations of the world), and he has portion in the world to come.“¹

Rambam goes on to explain that this applies not when a person accepts the Seven Noahide Laws because they seem logical, but rather because G-d commanded them in the Torah, and taught them to the Jewish people through Moshe a”h.

Therefore new Noahides make the following declaration before a legal Jewish court (beit din)²:

“I Susan Richardson, do hereby freely take upon myself the commandments of G-d to Noah and his offspring and the covenant between G-d and Noah as pronounced in the Torah, given to Moses, as interpreted by the Beit Din of Bnei Noah (High Court of the Children of Noah) in Jerusalem.”

Links:

The next best place for Noahides to gather during Sukkot: OKBNS Sukkot 2008

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