We were in Efrat last Shabbos by Elkies old friend Yael and Mark Struel, since we do not have our car yet Mark was a real gentleman and picked us up from Efrat and Drove us back to RBS after shabbat. It's gota be 20 degrees F cooler in Efrat what a difference. Efrat is real close to RBS using the back roads about 22min. Our house is 2 minutes from the main back road. On the way we said tefillat Haderech we heard some Arabs were making trouble on one of those roads. Although there are Chayalim around and a check point, you do drive past Arab Villages. In America I never really related to the words "protect us from our enemies" when saying Teffilas Haderech, but I guess living here gives you the opportunity to have more kavana in praying to Hashem.
Big News! Google has now Mapped Israel. Now everyone can make Aliya
Tuesday we went to Dovid Thees son Netanels Bar Mitzva in Moshav Nachalot not far from PETHAH TIQWA we got a ride with Chavie's (Dovids wife's) cousins in RBS to their other cousins Eitan Himelstein in Beit Shemesh, then all 6 of us went together. Both cousins learned in Yehiva Chorev, Eitan was in Menachem Walfish class. Even though they have been in Israel since they were little kids they ALL spoke in English which was nice for us. Bentzi Thee played the music, of course it's not AISH! but he is very good.
Ok Now Dipp'n 500
Now that Yehuda is in Hebrew Gan, Elkie and I take turns walking him to and from Gan which is about a 3 minute walk from our house. As it turns out, when a local Kabblan (builder contractor) was digging up to lay a foundation on Nachal Raziel the block of the Gan he unearthed an ancient Mikvah. As far as I've heard it was created and used at least 1500 years ago. Which means people were Dipp'n in the Mik in the year 500 down the block from us, way before the Indians landed in America and before Britain France and many other countries were founded . I found the spot and took Yehuda up for a tour, now he wants to check it out every day on his way back from Gan. I guess it's better then going to the Mall.
This must have been the prep room or something.
The floor has very small stone tiles all hand made
They even had style.
The floor is sloped in a way so the rain water drains into the Mikvah. It's considered and archaeological site and no one is permitted to build there, although people (probably Arabs) threw some garbage down the Mikvah. It makes you appreciate flat ceramic tiles and running water. If someone came up with the funds, it could probably be taken care of and kept for proper display.
There's a new Rav in town, and Bar Haim is his name.
Last night Wed. Myself and an RBS friend, who I've previously only met and known though cyber space, arranged the 1st in a series of Shiurim given by the One and Only "Harav Dovid Bar Haim". I had never met the Rav in person but have heard many hours of his Shiurim and consider him a VERY fresh breath of Air. I was in touch with him via email a few times and was looking forward to meeting him. To put is simply he is NOT! your typical Rav. It says in the Gemora "Ein Torah Kitoras Eretz Yisrael" After hearing him many times I REALLY! came to appreciate this Gemora. He Promotes Torahs Eretz Yisrael in theory AND practice and takes a hands-on approach to furthering the Geula. He is very original, creative and makes people think. Everything he says is backed by Chazal, and he is very forthcoming in answering questions. He studied at Yeshivat Merkaz Harav for 10 years and has a very unique approach to understanding Minhagim and Halacha.
He has given Shiurim in the past in RBS but it is tough to get a crowd out on a weekly basis so my new friend Binyomin Lemkin and I took it upon ourselves to bring in as many people as we can to kick off the season. B"H it was a small but respectable tun out, we brought some refreshment to feed the body and the soul. The Shiur was given in Rav Salevetchicks shul (R. Yosef Beir Rosh Yeshiva of YU's great-nephew) who is apparently more open minded then other Rabamin in town. Not every person or Rav is ready to agree with what he has to say, but I am a big believer in using this thing on my shoulders called a head and the Brain Hashem has placed in it for myself.
His teachings can be found at www.machonshilo.org
He lives in Yerushalaim and came in with Benyamin. They picked up an older man then me on the way. I Shook his hand and told him it was an honor to meet him. In the car I said this is quite different then the US, I never got a ride to a shiur in Rabbi Wein or Rabbi Weinbergers car with them driving. (Although I did drive Rav Goldvict to his Shiur once). He set up 2 computers one to record the other had his notes and I think the whole Torah on it. People asked him good questions and he is quite amazing he clicked his computer a few times and gave answers quoting verbatim the RAMBAM, Gemara and sources all over the Torah.
He started by explaining that a Kizayit, is actually the size of a Olive! WOW WHAT A CONCEPT! Which is about 3 or 4 grams and NOT 60 grams as some other Rabanim claim with out any proof. He explained that there are Olive trees in Israel over 3000 years old from the time of the Tenach still producing Olives that are the same size as todays olives. Perhaps the Rabanim in Bavel and European counties were not aware of the size of an Olive since they were not grown in those climates. So they compared them to eggs, which also vary in size, and so confusion and distortions set in. He is of the opinion we should now clarify things, since Halacha and the Torah have to make sense in reality with reason and logic. There never was, and never will be an Olive the Size of an Egg like the ones that we buy at the Makolet. This is the approach of the RAMBAM and Kuzari. I guess that means less time in the rest room on Pesach.
His nick name is the "Ba'al Hanusach" since he is at the forefront of writing a new nusach teffila based on the Geonim that is more appropriate and relevant to the reality in Israel TODAY. He already published a Sidur and other Teffilot. A simple example is in the current version of Ashenazik Benching. We ask Hashem to "Break the Yolk from our necks and quickly bring us to Israel". That's a fine teffila for people living outside of Israel. But how can one honestly and sincerely ask Hashem to bring him to Israel when he is already there!? At least I know I can't. The Rav gave me a business card that contains Birchat Hamazon with the new/old Nusach Eretz Yisrael. It fulfills the Halachik requirement of "Veachalta Visavata Uverachta" (Eat, be satisfied, and give thanks/blessings) with the 4 brochos as indicated in the Gemorah. It's MUCH easier to say and I find it conducive to having more Kavana using this Nusach. Perhaps when more and more people in Israel start using this Nusach at some point it will become standardized.
That's all for for now, gota get back to fundraising for Moshe Feiglin, we NEED to get him in the Knesset. The Likud Knesset Slate/List vote is in about 30 days from now.
All the best Am Yisrael Chai and Shabbat Shalom.
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