2.13.2015

THE REMNANT THAT WILL REMAIN AT THE END OF DAYS ARE THOSE WHO FEAR HASHEM

The new modern Jew has adopted the ways of the xians.  They have assimilated the "Judeo-xian" philosophy. They condemn those of us who cling to the Torah of our forefathers. They tell us, "there is no longer a need to fear the goyim". They preach a "G-d of love".  This is how so-called religious Jews can unite with goyim.  Well, I have news for you. HaShem, the one and only G-d is the G-d of everything.  He is a G-d of love and a G-d of fear. We do not fear the goyim, we fear HaKadosh Baruch Hu! You are no different than the Hellenists of the past and just like our forefathers, the Maccabees, we will be victorious in the end.

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of HASHEM-- good understanding to all their practitioners; HIS praise endures forever. (Psalms 111:10)

From the book, "The End of Days" by Shmuel Raber (p.83);

Those righteous ones who have been spiritually elevated and have attained the level of "those who fear G-d and esteem His name" are the ones who will be inscribed for life and will remain as the surviving remnant on the Great and Awesome Day of Hashem.(5) They will cry out in the name of Hashem, and Hashem will answer them and say: "It is my people," and they will respond: "The L-rd is my G-d." (6)

footnotes,
(5) "And there will be a time of trouble such as never was since they became a nation until that time.  But at that time Your people will escape, all who will be found written in this book" (Daniel 12;1).  Rav Sa'adiah Gaon explains: "These are the righteous, as it is written, 'and a book of remembrance was written before Him.'"
"And therefore your nation will escape; all who are found written in the book.  These are the righteous, and it says: 'and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear G-d'" (Ibn Ezra)
"And only all those found in the book will escape--meaning to say the righteous and the G-d-fearing as it says: 'and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear G-d'" (Metzudat David).
"Then the fearers of G-d will speak one to another, and G-d will listen and hear, and a book of remembrance will be written before Him for those who fear G-d and esteem His name" (Malachi 3:16). Malbim explains: "The fact that they remained in their belief even though they suffered 'many evil and tragedies,' showed that they are G-d-fearing people; they do not fear for themselves, which would be the fear of punishment, rather they feared Hashem-- the fear of Hashem's majesty" and that they do not serve in order to receive reward but rather to sanctify His unique name; they serve not for the purpose of receiving reward, so they are written in this book to be remembered."
"They think always about the ways of Hashem and about acquiring deeper knowledge as to His G-dliness" (Radak).

(6) "He will call in My name and I will answer him; I have said: 'It is My people,' and he will say: 'The L-rd is my G-d'" (Zecharia 13:9).
"And it will be that all who call in the name of G-d will escape, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be refuge as G-d spoke, and among the remnants who G-d calls" (Yoel 3:5). Radak explains:  "Then many from Israel will fall but the holy ones and true G-d-fearing ones will escape, as Yeshayahu prophesized: 'And all the remnants in Zion and those that remain in Jerusalem will be called "holy," all those who are written for life in Jerusalem.' Similarly it says; that all who call in the name of G-d," if he calls out truthfully.  This is as it says, 'G-d is near to all to call out to Him, to all who call out to Him truthfully,'  and these are the 'remnants whom G-d calls' because they will call out to Him truthfully and He will call them My servants and those that loved Me."





2.06.2015

PARSHAT YITRO

(Shemot 19:6)    ואתם תהיו-לי ממלחת כהנים וגוי קדוש  You shall be to Me a kingdom of ministers and a holy nation.

The commentary says;  B'nai Yisrael would be kohanim [priests] to every person on earth, teaching them about G-d.  Had it just said, "you shall be "ministers" it would imply that after receiving the Torah they must disperse to the four corners of the earth as ministers of G-d and His messengers, their task would be to teach wisdom to those who had strayed, to make man, the culmination of creation, know his Creator. However the nations of the world did not wish to receive the Torah from G-d, and surely would not have accepted even a part of it from individual Jews approaching them to teach them Torah and mitzvos.  Their "reward" for their moral lessons would be annihilation and permanent enslavement at the hands of these nations.  "G-d's ministers" would be prey to every wild man and despot on the earth.  Israel was therefore told, "you shall be to Me a "kingdom of ministers".  It would be the collective duty of this kingdom to set an example to all kingdoms on earth. It's pure faith in G-d of heaven and earth, its upright and true laws, its statutes, fair to citizens and foreigners alike, and the justice that would reign in this kingdom, would provide the nations of the world with a standard with which to conform.
(Insight's to the Torah, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin)


This is also the true definition of the term "light to the nations". When we (as a people) serve Hashem through the mitzvot as proscribed by the Torah, we are an EXAMPLE to the world of how to serve Hashem.  "ואתם תהיו-לי ממלחת כהנים, You shall be to Me a kingdom of ministers" is a statement not a command and it can only be done when Am Yisrael is a גוי קדוש, holy nation

Being a "kingdom of priests" and a "light to the nations" does not mean we are to go out into the world and missionize the non-Jews.


2.02.2015

PARSHAT BESHALACH

(Beshalach 13:17) It happened when Pharoah sent out...
The expression "sent out" implies an escort or accompaniment. Thus Pharoah escorted B'nei Yisrael out of Egypt with honor (Mechilta).  At the End of Parshas Shemos we discussed how the plight of the children of Israel in Egypt became unbearable when Pharaoh decreed that they would be responsible for gathering straw in addition to the already back breaking labor of their servitude. It was as if a sword had been handed to Pharaoh with which to murder them.
Yet, G-d was the true source of this decree.  It was his way of getting them to agree to leave their homes and possessions and impulsively go out into the desert without provisions with this additional burden, the children of Israel could think only of how to rid themselves of their brutal masters and intolerable labor.  It is inconceivable that Bnei Yisrael would even consider returning to Egypt of their own free will.
During their final days in Egypt, however,  the Egyptians befriended B'nei Yisrael and lent them gold and silver vessels.  Pharaoh himself turned out to escort Moses and Aharon and even beseeched them "to bless him as well" (12:32)
Alas this is the error which seems typical of the Jewish People.  Foolishly, we tend to quickly forget the iniquities perpetrated against us by the nations of the world.  All they need do is to favor us with the slightest smile, and we believe that they have become our dearest friends.


After experiencing the honor accorded them upon leaving Egypt, B'nei Yisrael now believed the Egyptions would treat them like human beings. When they said "Better we should serve Egypt" (14:12) , and "Let us choose a leader and return to Egypt" (Bamidbar 14:4), Moses showed them Joseph's coffin, saying, "Consider Joseph's treatment by the Egyptians.  He saved them from starvation and brought wealth to the entire country yet they still made his brothers slaves, those same brothers who had come to live in Egypt at Pharaoh's invitation.  Can such ingrates be trusted?"

Insights in the Torah, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin