Appreciates The Support

Back in the Jan. 16 issue you published a letter from Diane McKeel ("Support from the Heartland") who wrote about her commitment to Israel. She explained that she "was raised in the hills of Missouri by uneducated parents and with a limited education myself" and that despite "what some might think given my background, I have contributed to Israel, from the limited funds at my disposal, during times of war and crisis."

I'm an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor who sailed to Israel on the Exodus and I was deeply touched by that letter. I want to say, "Diane, I love you." I hope she reads my message of kudos to her.

Judith Adler

(Via E-Mail)

Trouble Ahead? (I)

Once again you've given us a great editorial on our new president and the alarming trends we see emerging from the Obama administration vis-a-vis Israel and the Middle East ("Follow the Interests," March 6).

I wonder whether Obama learned any lesson from his failure to effect any changes in the virulently anti-Israel agenda planned for Darfur II. During the campaign he made much of the supposed failure of President Bush to exhaust diplomatic avenues to resolve international issues. I, for one, did not dismiss this argument out of hand.

I now realize I was mistaken. There is a core constituency in the world that is irredeemably anti-Israel and anti-America, regardless of facts or circumstances, and as is the case with Darfur II, that constituency often acts through the UN and its agencies.

Unfortunately, someone like me learning from my mistakes means nothing in the greater scheme of things. But if the president of the United States doesn't appreciate the significance of what happened, the episode will have been for naught and we can look forward to four (eight?) long years.

David Rosenberg

New York, NY

Trouble Ahead? (II)

Re "Follow the Interests":

Unfortunately, those of us who tried to warn the Jewish community about Barack and Congressman Gary Ackerman were too often kept from speaking at synagogues and other forums during 2008 presidential campaign.

I was twice kept from speaking at synagogues about Obama's disastrous record, although the McCain campaign had designated me as its local spokesperson on this. These were not isolated incidents. Jews throughout the country were kept from speaking at synagogues by the Obama campaign in a coordinated campaign to try to silence the opposition.

As for Ackerman, his record on Israel has been a disaster for years. In addition to his latest comments accusing Israelis of "intransigence" and perpetrating "pogroms" he has, among other things, pushed for funds to go to the Palestinian Authority, which resulted in $600 million being sent to the PA in 2008 - despite the fact that the PA announced in January 2008 that 40% of what it receives from international donors is sent to Hamas; has called Mahmoud Abbas a peace partner despite Abbas's continuing promotion of terrorism in Palestinian schools, mosques, and on official PA television; and has stated that he personally wants to go speak with Ahmadinejad.

These are just some of the reasons why I ran for Congress against Ackerman in 2008 and probably will do so again in 2010. Further details on Ackerman's record are available on my website, LizBerneyforCongress.com, and can be seen by reviewing the transcripts of his Congressional hearings.

Liz Berney, Esq.

(Via E-Mail)

Avoiding Civilian Casualties

Elliot Resnick ("Israel, War, and Innocent Civilians," op-ed, March 6) captured the essence of the dilemma facing Israel. As things stand now, Israel, in order to protect its own citizens from death, must make war - and as is the case in any war, the death of civilians, in this case Arab civilians, is inevitable.

Of course, this would be largely avoidable if Arab leaders, who claim to really want peace, confronted the terrorists operating from their countries. By dismantling the terror infrastructure and freeing Israel from the constant threat of attack, these Arab leaders would ensure the safety and security of their own citizens.

No terrorist attacks = no Israeli retaliation. Period.

Maurice Ellinger

(Via E-Mail)

Unintended Consequences

In his letter ("Wasteful Giving," March 6), Barry Koppel decries the way "many of us spend ridiculous amounts of money on fancy baskets we send to friends and neighbors" since "the mitzvah of mishloach manot is supposed to involve sending two prepared food items to one friend or neighbor."

There is one point he did not raise: this fashion of conspicuous waste has the effect of intimidating people of modest means who cannot match such luxurious presentations. Consequently, they are too ashamed to send mishloach manot at all.

Such showing off, therefore, has precisely the opposite effect to that intended by the mitzvah and may itself be a case of mitzvah haba'ah b'aveirah - the aveirah being, of course, lifnei iveir lo titein michshol.

Martin D. Stern

Salford, England

Always The Exception

I was intrigued by something Rachel Rogosnitzky reported last week, in her News and Views from Europe column, about the participation of Ibrahim Moussawi, a spokesman for Hizbullah, at a conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies, a branch of London University.

Apparently Moussawi has referred to Jews as "a lesion on the forehead of history." In the aftermath of the publication of various cartoons ridiculing Islam, Muslim spokesmen succeeded in including defamation of a religion as an international crime. Once again I guess Jews and Judaism are the exception to humanity's idea of fair play.

Bracha Fein

Jerusalem

Look To Hashem Rather Than Stars

Re Rabbi Chaim Tanny's March 6 letter on the alleged theological significance of the stars, comets and constellation:

The Zohar source he quotes cannot be taken at face value. For example, it is asserted (Zohar, Parshas Trumah 171b) that illness can be cured by gazing at shining steel which is moved from one side to another like a comet's tail as it sends light into the patient's face resulting in a cure (my own idiomatic translation).

Of course, based on scientific observation, we know that different positions of the sun and moon have an impact on tides in conjunction with the rotation of the earth and bathymetry of the oceans and seas. Wind and gravity also have an impact; alas, all these phenomena stem from the handiwork of Almighty God.

With respect to Rabbi Tanny's source in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah, Rambam does not say the heavenly bodies have "influence." He simply points out that they are part of God's creation and thus recognize their Creator - allegorically speaking. Thus, human beings should also acknowledge Almighty God as the Creator and obey His laws just as the heavenly bodies do by following their orbits as ordained by God.

It is important to remember that Rambam (Hilchos Avoda Zara 1:1-2) describes in detail the folly of concentrating on the stars instead of worshiping Almighty God.

Rabbi Chaim Silver

(Via E-Mail)

Hearing Vs. Discerning

Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz, zt"l, famed mashgiach of Mir, popularized the concept of "derherring." This master of Mussar explained that everyone herrs (hears) the same thing, but the trick is to derherr - to analyze and assimilate that which we see and hear in order to recognize just what Hashem intended for us to discern.

Having read Roy Neuberger's op-ed columns in The Jewish Press over the past few months, I think I can safely say that Mr. Neuberger definitely derherrs.

While the masses fret over the economy, rising anti-Semitism and global terrorism, Mr. Neuberger understands these are simply distractions meant to divert our attention from where it belongs - making one great concerted effort to finally end this intolerable exile.

So why don't others derherr? Mr. Neuberger, in his March 6 op-ed, asks why it was necessary for the Jewish people to be given the holiday of Purim, as it seems to feature the same theme of Pesach - i.e., Hashem rescuing his nation from an existential threat. The answer he offers is that we had to be reminded that Amalek is constantly looming and that every generation must deal with its own Hamans and Hitlers.

What must be understood is that the most dangerous Amalek of all lurks within us. The gematria of Amalek is equal to that of safek - the Hebrew word for doubt. While we may not like to admit this, even to ourselves, the reality is that everyone to some degree is plagued by doubt as to the veracity of the Torah and the omnipotence of Hashem.

As for Moshiach, if we really believe his arrival is imminent, why do so many of us mortgage our lives to our homes, not only spending more than we can afford but then devoting so much time and money to transforming mere houses into palaces? (By no means do I mean to criticize or preach, as I too have fallen prey to the blandishments of the yetzer hora.)

So what must we do to join the ranks of derherrers? We must simply appeal to Hashem in earnest that we want to be redeemed and we want to be redeemed now. Just remember that He is the most loving Father who not only wants to fulfill our desires but is absolutely capable of doing anything. All He needs from us is a sign that His love is reciprocated.

Dr. Yaakov Stern

Brooklyn, NY

Read Comments (1)

Re: Dr. Stern's Letter
Date 11:03, 03-17, 09

Dr. Stern makes a good point. The ethical and
moral teachings of the Torah should be seriously studied.
There are excellent books that deal with the
pertinent issues: 1)Mesillas Yesharim
2)Khovos Ha-Leh-Voh-Vohs
3) Ohrkhos Tsah-dikkim
4) Shemohneh Perakim
In response to Dr. Stern's reference to Moshiakh,
I would like to point out that there is no obligation to
make one's conduct contingent on the purported messianic
advent. In fact, Maimonides in his classic masterpiece,
Mishneh Torah (Hilkhos Melakhim), urges the reader NOT to
make calculations to figure out when Moshiakh is expected.
Indeed, Maimonides writes that dwelling on that subject
is counterproductive and ill-considered---to paraphrase.
History has borne out the validity of Rambam's
exhortations on this greatly misunderstood subject.
Rabbi Rafael Colon