One, Many, and Him - More - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/18/2008 12:01:00 AM ET

by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths

maimon commented...

"The creation is many, it is one, and it is Him."

Sounds like avoda zara. You are stating that HaShem is the creation. How could HaShem be the creation if He created the creation? Additionally if HaShem is the creation, and HaShem is eternal than that means the 'creation' eternally existed (Bereishis explictly states otherwise). Additionally consistent with your logic, we should chas v'shalom be worshipping the creation... sounds more like Hinduism or something like that, than Judaism.

You ask questions that have been answered many times. Please take the time to read the previous postings regarding this subject, especially the ones entitled "Idolatry" and "There Is Only One Infinite."

Most briefly stated, "All of existence is Hashem Blessed Be He." This is a well known statement often stated by the teachers of the mystical aspects of Torah. On his first page Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, zt"l (the Kedushas Levi) wrote, "The most important thing to remember is that G-d created all and that He is all."

The particular piece you are questioning can be seen discussed by the Lubvitcher Rebbe in a maamar from the year mem daled on the parsha Haazinu. You will see there almost the exact explanation that is found in the posting that you question.

If after reading these postings and other sources you still have any questions, feel free to write. By the way, this has been an ongoing argument between the Chassidic teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his opponents.

Be well and Shavua Tov,
Gutman

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

What Did You Do This Chol HaMoed? - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/17/2008 11:24:00 PM ET

by Reb Akiva at Mystical Paths

This Chol HaMoed Passover, I was blessed to be in Israel and together with my family. We had an opportunity to visit some of the fun sites, and some of the holy sites. Here's a few we visited, how about you? What did you do this Chol HaMoed?

The religious beach, separate hours for men and women, in Netanya is a fabulous beach. It wasn't officially open yet, that didn't stop many from coming and getting their feet wet, even in their yom tov clothes.




Hebron, the holy resting place of our patriarchs and matriarchs, Avraham and Sorah, Yitzchok and Rivka, Yaakov and Leah, was fully open to Jews for the holiday (normally the site is divided between Muslim and Jewish worshippers, with Jews not having access to the area of Yitzchok & Rivka.) The Hebron community planned for massive visitors and set up live entertainment as well.






Next to the Marat HaMachpela building is the kever of Avner ben Nir, which is ONLY accessible twice a year, as it's by the entrance given over to the Muslims the rest of the time. "And they buried Avner in Hebron, and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Avner, and all the people wept." - Shmuel II 3:32




The Judean desert is awesome to pass through, in an air conditioned car. We drove through and past the Qumran caves, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found (which the British Advertising Bureau just sued to have Israeli tourism ads pulled for showing as Jewish) and stopped at the Dead Sea a bit before Masada. It was incredibly hot, and the super-high mineral content water was really unusual.






Chol HaMoed in Israel was really very special. Bank HaPoalim actually sponsored free access to 50 special sites, one of which we took advantage of and which I thought was just really cool (a bank sponsoring Chol HaMoed!) All in all, it was holy, it was fun, B"H, it was indeed special. And, how about yours?

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

The Teen Path: Appreciating the Land - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/16/2008 12:12:00 AM ET

We introduce a new contributor at Mystical Paths. Chavi is a religious Jewish teenage young lady of American background living in Israel.

by Chavi at Mystical Paths

Last week we 'celebrated' Yom HaAtzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. I spent the day with a friend in the West Bank (a day off is always nice) and we discussed, what is this day to us while sitting in the Land of Israel, in the West Bank.

My friend replied, "I'm celebrating having a home in the Holy Land." I had thought about this subject for some time before Yom HaAtzmaut, as the majority of the frum (ultra-orthodox) Jewish world says the founding of the State was a bad thing. However, I think we have something to celebrate.

Not a government, the Israeli system is just nuts. Not a State, for this state isn't doing very good things. But, the achievements here are great. I can sit here in the Holy Land, I can pray at the Jewish holy sites, I can look out across the hills of Land of Israel. How is that?

Blessings from Hashem, of course. But, some young men came and fought to make those blessings happen. Brave young men, many only teens, fought so they could have a home. They fought for the Land of Israel.

THEY FOUGHT FOR THE LAND HASHEM GAVE US! And they succeeded! They fought to keep Jews alive. Shouldn't we be grateful? I can sit here in my home in Israel writing this article because broken Jews from Europe came and fought, poor Jews from Russia came and built a town, chassidic Jews came from Ukraine and built a synagogue. I can pray at the Kotel, the Western Wall, because a bunch of young men only a couple of years older than me fought their way through Jerusalem.

I think that sacrifice is worth remembering, and their accomplishment is worth celebrating. And we have to thank Hashem for every inch of the Land of Israel that we have.

We mourn a lot, the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. Shouldn't we be celebrating the rebuilding of Jerusalem? Shouldn't we show Hashem how much we appreciate what He's done for us? And then, maybe He'll consider us worthy of doing more.

Shabbat Shalom from Eretz Yisroel,
Chavi

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Proof that Mashiah is on his way - - - - - - - posted by yaak - - 5/15/2008 02:47:00 AM ET

by yaak at Mystical Paths

Proof that Mashiah is on his way.


Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Blocked, Rented, and Sold - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/15/2008 12:27:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

Today, Jerusalem was blocked, rented, and sold...

Blocked, as massive parts of Jerusalem were blocked off, businesses shut down, tourism shut down, lives distrupted, for the convenience of the political class. Whole streets were simply evacuated, major attractions reserved for their viewing pleasure. Somehow, we've come to expect and accept that, the people simply bow to the needs of the politicos, and the impact on the little people isn't of concern. This was true in the days of dukes, and such days seem to have returned.

The Old City, at least the Jewish quarter and the Kotel, were simply EMPTY, as it was exceedingly difficult to get there.

Rented, as on this day of Presidential Conferences the Kotel Archaeological Park was rented out to Evangelical Xians for a World Wide Celebration of some sort. While I'm not unhappy they chose Jerusalem for their event, I wonder on a day when a Jew had a hard time making it to the Kotel how 10,000 Xians had an easy time. And how it was ok for them to be blasting Xian gospel rock in range of the Kotel.

Sold, as this is why Gog has come. The conference of world leaders is here, and the cup of poison has been poured. Will the division of Jerusalem proceed apace and we'll enter the days written in the navi'im, will the world leaders drink? The answer is definitely yes, if George Bush and Ehud Olmert have anything to say about it. We can only hope for chesed from above, delaying those difficult days and crashing the plans of these foolish people about their heads.

While they were divvying the Holy City, Jewish blood was dripping in Ashkelon as innocent civilians were being missiled to death in a shopping mall by the Palestinian Peace Partner.

Photo 1 - Jaffa gate to the Old City - Jerusalem this afternoon. The blocked off streets had just been opened, this very busy road is still mostly empty. Photo 2 - Archeology Park with Xian event, continued for 3 hours into the night. Photo 3 - The Kotel with fireworks from the Archeology Park going off behind it during Jewish Ma'ariv services.

RIBONO SHEL OLAM, AD MOSAI!!! Will You hear our cry? Will You remember?

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Argument with The Arab - Part 4 - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/14/2008 08:00:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

The end of the "dialog" from a Muslim commentor at YouTube...

Muslim: It is the bost basic of human rights to defend your land from theft from freaks who think it should be theirs because some caveman lived there 2000 years ago. With that logic the (f-word) vikings can ethically re invade the uk and the uk can retake usa since the blood is still in the population in both cases. You are wrong simply because the foundation of your argument is based and built on (b-word) and as we know when you build a house on (b-word) it will eventually fall down as israel will.

Akiva: Ahh, we come to the end of your argument. First you come to argue by my religion, then figure out you have no clue what you're talking about. I counter even with arguments from your religion and nations which practice it, which you also seem to have no clue about.

Then you argue from modern politically correct standards. Yet, even that doesn't hold water as if Israel responded in kind, the bloodshed would actually be much higher.

Now you argue the Jews have no right to the Land of Israel. G-d says otherwise. The Torah says otherwise. The Christian bible says otherwise. EVEN the Koran says otherwise. But lets not stand on religion and the words of G-d, lets talk modern history and modern LAW...

Before the Jews starting returning to Israel, there was almost NO local population. The total population of Israel was estimated at 30,000, 10,000 of which were Jews, before the modern return. That's it, 30,000. The Jews came, they BUILT, they INVESTED, they were willing to HIRE local labor to help them. The migrational workers of the Arab world came for jobs. Lets not quote a UN source or a historical source, lets quote a PALESTINIAN source...

"In the beginning, in 1948, we were 150,000 Palestinians; and today, we are 1,300,000 thorns in their sides and rocks on their chests."

-- Sheikh Kamal Khatib, Israeli Islamic Movement, Northern Branch, Deputy Head, Naqba rally, Kafr Kana, Israel, Friday, May 9, 2008

When the State of Israel declared independence, there were 600,000 Jewish residents. They didn't "steal" land, most of the time they came to land BOUGHT by the Jewish National Fund from the OTTOMAN owners! (Which, by the way, includes significant land on the other side of the Golan Heights IN MODERN SYRIA.) In places like Jerusalem and Hebron, they bought property. Not 2,000 years ago, 100 years ago.

As you see from the above, the Palestinians themselves say there were only 150,000 at the founding of Israel. For the most part, they didn't own the land, not even the land where their villages sat. They were on rental properties from the Ottomans (migrant worker temporary housing).

Apparently, legally buying land is theft. NOT. Building on empty land is theft. NOT. And, to quote your words, defending yourself is not allowed. NOT.

You have no facts, no religious position, no legal position to back up your arguments. Only the feeling "Israel bad, Jews bad", because they refuse to roll over and die.

As you are empty of all but curses, our conversation is over. "Those that bless you will be blessed, and those that curse you will be cursed." - Torah, Parshas Lech L'cha, a blessing from G-d to Abraham and his children.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Rabbi Nati Update... - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/14/2008 12:01:00 AM ET

mmmph, mmmmmmph, mmmmm, mmpphphph!!!!!!!

Empty Words, Empty Belief - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/13/2008 10:00:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

Welcome US President George W. Bush and US Secretary of State Condelizza Rice to the Land of Israel, the Holy Land, the land promised to Abraham, to Isaac, the Jacob. The land given to the Children of Israel as an eternal inheritance.

Mr. President, you profess to be a believing and practicing Christian. As part of your original election campaign, you presented that your belief in God saved your life from various negative directions it was headed. You profess to pray daily and to read the Christian bible daily.

I ask you, Mr. President, have you edited your bible to remove those sections where God promised the Land of Israel to the Children of Israel? Or, is it all a sham? Do you not really believe that the bible is relevant for today? And if not, why do you pray and attend services? Or do you believe that God is only relevant for your personal needs?

Ms. Rice, you are the daughter of a preacher and were raised in a religious environment. You certainly know the words of the bible, yet choose to disregard them and all that your father's home stood for. Every underdog is not another African American people and worthy of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A great rabbi of the past asked the question, why did God start the bible with the creation of the world? After all, He could have started with the commandments. To demonstrate that the world is His, and he can choose to whom to give it. And YOUR bible teaches as well as MY Torah, he gave THIS Land to the Children of Israel.

But when it comes to bible versus political expediency, well, we know where you stand.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Existence is One, Many, and Him - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/13/2008 08:00:00 AM ET

by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths

(Last week we discussed how the creation is both one and many. This week we go higher.)

There is the much higher and ultimate perspective of creation, too. This addresses the nature of the One Who fills this entire multitude.

There are two verses in the Torah that address these two, distinct perspectives. One addresses the multiple perspective, and one addresses the singular perspective. “You have been shown in order to know that Hashem, He is G-d. There is none other beside Him.”[i] And, “You shall know this day and take it to your heart that Hashem, He is the G-d – in the Heaven above and on the earth below – there is none other.”[ii]

The first verse tells us that Hashem, He is G-d, and that there is none other “beside Him.” The second line also tells us that Hashem He is G-d, but instead of saying that there is none other “besides Him,” it simply states that there is none “other.” It does not add “beside Him.”

We need to learn both of these perspectives. One, that there is none other beside Him, because here, in the lower perspective, the perspective of multiplicity (reflections), we do see others. This is our daily perspective, how we usually see life. There are many “others.” The creation is filled with “others.” This thing is other than that thing, and all of these others certainly appear to be (an) other “beside Him.” The Torah here is telling us that even though, at this perspective, there are many others, do not think that these “others” are other than the One Him. “There is none other beside Him.”

In the second verse, the Torah addresses the higher perspective. This verse refers to the perspective of singularity, focusing on the light instead of the reflections. “… In the Heaven above and on the earth below --- there is no other.” In this case, the Torah does not need to add the concept, “beside Him,” because at this higher perspective there are no others to mistakenly believe could be “beside Him.” There is only the singular “light” and no other.

The creation is many, it is one, and it is Him.

In these illustrations we are using light as a metaphor. Light fits our needs quite well here. Light does not appear to be solid like the “concrete” things in creation. Because of this, light appears to lean more toward the spiritual side of creation. Light is invisible to the eye. We are aware of its presence only by what it shows us. It is in many places at once, and still, wherever it is, it remains singular. We could not survive without it, and so on. But do not let it enter your mind that G-d is a light.

Since He is Infinite, He must also be the lower world, too, but surely He is not limited to, or by, His creation. The entire, huge creation is likened to a scant passing thought, or word, of His. But unlike humans, whose thoughts and words leave them and are not them, G-d and His “thoughts” are one.

[i] Deuteronomy 4:35
[ii] Deuteronomy 4:39

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Arguing with The Arab - Part 3 - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/13/2008 05:00:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

Yet more "dialog", or is that diatribe, from a Muslim commentor at YouTube...

Muslim: i have never claimed the arabs to not commit terrorist acts. all sides do. The sad fact is that you jews are just as bad as those you call terrorists since you also ignore the ethical limits of violence and clearly dont fear god enough to give a shit when you have ignored the option of taking the higher moral ground and only taking an eye for an eye.

Instead you openly dissobey your own religion by announcing you will kill 10 arabs for every israeli.(quoting your prime minister" . Assuming you have the right to kill those who attack you...what about the other 7 in the 8:1 ratio?. Does judaism prescribe the death penalty for vocal support of those who target buses???....

it is indeed a crime against god to support the targeting of anyone but the perpatrator of a crime. It may even be moraly wrong to voice support for a bus bomber but is this a death penalty in Judaism?. I think you know the answer but of course i can predictably know that you are not god fearing enough to abide by even your own gods rulings.

You will of course be forced to ignore all my home truths and change the subject with the usual zionist...."but they do such and such.....".....As a muslim i would happily support the israeli right to exist side by side if one day you zionists stop being such hypocrites and take the moral high ground and only react with measure.

Unfortunatly i can safely predict you will lower yourself to the same level as those who target buses. In fact you might say even lower since you kill far more civilians. Oh and before you say its because you have a better army, you should remember that being better defended and more powerfull gives you LESS excuses for mass slaughter not more excuse.

PS. And also before you say you dont target civilians please dont expect people to believe that for every 1 kill. 7 "accidents" happen (every incident).....sound to you like you are only targeting those responsible?......or sound to you like you have no shame or limits in even respecting your own religion?.

Zionists....You are reaping what you sow, and deep down your conscience knows i speak the truth and thats what irritates you the most.

Akiva: I'm not a zionist, but that's besides the point. You would try to present claims in name of my religion, but would turn around and deny the basic statements of my religion regarding the Land of Israel.

In Muslim lands, you require those who live there to live by your standards, but would deny me the same right in my land.

If they refuse to live by the basic society standards of my religion, we are commanded to drive them out. Attempting to murder us certainly fits that. If they come to border towns just to take straw, we are commanded to drive them away.

Those who support, when a whole society structure exists that supports and creates and recommends murder, the whole must be destroyed. "Those who would be kind to the cruel will eventually be cruel to the kind."

You demand that I shoot with a Godly level of precision, and say I am not meeting my religious and moral standard when I don't sit back and bleed because I can't shoot that well.

Truthfully, YOU ARE RIGHT. The Israeli secular government IS NOT meeting the religious demands of Judaism, Torah, and God. If it were, they would LEVEL Gaza and drive the residents out.

Only those who are willing to live quietly, morally, and peacefully would be permitted to stay in the Land of Israel. And the Arabs of Gaza, as a complete society, have clearly VOTED to do otherwise.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

News of Note - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/13/2008 01:23:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

* Lebanon is melting down into civil war. Hizbollah is not the only armed group in Lebanon, it seems every ethic group (there's 5 of them) is it's own personal army. While in general we really shouldn't need to care, the chaos will allow them to openly act as a launching ground for Iran funded efforts to hurt Israel. As one Lebanese blogger wrote...

Anyone who thinks that this was a smart move by Hassan, Nabih, Talal and even the orange idiot had better think twice. Chances are, this open door will lead to a few hundred thousand shut ones. And it'll be raining missiles outside. We had better pray that normalcy comes back quick to this fragile land of bloodshed.

Real info from Lebanon here, here, and here.


* Largest US Kosher Meat Plan Shut Down by Immigration Raid

Rubashkin's, Aaron's Best, Supreme Kosher, Shor HaBor, all via Agriprocessors in Iowa, are now shutdown. Why? Seems over 80% of the employees where illegal aliens (Hispanic workers in the US without authorization) and somebody finally did something about it. Seems the US government targets a big company every 2 years or so, meat packing companies are a favorite (because ALL the floor workers are always illegal), and this time Agri was the target.

Problem: Agriprocessors provides as much as 50% of US kosher meat and kosher meat products (prepared meals and so forth).

Problem: Not only are the Hispanic floor workers illegal aliens, in the past Agriprocessors hired shochtim (ritual slaughters) from Israel, also without US work authorization. (So they're not undocumented, they have passports, but they are not authorized to work in the US on the type of visa they have.)

If both the Hispanic and the Israeli workers go, Agriprocessors will not be able to function (or certainly won't be able to with their current product pricing structure.)

Local news report here.


Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

The Bad Name of Moshiach - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/12/2008 09:00:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

I'm going to open a can of worms, crack the proverbial pandora's box. For those with strong opinions on the topic I'm about to write, please pause, take a deep breath, and try to focus on my final point rather than going into defensive mode on your position. Thank you.

Prior to the final mitzvah campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, mitzvas Moshiach, educating the Jewish, and even non-Jewish, world about Moshiach and the Geulah, Moshiach wasn't an active topic in the Jewish world. Yes, the references were there in davening, and in the Haftorah's, but there weren't shiurim about it, there weren't books about it, it just wasn't in the forefront.

The tzaddikim will tell you the Rebbe came within a hair's breath of bringing the Geulah. The power of those days was astounding, and Geulah on the path of chesed was within reach. The words of the Rebbe were literally nevua (prophecy), which were literally fulfilled.

But it didn't quite happen. We stepped, nay ran, to the edge of the doorway, but didn't quite make it through. And the longer we wait, the closer the darkness creeps up.

For the Rebbe himself told us, he did all he could do, now the task passed to us. And we've been standing still ever since.

But we're taught, there is no standing still regarding holiness. Either you're heading upward, or (by standing still) slipping downward (G-d forbid). Why? Because the Yeter Hara doesn't sit idle, even if we do, or rather especially if we do. It works to diffuse the holiness, to drain it away, to twist it around.

Moshiach. What does that word evoke? It used to evoke a time of redemption, of peace, of when G-dliness would fill the world as water fills the oceans. But what does it evoke NOW???

Within the orthodox Jewish world, it evokes a branch of Lubavitch chassidim that may have stepped outside the bounds of halacha (Jewish law), and definitely outside the traditional bounds of hashkafa (belief model), regarding the Rebbe and his status as Moshiach.

Now the point of this article is not to argue whether that position is correct or not, permitted or not, prophetic or not. It's to point out the success of the Yetzer. We literally can't discuss Moshiach much anymore within the orthodox world, because the first thing that comes to mind whenever it's discussed is The Argument about Chabad.

Yetzer - 1, Orthodox World - 0

Oy va voy lanu. In response to Rabbi Nati's recent effort, I wrote this introduction to his Geulah Petition. When he started used it, everyone in the frum world turned away because it was "too Lubavitch", aka the untouchables. He was forced to drop it. Here it is:

-------
BS"D

As the Geulah was, so the Geulah will be. We learn from our holy Torah that Moshe came to the Elders, and the Elders agreed he was the redeemer and informed the people that the time of the geulah had come.

Our holy seforim also teach that during the final geulah, the people will come to the Elders, and tell them that it is time for the Elders to declare the time of the Geulah.

Throughout the generations of this terrible golus, many a time has arisen where an Elder has attempted to declare time of the Geulah. Yet, to our great regret, all of these attempts have been unsuccessful. Most recently, the Lubavitcher Rebbe attempted to declare the time of the Geulah. Yet, in the end he was forced to declare "if only 10 men truly desired the geulah" and "I have done all I can do, now it is up to you."

We, a minyan of ten men of the Jewish people together with hundreds and thousands of committed members of the am kedusha, the holy people, therefore petition you, the Elders, the princes of Torah of our generation, in the name of the holy Torah, by the prophecies of the holy nevi'im, in the name of the holy seforim, by the words of our holy tzaddikim, to declare b'emunah shelaymah, with complete belief in the coming of Moshiach tzidkaynu, b'achdus and with respect for every gadol Torah who represents one of the 72 facets of the holy Torah among the Jewish people, to declare that the time of the geulah has arrived.

Requested by:

(and this is where you fill your name in on Rabbi Nati's petition, the first 3 signers were...)

Eliezer Raphael ben Yaakov m'Breslev
Nataniel Levi ben Yitzchok m'Breslev
Akiva ben Avraham m'Lubavitch

(along with currently ~3,000 others)

In response to the request of the holy Jewish people, in accordance with the Torah of Hashem and the holy writings, I declare in this world Zman Geluaschem. And as the Beis Din declares b'Aretz, so may the Beis Din declare b'Shamayim. And may Hashem fulfill the will of the holy tzaddikim and gadley Torah.

Signed:

HaRav HaGadol .........
------

This effort is going forward. But no longer do we mention Moshiach, for he has a bad name. Instead, we simply say we are petitioning for the Geulah. And frankly, I think we're much poorer because the Yetzer has successfully blackened the name Moshiach.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Bush Visit to Jerusalem - Schedule & Impact - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/12/2008 08:55:00 AM ET

-- A Public Service Announcement --

(From the Jerusalem municipal web site.)

Maximum security will be implemented in Jerusalem from Tuesday May 13th through Friday May 16th for the Israeli Presidential Conference and the visit of US President George Bush. This will effect the daily life and traffic in Jerusalem.

* Prohibited parking

Wednesday, May 14th
Museum Row, Shmuel Weiss,Rupin,Ramban,Paris Square, Agron, Hameches Square, King David, Amoni, PLumer Square,Jabotinsky, Wingate Square, Hanassi,Smolanskin,Keren Hayesod,Ben Zvi,Shazar,Binyanei Hauma (emergency exit)

Thursday, May 15th
Museum Row, Shmuel Weiss, Rupin, Ramban, Paris Square, Agron, Meches Square, King David, Admoni, Plumer Square, Jabotinsky, Wingate Square, Hanassi, Smolanskin, Keren Hayesod, Israel Museum Parking lot, Kaplan (between Rothschild and Rupin), Arlozorov.

Friday, May 16th
Admoni, King David, Meches Square, Agron, Paris Square, Ramban, Rupin, Shmuel Weiss, Museum Row, Israel Museum Parking lot.

Cars parking in these streets will be towed away.

* Street Closures

The following streets will be closed for the 3 day visit:

Keren Hayesod Intersection (Plumer Square) until Agron Intersection- Residents of the area will be allowd only upon presenting Id`s

Alternative driving routes
Begin Road, no. 9 road (Golda Meir Blvd., Yigal Yadin), Derech Hebron, Hativat Jerusalem, Haim Bar-Lev, Eshkol Blvd., Bar Ilan, Haneviim St., Jaffa St., Ben Zakai, Yehuda Hanassi, Golomb, Derech Moshe Baraam.

* Closed Sites

The Israel Museum:
Closed on Wednesday May 14th, from 17:00 until Friday, May 16th at 11:00.

Bible Lands Museum:
Closed from Wednesday May 14th until Friday May 16th

* Information Centers

Police: 1-700-90-20-30, will be open from May 12th from 12:00
Municipal hotline: 106, or 02-5314600

Info on the "Israeli Presidential Conference", via Haaretz...

The Israeli Presidential Conference headed by President Shimon Peres, which will open Tuesday, will be the largest conference ever held in Israel.

Thirteen heads of state, including U.S. President George Bush, are among the 3500 guests that are expected to attend the conference in honor of Israel's 60th anniversary.

The conference will bring together people from vastly different fields at the capital's International Convention Center, in what Gil calls "a celebration of Jewish intellect." Discussion subjects in panels and workshops are to range from medical ethics to "Why the New Middle East is Not Yet Here."

Along with Bush, other famous non-Jewish faces at the conference will include former Soviet Union president Michael Gorbachev, and newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Arguing with The Arab - Part 2 - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/12/2008 05:00:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

Continued "dialog" with a Muslim about my YouTube vidoes...

Muslim: Does your religion teach you that you should turn a blind eye to the limits of ethical violence and the use of minimum force to restrain and preserve/respect life?. I guess not since you are not god fearing enough to take a look at your own crimes or even feel guilty about crossing the bounderies even your own god sets you.

enough said.

Akiva: Ethical violence, as THEY _specifically_ target women and children??? (And then hide among theirs?)

In the West Bank (south of Jerusalem), there is a large Arab town, and across the valley there is a large Jewish town (Beitar Illit).

Number of attacks from large Arab town: 0
Number of Arab deaths from Israel in large Arab town: 0

Number of stores in large Arab town with Jewish clientèle doing a good business, supporting the local Arab town economy: about 35

Number of workers from large Arab town that work in Jewish town: about 300

BTW, the highest life expectancy in the Arab world, among all Arab nations, is in... the West Bank (UN statistics).

There is nothing unethical about defending yourself, and the more barbaric the attacks are, the more strong the defense must be.

WHY are they firing rockets into a Jewish civilian center? What's the point?

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

More on Independence - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/11/2008 06:00:00 PM ET

Commentor Isaac left these relevant quotes...

Regarding the claim that there is "independence" -- that this is freedom to do as they want, we see now that there was never a situation like this where Jews were so dependent on the goyim like now; this situation has brought those who claim that they are independent -- because their conduct is to chase after goyim -- that, Heaven help us, they are totally dependent on goyim, and they can't do anything other than what the goy wants. (Lubavitcher Rebbe, Emor 19 Iyar 5734)

***

This condition they call "independence" -- at a time when this is an exile even greater than the exile of an impoverished Jew, r"l, in a shtetl in Russia or Poland: that Jew trembled from a goy, how much moreso from a goy with "buttons" (as they called it then) -- but there was a reason for this fear, because if the will arose in the goy to give the Jew a smack, there was no one to prevent it. But now, they invite the goy to come to the Jews and be the boss there, and there they "negotiate" with him, and tell him: "yes, you are 'our brother', you are a righteous and upright person and your claims are credible, but there is no choice you are obligated to promise something, etc. -- at least give a smile...and more: express in words that you are satisfied. And they demand from you more than this: give weapons to the states around and to the Jews give at the most a third of this! (Lubavitcher Rebbe, L'ag B'Omer 5738)

***

"When they wanted to put the name of the Holy One, blessed be He (into the declaration of Independence) -- they refused and put in the words 'tsur Yisrael' which has two meanings: one can think that this is the Holy One, blessed be He, and one can also think about something else, and this itself is shituf!" (Lubavitcher Rebbe, Shelach 5730)

Palestinian Media Lies - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/11/2008 12:38:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

It's just 2 weeks ago we wrote about the Palestinian Humanitarian Disaster of the moment. In that one, they killed the fuel delivery guys, then complained that they were about to be plunged into darkness (due to lack of fuel at the power plant). Oh my.

Today, they shot 21 rockets and numerous mortars into Israel, including at the fuel depot, killing 1 innocent civilian.

And now they complain that they didn't get enough fuel and shut down their power plant, plunging part of Gaza into darkness. Oh my.

Funny thing that, it seems to me that if you keep killing the fuel delivery guys, at some point you just might find yourself short of fuel.

When you see pictures of the poor Palestinians in candle light, keep in mind they blew up the delivery guy. You'll probably find the news media fails to mention that. So will the UN when they start screaming about the horrible humanitarian situation.

Burma/Mynamar, now that's a true horrible humanitarian situation.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Arguing with The Arab - Part 1 - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/11/2008 12:01:00 AM ET

by Akiva at Mystical Paths

In response to my Emunah Paths YouTube Video Channel, a Muslim wished to share some thoughts with me...

SLAUGHTERING PALESTINIANS AT A RATIO OF (8 to 1) YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THEN SAYING YOU ARE THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM AND ANTI_SEMITISM IS SIMPLY A SIKE JOKE BY ANY STANDARD, LOGIC, RELIGION OR CREED. NO EXCUSES ARE ACEPTABLE FOR THESE LEVELS OF US & UK SPONSORED STATE TERRORISM!. NOT EVEN THE JEWISH HOLY TORAH ALLOWS KILLING BEYOND AN EYE FOR AN EYE!!!!!

Source of [8 to 1] statistic: B'TSelem ISRAELI Human Rights Group!

I replied:

So, by your logic Israel should randomly fire 7,800 anti-personnel rockets into Gaza population centers, because that's what they fired at us?

Oh wait, Israel's aim is better, so we might actually hit and kill someone, whereas they miss 92% of the time, so it's ok for them to keep attacking because their aim stinks but not for Israel because theirs doesn't?

If you fire upon an enemy from within a school, neither the laws of war nor the laws of the Torah protect the children. The person who FIRED is responsible for drawing the response.

Percentage of random Israeli attacks upon civilians: 0%
Percentage of random Palestinian attacks upon civilians: 95%

Israel doesn't attack Palestinian civilians, it attacks non-uniformed enemy combatants, who hide within the civilian population. THEY are making their families human shields, THEY are responsible for the result.

Want the Palestinians to stop dying? Tell them to stop attacking.

Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.

Jewish National Home of Palestine - - - - - - - posted by Akiva - - 5/09/2008 12:11:00 AM ET

Guest Post by Elisheva at Mystical Paths

In 1922, the United States Congress ratified the "Jewish National Home in Palestine". In 1932, US President Herbert Hoover reafirmed this and noted the previous desolate (that means empty, as in NO ONE LIVING THERE) condition of the Holy Land. Read history, know the truth and understand the lies of the 'peace process' of today.

Please make use of this very important document, share it, post it, and forward it to the US State Department that seems to have forgotten.

The White House
Washington, DC
29, October 1932

On the occasion of your celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which received unanimous approval of both houses of Congress by the adoption of the Lodge-Fish Resolution in 1922, I wish to express the hope that the ideal of the establishment of the National Jewish Home in Palestine, as embodied in that Declaration, will continue to prosper for the good of all the people inhabiting the Holy Land.

I have watched with genuine admiration the steady and unmistakable progress made in the rehabilitation of Palestine which, desolate for centuries, is now renewing its youth and vitality through the enthusiasm, hard work and self-sacrifice of the Jewish pioneers who toil there in a spirit of peace and social justice.

It is very gratifying to note that many American Jews, Zionists as well as non-Zionists, have rendered such splendid service to this cause which merits the sympathy and moral encouragement of everyone.

Herbert Hoover
October 29, 1932


Document image courtesy of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Support the Path! - Posted at Mystical Paths, MPaths.com.