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#2058 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:12 am
Subject: From Aish: Marc Chagall Today I shall ... 		bdmesq
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6 Nisan

This date marks the death of Marc Chagall (1887-1985), the greatest Jewish painter of modern times. Chagall's work depicted biblical and Judaic themes, as well as village life in eastern Europe. Chagall's style is dreamlike, relying heavily on symbolism such as fiddlers, candlesticks and cows. With the German occupation of France during World War II, and the deportation of Jews to concentration camps, Chagall fled from Paris to America. (He moved back to France after the war.) Chagall created a mural for the Knesset, and stained glass windows for the synagogue of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Today, a Chagall original can sell for more than $10 million.




6 Nisan

Man is judged each day (Rosh Hashanah16a).



A disciple of the Baal Shem Tov remarked to him that the above statement appears to contradict another Talmudic statement, which states that a person is judged on Rosh Hashanah for the entire year.

The Baal Shem Tov noticed a water carrier passing by. "How are things with you, Chaikel?" he asked. "What can I tell you?" Chaikel answered. "In my old age, I still have to earn my meager bread with backbreaking work."

The Baal Shem Tov told his disciple to remember Chaikel's words.

Several days later, the water carrier again passed by. Again, the Baal Shem Tov inquired as to how things were with him. "Thank God," Chaikel said, "if at my age I can still provide for myself byshlepping water up the hill, I have no cause to complain."

The Baal Shem Tov then told his disciple: "Both Talmudic statements are true. On Rosh Hashanah, it was decreed that Chaikel will be a water carrier this year, but how Chaikel reacts to this decree can vary from day to day."

While our particular station in life may be the same, we react to it differently from day to day. We thus have the option to react more favorably and less favorably to the very same conditions.



Today I shall ...
...

try to realize that some things that irritate me today did not bother me at other times, and I have the option not to be irritated today.


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#2059 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:24 pm
Subject: Many basic studies on cancer -- a high proportion of them from university labs -- are unreliable 		bdmesq
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Prefer to send you more positive articles, but it may also be necessary to realize that one should be not too  naive when things are stated by 

"authorities" ......prestige, lust for money and honour [misplaced one] are as old as the world is.


In cancer science, many "discoveries" don't hold up

Related Topics

By Sharon Begley

NEW YORK | Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:09pm EDT

(Reuters) - A former researcher at Amgen Inc has found that many basic studies on cancer -- a high proportion of them from university labs -- are unreliable, with grim consequences for producing new medicines in the future.

During a decade as head of global cancer research at Amgen, C. Glenn Begley identified 53 "landmark" publications -- papers in top journals, from reputable labs -- for his team to reproduce. Begley sought to double-check the findings before trying to build on them for drug development.

Result: 47 of the 53 could not be replicated. He described his findings in a commentary piece published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

"It was shocking," said Begley, now senior vice president of privately held biotechnology company TetraLogic, which develops cancer drugs. "These are the studies the pharmaceutical industry relies on to identify new targets for drug development. But if you're going to place a $1 million or $2 million or $5 million bet on an observation, you need to be sure it's true. As we tried to reproduce these papers we became convinced you can't take anything at face value."

The failure to win "the war on cancer" has been blamed on many factors, from the use of mouse models that are irrelevant to human cancers to risk-averse funding agencies. But recently a new culprit has emerged: too many basic scientific discoveries, done in animals or cells growing in lab dishes and meant to show the way to a new drug, are wrong.

Begley's experience echoes a report from scientists at Bayer AG last year. Neither group of researchers alleges fraud, nor would they identify the research they had tried to replicate.

But they and others fear the phenomenon is the product of a skewed system of incentives that has academics cutting corners to further their careers.

George Robertson of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia previously worked at Merck on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. While at Merck, he also found many academic studies that did not hold up.

"It drives people in industry crazy. Why are we seeing a collapse of the pharma and biotech industries? One possibility is that academia is not providing accurate findings," he said.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Over the last two decades, the most promising route to new cancer drugs has been one pioneered by the discoverers of Gleevec, the Novartis drug that targets a form of leukemia, and Herceptin, Genentech's breast-cancer drug. In each case, scientists discovered a genetic change that turned a normal cell into a malignant one. Those findings allowed them to develop a molecule that blocks the cancer-producing process.

This approach led to an explosion of claims of other potential "druggable" targets. Amgen tried to replicate the new papers before launching its own drug-discovery projects.

Scientists at Bayer did not have much more success. In a 2011 paper titled, "Believe it or not," they analyzed in-house projects that built on "exciting published data" from basic science studies. "Often, key data could not be reproduced," wrote Khusru Asadullah, vice president and head of target discovery at Bayer HealthCare in Berlin, and colleagues.

Of 47 cancer projects at Bayer during 2011, less than one-quarter could reproduce previously reported findings, despite the efforts of three or four scientists working full time for up to a year. Bayer dropped the projects.

Bayer and Amgen found that the prestige of a journal was no guarantee a paper would be solid. "The scientific community assumes that the claims in a preclinical study can be taken at face value," Begley and Lee Ellis of MD Anderson Cancer Center wrote in Nature. It assumes, too, that "the main message of the paper can be relied on ... Unfortunately, this is not always the case."

When the Amgen replication team of about 100 scientists could not confirm reported results, they contacted the authors. Those who cooperated discussed what might account for the inability of Amgen to confirm the results. Some let Amgen borrow antibodies and other materials used in the original study or even repeat experiments under the original authors' direction.

Some authors required the Amgen scientists sign a confidentiality agreement barring them from disclosing data at odds with the original findings. "The world will never know" which 47 studies -- many of them highly cited -- are apparently wrong, Begley said.

The most common response by the challenged scientists was: "you didn't do it right." Indeed, cancer biology is fiendishly complex, noted Phil Sharp, a cancer biologist and Nobel laureate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Even in the most rigorous studies, the results might be reproducible only in very specific conditions, Sharp explained: "A cancer cell might respond one way in one set of conditions and another way in different conditions. I think a lot of the variability can come from that."

THE BEST STORY

Other scientists worry that something less innocuous explains the lack of reproducibility.

Part way through his project to reproduce promising studies, Begley met for breakfast at a cancer conference with the lead scientist of one of the problematic studies.

"We went through the paper line by line, figure by figure," said Begley. "I explained that we re-did their experiment 50 times and never got their result. He said they'd done it six times and got this result once, but put it in the paper because it made the best story. It's very disillusioning."

Such selective publication is just one reason the scientific literature is peppered with incorrect results.

For one thing, basic science studies are rarely "blinded" the way clinical trials are. That is, researchers know which cell line or mouse got a treatment or had cancer. That can be a problem when data are subject to interpretation, as a researcher who is intellectually invested in a theory is more likely to interpret ambiguous evidence in its favor.

The problem goes beyond cancer.

On Tuesday, a committee of the National Academy of Sciences heard testimony that the number of scientific papers that had to be retracted increased more than tenfold over the last decade; the number of journal articles published rose only 44 percent.

Ferric Fang of the University of Washington, speaking to the panel, said he blamed a hypercompetitive academic environment that fosters poor science and even fraud, as too many researchers compete for diminishing funding.

"The surest ticket to getting a grant or job is getting published in a high-profile journal," said Fang. "This is an unhealthy belief that can lead a scientist to engage in sensationalism and sometimes even dishonest behavior."

The academic reward system discourages efforts to ensure a finding was not a fluke. Nor is there an incentive to verify someone else's discovery. As recently as the late 1990s, most potential cancer-drug targets were backed by 100 to 200 publications. Now each may have fewer than half a dozen.

"If you can write it up and get it published you're not even thinking of reproducibility," said Ken Kaitin, director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. "You make an observation and move on. There is no incentive to find out it was wrong."

(Note: Amgen researcher C. Glenn Begley is not related to the author of this story, Sharon Begley)

(Reporting By Sharon Begley; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Maureen Bavdek)
















































prpfraud

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#2060 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:42 pm
Subject: PROVEN INDICATIONS [German: BEWAHRTE INDIKATIONEN] What does this mean? 		bdmesq
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In homeopathy one may have to search long and "deep" before one finds a remedy for a patient.
This makes homeopathy sometimes quite time consuming and even  bit "frustrating".
On top of that-this is my strong personnel opinion-it may be very hard to prescribe homeopathy if one is not well versed in basic medicine.
With some "luck" [siata d'sh'maya] one sometimes can find quickly a remedy for a person if he just happens to tell some odd, strange symptoms .
There is also "a part of homeopathy" which can be used very effectively because of PROVEN INDICATIONS [German: BEWAHRTE INDIKATIONEN]
Let me explain: certain remedies are nearly always useful in certain clinical conditions and one can use them often with good success without having to spend time on long searching if one is familiar with these so called proven indications.
All of you may be familiar with arnica for trauma [bleeding, hematoma]
This-hematoma, bleeding- is a proven indication for arnica.
In the coming mails I will try to send you shortly some other proven indications -b"h.

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#2061 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:19 pm
Subject: PROVEN INDICATIONS [German: BEWAHRTE INDIKATIONEN] 		bdmesq
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Extreme weakness as a result of nervous exhaustion,most often caused  by a lack of sleep or overwork
For example: one who has to take care of a beloved one for a longer time and is therefore badly lacking sleep and exhausted by this nervous experience.
Also for people who are very badly influenced even by a little lack of sleep [shorter then what they are used to, they can't "permit them self" to loose a bit of sleep] cocculus may fit.
And  a peculiar symptom of cocculus:desire for beer during headaches![This symptom makes no sense in regular medicine]













































prppi prpbi

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#2062 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 7:38 pm
Subject: Resent: Very special [ beautiful done] : Chad Gadya in the Middle East 		bdmesq
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Also possible to click for English version.
[Hebrew / Arameic.........] Very special : Chad Gadya in the Middle East

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#2063 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:26 pm
Subject: About "segulot": .....the greatest opportunity for blessing is within our grasp ........... 		bdmesq
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If you are looking for real, honest blessings / segulot , then read the following BEAUTIFUL writing [ FROM RAV LEIB SCHEINBAUM ,IN THE NAME OF THE CHAFETS CHAYIM 


All of you may know that "pesach" is explained also in a d'rash way as meaning

Pe-sach  ,  meaning 'THE MOUTH [THAT] SPEAKS"[think about the word sicha ]

And this fits then nice with the mitswa to tell the story of the exodus on pesach night [leil ha-seder] :  "V'Higadeta l'Vincha ba'Yom ha'Hu Leimor ..

 

About speaking [talking], recently [parshat metzora] I saw a beautiful thing said in the name of the Chafets Chayim.

I am sending you part of the article- and also the whole article for those who want to read further  [ Peninim on the Torah by Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum - Parshas Metzora ]

I took the freedom to colour part of the text which very much struck me.


I am sure that some of you have seen this before, but I found it to beautiful not to share it with those of you who have not seen this.

Pesach sameach to all of you.

 

 

It is the nature of people to search high and low for blessings and segulos, good omens, and remedies for success in life, health and welfare for themselves and their families. They do not realize, says the Chafetz Chaim, zl, that the greatest opportunity for blessing is within our grasp - if we so choose to take it in our hands. There is a unique and special blessing that Hashem Himself gave in the presence of the Kohanim, Leviim, and all Yisrael, a blessing that is certainly greater than anything that can be obtained from a mortal, regardless of his spiritual stature.

 

The Torah states in Devarim 27:12, "Accursed is one who strikes his fellow stealthily. And the entire people say, Amen." Rashi interprets this curse to apply to lashon hora, slanderous speech. These eleven curses were preceded by the word Baruch, implying a blessing for he who would be vigilant in observing the commands. In other words, the Torah ensures blessing for the one who is careful with his mouth, who does not speak lashon hora. Do we need a greater source of blessing? To paraphrase the Chafetz Chaim, "It is a wonder how a person can search for blessings and segulos for success in earning a livelihood. How can a blessing help a person if he speaks lashon hora? The Torah curses such an individual. No blessing can supercede the Torah's curse! If someone were wise, he would take My advice and be extremely vigilant in refraining from speaking any form of lashon hora. This will be his greatest source of blessing."

 

FOR the whole article from Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum  on the internet:[see below]

 

 

Peninim-bounces@...; on behalf of; Shema Yisrael Torah Network [shemalist@...]

Peninim on the Torah by Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum - Parshas Metzora

 

PARSHAS METZORA

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification. (14:2) Tzaraas is the result of a number of transgressions, one of which is lashon hora, slanderous speech. I recently read an article which focused on the many uses of words and how the most abominable act can be transformed by a word into something acceptable and even noble. This, I feel, falls under the aegis of lashon hora, evil speech. To consider an act of terrorism to be the work of extremists, insurgents, or activists is evil. The way we define the activities of those with whom we disagree does not damage them alone; It is, by definition, a misuse of our G-d-given tongue, which damages us in the process.

 

The Nazis were well-practiced in their ability to paint the most heinous act in terms that were noble and respectable. They referred to the wholesale murder of the Jewish People as "extermination". People are not exterminated; insects are exterminated. They compared us to parasites, thereby reducing the value of our lives to that of bugs and parasites. The writer tells a story of an inhumane Nazi guard who had a dog which he called "mentch." One night a seven year old Jewish boy attempted to escape the camp. The guard told his dog to go after the boy with the command, "Mentch, go after the dog!" This is how the Holocaust was able to take place. Jews were dogs, and dogs became human beings. Today, the world is plagued with "ethnic cleansing," a contemporary term for murder. The Nazis had concentration camps. I think the word camp is absurd. The list goes on. They dehumanized us and presented us to a crude and cruel world as subhuman beings who should be exterminated in their camps. All fancy words for murder.

 

Today's terrorists are "militants" and "freedom fighters". The Jew who is not as observant as we are is often denigrated in terms which I find too callous to use in this paper. The term chareidim is no longer a mark of distinction, but a degrading term used to describe religious zealots who are out of control and unworthy of respect. This is lashon hora, evil speech. Words hurt, especially if they are used by people in order to degrade and sabotage the actions of others with whom they disagree. The name we call a person, or the word we use to describe an activity, destroy the hard work of many. An organization can suddenly lose credibility, an individual's self-sacrifice can be denigrated - all with a bad word. This does not mean that we are to search for positive terms to describe activities or people that are spiritually vacuous and destructive. We just have to think hard and speak softly, realizing the impact of our words, or a word quoted out of context.

 

When you arrive in the land of Canaan that I gave you as a possession, and I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. (14:3 )

 

Among the seven negative actions and character traits cited by Chazal in the Talmud Arachin 16a as the cause for tzaraasת is tzarus ayin, stinginess, selfishness and its accompanying traits of envy and meanness. The Chida, zl, derives this from the above pasuk in response to his questioning of the lengthy text. Why does the Torah emphasize that the house in which the plague is discovered is in "a house in the land of your affliction"? Why does it not simply say, "In your house"? He explains that a person who has merited to receive from Hashem a beautiful and spacious home must realize that he has this home, compliments of the Almighty, for a specific reason: to provide for others who need a place to rest and to feed the needy. Hashem gave him his home, so that others can also benefit from his good fortune. He should never forget that "I gave you [the land] as a possession." What we have is from the Almighty - for a reason and a purpose.

 

One who has tzarus ayin, who cannot tolerate sharing his blessing with those who are not as fortunate as he, who ignores the reality that his home is G-d's gift to him, will lose that gift. He will suddenly notice a plague on the walls of his home. After the contamination period has ended, he is obligated to bring an offering consisting of two birds. There is a profound lesson to be derived from these birds. Wealth does not last forever. One day it is here, but on the next day it may very well be in the possession of another person, just like birds who spread their wings and fly away. They can be here today, they can be anywhere by tomorrow.

 

In the Talmud Eruvin 54a, Chazal likens this world to a bei hillula, a wedding hall. The Ahavas Yisrael, Viznitzer Rebbe, zl, notes that Chazal have used the analogy of a wedding hall as opposed to a wedding. He explains that one who enters a wedding hall on any given night will be met with music, joy and festivity. Everyone is bedecked in his or her finery; the foods are fancy and sumptuous; the d?cor is elegant. Certainly, one will not find any sadness in a wedding hall. It is a place designated for joy. There is one factor to take into consideration: every night it is someone else's affair. True, there is joy and festivity, but it is always a new couple that catalyzes the joy.

 

Life on this world is quite similar. One day, Reuven is doing well; the sun is shining on him. His material concerns seem to be non-existent. Everything is just great - today. Tomorrow might bring another page in the story. The wealth that was Reuven's one day, might become Shimon's the next day. Just like a wedding hall. There are always sounds of joy, but it is never that of the same person. We have a choice: We can either enjoy it while it lasts, or have the foresight to invest it in the lives and needs of others, so that the capital gains will endure long after the principal is gone.

 

And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession He shall demolish the house - its stones, its timber, and all the mortar of the house. (14:34,45)

 

The Torah describes what is clearly a supernatural occurrence - the appearance of a tzaraas affliction upon the walls of one's house. These afflictions occurred in stages, basically as subtle messages from the Almighty notifying the individual that his social behavior left much to be desired. First, the guilty party's house was stricken, then his clothing, and finally his skin. Chazal tell us that tzaraas is the result of gossip and slander which harm the purity of the soul. The afflictions are a sign that the soul cannot handle the false actions of this person. There was, however, a silver lining in the initial stage. The afflicted house was to be dismantled piece by piece and taken away. What the Jewish owners did not know was that the pagan owners who preceded them had hidden treasures in their homes, which were discovered as a result of the dismantling. Suddenly, the Jewish homeowner, who was probably wringing his hands from worry as his house was being taken apart stone by stone, was now a man of great wealth.

 

What is the lesson of this ordeal? What message is Hashem conveying to us? Surely, this does not mean that by speaking lashon hora we might be able to access hidden treasures.

 

Chazal offer one explanation that serves as a practical lesson in education: those who slander, who disparage others, fail to see the inherent good in every human being. They prefer to view people through their jaundiced eyes, seeking the negative, and overlooking the positive. Thus, they end up habitually discrediting people.

 

The dismantled house teaches them a lesson. The visible structure displays some terrifying blotches across its walls, taints that make the house appear uninhabitable. What we do not know is that beneath those blotches, hidden away in inner recesses of the house, concealed from the human eye, is a treasure that we often ignore. Every human being has that inner gold, that internal kedushah, holiness, that is derived from Hashem. How can we disparage others when we do not even know them?

 

This does not mean that if we are certain that an individual is evil, we have license to make his life miserable. I am just attempting to emphasize the importance of seeking out and viewing the positive within each Jew. This brings me to the real purpose of this thought. In every Jewish community, there are people, especially teenagers, whom we all have viewed in the most negative light. If a boy does not dress in the appropriate yeshivish'e begadim, attire, he is disdained and viewed with a malignant eye. If a boy or girl just does not follow the prescribed way of life deemed appropriate for a Torah-oriented lifestyle, he or she is immediately condemned, their parents disparaged by some and pitied by others. This approach does not solve the teenager's problems with self-esteem.

 

We must look at every person through the prism of the Torah. Every Jew is salvageable; every neshamah can be brought back. It takes patience and support - not pity and disdain. The one whose home was to be dismantled must have thought that everything was coming to a bitter end, until he saw the hidden treasure. We can bring those kids back from their abyss of torment and misery. Just because they cannot cope with the highly pressurized environment to which some of us subject our children, they are not necessarily "losers" or whatever terminology we might use to describe these tormented souls. All these souls want is someone who cares about them.

 

There is an anecdote that emphasizes this idea. A father comes home after a long hard, day at work to be greeted by his wife, who is complaining, "Moishe is acting up again. He is impossible. He is starting up with everybody, and he refuses to listen to me!"

 

The father, a no-nonsense disciplinarian, immediately sends Moishe to bed with a stern admonishment. A few minutes of quiet go by in which the father feels that he has the situation under control. Then, as if from nowhere, a quiet voice is heard. "Tatty, I am thirsty. Can I come down for a glass of water?" Moishe asks in a sweet tone. "No! I know your shtick. You are to go to bed, and no more whining", his father replies.

 

A few minutes go by and once again Moishe tries his luck, "Tatty, I am so very thirsty. Please let me come down for some water."

 

The father is no fool. He knows exactly what his son is attempting. "No! And that is final. I do not want to hear another word from you. If you do not quiet down, I will come upstairs and give you a potch!"

 

A minute goes by, and Moishe once again tries his luck. "Tatty, when you come upstairs to give me a potch, will you please bring me a glass of water?"

 

This is not chutzpah. It is an indication that Moishe knows that his father's disciplinary measures will be administered with love and care. Likewise, we know that while Hashem is punishing us for the improper use of our mouths, He finds a way to give us a treasure. We know He cares, and we know that His punishments are not punitive, but therapeutic.

 

This is what children need and want: a sense that they are loved, that someone cares for them, that their accomplishments, however small, are significant. This is certainly true of the secular world, but does it apply to our world, the Orthodox, the Yeshivishe, the Chassidishe world? I think my response is superfluous. Just go into shul, and you will discover that small percentage that we either ignore or disdain, students who could not cope with the pressures of a highly-pressurized society. Let me ask you, do you think these boys feel that someone views them positively, or have they been convinced by their parents and mentors that they have no future?

 

This is, regrettably, a common feeling. We have a responsibility to our other students, and these "other" boys are pulling down the class and impugning the integrity of the school's reputation. Veritably, at one time, I was in agreement with this tragic philosophy, until I read a story that occurred with the sainted Bobover Rebbe, Horav Shlomo Halberstam, zl. There was a student in the yeshivah that had succeeded in turning off every rebbe. He had serious discipline issues, and, in addition, his peers did not care for him either. In short, he had reached the end of the rope. His principal approached the Bobover Rebbe seeking advice. In reality, he was asking permission to do what the previous principals in other yeshivos had done: expel him from school. The Rebbe heard the request and with sensitivity and compassion, he looked at the principal and asked, in Yiddish, Vous? Arois varfen a Yiddish'e neshamah? Chas v'shalom! "What? Throw out a Jewish soul? Heaven forbid!"

 

The Rebbe viewed this student from a totally different perspective. We might take into consideration that this remark came from the mouth of a man who, after World War II, went from village to village searching for the young children whose parents had left them in the care of gentiles as they themselves were being taken away to the Nazi infernos. There is no question that the Rebbe agreed that the boy needed to be disciplined, but to be thrown away, rejected like a broken object, Heaven forbid!

 

Perhaps I have gotten carried away with my musings, but if it will make the difference in saving one Yiddishe neshamah, if it will mean that we might view those students more favorably, if it will mean that we will offer a glass of water with the potch: it would be well worth it.

 

This is the law for every tzaraas affliction. (14:54)

 

It is the nature of people to search high and low for blessings and segulos, good omens, and remedies for success in life, health and welfare for themselves and their families. They do not realize, says the Chafetz Chaim, zl, that the greatest opportunity for blessing is within our grasp - if we so choose to take it in our hands. There is a unique and special blessing that Hashem Himself gave in the presence of the Kohanim, Leviim, and all Yisrael, a blessing that is certainly greater than anything that can be obtained from a mortal, regardless of his spiritual stature.

 

The Torah states in Devarim 27:12, "Accursed is one who strikes his fellow stealthily. And the entire people say, Amen." Rashi interprets this curse to apply to lashon hora, slanderous speech. These eleven curses were preceded by the word Baruch, implying a blessing for he who would be vigilant in observing the commands. In other words, the Torah ensures blessing for the one who is careful with his mouth, who does not speak lashon hora. Do we need a greater source of blessing? To paraphrase the Chafetz Chaim, "It is a wonder how a person can search for blessings and segulos for success in earning a livelihood. How can a blessing help a person if he speaks lashon hora? The Torah curses such an individual. No blessing can supercede the Torah's curse! If someone were wise, he would take My advice and be extremely vigilant in refraining from speaking any form of lashon hora. This will be his greatest source of blessing."

 

 

Va'ani Tefillah

U'mah yafah yerushaseinu - and how beautiful is our heritage.

 

A number of times, during our daily tefillah, we invoke the z'chus, merit, of our avos, ancestors. We wonder what this merit can accomplish for us; After all, Avraham Avinu was not able to save his son, Yishmael. In his commentary to Parashas Va'eira, the Bais Halevi gives the following explanation. The nature of a father extends to his son and, thus, for the most part, the actions of a son are rooted in the nature of his father. Hence, the positive deeds and actions that we perform are an inheritance bequeathed to us by our ancestors. We, therefore, come before the Almighty and entreat Him to remember our z'chus avos, a reference to the good deeds that we perform as a result of our yerushah, inheritance from our avos. Certainly one who is devoid of positive activities cannot ask that his z'chus avos protect him, since he is not actively accepting the "z'chus" that he received from his avos.

 

This is the underlying meaning of the phrase, "and how beautiful is our heritage." We say that the chelek ha'tov, positive component, of our actions is our heritage which we inherited from our ancestors. It is not us; it is them, and, therefore, we ask that Hashem listen to our supplications.

 

 

In memory of our beloved parents

Rabbi Dr. Avrohom Yitzchok Wolf

Rebbetzin Anna Moses

Sruly and Chaya Wolf and Family

Ari and Rivky Wolf and Family

 

Abba and Sarah Spero and Family

Pesach and Esther Ostroy and Family

Sruly and Chaya Wolf and Family

 

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#2064 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:31 pm
Subject: Nice explanations of the word : Afikoman 		bdmesq
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Rabbi Mansour: Pesah – The Meaning of the Word “Afikoman”, Eating the Afikoman in One Place; If One Fell Asleep While Eating the Afikoman
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Another meaning /perush of afikoman.
All colouring done by me.
 During the times of the prophet Yirmiyahu..............

The Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin Memorial Halacha Series
Authored by Rabbi Eli J. Mansour (4/18/2011)

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Description: Pesah –  The Meaning of the Word “Afikoman”, Eating the Afikoman in One Place; If One Fell Asleep While Eating the Afikoman


Before we recite Birkat Ha’mazon at the end of the meal at the Seder, we eat Masa to commemorate the Korban Pesah, and we call this Masa “Afikoman.”  What does this word mean, and why do we use it in reference to this piece of Masa?

In the Haggada we read of the proper response to give to the wise son who inquires into the Halachot of Pesah: “En Maftirin Ahar Ha’Pesah Afikoman.”  This means, “We do not announce after the [Korban] Pesah, ‘Bring the final portion!””  The word “Afikoman” is an Aramaic term that means “Afiku Mana” – “Bring the final portion.”  In ancient times, at the end of the meal, the people would ask the wife or the servant to bring the dessert.  Halacha forbids eating anything after partaking of the Korban Pesah, as the taste of the sacrifice must remain in a person’s mouth throughout the night.  Therefore, Halacha teaches that we do not ask, “Afiku Man” – that a dessert be brought to the table – after we eat the Korban Pesah.

Thus, the term “Afikoman” refers to the dessert that is normally eaten at the end of a meal.  We use this term in reference to the Afikoman to express our special love and affection for this Misva, that we consider this piece of Masa our “dessert.”  We look at this Masa as though it were cake or other sweets that are normally eaten after a meal for dessert.  At the Seder, this Masa is our “dessert,” our “Afikoman,” as required by Halacha.

The phrase “En Maftirin Ahar Ha’Pesah Afikoman” may also be explained in a different way.  During the times of the prophet Yirmiyahu, the people were experiencing financial hardship, and they were very anxious about how they would support themselves and their families.  In order to give them encouragement, Yirmiyahu showed them the “Sinsenet Ha’man,” the canister containing a sample of manna that was preserved since the time Beneh Yisrael were in the wilderness and were supported by the miraculous manna.  The prophet showed them the manna to remind them that God is capable of providing people’s needs under any circumstances, even under harsh economic conditions.  Beneh Yisrael traveled for forty years in a barren, arid wilderness with no food or water, and with no possibility of obtaining their bare necessities, but God supported them.  Thus, Yirmiyahu told the people, we must rely on and trust God’s ability to support us even under adverse economic conditions.

The experience of Pesah has the unique power to infuse us with Emuna – faith in Hashem.  The Masa is called “Nahama De’mehemnuta” – “bread of faith.”  It has a special spiritual power to bolster our trust and faith in the Almighty.  By the time we reach the end of the Seder meal, we no longer require any reinforcement of our faith; the experience of the Seder itself has inspired us and bolstered our Emuna.  Halacha therefore teaches us, “En Maftirin Ahar Ha’Pesah Afikoman,” meaning, we have no need to say after eating the Korban Pesah, “Afiku Man” – “bring the manna.”  We do not need to see the manna to be reminded of God’s ability to provide for us.  Having gone through the experience of the Seder, we have achieved firm and resolute Emuna in Hashem, and thus do not require any further reinforcement of our faith.

The Torah commands with regard to the Korban Pesah (Shemot 12:46), “It shall be eaten in one home.”  This verse establishes that one may not eat the Korban Pesah in two or more different places.  If he begins eating the Korban Pesah in one location, he must remain in that location and not finish eating somewhere else.  This Halacha applies as well to the Afikoman that we eat after the meal at the Seder in commemoration of the Korban Pesah.  A person may not move to another place once he began eating the Afikoman.  For example, if a person spends Pesah in a hotel, and has the Seder in a dining hall, he may not hop around from one table to another during the Afikoman.  He must eat his entire portion of Afikoman in one location.

The Shulhan Aruch extends this Halacha to a case of one who fell asleep after he began eating the Afikoman – a situation which is not uncommon, as people are often quite fatigued by that point in the Seder.  If a person began eating the Afikoman – even if he ate just a tiny morsel – and then fell asleep, he may not continue eating the Afikoman when he wakes up.  Sleeping is akin to moving to a different location, and therefore one may not continue eating the Afikoman if he falls asleep.

According to some authorities, even if one falls asleep before he began eating the Afikoman, during the meal, he forfeits the Misva and may not eat the Afikoman.  Halacha does not follow this view, but nevertheless one should certainly endeavor to remain awake for the entirety of the Seder, and not fall asleep at all.  It should be noted that one should also try to avoid any conversation that does not directly relate to the Seder.  The Sadikim make a point of not making any verbal interruptions during the reading of Maggid and even during the meal – from the Beracha over the Masa until the completion of Hallel.  A person’s focus must be directed toward the themes of the Seder, and one should try not to engage in other conversations during the Seder.

Summary: The Afikoman must be eaten in a single location; one may not begin eating the Afikoman at one table in a hotel dining room, for example, and then move to another table to finish it there.  If one fell asleep after he began eating the Afikoman, he may not continue eating the Afikoman after he wakes up.  In general, one should try throughout the Seder to remain awake, attentive and focused on the themes of the night, and avoid unrelated conversations.


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#2065 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:41 pm
Subject: Should we use bitter lettuce for maror (the historical reality), or sharp horseradish? 		bdmesq
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Rationalist Judaism<zoorabbi@...>
Subject: Rationalist Judaism

Rationalist Judaism 

Seder Historical Realities vs. Seder "Traditions"

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 11:41 PM PDT

The clash between historical reality and recent tradition is especially prominent in the Pesach seder. Should we measure akezayis as being the size of an olive (the historical reality), or the size of six olives (recent tradition)? Should we use soft matzah that is relatively thick and spongy (the historical reality), or matzah that is thin and hard? Should we use bitter lettuce for maror (the historical reality), or sharp horseradish? Then there is the issue of many seder customs that are rooted in the historical reality, but for which the historical reality was simply ancient convention for meals, and which were subsequently implanted with religious significance; I once took a revelatory course on this topic with Rabbi Dr. Yosef Tabory. The current explanation of the Afikoman is so treasured that I wouldn't dare say what the historical setting was!

Determining the historical reality is one thing; deciding what to do today is a different matter. As I have been arguingwith R. Gil Student lately, while tradition is important, it's very difficult to define its parameters. I will therefore simply share some insights and guidelines that I see as relevant.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach wrote a letter (which I have, but have unfortunately misplaced) in which he strongly rejects Prof. Yehudah Feliks' contention that lettuce rather than horseradish should be used for maror. I don't believe that this was because he disputed Feliks' evidence that lettuce was the historical reality; Rav Aharon Lichtenstein reports that Rav Shlomo Zalman told him that when Mashiach comes, many halachos will have to be changed. Rather, his point was that Judaism is as Judaism does. The living tradition is far more important than the ancient historical reality. 

Contrary to what some might expect, I strongly endorse the idea behind this view. Orthodox Judaism is a traditionalist way of life, and traditionalist religions are inherently and necessarily conservative. Radical change, even if done with the best intentions and good reasons, is often destabilizing and harmful. Even if a halachah has not been unequivocally canonized, it can still be sufficiently entrenched that it becomes problematic to change. This is similar to my explanation inSacred Monsters about why Chazal's ruling that it is permitted to kill lice on Shabbos should remain in effect despite it being based on scientific error. As to how to apply this to maror, that is more complex. I can certainly see that it is perfectly legitimate to continue using horseradish, but I don't see it as being wrong for someone to choose bitter lettuce instead.

With kezayis, however, there is no unequivocal living tradition to use an egg-sized olive. As I noted in my monograph, there have always been those, such as Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the Avnei Nezer and others who maintained that the kezayis is the size of an ordinary olive. Even the Chazon Ish acknowledged that this is the fundamentally correct position. It is thus an established halachic view which is merely being given greater weight in light of new discoveries of manuscripts and new data concerning olives and eggs. 

What about soft versus hard matzah? I really haven't studied that case in detail, yet it seems to me that the Ashkenazi practice of using hard matzah is not based on any halachic arguments (as with the giantkezayis), but rather due to historical changes in how matzos were produced in different countries. As such, Rav Hershel Shechter's letter ruling that Ashkenazim may use soft matzah does not conflict with the aforementioned values.

There is one final important point that I want to stress. Someone told me that they were at a seder in which there were Modern Orthodox parents with their son who had gone to yeshivah in Israel and become charedi. The topic of kezayis came up, and the rest of the seder was ruined by a furious argument between parents and son about these issues. So it is apparently not "needless to say" that these issues should not cause one to lose sight of values such asshalom bayis and family unity - which is a truly important theme of seder night!


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#2066 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:06 pm
Subject: Crazy about olives and sweets............cracks in the heels 		bdmesq
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IF............
  • you are suffering from bloating [full of gas] especially in the under-abdomen
  • symptoms are worse between 16.00-20.00 in general
  • After a bit of food easily a "full feeling"[can't eat anymore
  • crazy about olives!!
  • cracks in the heels[fissures]
  • like the soup to be hot and love sweats
then you can be nearly sure that lycopodium in homeopathic form will make you better from whatever you are suffering.


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#2067 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:50 am
Subject: "Medical" Horseradish : Chazeret according to Ashkenazi tradition/ minhag as far as I know 		bdmesq
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Horseradish = Armoracia rusticana= Cochlearia rusticana= Dutch: Mierik [s] wortel]

This plant is a member of the brassica/cabbage family[see below] and It  really has nothing to do with horses.
In old English horse meant: coarse, that is inedible and we all may all understand now why................when used as maror [ashkenazi minhag] during the pesach seder .
We will discuss here more the medical virtues of horseradish which has been used as a medicine for centuries.
Let's sum up here some of the uses and expand on these further in the article :
Sinusitis,  Common cold, Coughs,  Whooping cough,  Asthma, Bronchitis, Allergies,  Hay fever,  Bacterial infections, Sore throat  Cancer,,Urinary tract infections  Arthritis   Rheumatoid arthritis, Gout,  Digestive problems, Gallbladder problems, Circulatory problems.
Used as a food in traditional amounts horse radish is in general safe even  for long-term use.

Don't use horseradish for small children [under 4, as advised in the literature] and be careful with it if you suffer from a ulcer or chronic kidney disease.[can be irritating]
Avoid it also if pregnant or breastfeeding or use then only very little bits.
In the 17th century one find the following statement in a book: ....... "the root, sliced thin and mixed with vinegar is eaten as a sauce with meat, as among the Germans." 
As a medicine [tincture etc] you may want to ask for medical advise.
For the various "prescriptions" [way of preparing and using it]: see below
As it contains  a compound called sulforaphane ,it is a highly protective food against cancer  [ like other foods rich in sulporaphane such as sprouts,broccoli,watercress]  especially when eaten together with fish or poultry or other compounds rich in selenium  [ like eggs nuts,mushrooms,sunflower seeds etc]
Belonging to the brassica  family ,which includes cabbage and mustard, one might have thought that it may suppress thyroid function but this has not been shown to be the case in general.
Maybe with a real under function [hypothyroidy] of the thyroid one should not frequently use it.
Horseradish is a very reliable remedy for sinus infections. it promotes expulsion of mucus from the upper respiratory passages. .
If you are prone to developing sinus infections, try taking horseradish the moment you feel a catching cold  to prevent mucus from accumulating in the sinuses
Horse radish is highly protective against food born illness [E.coli, listeria,  staphylococcus aurea etc] preventing one from getting a gastrointestinal infection. 
It helps the digestion by increasing stomach acid.
By stimulating bile production from the gallbladder, horseradish assists  in digesting fatty foods and relieving gastrointestinal problems and helps in cases such as indigestion, colitis, poor appetite and flatulence.
It helps as a diuretic  [stimulates urine production] in some cases of edema and in urinary tract infections where it also has an antibiotic effect.
As it is a very strong diuretic it was employed by old herbalists against stone forming [kidneys,gallbladder]
Externally it can be used for inflamed joints and muscle pains in general and also may help to heal infected wounds.
If you wish you can buy the tincture [mother tincture of horse radish and dab a wound with it or make a infusion and uses a piece of cloth soaked in the infusion on the wound.
Against [chronic] inflamed gums ,  one can chew grained horseradish. It can be mixed with carrots to modify the sharp taste.  
For ingrowing toenails and inflamed skin around the nails [paronychia] local applied horse radish is of great help .

Horseradish seems also to stimulate circulation whether used internally or externally. Taken internally, it helps against poor circulation which can cause cold hands and feet
 and also may improve general weakness.

Side effects: May cause vomiting, upset stomach or excessive sweating if consumed in large amounts.
Even a tiny taste of this potent food seems to penetrate straight  your nose and your brain........

Now we will discuss some ways in which the horseradish can be used  in some of the above mentioned [or not yet mentioned ] conditions 
Horseradish or "prepared horseradish" generally refers to the grated root of the horseradish root mixed with vinegar. 
Grate the horseradish in a food processor or blender. (You can use a grater, but tearing eyes and stinging nose may make you bless your blender........]
Add honey or sugar and vinegar : about 2 tablespoons honey or sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar per cup of horseradish.

Tincture: Buy in a pharmacy

Herbal Tea:[infusion] Steep 1 teaspoon fresh grated horseradish in hot water and sip for congestion. Add honey, lemon, to improve the taste.
For respiratory problems related to allergies, such as hay fever or  for persistent coughs.
use this tea.
In stead of a tea one can also make a Maceration [hashra-a]:  leave 20-30 gram of the fresh root in 1 litre of wine for 10-15 days and drink2-3 wineglasses per day

Horseradish syrup : grained horseradish root is mixed with 4 spoons of honey and let stand for several minutes. Strain the mixture through a gauze and express the gauze. The raw syrup is obtained. The remains from the gauze are are boiled in a small quantity of water and then strained and then left to cool off, after which this is mixed with the raw syrup.Take 3 spoons of the mixture a day.

Soak a cloth in horseradish tea and apply the cloth to a wound. Discontinue if the skin gets irritated .
Use : 20-30 gram of fresh root to 1 liter of water.
You can also use a tea as a foot bath or hand bath to relieve chilblains

For bladder infections, mix 3-4 tablespoons of the fresh grated root with apple cider vinegar and honey to taste. Take the whole amount throughout the day.
For sinus infections: If you can "stand it" hold  1/4 teaspoon of the freshly grated root in your mouth until all the taste is gone.One will feel a immediate relieve from the pressure in the  sinuses and the infection will start  clearing up.
Or: Take 1/4 of a teaspoon of horseradish tincture , straight or in warm water. Repeat the dosage every hour or so to clear head congestion.

And for the biologists: horseradish peroxidase, found in the plant, is used extensively in molecular biology for antibody detection, among other things

An happy and healthy Pesach 































prphorseradish [corrected]

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#2068 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:59 am
Subject: חזרת ----------- בעברית 		bdmesq
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prpחזרת  
פרפחזרמ

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#2069 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:41 pm
Subject: Answering again telephone calls, B"H Shavua she-hechel bo Pesach Sunday, Monday,Wednesday: 17.30-18.30 Friday: [for urgent cases]: 12-12.40 		bdmesq
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Answering again telephone calls, B"H

Shavua she-hechel bo Pesach

Sunday, Monday,Wednesday: 17.30-18.30 Friday: [for urgent cases]: 12-12.40

I will have no routine consulting hours during chol moed Pesach and will announce next week about telephone-consults.

Chag sameach we-kasher

 


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#2070 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 5:14 am
Subject: An "old" mail: Why should the pig be faulted for being a pig? Hashem created him that way! 		bdmesq
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From: "chazon" <chazon@...> 
Subject: Torah Sensitivity
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 08:47:57 +0200

Torah Sensitivity:

Dear Friends,

In the weekday Shemoneh Esrei prayer which is said three times a day, we find the following request:

"On the righteous, on the loving ones, on the elders of Your people the Family of Israel, on the remnant of their sages, on the righteous converts and on ourselves - may Your compassion be aroused, Hashem, our God, and give goodly reward to all who sincerely believe in Your Name. Put our lot with them forever, and we will not feel ashamed, for we trust in You. Blessed are You, Hashem, Mainstay and Assurance of the righteous."

In the above prayer, we emphasize the righteous, the loving ones, the elders, the sages, and the converts; moreover, we ask that our lot be with them for all eternity. The special individuals emphasized in this prayer, including the convert, are meant to serve as spiritual models for us. Is there a common spiritual characteristic which they all share - a characteristic which unites the convert with the Torah sage?

The Hebrew word for "convert" is ger, which literally means "a stranger." I would like to suggest that the characteristic which they all share is the feeling that they are "strangers" in this world - a world filled with selfishness, cruelty, and injustice. These sensitive souls realize that the world as it is now is not yet "home." Each of them is therefore striving to find the way "home" for themselves and all humanity, but until the completion of this journey, they feel like strangers in a strange land. We therefore pray that we too not feel at home in a selfish, cruel, and unjust world. With this spiritual sensitivity and awareness, we can join the righteous, the loving ones, the sages, and the converts in the search for the loving and just world where all of us will feel at home.

On the evening of August 16th, Rabbi Avraham Pam, one of the leading Torah sages of our era, passed away. Rabbi Pam was a Torah sage and educator who inspired thousands of souls to begin or to continue the journey to the world where all of Hashem's creatures would feel at home. He served as the Rosh Yeshiva (Dean) of Yeshiva Torah Vodath in Brooklyn, and he was a member of the "Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America" - the council of the great Torah sages of North America. In the spirit of a Torah sage, he was an outstanding model of ethical behavior, and he was a warm and loving teacher who was known for his great sensitivity to the feelings of others.

Throughout the generations, the prophets and sages of Israel have emphasized the sacredness and importance of "kavod habriyos" - a term which literally means "honoring the creatures." The term "kavod habriyos" is used when we refer to the honor and dignity due to human beings, who are creatures created in the Divine Image. In the following story, Rabbi Pam indicates that the term can also be used to refer to the dignity due to "all" of Hashem's creatures:

A number of years ago the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America was concerned about new attempts within the State of Israel to divest the State of of any public Jewish identity. There were some secularists who argued that Israel should not be a "Jewish" state, but a "state of its citizens," and the United States was seen as a model. They wanted to abolish all laws which enacted public respect for Shabbos, the Festivals, Kashrus, and other "symbols" of our spiritual heritage. One of the new laws that they wanted to enact would have the government encourage the importation of pig meat. This law was opposed by Orthodox and traditional Jews, including most of the Sephardi population. It was also opposed by some secular-oriented Jews who felt that Israel should publicly honor basic Jewish traditions in order that Israeli culture not become a "carbon copy" of American culture.

The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah decided to issue a public statement expressing its concern about these developments. A text was drafted and circulated among the members for their consideration and comment. As is usually the case when the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah issues a public statement, each member of the body of Torah sages reviewed the proposed text with a fine-tooth comb - one suggesting the deletion of a sentence here, another suggesting the addition of a paragraph there, yet another suggesting a different way to structure the statement. And then Rabbi Pam got on the phone:

"It's very good, except for one problem. The sentence about the importation of pigs is written in a way which could be seen as demeaning to the pigs. Vos iz er chazir shuldig az er iz a chazir? Der Eibishter hut em azoi bashafen! (Why should the pig be faulted for being a pig? Hashem created him that way!)"

Rabbi Pam added: "A statement from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah must be extremely careful not to undermine "kavod habriyos" - the inherent dignity of all Hashem's creatures. Let's reword it this way..."

During this season of teshuva - spiritual return and renewal - may we develop greater sensitivity that can help us to "reword" the statements that we make regarding any of Hashem's creatures.

Shalom,

Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen (See below)

The above story appeared in an article about Rabbi Pam written by Chaim Dovid Zweibel of Agudath Israel of America, and which was published in Hamodia, 5th of Ellul (Aug. 24).

Hazon - Our Universal Vision: www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/ 






































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#2071 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 2:17 pm
Subject: What if Moses had Facebook? 		bdmesq
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#2072 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 4:01 pm
Subject: Pseudoephedrine Tied to Heart Attack in Young Man 		bdmesq
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This is an old issue  which I spoke about since I came to Israel [1979]
This article below I came across again today and out of curiosity I asked Oplatka if one of the medicaments containing Pseudo-ephedrine [ example:Nussidex] is still available "over the counter" [WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION] in Israel and the answer was : yes
Make your own conclusions...........

Pseudoephedrine Tied to Heart Attack in Young Man
Wed Nov 24, 2:20 PM ET 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If a recently reported case is a reliable indicator, the over-the-counter medication pseudoephedrine can cause a heart attack -- even in healthy young adults. 
Dr. Alex F. Manini and colleagues at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites) in Boston treated a 32-year-old man who experienced severe chest pain 45 minutes after taking two tablets of an over-the-counter cold remedy containing pseudoephedrine and acetaminophen. 
The diagnosis of an acute heart attack was made based on laboratory testing, the team reports in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Further tests showed that the heart muscle had been damaged by the event. 
Prior to this episode, the man had been in good health except for a cold, Manini's group explains. Cardiac catheterization showed that his coronary arteries were normal, and there was no history of heart disease or sudden death in his family. 
"This case highlights a potential danger of pseudoephedrine even when used by otherwise healthy people," the researchers note. They say doctors should advise their patients to be cautious when they take pseudoephedrine or similar drugs. 
Drug-related adverse reactions are a common cause of illness and are among the top ten causes of death, Dr. E. Martin Caravati, of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, points out in an accompanying editorial. In a recent study, pseudoephedrine was found to be the fourth most commonly used over-the-counter drug, surpassed only by pain medications. 
Therefore, he says, doctors should perform complete medication reviews with their patients -- including dietary supplements, over-the counter medications and herbal remedies. 
SOURCE: Annals of Emergency Medicine, November 22nd online edition, 2004. 

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#2073 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 5:45 pm
Subject: Quinoa: The Grain That's Not 		bdmesq
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Quinoa: The Grain That's Not

Copyright © 2005 Star-K Kosher Certification.

By Rabbi Tzvi Rosen, Star-K Kashrus Administrator; Editor, Kashrus Kurrents 
reprinted with permission from the Star-K

Tired of potatoes, potatoes, potatoes for Pesach? Try quinoa ("Keen-Wa"), a sesame-seed-sized kernel first brought to the United States from Chile nineteen years ago, according to Rebecca Theurer Wood. Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes Mountains for thousands of years, growing three to six feet tall despite high altitudes, intense heat, freezing temperatures, and as little as four inches of annual rainfall. Peru and Bolivia maintain seed banks with 1,800 types of quinoa.

Quinoa was first grown outside ofSouth America fifteen years ago, says Wood: Steve Gorad and Don McKinley, wishing to market quinoa in the United States, had commissioned a farmer to see if quinoa would grow in the Colorado Rockies. It did.

Seeds range in color from pink and orange to blue-black, purple, and red. However, once their natural saponin coating is washed off, the seeds are pale yellow.

Kosher for Passover Status: Quinoa was determined to be Kosher L'Pesach. It is not related to the chameishes minei dagan-five types of grain products, nor to millet or rice. Quinoa is a member of the "goose foot" family, which includes sugar beets and beet root. The Star-K tested quinoa to see if it would rise. The result was as Chazal termed, sirchon; the quinoa decayed - it did not rise. Furthermore, quinoa does not grow in the vicinity of chometz, nor does its growth resemble kitniyos (see Igros Moshe O.C. Vol. 3, 63). Therefore, quinoa is 100% Kosher L'Pesach. Consumers are urged to carefully check grains beforePesach for extraneous matter.

Quinoa Preparation: To avoid burning the delicate kernels, pour the quinoa into boiling water (twice as much water as quinoa), turn off the flame, and cover the pot. The quinoa will continue to cook itself, is ready in ten minutes or less, and can be served like rice. Quinoa is a translucent dish with more calcium, iron, and protein than wheat, and is gluten free.


Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#2074 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 6:41 pm
Subject: The Eternal People : some nice stories for the seder , maybe............But God does not fit into military textbooks! You are dismissed," concluded the general. 		bdmesq
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The Eternal People 
by Rabbi Barry Shafier 

Surviving crusades, blood libels, pogroms, persecutions, mass murders, and gassings, the history of the Jewish people breaks all norms.

An excerpt from "The Torah Lifestyle: Finding Meaning and Purpose in a World Transformed".

Adolph Hitler began his rise to power in the late 1920’s, speaking in the beer halls of Munich. The story is told that at one such meeting, amidst the haze of cigarette smoke and the smell of Bavarian beer, Hitler’s voice could be heard ranting on about Germany’s problems.

“The misfortune of Germany is the Jews. The Jews are the reason we lost the war. The Jews are the reason we suffer unemployment. The Jews are the reason we have bread lines. The salvation of the German Fatherland rests on ridding ourselves of the Jews!”

When he finally finished this hour-long tirade, the audience leapt to its feet in adoring applause.

Towards the back of the room, an old Jewish man also stood up and clapped. Long after the rest of the audience finished applauding and began shuffling out; this old man continued his ovation.

Hitler made his way over to the elderly man and screamed, “Don’t you believe that I am serious when I say, ‘the Jews are Germany’s misfortune’?! Don’t you believe me when I say that I intend to rid Germany of the Jews?!”

The old man, undaunted, turned toward Hitler and said, “Oh, I assume that you meant every word of what you said. You must remember, though, we are an old people and you aren’t the first to hate us. Many years ago there was an evil King Pharaoh who also hated us. He enslaved our people for over 200 years. God saved us from him, and in honor of that event we have the beautiful holiday of Passover. Many centuries later there was a wicked man named Haman. He also hated us, and tried to kill us out. God saved us from him and in honor of that experience we now have the festival of Purim. What a wonderful feast, singing and dancing. Then came the Greeks who tried to oppress us and we now have Chanukah, marking that occasion. But you, Hitler, you hate us more than any of our enemies. When God saves us from you, what a rejoicing there will be!”

Despite the all out effort of the Nazi regime to systematically annihilate us, we are still here to talk about it. While the rest of the world turned their back in silence, one of the most powerful nations on the face of the Earth did everything in its power to destroy us. That bestial country unleashed all of its fury and hatred in one final solution to the Jewish problem. And they couldn’t do it. We are still here today, discussing our heritage, contemplating its meaning, while our enemies are relics of the past.

Isn’t it amazing that century after century, after so many repeated attempts to wipe out the Jewish people, that we are still here, and our enemies aren’t?

We are an ancient people. We have lived through 2,000 years of exile, being thrown out of every land in which we lived. Sent from exile to exile, barely accepted in some haven, then to be further oppressed and finally thrown out again. We have been subjected to every anguish and torment known to mankind. Starting with the destruction of the First Temple over 2,000 years ago, we have suffered through more ordeals than any other people on the face of the planet.

We have lived through Crusades, Spanish inquisitions, blood libels, pogroms, persecutions, mass murders, and gassings. And yet we are still here, vibrant and as strong as ever.

Of all the ancient peoples, the only one who suffered exiles, dispersions and still remains intact is the Jewish Nation.

In Leschinsky’s work, The Jewish Dispersion, he writes:

For 1,900 years from the destruction of the Second Temple (70 C.E.) to the establishment of the modern State of Israel (1948), the Jewish people have wandered literally around the world. This wandering was usually precipitated by intolerable spiritual and/or physical persecution. The scope of the Jews' nineteen hundred year exile is reflected in the lands from which they were, en masse, expelled. For example, in the third century (CE) they were expelled from Carthage (North Africa), in the fifth century from Alexandria (Egypt), in the sixth from provinces in France, and in the seventh from the Visigothic Empire. In the ninth century they were expelled from Italy, in the eleventh from Mayence (Germany), in the twelfth from France, the thirteenth from England, the fourteenth from France, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, and in the fifteenth from Austria, Spain, Lithuania, Portugal, and Germany. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Jewish populations were expelled from Bohemia, Austria, Papal States, the Netherlands, the Ukraine, Lithuania, and Oran (North Africa). In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries they were expelled from Russia, Warsaw (Poland), and Galatz (Romania). In the twentieth century all Jews living in Nazi controlled lands were relocated, and from 1948 to 1952 hundreds of thousands of Jews managed to escape from the lands of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.”

Historians have also reached the conclusion that something is unique about this people. Leo Tolstoy wrote in 1891, an article entitled “What is the Jew?”

“What is the Jew? This is not as strange a question as it would first appear to be. Come let us contemplate what kind of unique creature is this whom all the rulers and all the nations of the world have disgraced and crushed and expelled and destroyed; persecuted, burned and drowned, and who despite their anger and their fury, continues to live and flourish. What is this Jew, whom they have never succeeded in enticing with all the enticements in the world, whose oppressors and persecutors only suggested that he deny (and disown) his religion and cast aside the faithfulness of his ancestors?!

The Jew is the symbol of eternity. He is the one whom they were never able to destroy, neither bloodbath nor afflictions, neither the fire nor the sword succeeded in annihilating him. He is the one who for so long has guarded the prophetic message and transmitted it to all mankind. A people such as this can never disappear.

The Jew is eternal. He is the embodiment of eternity.

These are not the words of the Talmud quoted here. These words were written by a man who viewed world history with the one criterion necessary to reach such an observation: an open mind. He studied the course of human events and in an unbiased posture reached the understanding that this people has a unique destiny, an eternal role in the ages.

Here is another example of a student of world history reaching a similar conclusion. It was written by a French author, Jon DeBileda, during the latter part of the 19th Century.

In essence the Jewish people chuckle at all forms of anti-Semitism. Think all you want and you will not be able to find one form of brutality or strategy that has not been used in warfare against the Jewish people. I cannot be defeated, says Judaism. All that you attempt to do to me today has been attempted 3,200 years prior in Egypt. Then tried the Babylonians and Persians... Afterwards tried the Romans and then others and others....

There is no question that the Jews will outlive us all. This is an eternal people....

RETURN TO THE LAND

Yet everything that we could possibly say about world history pales in comparison to the miracle that we have witnessed with our own eyes in the last 50 years: the Jewish people in their country, the land of Israel. After an exile lasting almost 2,000 years, not only has this nation survived as a people, it has reclaimed a land that it left thousands of years ago -- a land that was barren and desolate for centuries. Is there any thinking person who would call this short of miraculous? Is there any other nation in the course of history that was uprooted from its homeland and successfully made it back? And we aren’t speaking about returning after 10 years or 20 years of exile, rather after almost 2,000 years of exile.

Even more wondrous is that the Jews are still in that land some 50 years later. As soon as the State of Israel was declared, the Arab nations declared war. When the word spread that the Arab nations were en masse attacking the fledgling State of Israel, common wisdom said: There will be another Holocaust. There was no way that such a small nation, so ill prepared for war, could possibly hold out against the organized effort of the entire Arab world.

Paul Johnson in a, “A History of the Jews”, writes:

“On May 14, 1948 the state of Israel was declared. The next day, five mechanized armies attacked, each one, alone, sizably larger than the small band of Holocaust survivors defending Israel.

The entire armament of the Israeli forces consisted of:

17,600 rifles 2,700 steno guns 1,000 machine guns 45,000 soldiers.

This is only part of the picture. Before the declaration of a state, the British ruled Palestine, and they had very strict rules against Jews owning guns. The fledgling Jewish guerrilla forces had to practice in great secrecy with minimal armaments and inadequate drills; without any of the normal machinations of an army. Much of the military training consisted of small groups gathering together in secret cells. This continued until May 14, 1948. On May 15th, five nations attacked. You can’t create an army, a navy and an air force in one day.

The entire Israeli Air force consisted of a few Piper Cubs that were originally loaded with grenades, and later fitted for machine guns. Each of the Arab nations alone had enough manpower and weapons to single-handedly defeat Israel. Can a nation so out-manned, so outgunned, fighting not on one or two fronts but on every side, possibly survive more than a few days? In 1948 less then 5% of Jews alive at the time lived in Israel. A total of 650,000 Jews were surrounded and attacked by nations populated by 50 million Arabs.

Each attacking nation threw its full weight into the fray, coordinating their armies, mobilizing their tanks and heavy artillery, and sending their air force in for support, all galvanized for this one final massacre. According to any intelligent assessment of the situation, there was to be a massacre. How could such a small, untrained band of men, with almost no previous military experience, possibly survive against the organized might of the Arab Nations, attacking them on every side?

After one month, a cease-fire was called. With all of their gathered might, they couldn’t vanquish this little sliver of a country.

You have to be amazed by the sheer unlikeliness of these events.

Azzah Pasha, then the Secretary General of the Arab League, proclaimed over the airwaves: “This will be a war of extermination, and a momentous massacre”.

This is what should have occurred according to all of the natural ways of the world.

Between 1948 and 1973, a span of 25 years, the Arab nations declared war four times on this puny, understaffed country; and not one victory. Try and try again, they just couldn’t “crush the darn thing”!

But none of this compares to the obvious and clear miracles that happened during the Six Day War in 1967.

By this time there were 3 million citizens of Israel, surrounded by 100 million Arabs. It was so obvious that this was going to be bloodbath for the young state of Israel, that at the beginning of the war many of the Jewish day schools in the US held campaigns to gather bed sheets to be airlifted to Israel. Israel couldn’t possibly have the medical supplies to care for all of the soldiers who would be wounded in the anticipated fighting, and the American Jewish community did what it could to help.

Not only did Israel win the war with remarkably few casualties, they conquered huge tracts of the Sinai, took over the Golan Heights, and reclaimed Jerusalem. Within the first six hours, almost the entire Egyptian air force was wiped out. After the war, the Israeli intelligence uncovered something amazing. The Egyptians, being aware that Israel could bomb their airfields, had prepared decoy hangers. From the air, Israeli planes saw two sets of hangers: one that housed the planes, and the decoys. After the war, they examined the hangers on the Egyptian air base; almost every hanger bombed was a direct hit. The empty decoy hangers were almost untouched; only the ones containing the planes were destroyed.

An article written in Time magazine after the war told the following story: The West Point Senior cadets were given a project. They were to devise the most effective strategy for taking the Golan Heights. They were given maps of the Syrian strong points and the Israeli forces assigned to the battle. Because it was a senior thesis, they were given access to the greatest military minds at West Point, and the most sophisticated computers available at the time. They had three months to devise their strategy. Within a short time they returned to their professor saying it was not possible. Based on the sheer heights of the cliffs and the strength of the Syrian fortifications, it was not possible to plan the taking of the Golan Heights, because it just couldn’t be done.

Yet it was done.

Can a thinking person possibly say that there isn’t something out of the ordinary going on here, something miraculous?

The following incident that happened to a Jewish chaplain on a US Army base may help bring this all into focus.

The story begins on an army base in Berlin in 1974. Rabbi Wade, then a chaplain, befriended a Jewish American officer named Stuart. Stuart did not strike him as being a religious man and so Rabbi Wade was surprised one day to see Stuart wearing a yarmulke (skullcap). Upon questioning Stuart's reasons for donning this unconventional attire, Stuart told Rabbi Wade the fascinating story behind it.

As part of their first year studies, cadets were enrolled in a course called "History of Military Tactics & Field Strategies," taught by a 3-star Lieutenant General with a Ph.D. in Military Strategy. The course surveyed the major battles in history, including those of the Ptolemies, the Romans, the Middle Ages, and down to the latest battles of our modern era.

During the final two weeks of the course, which were devoted to reviewing the material, Cadet Stuart raised his hand with a question.

"Why," asked Stuart, "did we not survey any of the battles fought by the Jews, either of ancient times (i.e. Roman-Jewish Wars) or of modern times (i.e. Arab-Israeli Wars)?"

The normally friendly general snapped back with an order for Stuart to see him in his office after class. Upon entering the general's office, Stuart was ordered to close and lock the door. "The general then told me that he would only answer my question in the privacy of his office," said Stuart.

"Do not think that the staff here at West Point has left the Jewish wars unnoticed," began the general. “We have examined and analyzed them and we do not teach them at West Point," he continued. "According to military strategy and textbook tactics, the Jews should have lost those wars. You should have been swept into the dustbin of history long ago. But you were not. You won those wars against all odds and against all military strategies and logic.

"This past year," the general continued, "we hired a new junior instructor. During a private staff meeting and discussion, the Arab-Israeli wars came under discussion. We puzzled at how you won those wars. Suddenly, this junior instructor chirped up and jokingly said, 'Honorable gentlemen, it seems to be quite obvious how they are winning their wars: God is winning their wars!’ Nobody laughed. The reason is, soldier, that it seems to be an unwritten rule around here at West Point that God is winning your wars. But God does not fit into military textbooks! You are dismissed," concluded the general.

"I left the general's office and I had never been so humiliated in my life. I felt about two inches tall. 'Wouldn't you know it,' I said to myself, 'that I would have to come to West Point and find out how great my God is from a non practicing Presbyterian 3-star general.'"

"I went back to my dorm room," continued Stuart, "and dug down in my sock drawer to find that 'flap of cloth' that I threw on my head once a year. I said to myself: This thing is going on my head because I found out in essence who I was and where I came from."

The following was an excerpt from "The Torah Lifestyle: Finding Meaning and Purpose in a World Transformed".

This article can also be read at:http://www.aish.com/48929267.html 

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#2075 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:46 am
Subject: A very special letter : Iggeret Ha-Ramban in Hebrew and English [Please read it at least once: 2-3 minutes] 		bdmesq
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Worth looking at the link below for those of you who are not familiar with the Letter of the Ramban.
The letter can be read in Hebrew and English and even in a "pictorial edition".[If you don't have it in  then print it out]
If you have just little time for Jewish studies ,then try to read this letter once per day which will take just a couple of minutes.
I is [nearly] sure that this reading with just a few minutes of concentration will change every one's  day to the "good".

http://www.teachittome.com/index.php?ClassID=RambanIG&Command=Class&Title=Igeret+HaRamban%3A+Letter+of+the+Ramban 

• Passing of Nachmanides (1270) 

11 Nissan marks the passing of Nachmanides ("Ramban", Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270) -- Torah scholar, Kabbalist, philosopher, physician and Jewish leader -- in 1270.


• Passing of Sheloh (1630) 

Rabbi Isaiah Halevi Horowitz was a noted kabbalist, famous as the "Sheloh Hakodosh" (the saintly Sheloh) the acronym of his magnum opus, Shnei Luchot Habrit.

He held Rabbinical positions in various communities in Europe, before emigrating to Israel. He passed away in Tiberius at the age of 70.

Link: Rabbi Isaiah Halevi Horowitz















































prpihr prpiggeretharamban


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#2076 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:59 am
Subject: 'Vehi Sheamda' - Chief Rabbi's Pesach Message featuring Yaakov Shwekey 		bdmesq
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Received from a reader:





































































prppesach prptyg prpygt

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#2077 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:29 am
Subject: A Mother's Lifesaving Invention 		bdmesq
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For whoever wants to find out............

I have no more information about this than you.


http://www.ivanhoe.com

Advances in health and medicine.

Reported April 3, 2012

A Mother's Lifesaving Invention

OKLAHOMA CITY (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Shelly Henry’s world came to a screeching halt when her 15-year-old daughter was in a car accident and doctors told her she would never walk again, but Henry was determined to prove them wrong. She did, and she is helping hundreds of thousands of people as well.

"I was in pain all the time," Kara Kristy, Henry’s daughter, told Ivanhoe.

A car accident shattered Kristy’s vertebra. Doctors gave her a 50 percent chance of walking and told her she would never have children, but her mom wouldn’t settle for that.

"I combined the two modalities with LED and different wave lengths so she could get pain relief on her own," Shelly Henry, inventor of Neurolumen, told Ivanhoe.

Henry, went back to school, got a degree in chemistry health sciences and invented Neurolumen: low level laser and electrical stimulation that relieves the pain. It also reduces swelling and increases circulation, which could impact millions of people with diabetes and chronic pain.

"I think this has potential worldwide," Nathan Grantham, M.D., a cardiovascular surgeon, told Ivanhoe.

Word of mouth from practitioners and patients helped spread the news about Henry’s invention. Beverly Lloyd says Neurolumen changed her life.

"I spent the majority of my days lying in bed sleeping because I was in so much pain. It saved my life. It gave me back my life," Lloyd explained.

As for Henry’s daughter, she’s doing things she couldn’t do before and her daughter who was told would never have a child, has a beautiful one!

"My goal is to make sure that one day no one has to wake up and make a decision of whetherto have an amputation or not," Henry concluded.

She’s turning what started as a personal quest, into global adventure.

The Neurolumen device is FDA approved and costs under $4,000. It can be done at home or at a medical facility.

More Information


















































prppain prpaccident prpneurological prptrauma

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#2078 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:17 am
Subject: Metformin May Slow Prostate Cancer Growth 		bdmesq
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Reported April 3, 2012

I wrote you a few times before about this remarkable effective conventional drug for diabetes and possible in the treatment of cancer.

This drug is since not patented anymore since
long .........this gives so much more credibility to the research done with metformin [glucophage and other names

Metformin May Slow Prostate Cancer Growth

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows that men with prostate cancer may be able to reduce the growth rate of cancer with the help of a commonly prescribed diabetes medication known as metformin.

Although metformin is most commonly prescribed to treat diabetes, previous studies have shown that it is capable of slowing down cancerous cells in patients with prostate cancer.

Anthony M. Joshua and colleagues, of Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, evaluated 22 men with confirmed prostate cancer that had been assigned up to 500 mg of metformin three times a day prior to undergoing prostatectomy.

"This gave us the ability to compare what the prostate cancer looked like when it was first diagnosed to what it looked like when the prostate cancer was removed from the body," Joshua was quoted as saying.

"We were able to directly measure the effect of metformin on the prostate cancer."

Prostate cancer patients were assigned metformin for an average of 41 days. During that time, none of the men reported grade 3 adverse events, and all of them underwent prostatectomy with no adverse effect related to use of metformin.

What the team found was that metformin greatly reduced fasting glucose, insulin growth factor-1, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.

In addition, "although these are preliminary results, metformin appeared to reduce the growth rate of prostate cancer in a proportion of men," Joshua said.

"Also, it appeared to reduce one of the main growth pathways that may have contributed to the overall growth of the tumor."

These results may have implications for men with prostate cancer who also have diabetes or early undiagnosed diabetes and for men with prostate cancer whose tumors have characteristics that make them sensitive to metformin, according to Joshua.

"This research builds on the hypothesis that metformin has a role in prostate cancer," Joshua said.

"Exactly what that role will be will depend on the results of the analysis currently being completed by our study team and others worldwide."

SOURCE: AACR Annual Meeting 2012, March 31, 2012


































prpprostatecancer prpmetformin



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#2079 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 1:13 pm
Subject: "Don't forget" to mention this the coming Friday-evening...... 		bdmesq
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Arab Lecturer: Moses Led Muslims out of Egypt 
by Rachel Hirshfeld 

Dr. Omar Ja’ara, lecturer at Al-Najah University in Nablus specializing in Israeli affairs, said on Fatah television on February 15 that Moses led the Muslims out of Egypt and that the Exodus was the first instance of ‘Palestinian’ liberation through armed struggle, reported the Palestinian Media Watch.

“We must make clear to the world that David in the Hebrew Bible is not connected to David in the Quran,” he said. “Solomon in the Hebrew Bible is not connected to the Solomon in the Quran and neither is Saul or Joshua son of Nun. 

“We have a great leader, Saul, who defeated the nation of the giants and killed Goliath. This is a Muslim victory. 

“The Muslims of the Children on Israel went out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses and unfortunately, many researchers deny the Exodus of these oppressed people who were liberated by a great leader like Moses the Muslim, the believing leader, the great Muslim, who was succeeded by Saul, the leader of these Muslims in liberating Palestine,” Ja’ara claimed.

“This was the first Palestinian liberation through armed struggle to liberate Palestine from the nation of giants led by Goliath,” he added. “This is our logic and this is our culture. “
































































prppesach

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#2080 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:12 pm
Subject: Medicines and Pesach 		bdmesq
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Medicines and Pesach

Any medicine that is swallowed straight away [with fluid] -and that has to be taken -should be taken on Pesach.
I strongly disadvise to look for another [ kosher] brand if you are taking already for a longer time an important medicine[blood pressure,epilepsy, psychiatry drugs ,thyroid drugs, diabetes drugs etc]
Even if the medicine contains precisely the same active ingredients the effect is not always the same as different brands can have difference in absorption  [it should not be this way! but it is a matter of fact] or they may have different additional/binding compounds.
We have seen recently the problems with replacement of Eltroxin.
Syrups, tinctures [any medicines in fluid-form] or medicines that are sucked should have an hechsher for Pesach and if in doubt this should be discussed with your Rabbi or doctor [or doctor and Rabbi, because the Rabbi nearly always asks what the doctor says]
All supplements prescribed by a doctor [with the rules as mentioned above] can be taken on Pesach, unless your doctor tells you that it is unnecessary.
Homeopathic medicines made in Israel can be taken [but for all certainty ask the pharmacist] as they are made with alcohol kosher for Pesach.
Tinctures can't be automatically been taken if it is not known what alcohol is used!
People who got prescribed by me a tincture which contains AVENA SATIVA should not take this on Peasch as avena sativa is made form oats [ from the "giv-ol"] but anyhow don't use it.

Another issue: Food
If there is written/stamped on a product kosher for pesach [in Hebrew] and that is all and there is not mentioned whatsoever  any rabbanut which gave the hechsher then don't believe that such a product is indeed kosher for Pesach , because anyone can stamp  whatever he wants on a product. 
Pesach sameach we-kasher


















































prppm prppesach  prpmp

Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#2081 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:17 pm
Subject: Resent from the past years: ........a small quantity will lsatisfy and keeps hunger away. טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד 		bdmesq
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Resent from the past years: ........a small quantity will lsatisfy and keeps hunger away. טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד
1] Homeopathy idea and chametz ......2 ] A large quantity has an appetizing effect; a small quantity sustains טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד
Resent from the past years: 
........a small quantity will lsatisfy and keeps hunger away. טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד 


מספר עניינים רפואיים הקשורים לפסח  .hebrew version.doc 


This mail was  sent to you in English as well.
In case the Hebrew copy below comes over "mixed up" [mebulbal] , then you may want to open the link to the word file above.



מספר עניינים רפואיים הקשורים לפסח


טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד (ברכות לה עמוד ב): כמות גדולה מעוררת תיאבון, כמות קטנה מספקת.


עד כמה שזה נשמע מוזר, כמות גדולה של יין מעוררת תיאבון, בעוד כמות קטנה מספקת ודוחה את הרעב. לכן מי ששותה יין בערב פסח, מוטב שישתה כמות גדולה ולא קטנה, כדי לא לדכא את תיאבונו לקראת הסדר. בכתב העת SCIENCE דווח ב-1982 שקליטה מהירה של גלוקוזה בתריסריון מאד הגבירה את התיאבון של ארנבות, וקליטה איטית הקטינה אותו. יכול להיות שיש בתופעה זו להסביר את האמרה התלמודית (מקור: Insights, a Talmudic Treasury by Rabbi Saul Weiss ). לנוטים להגזים באכילה ברור מה עליכם לעשות: שתו מעט מאד יין לפני הארוחה, כפית אחת או שתיים.


..............בלבד, בלא שום מים בעולם – אינם באין לידי חמשת מיני דגן אלו – אם לשן מי פירות עד שנתפח כל הבצק, הרי זה מותר באכילה: שאין מי חימוץ; אלא אפילו הניחן כל היום מסריחין. ומי פירות, הן כגון יין וחלב ודבש וזית ומי תפוחים ומי פירות מחמיצין, אלא וכל כיוצא בהן משאר יינות ושמנים ומשקין – והוא, שלא יתערב בהן שום מים רימונים בולם. ואם נתערב בהן מים כל שהוא, הרי אלו מחמיצין (רמב"ם, משנה תורה, פרק ה הלכה ב).

כלומר, הכמות הקטנה ביותר של מים דיה להחמיץ את הגרעינים המוזכרים.


מרתק להביא כאן את ההלכה של הרמב"ם ולהעיר בהקשר זה שברפואה המסורתית, כמו גם בהומיאופתיה, מים אינם סתם מים. מים בתוך פירות נחשבים לחומר שונה לחלוטין ממים רגילים, למרות שבשני המקרים מדובר בשני אטומים של מימן ואחד של חמצן. בהומיאופתיה,בדיקה של atom spectrograpy הוכיחה שמים שנוערו נמרצות שונים מאותם המים לפני הניעור.כאילו שלמים יש 'זיכרון', בדומה לצעדים בשלג, המעידים ומזכירים שמישהו כבר דרך ועבר שם קודם.


בליל הסדר זוכרים להסב לשמאל. ובכן, בקיצור שולחן ערוך סימן עא סעיף ה נאמר:


וטוב שישכב בתחילת שינתו על צד שמאל ובסוף על צד ימין, והוא טוב לבריאות הגוף, כי הכבד מונח בצד ימין, והאיצטומכא בצד שמאל, וכאשר יטה על צידו השמאלי אזי יהא הכבד על האיצטומכא, ויחממה בחומו ובזה יתעכל המזון מהרה, ואחרי שנתעכל המזון ראוי לו שיטה על צד ימין, כדי שתנוח האיצטומכא וירד פסולת המאכל, ולא יתהפך מצד אל צד פעמים הרבה

הידעתם, מצאתי רק בספר לימוד רפואי אחד משנת 1959 שהחום בורידי הכבד עולה על 41מעלות! כך, מתברר ששכיבה או הסבה לצד שמאל 'מבשלת' את המזון בקיבה, כלומר העיכול מזורז משמעותית. הידעתם עוד, לאחרונה התברר שאנשים הישנים רק על צד אחד נוטים יותר ללקות באבני כליות!


פסח כשר ושמח



........a small quantity will lsatisfy and keeps hunger away. טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד     Edit

A few FASCINATING medical-pesach issuses.

טובא גריר, פורתא סעיד-ברכות לה ,תעמוד ב

A large quantity has an appetizing effect; a small quantity sustains.[Berachot 35b]

It seems strange but a large quantity of wine will stimulate one's appetite, whereas a small quantity will

satisfy and keeps hunger away.

Therefore if one drinks wine one on erev Pesach he should drink a larger [not to small] amount] so that he will not suppress his appetite for the seder.

In the journal Science [1982] it was published that an rapid infusion of glucose in the duodenum very much increased the appetite of rabbits and a slow infusion decreased the appetite.

This is may explain the statement of the Talmud.

[Source; insights, a Talmudic treasury by rabbi Saul Weiss]

So for over-eaters: it is clear what to do.

Drink a very little bit of wine before the meal [one or two teaspoons]


[Rambam mishne tora [ chapter 5,halacha 2 ]:

[translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, Moznaim publ.corp]

"With regards to these five species of grain: if [flour from these species] is kneaded with fruit juice alone without any water, it will never become leavened.

Even if [flour] is placed in [these] juices the entire day until the dough rises, it is permitted to be eaten [on Pesach], for fruit juice does not cause [dough] to become leavened.

It merely causes [the flour] to decay.

The following are [included in the category] of fruit juice: wine ,milk, honey, olive oil, apple juice, pomegranate juice and all other similar wines ,oils, and beverages.

This applies so long as no water whatsoever is mixed with them.

If any water is mixed with them, they cause [the flour] to become leavened."


Simply, the smallest amount of added water will cause the mentioned grains to become leavened[to become chametz]

It is fascinating to be able to remark here the halacha brought by the Rambam and to relate this to the fact that in traditional medicine [as well in homeopathy] all water is not just water.

Water in fruits is considered to be totally different

from just plain water [ both of them are H2O in chemistry]

In homeopathy water that is shaken very vigorously has found to be different [from the water before it has been shaken] when examined with atom spectrography.

It is as if water has a "memory" [like footprints in the snow, which show-like a memory- that somebody passed there some while ago]


On seder Pesach all of us will remember the leaning on the left side.

[Kitzur shulchan aruch [chapter 71,halacha 5 ]

"It is beneficial to begin one's sleep while lying on the left side, and afterwards to change to the right side.

This is beneficial to one's health, since the liver is on one's right side, and the stomach on one's left. When one leans to the left, the liver will lie on the stomach and warm it with its heat. This will hasten the digestion of the food. After the food is digested, it is preferable to lean to the right, thus allowing the stomach to rest and the wastes to descend. One should not turn frequently from side to side"

Remarkable that I found in only one medical textbook form 1959 [and in no other book] that the temperature in the liver veins is above 41 degrees!!

Then it becomes understandable that lying on the left side "cooks" the food in the stomach [see above] which means that the speed of digestion is increased significantly!!

Do you know that recently it has been found that people who sleep only one on side have more tendency for kidney stones?

Pesach sameach we-kasher.


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#2082 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:24 pm
Subject: From a patient [from last year] for those fluent in English :This joke started at our seder table ten years ago: 		bdmesq
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From a patient [from last year] for those fluent in English.

This joke started at our seder table ten years ago:

 

A few years ago there was a root crop failure in the Middle East because of a combination of drought and a blight blown in by the winds of Europe. While virtually all root crops were affected, the worst hit was the horseradish crop in Israel. Instead of being available in the weeks before Passover, not one piece of horseradish was to be found anywhere in Israel.

By the time this was realized, there was very little time. The religious parties inIsrael's government began to create a major crisis. The Ministry of Agriculture went into emergency mode to try at the eleventh hour to locate alternative supplies of horseradish for the Sedarim of Israelis all over the country.

The agricultural attaches at every embassy were alerted, and frantic phonecalls were being made to and fro. Finally three days before Pesach, the undersecretary at the Israeli embassy in Madrid found a supplier who undertook to immediately air-freight thirty tons of local horseradish to Tel Aviv at three times the normal price. Well, there was no choice, so the Israelis agreed, and next day three trucks loaded with boxes of horseradish arrived in Madrid Airport for loading onto a specially organized El Al jet.

All seemed to be going well, when the ground crew union at Madrid Airportsuddenly announced an immediate strike. No aircraft could land or take off. The strike lasted two days, and as a result…

(Wait for it…)

"The chraine* in Spain stayed mainly on the plane". **

*CHRAINE – Yiddish name for horseradish

** For those who may not recognize it, this line is a parody on the famous line from the musical "My Fair Lady" – "The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plane"

 

Hag Sameach


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#2083 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:32 pm
Subject: Nice to study-in my opinion- this very clear article [the coloring is done by me] Ask your rav, if you are in doubt. 		bdmesq
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 nice to study this very clear article ,in my opinion.[the coloring is done by me] Ask your rav, if you are in doubt.

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Does Medicine need to be Kosher for Pesach? 
By Rabbi Shmuel Silber 
KOF-K Educational Administrator

Reprinted with permission from the KOF-K, this article origionaly appeared in the KOF-K Kashrus Newsletter, 2002.

The Gemara in Pesachim 21b states: Rava said, "if you burn the chameytz (before the time of prohibition), it is permitted to derive benefit from it even on Pesach."

Why is this so? This is due to the fact that the chameytz has deteriorated to the point that even a dog would not eat it, it loses its identity as chameytz – this is called nifsal mey'achilas kelev(even a dog would not eat it). Rava explains that one is permittedto derive benefit from this type of item even on Pesach (the Torah prohibited deriving benefit from chameytz, because this item is so deteriorated it loses its classification as chameytz). The question is that when Rava allows you to derive benefit, would he also say that you could eat the item itself? This is a dispute between theRan and Rosh in Pesachim. The Ran explains that even if you want to actually eat the item it is permissible. The Rosh says that although you may derive benefit from this item, you may not actually eat it. What is the basis of this dispute? The Ran seemsto hold that once the food is considered nifsal mey'achilas kelev – that title imposes a level of objectivity on the item. Therefore, objectively this item is not chameytz. Therefore, even if I chooseto eat it, that does not change its objective status. The Roshseems to understand that if you eat it, then you elevate and restore this item to its previous level of importance. How can you say it is nifsal mey'achilas kelev if you yourself are eating it! Therefore, the food will revert back to its previous chameytz status. This is the concept called "achshivey" (from the word chashuv-important, by eating this item you give it importance and it once again becomes chameytz).

This conversation has Halacha L'Maaseh (practical) ramifications in the area of medications. Let us take a case of where the medicine that you want to take has chameytz (assuming it is not for any serious ailment – if it is consult your Rabbi); can you take this medicine on Pesach? Perhaps your first reaction would be – "well even if it has chameytz, it is nifsal mey'achilas kelev – a dog wouldn't eat it. Therefore, it should be permissible to take this medicine." However, then you remember the Rosh – who says that even if it is nifsal, you are still not allowed to eat (because if you do, you have elevated its former title of chameytz, achshivey). So perhaps I would day that you cannot take the medicine?

Rav Moshe Feinstein in his Igros Moshe OC II: 92 explains that concept of "achshivey" only applies when one engages in a normative act of eating. How do you define a normative act of eating? Either "ha'naas garon" – it tastes good or "ha'naas mey'ayim" – it satiates. Tablet medicines posses neither of these qualities, therefore Rav Moshe says that even if it does contain chameytz (the chameytz will not really be considered chameytz since it is nifsal mey'achilas kelev), there will not be a problem of"achshivey", since you are not halachically eating the medicine.However, liquid medicines would pose a problem since by swallowing them; you are eating it in a normal fashion and depending on what it tastes like, can provide ha'naas garon – pleasant taste. One should consult a Rav for a ruling on liquid medicines for Pesach.

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#2084 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 5:38 pm
Subject: "The total population of the Jewish people is less than a statistical error in the annual birth rate of the Chinese people” 		bdmesq
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Aish.com http://www.aish.com/h/pes/t/g/The_5_Most_Important_Things_to_Know_About_Passover.html
The 5 Most Important Things to Know About Passover 
by Rabbi Benjamin Blech 

Our greatest contributions to the world summarized in five words: memory, optimism, faith, family, and responsibility.

Scholars have long wondered why Jews who number less than one quarter of one percent of the world – as Milton Himmelfarb memorably put it, "The total population of the Jewish people is less than a statistical error in the annual birth rate of the Chinese people” – have had such a profound influence on almost every field of human endeavor.

What accounts for the remarkable fact that in the 20th century, Jews, more than any other minority, have been recipients of the Nobel Prize, with almost one-fifth of all Nobel laureates being Jewish?

Perhaps it all goes back to the very beginning of the birth of our people and the Passover holiday that we will shortly be celebrating.

Passover conveys five major concepts that became our mantras for how to lead successful and productive lives. They are the five most important things to know about Passover, and to incorporate into every day of the rest of the year. Because we’ve absorbed them into our national psyche for the thousands of years since the Exodus, we’ve been privileged to fulfill in great measure our prophetically mandated role to become a light unto the nations.

They are our greatest contributions to the world and can be summarized in five words: memory, optimism, faith, family, and responsibility.

The Importance of Memory

The Irish Catholic writer Thomas Cahill was so overwhelmed by how the Jewish people literally transformed the world that he authored what proved to become an international bestseller, The Gifts of the Jews. One of the major gifts he credits to Jewish genius is the invention of the idea of history.

"Remember that you were strangers in the land of Egypt." "Remember that the Lord took you out of the bondage of slavery."Remember is a biblical mandate that had never seemed important to anyone else before the Jewish people came on the scene. It was the Passover story that initiated a commitment to memory.

Henry Ford was famous for his belief that "history is bunk." The Ford motor company is also famous for producing the Edsel. And both were probably equally stupid blunders. History is the only way we can learn from the past. History allows us to grow by standing on the shoulders of giants. Make a mistake once, and you’re human. Never learn from what happened before, and you’re brainless. That's why it's so important to heed the famous words of George Santayana that "Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it."

We know how horrible it can be to live without a personal memory of events that preceded. For an individual we have a name for it that fills us with terror: Alzheimer's. It is a disease we fear perhaps even more than death because it leaves us living corpses. Strangely enough, we don't have a similar word for the condition that describes ignorance of our collective past. Knowing what came before is almost as important in an historic sense as it is in a personal one. Only by being aware of our past as a people can our lives become filled with purpose and meaning.

Memory links our past to our future. It turns history into destiny. Learning to treasure it was the first step in our climb up the ladder of greatness.

The Importance of Optimism

To study the Passover story in depth is to recognize that the most difficult task Moses had to perform was not to get the Jews out of Egypt, but to get Egypt out of the Jews. They had become so habituated to their status as slaves, they lost all hope that they could ever improve their lot.

Without hope they would have been lost.

The true miracle of Passover and its relevance for the ages is the message that with God’s help, no difficulty is insurmountable. A tyrant like Pharaoh could be overthrown. A nation as powerful as Egypt could be defeated. Slaves could become freemen. The oppressed could break the shackles of their captivity. Anything is possible, if only we dare to dream the impossible dream.

In the story of America's Great Seal, a particularly relevant chapter is the imagery suggested by Benjamin Franklin in August 1776. He chose the dramatic scene described in Exodus, where people confronted a tyrant in order to gain their freedom.

"Pharaoh sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his head and a Sword in his hand, passing through the divided Waters of the Red Sea in Pursuit of the Israelites: Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Cloud, expressive of the Divine Presence and Command, beaming on Moses who stands on the shore and extending his hand over the Sea causes it to overwhelm Pharaoh."

The motto he suggested, words based on the Passover story, inspired George Washington and the founding fathers of the American colonies to rebel against their British oppressors: “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God."

It was the biblical record of the Exodus that enabled the spirit of optimism to prevail for the followers of Martin Luther King in their quest for equal rights, because they were stirred by the vision of Moses leading his people to the Promised Land. It was the hope engendered by recalling how God redeemed our ancestors that allowed even Jews incarcerated in Auschwitz to furtively celebrate the Festival of Freedom and believe in the possibility of their own liberation.

That optimistic spirit, based on our own miraculous history, is the second great gift we have given to mankind and defines our identity.

The Importance of Faith

A pessimist, it's been said, is someone who has no invisible means of support.

Jewish optimism is rooted in a contrary notion, a firmly held belief that we are blessed with support from above by a caring God. And that faith in a personal God gives us faith in ourselves, in our future and in our ability to help change the world

The God of Sinai didn't say "I am the Lord your God who created the heavens and the earth." Instead, he announced, "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage." The God of creation could theoretically have forsaken the world once he completed his task. The God of the Exodus made clear He is constantly involved in our history and has a commitment to our survival.

Thomas Cahill credits the Jews not only for monotheism but for this additional groundbreaking idea of a Divine being with Whom we share a personal relationship. This, he points out, is key to Western civilization’s concept of personal accountability, conscience and culpability for ourselves and the rest of the world.

The Passover story conveys that history is not happenstance. It follows a Divine master plan. It has a predestined order. “Order” in Hebrew is “Seder” – and that is why the major ritual of Passover is identified by that name. Coincidence is not a Jewish concept. Coincidence is just God's way of choosing to remain anonymous.

Faith gives us the certainty that whatever our present-day problems, history moves in the direction of the final messianic redemption. That is what has always motivated us to believe in progress and to participate in tikkun olam, efforts to improve the world.

The Importance of Family

Passover taught us yet another major truth: the way to perfect the world is to begin with our own families.

God built his nation by commanding not a collective gathering of hundreds of thousands in a public square but by asking Jews to turn their homes into places of family worship at a Seder devoted primarily to answering the questions of children.

It seems all too obvious. Children are our future. They are the ones who most require our attention. The home is where we first form our identities and discover our values.

More even than the synagogue, it is in our homes that we sow the seeds of the future and ensure our continuity. No wonder then that commentators point out the very first letter of the Torah is a bet, the letter whose meaning is house. All of the Torah follows only after we understand the primacy of family.

The world may mock Jewish parents for their over-protectiveness and their child-centered way of life, but they are the ones chiefly responsible for the extraordinary achievements of their progeny.

At the Seder table, the children are encouraged to be the stars and their questions are treated with respect. And that is the first step to developing Jewish genius.

The Importance of Responsibility to Others

One serious question begs to be asked as we celebrate our Divine deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. We thank God for getting us out, but why did God allow us to become victims of such terrible mistreatment in the first place?

A remarkable answer becomes evident in numerous Torah texts. We were slaves in Egypt – and so we have to have empathy for the downtrodden in every generation. We were slaves in Egypt –  and so we have to be concerned with the rights of the strangers, the homeless and the impoverished. We experienced oppression –  and so we must understand more than anyone else the pain of the oppressed.

The tragedy of our encounter with injustice was in no small measure meant to prepare us to serve throughout all future generations as spokesman for those with whose pain we can personally identify.

The purpose of our suffering was to turn us into a people committed to righting the wrongs of the world, to become partners with God in making the world worthy of final redemption.

We begin the Seder by inviting the hungry and the homeless to join with us. We conclude the Seder by opening the door for Elijah. It is our acceptance of responsibility to others that is the key to hastening the arrival of Messiah.

From earliest childhood every Jew identifies with these five powerful ideas that are at the heart of Passover and its message. And precisely because memory, optimism, faith, family and responsibility have become such vital characteristics of our people, we have been able to achieve far beyond what anyone might have considered possible.

This article can also be read at:http://www.aish.com/h/pes/t/g/The_5_Most_Important_Things_to_Know_About_Passover.html

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#2085 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:32 pm
Subject: The Writing on the Wall : sweet joke 		bdmesq
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Previous JokeSee All JokesNext Joke

The Writing on the Wall

 

After learning stories from the book of Daniel in Hebrew school, little Rivkah Epstein was particularly intrigued with the story of the handwriting on the wall. Rivkah approached her teacher to share her personal reflections.

"In my house," said Rivkah, "when handwriting appears on the wall it's not a miracle, it's my little brother Shmuley."


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#2086 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:27 pm
Subject: For the male readers 		bdmesq
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Aish.com http://www.aish.com/tp/i/wbr/48942756.html
First Fruits 
by Dr. Avigdor Bonchek 

The Yom Tov of Pesach is dominated by the Seder night and learning the Haggadah. The following is from the Haggadah and its parallel source in Rashi.

Haggadah of Pesach

One of the central parts of the Haggadah is the analysis of a verse in Deuteronomy 26:5. When a man brings his first fruits to the Temple he says these verses:

"My father was a wandering (lost) Aramite and he went down to Egypt and he dwelt there in few numbers. And there he became a great nation, strong and many."

The translation of the first three words in Hebrew ("Aramie oved Avi") is problematic. The translation above is disputed. It is not the way Rashi translates them. Rashi's translation in his commentary is "An Aramite destroyed my father" (Jacob). Here the word"oved" is translated as "destroyed," meaning that Lavan, the Aramite, who was Jacob's father-in-law, destroyed Jacob. The Aramite refers to Lavan. This is the way the Haggadah understands the verse.

Ibn Ezra and the Radak, both experts in Hebrew grammar, translate the verse to mean that the Aramite refers to Jacob. They say the grammatical construction of the word "oved" is intransitive, meaning it does not effect another. For example, in English we could say "he was destroyed" or "he destroyed." The first is intransitive; the second is transitive, for it means he destroyed something – that is, his destruction was done to another. But our verse has "oved," which literally means "he was destroyed (or lost)".

 

QUESTIONING RASHI

A Question: Why did Rashi "mistranslate" this word?

A difficult question, indeed.

Your Answer:

 

UNDERSTANDING RASHI

An Answer: Rashi's interpretation follows the Midrash that we find in the Haggadah (from Talmud Pesachim). As is often his way, Rashi sees p'shat, the basic explanation, through the eyes of the Talmudic sages.

But that begs the question. We ask why do the sages translate these words as they do?

Hint: Look at the trop (musical notes).

Your Answer:

A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

An Answer: The musical notes (trop) under and above the words that we find in printed Chumashim can be divided into two types: (1) Those that separate words, and (2) those that connect with the word ahead. Without going into a complicated discourse on the various notes, we can say simply that the note under the word "Aramie" has a "pashta" note, which is a separating note, while the words "oved avi" have "munach zakef" notes, which are connecting notes.

So the reading according to the notes is: "An Aramite - destroyed my father."

Had it meant "My father was a wandering Aramite" it should have had the words "Aramie oved" ( "a wandering Aramite") connected.

Thus, the musical notes support Rashi's (and the Midrash'a) interpretation, as opposed to Ibn Ezra and the Radak.

(For a more precise understanding of Rashi's grammatical understanding in this case, see the English translated Silvermann Chumash and his note on this verse).

Now let us see Rashi's comment in the Chumash:

Devarim 26:5

"My father was a wandering (lost) Aramite and he went down to Egypt and he dwelt there in few numbers. And there he became a great nation, strong and many."

 

RASHI

Aramie oved Avi - Rashi: He mentions God's kindnesses. Lavan wanted to exterminate everything (the whole nation) when he pursued after Jacob (see Genesis 31:23) and inasmuch as he wanted to do, God considered it as if he actually did so. For when it comes to the nations of the world, God considers their thought as if they actually enacted it.

Let us now analyze this comment. Would you ask any questions on this comment?

Your Questions:

 

QUESTIONING RASHI

Some Questions:

 

  • Why is the issue of "kindness" mentioned here? What is bothering him that makes this comment necessary?

     

     

  • The verse says Lavan destroyed my father. Why does Rashi change this to "wanted to destroy" and then get involved with the idea that the intentions of the gentiles are considered by God as actions?

     

     

  • What is the reason that intentions of the gentiles are considered as actual deeds, while for Jews this is not so?

 

 

WHAT IS BOTHERING RASHI?

An Answer: Why is kindness mentioned? The whole section is one of thanksgiving to God. Rashi wonders, if that is so, why is the history of Lavan's aggression mentioned?

A second problem Rashi deals with is: Lavan never destroyed Jacob, how could the verse says, "An Aramite destroyed my father"?

 

UNDERSTANDING RASHI

An Answer: Rashi adds the kindness dimension precisely because mentioning Lavan's aggression is not consonant with a praise of thanksgiving to God (which this section is). Therefore, Rashi clues us in to the fact that these words actually all point to God's saving us from Lavan's evil plan. That was His kindness to the People of Israel.

Rashi also realized that Lavan never did destroy Jacob. (After Lavan pursued Jacob, God appeared to Lavan in a dream told him he cannot harm Jacob.) The next day when Lavan caught up with Jacob, they made a peace treaty. So why does the verse say he did destroy Jacob?

To this Rashi says: Although Lavan never even hurt Jacob – because God stepped in to protect him - nevertheless Lavan's evil thought was considered by God as if he actually implemented his plan. That is why Rashi mentioned this.

 

ANOTHER QUESTION

The verse seems to connect Lavan's actions and Jacob's going down to Egypt as if there is a cause and effect relationship here. But what has Lavan to do with Jacob's going to Egypt?

Your Answer:

 

SEEING THE CONNECTION

An Answer: Actually, the next Rashi comment on the verse explains that these words refer to another travail – Pharaoh's enslavement. But we can find a connection between Lavan's actions and Jacob going to Egypt.

Remember, Lavan switched Leah for Rachel on Jacob's wedding night. That switch lead to a lot of family disputes. The sons of Leah, Jacob's first wife, vs. the son (Joseph) of Rachel, his beloved wife. Their jealousy led them to sell Joseph and led to his going down to Egypt. This, as we all know, led to Jacob eventually coming down to see his long-lost son. And that was the beginning of Israel's long servitude in Egypt. So there is a connection, after all.

 

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Somayach,
Avigdor Bonchek


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#2087 From: harold jitschak bueno de mesquita <bdmesq@...>
Date: Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:35 pm
Subject: A Creative Diagnosis 		bdmesq
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A Creative Diagnosis

 

Abe goes to the doctor's office to collect his wife Sara's test results. The receptionist tells him, "I'm sorry but there's been a bit of a mix-up. When we sent your wife's samples to the lap, they got mixed up with the samples from another Mrs. Cohen and we don't know which one is your wife's. The bottom line is that the situation is either bad or not so bad."

"What do you mean?" asks Abe.

"Well," says the receptionist, "one Mrs. Cohen has tested positive for Alzheimer's disease and the other for gingivitis. We can't tell which is which."

"That's terrible," says Abe. "Can you do the test again?"

"Normally, yes. But your health insurance policy won't pay for these expensive tests more than once."

"Well what should I do?" asks Abe.

The receptionist replies, "The doctor recommends that you drop your wife off in the middle of town. If she finds her way home, don't borrow her toothbrush."





















































prpjokes


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