The World of Tikkun

Among the chassidim of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi was a learned and wealthy man. An accomplished Torah scholar and chassidic thinker, he served the Almighty devotedly and gave generously to charity. In his younger years, this chassid had been a distinguished student in Rabbi Schneur Zalman's first cheder.

But then it came to pass that this chassid lost his entire fortune, and went heavily into debt. Furthermore, he had several poorer relations for whom he had promised to provide dowries and wedding expenses. Their wedding dates were approaching and he saw no way in which he could make good on his promises. Marriage arrangements had already been made for two of his own daughters and even here, he would be unable to meet his obligations.

He came to see Rabbi Schneur Zalman and poured out his heart, weeping with deep, genuine pain. "If G-d has chosen to afflict me with poverty", he said, "I accept the Divine judgment. But how can I be reconciled with the fact that I cannot repay my debts? That I am unable to keep my word concerning the marriages of my relations and daughters? I had made these promises when I still had the means and thus, according to the Torah, I was fully justified in making them. But if I fail to keep my word, it will be a terrible chillul Hashem."

"Why", wept the chassid, "is the Almighty punishing me so severely, by causing me to commit the terrible sin of desecrating His holy name? I beg you, Rebbe, please intercede on my behalf to arouse the Heavenly mercy upon me, that I be able to meet my obligations. Aside from this, I accept all that has been decreed. I must give for my relatives what I have promised! I must give for my daughters what I have promised!"

Rabbi Schneur Zalman sat with his head in his arms in a deep state of d'veikus [meditative attachment to G-d]. In this manner he listened to the chassid's tearful pleas. After a long while, Rabbi Schneur Zalman lifted his head and said with great feeling: "You speak of all that you need. But you say nothing of what you are needed for...."

Rabbi Schneur Zalman's words pierced the innermost point of the chassid's heart and he fell, full length, in a dead faint. The Rebbe's servant, Reb Zalman, who stood in the doorway, called to two chassidim who were in the Rebbe's anteroom. Together they carried the chassid out of the Rebbe's room, poured water over him, and finally managed to revive him.

When the chassid opened his eyes, he said nothing to anyone. He simply applied himself to the study of Torah and the service of prayer with renewed life and with such devotion and diligence that he forgot all else. Although he spoke to no-one and fasted every day, he was in a perpetual state of joy.

On the second Shabbos of the chassid's stay, the Rebbe spoke on the subject of tohu and tikkun. Tohu [chaos] is an earlier stage and order of creation in which the flow of G-d's involvement and presence was so intense that the created reality was unable to receive and digest it. The definitions of existence simply melted down before this overwhelming dose of G-dliness. In the terminology of the kabbalah, it was an existence of "much light and scant containers".

Then G-d created our present existence, the world of tikkun [correction]. Here the opposite is true - we live in a world of "broad containers and little light". Our world is indeed a most formidable "container" which holds its own before the Divine light. It is a world which defines, limits and screens the infinite emanations from its Creator. But as a result, ours is a dark world, a world which conceals, shrouds and distorts the reality of G-d.

The purpose of life, said Rabbi Schneur Zalman, is to bring together the best of both worlds - to fill the broad containers of tikkun with the immense light of tohu. This is achieved by serving the Almighty through one's involvement in the world. In the words of the prophet Isaiah "He did not create it for chaos, He formed it that it be settled" [Isaiah 45:18]

On the following Monday, Rabbi Schneur Zalman summoned the once-wealthy chassid, blessed him with success, and told him to return to his home and business. In time, the chassid regained his wealth, made good on his debts and promises, married off his daughters, and resumed his philanthropy on an even more generous level than before.

Source: "Once Upon A Chassid"

Bombshell Betrayal: Obama Leaks Info to Thwart Israeli Attack

Source and much more at: Atlas Shrugs [HT: Moriah]

The Obama administration is leaking information to pressure Israel not to bomb Iran. Enemy in the White House. Not only is Obama an anti-semite, he is anti-American (anti-freedom.) His islamophiliac polcies compromises American security. Iran is clearly an American threat. They have been at war with us since '79. Israel was willing to do the heavy lifting because our reckless and feckless president was too weak, too compromised. But to betray an ally like this?

Senior US officials tell 'Foreign Policy' "Israelis have bought an airfield and the airfield is called Azerbaijan."

Is it any wonder that 20% of Americans think Obama is Muslim. But their fruits ye shall know him and so we know him.

Israel Braces for Arab Protests on Friday

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Thursday stepped up preparations a day before a series of planned Arab protests, deploying thousands of troops and police across the country and along its borders in anticipation of possible violence.

On Friday, Israeli Arabs and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are marking Land Day, an annual protest against what they say are discriminatory Israeli land policies. Supporters in neighboring Arab countries planned marches near the Israeli borders in a solidarity event they call a "Global March to Jerusalem."

While organizers said the events would be nonviolent, Israel's army and police were girding for trouble after similar protests last year turned deadly.

Source and more: Newsday

The Wonderbag: All Day Cholent, No Power Costs

Forget the blech and the slow-cooker, all you need is this Wonderbag:

Squashy, shapeless and stuffed with recycled polystyrene beads, it's an unlikely contender for the year's must-have accessory.  The Wonderbag, you see, is no mere style accessory. It might look like a Seventies beanbag, but it's actually a non-electric slow cooker. Tuck a pan of hot ingredients into its cosy folds, and it will keep them stewing slowly for hours.

Its inventor, Sarah Collins, 42, admits: 'It's the oldest technology in the world. I don't understand how someone else hasn't made it already.' Our ancestors buried hot stew pots in the ground to keep them cooking without fuel.

The principle is simple: heat your food to boiling point for a few minutes on the stove in a normal saucepan, pop on its lid, then transfer it to the bag. It doesn't even matter how long you leave it there, because, says Sarah, it's all but impossible to overcook anything. 'I'm not a good cook,' she says. 'I don't want to worry about timings. I'm one of those people who just chucks everything in and goes away. But the Wonderbag has turned me into a good cook, because everything comes out so tasty.'

You can even leave rice in to cook overnight without it turning into sludge, she claims. It sounds too good to be true. I'm feeling sceptical as, after breakfast, I brown onions and beef in a pan with a tin of tomatoes and a bag of mixed veg. Normally, I'd simmer such a stew in the oven for hours. This time, I heat it for just 30 minutes before transferring the lidded pot to the bag.

A South African eco-entrepreneur, she came up with the idea four years ago during a power cut, when she managed to keep her dinner cooking by surrounding the pan with cushions. The comical-looking prototype she later developed with a friend is already having a significant impact on the developing world.

Read more: Daily Mail

Jewish School Boy Beaten in Another French Antisemitic Attack

A 12-year-old Jewish schoolboy was punched in the back of the head by a gang who called him a ‘dirty little Jew’. The incident took place near the Ozar Hatorah school attended by the boy in southeastern Paris and is the latest in a string of anti-Semitic attacks to hit France.

The police guarding the school allegedly did not see the assault taking place, and the schoolboy reportedly did not suffer serious injuries.

Jean-Paul Amoyelle, head of the Ozar Hatorah network of Jewish schools in France, said he feared further attacks after this incident.

Source: Algemeiner

Rembrandt's painting ''The Old Rabbi'' authenticated

Left high on a library wall for more than half a century, the portrait of a rheumy-eyed old man initially seemed no different from the misattributed old masters hanging beside it.

But after more than half a century of being overlooked, it has been authenticated as a genuine and outstanding work by Rembrandt.

And the identification – by the world's leading expert on the 17th century Dutch master – will make a multimillion pound difference to its price tag.

The painting, known as The Old Rabbi, has rarely been seen by the public since it was last exhibited in 1950. Since then it has hung in the private apartments of Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, family home of the dukes of Bedford.

Source and more: Guardian

Israeli Army chief cancels Passover vacation

For first time in many years, all IDF units to be on full alert during Passover holiday; army officials insist decision not related to any planned military operations.

Chief of Staff Benny Gantz has ordered all IDF units to cancel their traditional Passover breaks so that they can operate in full capacity over the upcoming holdiay, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday.

The implication of the decision is that for the first time in many years, all IDF units will maintain their regular operations and remain on full alert throughout the holiday.

As result of the unexpected decision, thousands of soldiers at various IDF headquarters and bases will have to report for duty as usual in order to allow their units to operate with no interruption.

Source: Ynet

Israel Cuts Ties With UN ''Human Rights'' Council

Israel has severed ties with the UN Human Rights Council after the committee launched an international investigation into Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Tel Aviv would prevent the council's fact-finding teams from entering the West Bank to investigate settlement construction.

“We are not working with them anymore,” Palmor said. “We had been participating in meetings, discussions, arranging visits to Israel. All that is over.”

Source and more: PressTV

Giving Thanks

''If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving offering... ''[Tzav 7:12 ]

Rashi comments on when a thanksgiving offering is brought:

To give thanks to G-d for a miracle that had happened to a person. For instance:

1. those who made a sea voyage, or

2. journeyed in the desert, or

3. those who had been in prison, or

4. a sick person who recovered.

All these are required to give thanks to G-d since regarding them, the verse states ''They will give thanks to G-d for His kindness and for His wonders to mankind, and they will slaughter sacrifices of thanksgiving.'' [Psalms 107:21-22]

Chassidic thought has a further sequence of the four cases that require a thanksgiving offering, corresponding to the process by which the soul descends into the world:

1. Sick person: When the soul leaves its source beginning its journey down into this world, the intense love for G-d which is experienced previously is weakened. So the soul becomes ''sick'' with its desire to regain its lost love.

2. Imprisonment: As the soul descends further downwards, it becomes affected by the progressive confinement of the spiritual and physical worlds, until it is eventually ''imprisoned'' in a body.

3. Sea voyage: While the soul is living in this world, there is the danger that it will ''drown'' in the turbulent waters of worldliness and physicality.

4. Desert: The soul may regress further, G-d forbid, to the point that the person lives a life devoid and barren of any spiritual meaning whatsoever.

And since these challenges are great, the soul is made to swear an oath before it leaves its source - ''be righteous and don't be wicked'' - giving it the strength to prevail against all odds.

Based on Sefer HaMaámarim 5737 Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Secret of the Ten Plagues

The following [extracts of a] letter are taken from a pamphlet written by the Tzaddik, Rebbe Shimshon from Ostropoli. He writes at the end of the pamphlet that anyone who studies the wondrous and awesome secrets written here, even one time in a year, and especially Erev Pesach, is guaranteed that he will be saved from any kind of accident or disaster or strange death for the whole of that year, and that everything that he turns his hand to will be successful!

"....as briefly as possible I will answer Your Honor’s question regarding that which I wrote about the symbols DaTSaCH ADaSH BeaChaB  דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב) ) etc. and how the Redemption is hinted at by these symbols..."

".....all these words of the Ari z”l are obviously the most wondrous and awesome secrets, sealed , closed and locked away from the slightest understanding, for who is there that could explain them? And, in fact, I have been asked many times by some of the greatest Rabbis to explain these words to them, and I refused. However, because of my great love for Your Honor, I will explain them to you as they were revealed and explained to me in a dream."

To read the entire letter go to: Shuvubonim

The Kabbalah of Defeating Terror

By Levi Brackman

There is no doubt that the greatest threat facing the civilized world today is the amalgam of extremism, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. This lethal combination could one day, if given the chance, claim the lives of millions, G-d forbid.

Perhaps the most frightening thing about this challenge is that it's not a contest of strength between two armies, nor is it a battle between rival ideologies. It's a struggle between two types of force -- one that thrives on order and another that flourishes on chaos. Can order defeat chaos? Can moderation defeat extremism?

But this is not a novel struggle: it has its origins in the Bible.

Jacob is by far the most fascinating and complex personality in the book of Genesis. First we're introduced to "Jacob the scholar," a quiet, timid person who spends his days in his tent immersed in study. Soon thereafter, however, the Torah acquaints us with "Jacob the conniver" who induces his twin brother Esau to part with his birthright in exchange for a pottage of lentils and subsequently elicits from his old father blessings that had been intended for Esau. As he flees his brother's wrath, we meet "Jacob the prophet" who sees a vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder and holds a conversation with G-d. Arriving in Haran -- where Jacob finds shelter in his uncle Laban's home -- we're introduced to "Jacob the romantic" who falls in love with his cousin Rachel and is prepared to work for seven years in his uncle's employ in return for her hand in marriage. "Jacob the rancher" has phenomenal success in building up Laban's flocks, and "Jacob the entrepreneur" outmaneuvers his dishonest uncle and amasses a small fortune. Returning from Haran, "Jacob the warrior" prepares himself and his family for battle with Esau.

In a word, Jacob is clearly the most versatile of the three Patriarchs. This is why, predicated on the holy Zohar, the Chassidic masters assign the Divine attribute of Tiferet [beauty, harmony] to Jacob. Abraham personified the attribute of Chessed [kindness], Isaac personified Gevurah [severity] and Jacob Tiferet. In the Kabbalistic system of the Divine attributes ["Sefirot"], Tiferet acts as the mediator between Chessed on the right and Gevurah on the left.

A mediator has to be able to understand the point of view of both parties and see the legitimacy of both vantage points in order to find the common denominator between the two. Chessed is unbridled love. Gevurah is discipline and restriction. As the dynamic mediator between these two extremes, Tiferet can be restrictive when needed, but loving and kind on other occasions. This manifested itself in Jacob's personality and life. He was dynamic and adaptable -- the antithesis of extremism.

Art by Emily Martin

Jacobs's antagonist was his brother Esau. Esau's life was one of chaos, characterized by rebelliousness and murder. He was a "man of the field" -- a hunter. He spurned his birthright and married women deeply disapproved of by his parents. He set out together with four hundred henchmen to do battle with his brother Jacob. Esau was eventually killed by his great-nephew while arguing with Jacob's sons during his funeral. All this points to a man who was extreme in nature.

The great 16th century Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria ["Ari"] explained that Esau's spiritual source was the primordial world of Tohu or chaos. The world of Tohu contains spiritual energy that is too potent to be channeled productively. Denied the ability to be applied for a practical and constructive purpose, this extreme potency can only destroy. This is what Esau was: a man who was unable to apply himself to achieve something that would have a long term positive effect -- he was only able to destroy.

Jacob's spiritual antecedent is from the world of Tikkun or order. Tikkun is a world in which the energy fuses with its recipient "vessel" so that together they are able to be positively productive. Within the world of Tikkun, Jacob personified Tiferet. Thus Jacob's dynamism allowed him to lead a worthwhile and productive life.

It is now clear why Jacob was able to triumph in his struggle with Esau time after time. Jacob confronted Esau's intensity and extremism with clarity, calmness and rationalism. He countered Esau's brash, destructive, chaotic, antagonistic and vengeful personality with caution, moderation, realism and desire for peace. He was victorious because extreme and destructive powers will ultimately suffer defeat at the hand of energies that are serene, constructive, dynamic and tolerant.

In our century we are witnessing the battle between the power of Esau and the power of Jacob. Esau is represented by the extremist elements who would like to destroy civilization as we know it -- those who flourish in chaotic situations, where there is no calling to account.

Jacob, on the other hand, is characterized by the tolerant, peace loving citizens and nations of the world who cherish order, justice and a civilized society.

Certainly, we must wage war against the extremists. However it is only by concurrently maintaining an orderly, tolerant, constructive, dynamic and peace-loving composure and philosophy, that extremism, and its by-product, terrorism, will be defeated.

Source: Chabad

HT: Creed of Noah

Two million set for ''March on Israel'' Organizer Claims

[HT: Moriah]

Global March to Jerusalem Facebook page 

Two million Arab and international protesters will march toward the borders of Israel and take part in activities designed to highlight Jerusalem’s Arab character on Friday, the event organizer claims.

Ribhi Haloum, general coordinator of the “Global March to Jerusalem,” said in a press statement that volunteers from 80 countries will take part in the march. Jordan and Lebanon will send protesters to the border, whereas Egypt will organize a solidarity marathon from Cairo University to the pyramids in Giza and a large rally at Al-Azhar University.

The organizers emphasized the peaceful nature of the march, which will coincide with Land Day, an annual day of commemoration marked by Arab citizens of Israel to protest land confiscation.

But judging by the event’s Facebook page, at least some supporters are demanding concrete action on Jerusalem.

“What will you do after the march? Liberate it!” wrote commentator Muhammad Malkawi. Other talkbackers asked about solidarity activities in Sudan or Iraq.

Full article at: Times of Israel

Remember....

North Korea April Rocket Launch Coverup for Iran Missile Test

In mid-April, North Korea intends to launch it’s long range Unha-3 rocket into space while carrying a satellite, sparking concerns in Washington and Seoul that an agreement to halt Pyongyang’s nuclear missile program is in jeopardy.

On Monday, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported that the scheduled launch is intended to assist the Iranians in testing their long range rocket technology, because Tehran believes conducting such a launch inside the Islamic Republic would aggravate western nations as the two sides head into negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program next month.

“There’s nothing surprising in this. Iran has, for roughly 20 years, used every ruse possible to avoid it’s international obligations, leaving it’s pledges in bilateral and multilateral frameworks. If they were to test through North Korea, it would just be another example of that,” said Gerald Steinberg of the BESA Center for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv.

President Obama, who is in South Korea for a nuclear security summit, spoke in the capital of Seoul on Sunday.

“North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations,” he said.

“We are preparing measures to track the missile’s trajectory and shoot it down if it, by any chance, deviates from the planned route and falls into our territory,” said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Source: Algemeiner

The Time for Miracles

Received via email

Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi brought this down during her shiur this week:

A faucet of miracles – at your seder

We’re at an amazing time – “a moment of affection”. The month of Nisan – the time of nissim, miracles. What does the Chatam Sofer say? There’s a difference between a ko’es, one who is angry, and a ka’asan, one who is by nature angry; the difference between a spender and a spendthrift. One’s momentary, the other existential. The same thing with a nes, a miracle. God split the Sea of Reeds, ים סוף , once, and that’s it – so what?... But Nisan – that’s the nature of the season. A gate of miracles opens up this week. The nature of the time is miracle after miracle, and all I ask, says God, is that הַרְחֶב פִּיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵהוּ – open your mouth wide and let Me fill it1; שְׁאַל 1 Psalms 81:11 מִמֶּנִּי – וְאֶתְּנָה – Ask of Me and I shall give  [Psalms] All I want from you is for you to ask. That’s it.

At the beginning of Nisan the angels overseeing your fortune changed their shifts. If you’ve felt stuck, locked in, closed – God called for a shift change, and now you have new angels supervising your fortune, your constellation. What’s a constellation? A mazal – from the word nozel, meaning to flow. They cause a flow of changed fortunes. I so much want to give you all hope, because if you don’t believe it you’ll never see the miracles. So we must pray, because salvation is getting closer. We must have faith to receive the miracles. 

And Rabbi Arush’s thoughts on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.  This is a word for word translation:

We must prepare ourselves for a really important time. The month of Nissan. Rebbe Nachman writes that there are two months of teshuva – Tishrei and Nissan. In Tishrei we do teshuva because we are afraid – but in Nissan, we do teshuva because we love Hashem. All of that month, all of those days, are Yamim Tovim. They are festive days. The first twelve days, are days that there were sacrifices of the princes of Israel, 13th is isru chag for the Nissim, 14th is the sacrifice of Pesach, then 7 days of Pesach, then Isru Chag – one month of holidays!

This month it’s going to be a new beginning for the rest of the year. It’s the month of the Geula. Rabbi Nachman of Breselv writes in Likutei Moharan that this is the first day of the year for the kings. On this day Hashem is deciding all of the kings that are going to be. So there is an aspect that Rosh Chodesh Nissan is more important than even the first day of Rosh Hashanah in Chodesh Tishrei! On Rosh Hashanah Hashem judges us all individually. Each and every one, He is judging Him on his actions. But on Rosh Chodesh Nissan Hashem is judging generally – all of the world itself. Who is going to be the kings and so on. On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Hashem is going to decide when Moshiach is going to come. There is not for no reason that our Rabbis say that Moshiach will come in Nissan. It’s because on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Hashem is going to decide if the king is going to be Moshiach, so he’s going to come in Nissan. This is why everyone has to realize how important these days are and put in the effort, and especially on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, to pray that Hashem is going to put His kingdom on top, that He is going to be the King, and if you Hashem are not going to bring the Moshiach this year, please appoint good kings that it’s going to be good for us.

Obama warns North Korea

Staring into the void ... Barack Obama peers across the demilitarised zone into North Korea after arriving in Seoul for a nuclear security summit. Photo: AFP

SEOUL: The US President, Barack Obama, has warned North Korea that it will achieve nothing with threatening behaviour and risks deepening its isolation if it proceeds with a planned long-range rocket launch.

''North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations,'' Mr Obama said during a news conference yesterday in the South Korean capital, Seoul, where he is attending a nuclear security summit.

Read more: SMH

Broken

Art: Harry Watrous

''An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked shall be broken.....'' [Tzav 6:21]

An ''earthenware vessel'' represents the body of man, which was formed from the earth. Just like an earthenware vessel that absorbs a prohibited substance must be broken, so too, if a man's body participates in a sin, it can be atoned for when his heart becomes ''broken'' through true repentance.

Based on Sichas Shabbos Parsha Tzav 5736, Lubavitcher Rebbe

Korea to Aim Missile at Australia, Obama Threatens Strong Response

• North Korea to test new rocket on April 15 [the 8th day of Pesach]
• Likely to have bigger payload, power
• US warns "aimed toward Australia"

A senior United States official says a long-range missile which North Korea plans to test next month will for the first time be aimed towards South-East Asia and Australia.

See: North Korea to aim missile test at Australia

SEOUL: North Korea will face a "strong response" if it launches a long-range rocket next month despite international calls to desist, a special adviser to US President Barack Obama said on Friday.

"If they go ahead anyway, we will want to work with our allies and partners for a strong response," Gary Samore, arms control coordinator at the National Security Council, told South Korea's Yonhap news agency in an interview.

The North's planned launch sometime between April 12 and 16 will be a key topic on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Seoul next week.

See: US warns of 'strong response' if North Korea launches rocket

Toulouse Victims part of Illustrious Rabbinic Family

The murdered victims were scions of an illustrious rabbinic family. The date of the murders has eerie significance.

by Jacob Asseraf

Ed. note: This article appeared in an online Five Towns newspaper. The writer is not an English speaker. Minimal editing was done where the needed changes were obvious, the rest was left as written.

I am the uncle of the woman who lost her two children and husband in the killing and the cousin of the father of the girl Miriam Monsonego who also perished in the attack.

The 2 boys, Gabriel Issachar 6 years old and Arie 3 years old , who were killed with their father are the grand-grand sons of my father Issachar and the 8 years old girl Miriam Monsonego is the grand- grand daughter of my father's sister.

What is strange about this story is this drama happened on Adar 25, the day of the anniversary of the death of my son [sic] father Issachar and one of the boys is named after him.

Miriam Monsonego. She comes from a lineage of great rabbis family, the Monsonego Family, Av Beth Din From father to son since 1492 from Spain, and Great Rabbi of Morocco.

And also my cousin, Rabbi Aaron Monsonego, the Grand Uncle of Miriam Monsonego, is currently Great Rabbi of Morocco and the President since its existence of the Otzar Hatorah Institutions.

My niece Hava Malka and and her family have been sent by the Israeli government as shlouhim to teach in that Jewish school Otsar Hatorah

The French Government

I want bring some clarification on the behavior of the French nation and its authorities. For the first time I, like all the French Jewish community, have been very impressed with the solidarity and the support of the French nation of all religions and political parties together.

Even the French Arab and Muslim community has been very integral in these events with French Jewish community

How things happened

My niece is living in front of the school where she and her husband Rav Jonathan Sandler were teaching Limoudei Koddesh.[Judaica, ed.]

It was on Monday March 19th , my niece's husband was waiting with his 2 boys for the school bus for the nursery and kindergarden school to drive the boys to their school. Usually my niece would wait with them, but this day she did not and stayed with her 6 month old daughter at home.

Very strange that she and her daughter were saved on the day of my father's yortseit [anniversary of death].

While Rav Jonathan Sandler and his 2 boys were awaiting the bus, the criminal came towards them, to stand up in front of him and shoot him in the head before turning to shoot Gabriel Issachar, the 6 years old boy and Aryeh, the 3 years old boy.

The little girl Miriam that was waiting as well, was scared and started running, the murderer ran after her pulled her by the her hair, held her and shot her with a bullet in her head, what a criminal, one of the students, 17 years old, trying to save her has been shot also in the lung and the heart, he was saved after many [sic] surgery.

My niece Hava Malka, when she heard the shooting she ran downstairs and saw her husband and kids murdered in front of her, Aryeh the 3 years old boy was still living but died at the hospital.

The father of Miriam, Yaakov Monsonego, son of Rabbi Rahamim Monsonego, my cousin, was around saw his daughter murder in front of him , he collapsed.

My sister Fanny with her husband, living in Paris, took the first flight to Toulouse. I have been called the same day by my family while I was at the Far Rockaway Shoul Beis Yaakov davening Shachrit [morning prayers,  which it is the custom to lead on a yahrzeit, ed.] for my father's yortseit.

Both families, Sandler and Monsonego, are French and Israeli citizens. Prime Minister Netanyahu and the all the Israelis were deeply affected by this anti-Semitic murders.

The French president sent his Foreign Secretary of State Alain Juppe as well his Interior and Police Secretary of State to Toulouse to support the family. They also intervened not to let the Doctors make any autopsies to the murdered.

The Niftarim [dead] and their family have been boarded in a military Flight towards Paris, where President Sarkozy did a Special Ceremony for them before they leave to Israel.

President Sarkozy also sent his Foreign Secretary of State Alain Juppe [who is and always was a great friend of the Jewish Community] to fly with the families to Israel and to assist at the funerals which will take place Wednesday March 21st with the presence of the Israeli and French Governments at Givat Shaoul Har Hamenouhot where my Parents Issachar and Messda Assaraf, whose yortseit is also 28th Adar this week are buried.

They took the 11:55 Pm EL AL Flight from Paris to Jerusalem Tuesday 20th.

I have attached also the picture, of the Grandfather of the father of Myriam Monsonego, who was the uncle of my father from his mother's side and also his brother in law has married my father's sister .

Rabbi Yedidia Monsonego was always with the King Hassan II and his son Aaron as well. The King of Morocco never did anything without the advice of Rabbi Yedidiah.

Source and more, including video at: Israel National News

HT: Moriah

UN orders first-ever probe into ''illegal Israeli settlements''

The UN Human Rights Council [UNHRC] has passed a resolution which orders the first-ever probe to explore the impact of Israeli settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories.

Of the 47-member council, 36 voted in favor of the resolution on Thursday while 10 abstained from voting. The Untied States was the only member that voted against the measure.

The resolution called on Tel Aviv to help protect Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied territories as well as to prevent settler’s violence “including confiscation of arms and enforcement of criminal sanctions.”

“Steps like this do nothing to promote a just and lasting peace,” said the US envoy to the UN, adding that America is “deeply troubled by this council’s bias against Israel.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also criticized the UNHRC, saying that the Council “should be ashamed of itself” for approving such a measure.

Full article at: PressTV