Parshas Naso

There’s something about Birchas Kohanim that makes it an emotional time. The memories of being a child and going under my father’s tallis. The Kohanim giving a Bracha to us that is so Kadosh, that we are not allowed to see it. The “Rebono Shel Olam” Tefillah”, the beautiful singing of the Kohanim while we say the Tefilah. Where I always wondered how come there are more examples of people being cured, than strengthening the good.

Something to say:

May God bless you and safeguard you (6:24).

This parsha contains the Priestly Blessing, with which God commanded the Kohanim of every generation to bless the Jewish people. It is interesting to note that despite the fact that this blessing was recited in the Temple and synagogue over the entire congregation, it is phrased entirely in the singular, rather than in the plural.

One explanation for this is that it is not always possible, or wise, to extend the same blessing to everyone uniformly. For the farmer, rain today may be an anxiously awaited blessing; for the long-distance traveler, it would be a hindrance. Wealth, a handsome appearance, or an extraordinary measure of some talent might be tremendous gifts and resources for one person; for another, each of these might be a burden could not handle. Only God, Designer of all creations and Endower of all gifts, knows precisely what blessing is appropriate for whom. He therefore tells the Kohanim to bless the people in the singular; each individual should receive the form of blessing that is most appropriate for him.

When I went with my family to Israel for my brothers bar mitzvah, we would talk about how we hoped it didn’t rain the day we would all be celebrating at the Kotel. My aunt who lives in Israel would say that she hoped it did rain and she would supply umbrellas for everyone. That Israel needs rain. Everyone has different needs, so we are blessed individually, rather than the same for everybody.

Israel 2009

Earlier I had posted about Chanukah at the Kotel, and now it had actually happened. I went with my family to Israel for my little brothers Bar Mitzvah. He did a great job leining Parshas Meiketz, the longest Parsha, and I’m so proud of him! Since it was my little sister’s birthday also, she got a cake. It reminds me of my twin brothers bar mitzvah, when I got a cake too.

We left to Israel on December 6. It was nice having SN come over and see us off. I brought my laptop with me thinking I would have internet in Israel and be able to communicate with SN that way, but it wasn’t so simple. Everywhere I went I kept thinking about SN. We took lots of pictures and videos so that we would be able to share the experience.

I had a great time in Israel spending time with both of my grandparents, and meeting other relatives. We didn’t do much touring since the men and boys went to a lot of Kvarim.

While my father and brother were at Har Hazaisim they had an Arab aim a gun at them, and their taxi driver said he’ll protect them, and B”H nothing happened. Then they were walking around looking for Avremel Zalmanowitz’s Kever 2 men out of nowhere came to help them find it. Then after Davening there, they turned around and the men were gone. When I heard that it reminded me of the stories where Eliyahu Hanavi, or someone would just appear miraculously. 

We went to 4 places, the Kotel, Kever Rochel, Mearas Hamachpaila and Mini Israel.

Some interesting things I noticed about Israel:

1. The lights go from Red –> Yellow –> Green
2. People do not cross against the light, even if there are no cars coming.
3. Their latkes are not made from potatoes
4. The people want it to rain
5. There’s so much security, that they check your pocketbook at a grocery store
6. There are lions everywhere, looks like it’s their national symbol
7. The shuk sells everything loose, there are sacks of all different kinds of spices.

Last time I went to Israel I kept a diary of my trip. This time however, I e-mailed SN a daily summary of how my day in Israel was, instead. Interestingly most of my thoughts on my first Israel trip, apply to the second as well.

We left Israel December 21st, and arrived back in time to see all the snow on the ground. Our flight only got delayed about 3 hours. The day I was flying to come back, SN was flying to Florida, so we missed each other. Today SN is flying back from LA, and interestingly he’ll be arriving to snow too.

I had fun buying presents for friends and family. I gave the large family a present, and realized that the mother is expecting child number 13! (The oldest is now 18!). The 3 year old still didn’t get a hair cut! I think their afraid that he won’t want to wear his yarmulka and then he’ll look like a “goy”, this way he just looks like a 2 year old.

I spent a day with Auror and gave her some presents, she is really such a great friend! We had fun trying on dresses and perfume. She brings out the “girl” in me.

Tomorrow I get to see SN, and I can’t wait to finally see him and show him what I bought, and to give him some presents.

Chanukah at the Kotel

In the post before I mentioned that my brother’s bar mitzvah will be in Israel at the Kotel at Chanukah time.

Now here are some art drawings I made in 9th Grade that fit in with the theme. The last one of the chofetz Chaim doesn’t really have to do with Israel or Chanukah, but it’s one of my favorites so I just have to post it!

        

P.S. How do you like my handwriting?

 The Jewish Side

Update: This is what the post should have looked like, I removed the pictures just to show the font.

Sunday With Grandparents

Today my grandparents came over to my house to spend one last day with us before they leave back to Israel.

I cooked a supper for them, of Pepper Steak, Deli Roll, and Ambrosia.

 

While at the table we were discussing many things. One topic that came up was me, of course. My grandmother decided my mother isn’t being active enough in trying to find me a shidduch, she asked me for a list of what I’m looking for, so that she can put it in the Kotel. Then she told stories of how all her children met their bashert, some of the stories I’ve never heard before. Imagine a shidduch being made at a funeral!

The next topic that came up was my little brothers upcoming bar mitzvah which will be in Israel IY”H. We are trying to work out the logistics of how everything will be working. The bar mitzvah will take place Chanukah time, so we still have some time to figure it out.

if any of you Israeli people have any ideas

Here’s the deal, my family is not a dairy person nor a salad person either, so that makes our menu limited. My brother will be leining at the Kotel in the morning of his bar mitzvah day. My grandfather wants us to have a breakfast afterwards in this cafe place. But my family doesn’t like anything on the menu! So we found this place called “Sharei Simcha” Which has meat dishes, and they would be able to give us a early lunch if we wished. But my grandfather thinks we need a breakfast for after the kotel, so if any of you Israeli people have any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated!

Then after talking for a few hours, we went for a walk and sat down at some benches. I decided to do some sky watching and took some pictures. (A shame it’s not Friday)

 

The men then made Kiddush L’vanah, and we sat and talked outside some more, and then returned to the house. There I brought down my laptop and showed my grandparents 5 family videos that I have made using windows movie maker. We had lots of great laughs watching them. Overall, it was a great family day!

Jewish Song Sunday --- #13

Meydad Tasa: Ve’hafta L’reacha Kamocha

I realized why I like going to department stores rather than small stores with sales ladies. It’s because I feel self conscious of what I am going to buy, and I get embarrassed un case I have bad taste. I suppose I have to start feeling more confident in my decisions, that I could have good taste, or so long as I like it, that’s what counts.

Anyways, a little while ago I was at a seforim store listening to some music, and I saw this CD, the cute boy on it, and I couldn’t resist. So I listened to a few of the tracks and I decided its a good one. Then later Jacob Da Jew gave his recommendation, so then I was comfortable buying it.

There’s something about Israeli music that makes it my favorite, perhaps its the accent. In any case here’s one of my favorite songs from the album.

Parshas Vaeira

By last weeks Parsha I mentioned the situation in Israel, and tried to use a Posuk for comfort. But it had its complications. Now in this weeks Parsha I have a different posuk that brings a different approach. This approach is an active one, a way to be able to keep Israel with the things we do.

Something To Say:

And I shall give it you as a heritage (6:8).

The Hebrew term Morasha, heritage, appears twice in the Torah. It is first mentioned in this verse, in reference to the Land of Israel, and later in Deuteronomy 33:4, in connection with the giving of the Torah. The Torah that Moses gave us is a heritage, as stated in the expression Morasha Kehilas Yaakov, the heritage of the Congregation of Jacob. The term Morasha is used in two places to teach us that the heritage represented by the Land of Israel can remain ours only if we commit ourselves to keeping the mitzvos of the Torah.

So the trick is to keep the Mitzvos and then we will have the land of Israel. I know that sounds like easier said than done, but perhaps it can really work. If we think of it on an individual basis, of what can each of us do. If we look to improve ourselves, then it is possible.

Jewish Song Sunday --- #11

Daddy Dear

Daddy dear, tell me please
Is it true what they say
In the heavens there's a cup
That gets fuller each day
And I've heard that Hashem
keeps it close nearby
And He fills it with His tears
Each time that we cry

Grandpa told me, Daddy dear
Did he tell you the same
That when sorrow strikes His people
Hashem feels all the pain
Tell me why does He cry
Far away in the sky
Tell me why, Daddy dear
Are there tears in your eyes

Little one, little one
Is it true? Yes, it's true
Grandpa told me years ago
And his dad told him too
Fathers cry for their children
And Hashem does the same
When we hurt, so does He
Yes he feels our pain

Tears of pity from His eyes
In his cup sadly flow
Till one day when it's full
All out troubles will go
We will dance, we will fly
In the sky like the birds
And I cry, little one
'Cause I'm touched by your words

One more question, Daddy dear
Answer please, if you will
Just how deep is this cup
Tell me when will it fill
Don't you think it is time
that the sun forever shine
Don't you think it is time
Dear Daddy of mine

Little one, it is time
And I've questioned that too
So Let us ask Him together
Together me and you
Father dear, do You hear
Our worries, our fears
Will your eyes ever dry
Is your cup filled with tears

Parshas Shemos

So every blog is talking about the Gaza war in Israel, but whenever I see it in a blog I just skip over it. For some reason I just don’t have the interest in reading it. Same with news of all other major events. But yet I get the information by reading headlines, tweets, and status’s. I feel as though I really should have more interest in it, because I do care about what happens in Israel and to other Jews, I want them to be safe.

Something To Say:

But as much as they would afflict it, so it would increase and so it would spread out (1:12)

The Ohr HaChaim wonders why the pasuk uses the future tense here - “but as much as they would afflict”, rather than “but as much as they afflicted”. This indicates that the Jewish nation would be persecuted in the future, but that the outcome would be the same as in the verse: “So it would increase and so it would spread out”. The message is that regardless of who would afflict Israel, the persecution would never be devastating; in fact, the Jews would always emerge stronger than before.

So this is my contribution to posting about the Gaza war. A comforting post. In the end the Jews will win and come out stronger. Hashem takes care of it all, we will survive and succeed.

Parsha in the blogosphere:

Leora, last year discussed why Shemos is her daughter’s favorite Parsha, what “Ki Tov” means, and what the word “Suf” alludes to. This year she discusses Galus Mitzrayim and how the Parshas now shift from talking about individuals to talking about a group of people.

Shorty, discusses lessons on marriage we can learn from Parshas Shemos. How the woman took care of their husbands, and believed in Hashem by having children.

The Cool Jew, posts a video from G-Dcast on Parshas Shemos.

Yoni, Discusses Geula in Parshas Shemos, and how the Jews have to unite to bring Geula.

Jewish Song Sunday --- #7

The Jewish Version: Shalom

There are many Jewish artists that are known for copying the tunes of non Jews and making it into a Jewish Song. Gershon Veroba would do this a lot and copy green day songs. The Jewish version would also. It’s actually interesting cause most of these songs I heard the Jewish one first before the Non Jewish one. Actually there’s one song “I’m a Believer” where I got so used to the Jewish one, that when I heard the non Jewish one it just sounded so wrong. Anyways, I was listening to Jr’s old favorite song, and I realized that I knew the Jewish one, and again I had heard the Jewish one first, and I liked the Jewish one better, so here it is.

O, and I have a question. If an artist e-mailed me one of their songs that they said will be on a CD in the future, and it’s at least a year or two later, and I’m not sure if it appeared on a CD yet. Am I allowed to post the song up?

Some Technical Information:
For those that want to download the video into avi or mpeg then you can download Save 2 Pc.
If you want to download just the music from the video then you can do that at Vid 2 MP3.

Jewish Song Sunday --- #6

Miami 25: Rachem

So I’m not going to write a post about what happened in India, but at the same time I won’t ignore it and put up a joyful song. This song Rachem sung by Mordechai Shapiro and Yaakov Shwecky expresses how I feel right now about what has happened. We really need Hashem’s Rachmanus, He is the one in charge and we are in His hands. Mordechai Shapiro sings this song with such great emotion that it makes you cry along and truly feel the words he is saying.

Lyrics:

Rachem. Rachem N0 Hashem Elokeinu.
(Have Mercy Hashem our G0d)

Rachem al Yisrael Amecha, Rachem
(On Israel Your people)

Ve'al Yerushalayim Ir-echa
(On Jerusalem Your city)

Rachem, Rachem, Rachem

Al tzion mishkan kevodecha
(And on Zion, where your glory)

Ve'al malchut beit David meshichecha
(And on the kingdom's house David, your anointed)

Ve'al habayit ha'gadol ve'hakadosh
(And your great and holy Temple)

Rachem, Rachem, Rachem

Rachem at Miami 25

Some Technical Information:
For those that want to download the video into avi or mpeg then you can download Save 2 Pc.
If you want to download just the music from the video then you can do that at Vid 2 MP3.

Jewish Song Sunday --- #5

Sheves Achim: Superman

It looks like the recent theme is Kollel. The singers Shimon and Moshe Bell are two brothers with amazing voices. They can go really high so that if you didn’t know better you would think it’s a girl singing! They have a lot of great songs, but most of them are in Hebrew, so I picked the one song that was in English. If you look at the lyrics, it has a nice message. I found out about this CD through one of Ari Goldwag’s Jewish music podcasts. He helped them out with this CD.

Lyrics:

The little boy grew up with dreams of flying through the sky
He’d be like Superman, watching clouds go by.
There-someone in distress, swoop down and save the day.
”Just wait ‘till I grow up.” he thought, “then I’ll have my way.”
He wished he could wear glasses, protect his identity.
So what if without them he could see perfectly.
Sitting reading comic books, his thoughts would travel far.
Little did he know, one day, he’d truly reach the stars.

Chorus
If we set our sights high, and in ourselves believe,
There truly is no limit to what we can achieve.
When we look to Hashem for help, then we can recognize,
How his hand is guiding us each moment of our lives.

The little boy grew older, developed into a young man,
Discovered words of Torah helped his world to expand.
This time a friend in need, a depth in Torah he’d explain.
Slowly he matured, his goals no longer were the same.
He started wearing glasses, helped him gain clarity,
In the words of the Gemara, they became his melody.
He’s learning in a Kollel now, in the Holy Land,
With his wife and family, now he’s their Superman.

Chorus

Jewish Song Sunday --- #3

Kinderlach: Moshiach

After going to Israel, I started to love Israeli music, so when I heard the Kinderlach I naturally loved their songs. They have a cool style to them. Their most famous song is “Everybody wants Moshiach”.

Lyrics:

Everybody wants Moshiach
Everybody wants
Everybody wants Moshiach…

This song comes right from our heart
About Moshiach hear us out
We want him and we wait each day
Never ever stop to pray
Children, fathers, young and old
All the Jews around the world
Long for him that he should come
Oy Moshiach please come right now…

Some Technical Information:
For those that want to download the video into avi or mpeg then you can download Save 2 Pc.
If you want to download just the music from the video then you can do that at Vid 2 MP3.

Israel Diary

This is from a diary I had written when I went to Israel with my grandparents the Pesach that I was in 12th grade. (They took turns taking each grandchild). It was my first time in Israel and I haven’t gone back again since then, but I do want to go again considering I didn’t get to see much of Israel. The diary was written in very short terms, so I’ll add on a bit to explain it.

Tuesday:

Arrived 6:30 am, didn’t sleep

Went to the big shul [aka the Great Synagogue], saw mezuzos

Went to the plaza hotel lobby

Staying in the Meridian hotel

 

[if you scroll up and down the page by the picture it has a cool optical illusion affect]

Ate a falafel

[the falafel’s there are great, for the first time I realized you can have other stuff in the falafel besides for falafel balls, and I got French fries and pickles, ever since then when I go to a pizza shop I order a falafel in that way!]

Saw cousins, aunt and uncle, very respectful.

On the plane watched: “rumor has it”, “Little Manhattan”, “fun with Dick and Jane”

[it was funny sitting there on the plane watching these movies with my grandmother sitting right next to me. At first I thought she would tell me not to, but then I noticed she was watching the movies too, so then I didn’t feel uncomfortable. I also watched some Israeli music videos, and there was one that I really loved, but I don’t know what it’s called, but it had this yetzer tov and yetzer hora concept, good guy/bad guy, and there were some circus stuff involved and it was all very bright and colorful, and at one part there was even a dance on roller skates which I thought was very cool.]

Flight was from 1:00 pm- Monday- American time till 6:15 am Tuesday- Israeli time

Stewardess wear a lot of eye shadow

[it’s weird for me to notice that, but it just stuck out, I wonder if anyone else has noticed that?]

Saw grandmothers apartment

[she made alyah that summer, and is now living in Israel, I saw it before it was worked on, so it is very different now. I do remember finding the elevator there to be small old fashioned and weird, so I took the steps while my grandparents used the elevator]

Supper conversation by cousins about the Lubavicher Rebbe

[they’re not lubavich]

Saw pictures, from when 2 cousins went to Poland

[they each went separately on some tour, I heard it was very sad to go back and see it all]

Wednesday:

A lot of nice flowers, palm trees and mountains

Stones on mountains looks like animals

[I noticed this as we kept driving by all these mountains, the stones are like white heaps in middle of the mountain so they look like animals, like sheep]

Burnt the chametz

Hotel near Mediterranean ocean, view from window

Saw surfers practicing

First seder was beautiful, parents ask questions, children answer

Thursday:

Second seder- 50 people, spread out in 2 rooms- not good service, had to wait an hour till got food- oven broke, lights went out.

[ahh memories, it’s always the things go wrong that make it most memorable]

Shabbos:

Went to a shiur, spoke about woman in Torah, that there are 2 levels: 1- Naaseh- lower level- learn to do Mitzvot, 2- Nishman- Learn for sake of learning. Woman learn lower level, but could become partners of upper level by sending husband to learn

Met a girl- read head, going to BJJ

[I thought I would remember the name of the girl to tell my classmates that were going to go to BJJ that this girl was going there]

Motzei Shabbos:

Played apples to apples with Uncle Benji and kids, had a lot of fun

[I love that game, haven’t played in so long, it was so much fun playing with them, I can still remember it.]

They’re a very entertaining family

[In other words, I had a really great time with them and they always made me laugh]

Sunday:

went to tour Acre (Aco), saw Turkish bathhouse, alcazar- cruel man

crusades, made Acre capital

went through tunnels

saw shops

Acre- Jews and Arabs live together

[I actually read the brochure they gave out]

Went for walks by the water, nice weather

Rained

[funny how I wrote it rained right after I wrote it was nice weather, perhaps it started off nice and then rain]

Took pictures by water

[has people in them]

A lot of salads in Israel, they eat a lot

[the hotel had buffet style meals and I noticed there were always salads there, and everyone packed a lot on their plate]

Went bowling with Uncle Benji and family, had a lot of fun- lost got 20, Cousin Yoyo won.

Parking lot of Mall has colorful lights

[I thought the parking lot was very colorful, usually it’s just lit up with regular light bulbs, I was shocked to see a Toys R’ Us there.]

Went to other building saw a magic show- took a few pictures

[the other building is the other you see on the right side, it was used for the shul, eating and lobby. the building on the left was the one we slept in.]

Mime- doesn’t talk, acts things out, 3 men stood on mans stomach.

[see how I wrote down the definition so that I should remember, I find it so funny that I did that. I’m not sure if I wrote it down in case others might not know, or just for myself]

A lot of Russians, Russians came to Israel cause there is a law if Jewish then could come, then brought families, married non Jewish wives, so there are non Jewish Russians in Israel

[I had asked my aunt why there were so many people on Pesach at the beach in bathing suits, that I thought everyone was Jewish in Israel. So that is what she told me.]

There is one Gan- like public school, so goyim learn songs- Echad Mi Yodeah?

[I found it interesting that they were learning Jewish songs in a secular song, because it’s the state of Israel]

Had best supper, chicken cutlets, potatoes, meat cubes, pickles, brownies

[that was perfect, it’s like one in a million to get a good supper like that, usually it’s always dairy]

Monday:

Went to Har HaKarmel, where Eliahu hanovi fought 450- Nivea Sheker, Nachal Kishon.

[don’t know when I used this, so just sticking it in here]

Saw Blacks talking Hebrew

[also saw Chinese people on a tour bus getting off to Tour Israel. I remember when we were walking through a place I saw the blacks who acted like goyim, so they weren’t Jewish but yet they talked Hebrew and I just wasn’t used to it, cause I always associated Hebrew with Jewish and didn’t realize it’s actually a language of a country]

Played UNO with Uncle Benji and kids, Harry potter cards.

[back then everyone was into Harry potter and Soduko]

Cousin Leora got Hebrew Harry Potter book

[It had just come out, I forgot which book it was, perhaps 5? She had it in Hebrew and English]

Cousin Chani wore black skirt with picture of Marilyn Monroe in white on it.

[I was surprised by the way she dressed, I had no clue my cousins were like this cause we barely ever saw them since they live in Israel. So when I saw her wearing a Marylyn Monroe skirt I thought it was interesting and at the same time cool. I also noticed she wore low cut down shirts and was surprised by that as well.]

Tuesday:

Went go Carting- had a lot of fun

[It was my first time that I actually went in the go cart and drove, I was always afraid and made someone else sit with me and do the driving. But now I was on my own and I did it and had a good time, and after that I was no longer afraid to drive go carts! They also had a cool type where in the beginning there was an instructor that told you rules and all different things and then it was a race that was scored, I of course lost.]

Wore hats and helmets- Uncle Benji took pictures

[I came out horrible in the picture. For those that are my FB friend, you will see it’s a picture that I’m tagged in]

Wednesday:

Pesach, took walk

[did a lot of walking by the beaches by the hotel]

Benji went back at night

[since they live in Israel and only keep 1 day. My grandparents had been going every year to Israel for Succos and Pesach since before my mother was married. Yet every year when they went they always kept 2 days. Now finally since their living there they keep 1 day. But I remember everyone was always asking them why their keeping 2. But it worked out for me, cause I wouldn’t want to have to be there all alone on the second day.]

slept with door to the porch open, got a lot of mosquito bites

[that’s the bed I slept in, with the porch right outside, was such a shame that I got so many mosquito bites cause after that we went to the kotel and my face was all ruined. But thanx to photo editing software I was able to remove the red mosquito bites from my face]

Thursday:

Pesach, at night we went to Maaleh Adumim

[garden by my cousins house]

Friday:

Went to the kotel, looks smaller then I thought it would be,

bought myself a present

[it has all the small prayers in it, like brachos, shema, ani mamin, benching, krias shema al hamita, and some other ones and a few perakim of tehillim. Comes in very handy]

got a red bendle

[I actually had it on for so long, like at least a year after I got it]

Shabbos:

With Uncle Benji and family, had a lot of fun

Went to shul, they daven with Israeli accent, sing a lot of stuff

Sunday:

Went to Lev Yerushalayim, went shopping by Mae Sharem and Geula,

got gifts for family

[those are some of the gifts I bought. Also bought for my twin brother a wooden key chain that says #1 twin on it, I also got him a leather bookmark. Then I got my mother a silver necklace, and my father a siddur which he had asked for. I also got my parents a leather magnet that says something nice on it.]

Monday:

Went on plane

Got Michal Negrin ring at airport, took a picture of the store.