We Are Here!

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

People wonder how we can celebrate Purim with true joy while a war is going on in Eretz Yisroel. People ask us how we can sing when Jews are being held hostage in terrible conditions, barely hanging on to life. How can we smile when Jews are being chased around the world and anti-Semitism is on the rise? How can you dance, they ask us, when people can’t make ends meet, when children can’t get into a school of their choice, when children are falling through the cracks? How can you be enveloped by joy when so many people are lacking, confused, lost, and disillusioned? How can we be happy when there is so much strife?

The questions are not new. As a people, we have suffered tremendously over the years. Every country we were in eventually tormented us and showed us the door. We have been killed, mutilated, separated, and isolated, plundered and murdered. We were led to the gallows, guillotines, and gas chambers for the sin of being Yidden. We were chased in the streets, our children robbed from us, and, most recently, Jews were shot as they sat in their homes and celebrated at a music festival.

It is not new. It has been going on for thousands of years.

Ever since the Yom Tov of Purim was established, Jews have been celebrating it exactly as prescribed by Chazal. No matter where we were, Purim was Purim. For just as there is a mitzvah to be sad during the month of Av, there is a mitzvah to be happy during Adar and especially on Purim.

Twenty-plus years ago, I was sitting by myself at an airport gate waiting to board a flight to Eretz Yisroel. An elderly man sat down next to me. I noticed that he had a patch over his left eye, and as our conversation began, I noticed that he did not hear well.

He started the conversation. “How do I look?” he asked in heavily accented English.

I wasn’t sure how to respond. He needed help walking, couldn’t hear well, and was blind in one eye.

I told him that he looked quite fine to me and that I hoped that whatever the problem with his eye was, he would have a refuah sheleimah.

He had something else in mind.

He smiled and said, “Let me tell you how I look. I look at Hitler. Ich bin nuch du. He took me away as a youngster to der lager. He took my wife to Auschwitz for three years, un geb ah kuk: How do I look? I lived here 50 years. I have children and grandchildren. At my age, I am about to travel to Israel. That’s how I look. Boruch Hashem, I can go. Boruch Hashem, I am here. Farges vegen altz. Ich bin du. (Forget about everything else. I am alive and here.). That’s how I am looking at it. They tried so many times in my lifetime to get rid of us, and now they are trying again. But we are still here.”

An old, crippled, partially blind Czechoslovakian Holocaust survivor understands it. Shouldn’t we, as well?

We should look at it the way he did. Look at everything they did to destroy us, to kill us, and to wipe us out. Hashem saved us from all those who seek our destruction, and we are still here, thriving and flourishing. As the man said, farges vegen altz. Mir zenen noch du. Despite everything, we are here. Is that not a reason to celebrate?

It was just before Purim in 1941 in the Warsaw Ghetto. There were few reasons to smile. Everyone locked in there was worried about what the next day would bring. Hunger and disease seemed destined to be the two species of mishloach manos.

The Piacezna Rebbe gathered a few broken souls around him. He quoted the Tikkunei Zohar, which states that Purim is as holy as Yom Kippur, as evidenced by the name of the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippurim, which can be read as Yom K’Purim, meaning that the holiest day on the Jewish calendar is like Purim. Many interpretations are offered in explanation of the comparison.

The rebbe opened his heart and addressed the suffering people. When the sun sets on Erev Yom Kippur, he told them, no Jew says that they won’t fast this year because they aren’t in the mood. As Yom Kippur begins, no one says that it is too hard to do teshuvah, so they will wait until they are in the mood.

Yom Kippur arrives and you get yourself into it, ready or not. You follow the tzivuy Hashem. Purim is no different, said the rebbe. Purim arrives with the obligation to be joyous. Even when surrounded by evil murderers, illness, and suffering, Jews are obligated to be joyous on this day.

“You,” the rebbe told those poor souls in the Warsaw Ghetto, “must also be happy today.”

That was then, in the darkest hour our people have known since the churban Bais Hamikdosh. Today, boruch Hashem, we are surrounded by so many reasons to be happy, not the least of which is our relative comfort and freedom and the right to live as ehrliche Yidden. We have no excuse to hold back and sit in our homes depressed, forlorn, and worried about the future, depressed and complaining.

The simcha that Hakadosh Boruch Hu shone into His world in Shushan is felt on Purim in the streets of Jewish neighborhoods the world over. No matter what challenges we are faced with, when Purim approaches, our hearts beat a bit faster, our smiles stretch a bit wider, and we look at things differently. On this day, we reflect on the situation the Jews were in, as the king’s main deputy targeted them all for death, and how Hashem turned his plan on his face and had him and his sons killed, while the Jews were given a new lease on life.

The increase in simcha experienced by all sorts of Yidden, from wherever they might come, is an enduring testimony to the reality of the greatness of the day and the depth of our belief in Hakadosh Boruch Hu, who saves us from our many enemies, generation after generation.

It was at that last Purim hour, during the moments when day slowly recedes to night and the sky begins to darken. Inside the crowded room, a rebbi and talmidim surrounded a table, as songs, Torah, and quips joined into a burst of sound, the holy noise of Purim rising heavenward.

At one end of the long table, covered with a wine-stained cloth and festively-arranged bottles, a talmid raised a question. He quoted the well-known Gemara, referred to extensively in halachic discussion of the obligations of the Purim seudah, which recounts how Rabbah rose and slaughtered Rav Zeira (Megillah 7b).

Rav Zeira had accepted Rabbah’s invitation to join him for the seudas Purim. Rabbah fulfilled the dictum of Chazal to drink, and he became inebriated to the point that he killed his guest. When he realized what transpired, he begged for Divine mercy and Rav Zeira was revived.

Rishonim and Acharonim utilize p’shat, remez, drush, and sod to explain the Gemara on so many levels. But the talmid had a basic question. Once Rav Zeira’s soul left him, what was Rabbah thinking when he rose to daven? Can a person request techiyas hameisim? Can we ask that the order of creation be reversed?

The rebbi smiled, enjoying the question, and the talmidei chachomim around the table offered various interpretations. Then the rebbi spoke.

“It was Purim,” he said, “and during the season of Purim, it isn’t a question. Because on Purim, on the deepest level, there is no teva and neis, there is no nature and no miracle. There is no saying that this is what is supposed to have happened. On Purim, everything that happens proclaims, ‘Ein od milvado. It’s all about Hashem.’”

On Purim, we can ask for anything, because after reading the Megillah, it becomes clear once again that there is but one Hand, and nothing else, that bestows and controls life.

The men around the table sang another song, because at that moment, it was so obvious, almost tangible, that it’s all Him. How can one not rejoice?

Yes, there is a world, and everyone has their issues, and there are many out there lined up against us, but on Purim, it’s all about “Ein od milvado.” It all doesn’t matter, because we are in the hands of Hashem, Who will protect us and care for us.

Purim is a beacon of light on a dark, stormy night that shines into our world. Every one of us has struggles. We have days when the rushing waves of tzaros threaten to engulf us. We encounter people and situations that we find intolerable. We all sometimes feel lost and abandoned. So many people we know are sick and in need of a refuah, or suffering in other ways and eagerly are awaiting a yeshuah. People across Eretz Yisroel fear what the enemy’s next move will be and what new laws the “friendly” government will accost them with.

Purim is an unfurled banner that reads, “Revach vehatzolah ya’amod laYehudim.” Help can come. Help will come. Don’t despair. Purim reminds us that all that transpires to us in this world is part of Hashem’s plan. It will all turn out for the good if we are patient and follow Hashem’s word.

Wherever you go, you hear the same words being sung to a variety of tunes. It’s all “venahafoch hu,” over and over again, reminding us that Hashem can quickly bring about a stunning reversal of any situation. At no time should we give up hope, no matter how bad the prognosis, no matter what anyone says.

When Esther went into Achashveirosh, she didn’t ask what her chances of success were. When Mordechai told her to appeal the case of the Jewish people to King Achashveirosh, they didn’t consider what their chances of victory were. They davened, fasted, and did what was right. They placed their faith in Hashem, ignoring everything and everyone else, and Hashem answered their tefillos and responded to their teshuvah.

When good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people, the Megillah reminds us that appearances are deceptive. The Megillah reminds us all that everything that happens is part of a Divine plan, which we can’t expect to understand until the entire story has unfolded.

An evil force may appear to be advancing, but it is only in order for Hashgocha to set up that power for a more drastic descent to defeat. Evil may be on the ascent, but it is merely a passing phenomenon and is destined to fail. Goodness and virtue may appear frail and unimposing, but those who follow Hashem’s path will triumph.

In every generation, there are evil people who plot our destruction, but we are still here, thriving and prospering, and we will do so with Hashem’s help until the coming of Moshiach.

That message resonates for all time, wherever Jews find themselves. As we masquerade about, exchanging mishloach manos with friends and distributing Purim gelt to the less fortunate, we tap into the kedusha and message of the holy day. That message never loses its timeliness.

Rav Yaakov Galinsky related that in Novardok, Purim was a more uplifting day than Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, he said, was all about the past - teshuvah, charotah, and azivas hacheit. Purim was all about the future. We look ahead to the good times, to deliverance from exile, to the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh.

It’s Purim. Dance, smile, and be happy. Look at the positive. Be optimistic. Remember that Hashem is in charge, not anyone else. As powerful as they may think they are, they are but pawns in the Hands of the Master Puppeteer.

Rav Shlomo Bloch wrote a diary of life in the Talmud Torah of Kelm. He describes Purim in the town whose name is synonymous with single-minded avodah. In Kelm, the talmidim took the mandate to drink alcohol on Purim very seriously, he wrote, and the entire community seemed to be “a tefach higher” than usual, suspended above the ground in joy and spiritual uplift.

May we merit to appreciate Hashem’s goodness and kindness all year round, especially on Purim. The great day of Purim, whose joy is connected to its holiness, causes us to rise higher and higher, closer and closer to Hashem, becoming holier and better on this day and every day in the future as we merit Hashem’s embrace.

May we, as the Jews of Shushan did, merit much happiness and joy, as we become liberated from our personal and communal issues, and experience the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh very soon.

What Is Happening?

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Monsters. There is no other way to describe them. Bloodthirsty killers. How long will the world continue to play games with them, supporting them, agitating for them, condoning them, lying for them, and demanding a country for them? Anyone who advocates for monsters is a monster.

Don’t expect any change. Across Europe, there are marches in support of the killers. In New York City as well, there are rallies and protests backing baby killers. The Western nations welcomed evil people into their lands and stood by in silence as their numbers swelled, leading European states to be overrun by them.

On Sunday, Germans voted out the so-called center-left party and elected the rightist party, with many voting for the ultra-right party. Who can blame them? You call them anti-Semites, but the leftists who welcomed Hamas supporters into their countries and constantly condemn Israel are just as guilty.

Despite everything that has happened to Israel since October 7^th, its citizens remain strong and resilient. They still feel empowered and proud of their army and the Shin Bet. Patriotism is commendable, but realism is even more vital and necessary. Yes, we all care deeply about the only Jewish state and pray for its people. We visit there, we send our children there to learn, and our hearts are there. We daven three times a day that Hashem will return us there and bring us together.

This is not a time to attack or criticize. But it is a time to reflect on what is happening and consider what we can do to help.

Let us imagine that the Torah was describing this period, from October 6^th until today.

How would the Torah record these events? We no longer have prophets, but it seems that we don’t need a prophet’s vision to understand our current situation.

In two weeks, we will celebrate Purim, commemorating the defeat of Haman the Amaleiki. The nation of Amaleik was the first to strike the Jewish people after their miraculous exodus from Mitzrayim.

Though the battle fought may seem conventional, the Torah and Chazal offer a deeper perspective. The verse tells us that Amaleik attacked the Jewish people in the city of Refidim. Chazal teach us that the reason Amaleik was able to attack was because the Jews had slackened in their observance and study of Torah.

There is another reason implied by the verses that precede the war with Amaleik. The Torah tells us that the Jews complained of thirst and ends the discussion with the posuk (Shemos 17:7) stating that “the place where the Jews complained about a lack of water was called Massah Umerivah, because they fought there with Hashem and tested Him, saying, ‘Is Hashem among us or not?’” The next posuk tells us that Amaleik came to fight with Am Yisroel.

Rashi explains that the two pesukim are connected, with Hashem saying, “I am always among you and always prepared to help with all your needs, and yet you have the audacity to question whether Hashem is with you or not. I swear that a dog will come and bite you, and you will cry out to Me for help, and then you will know where I am!”

Rashi offers a parable to illustrate Hashem’s words. A man was carrying his son on his shoulders and they went on their way. The boy saw something he wanted and asked his father to pick it up for him. The father did so. This happened a second and third time.

They then met someone on the road, and the boy asked if he could see his father. The father intervened and angrily rebuked his son, saying, “How can you not know where I am?” Then he threw him off his shoulders and onto the ground. A dog came along and bit the boy.

In the same way, the Jewish people, who doubted Hashem, were cast aside and left vulnerable to attack.

Thus, there are two reasons Amaleik attacked the Jews after Krias Yam Suf: they were not diligent in their Torah study and their belief in Hashem had weakened.

Amaleik, and all the nations that followed in attacking and tormenting us throughout the ages, did not appear by chance. Hashem removed His protection from us due to our misdeeds, and thus they were permitted to attack.

We have no shortage of enemies seeking to harm, wound, and kill us, but when we are deserving, Hashem protects us from them. Soon, at the Seder, we will proclaim in the reading of Vehi She’omdah that in every generation, enemies arise to destroy us, but Hashem saves us from them.

Moshe Rabbeinu stood on a mountain leading Klal Yisroel in prayer while the battle raged. When the people repented and prayed properly, they won, and when they faltered, Amaleik gained ground.

Although Amaleik’s attack and Klal Yisroel’s victory took place thousands of years ago, they remain an eternal lesson on how to exist in a world that hates us, how to defeat our enemies when they attack, and how the Torah records our battles, victories, and defeats. It doesn’t report like a newspaper, lehavdil, simply stating who was stronger militarily and who was weaker. Rather, it tells us what Klal Yisroel was doing at that time—whether they were close to Hashem and deserving of victory or had drifted away and lost their zechuyos.

Israel has been fighting a war with terrorists for many decades, even prior to its founding. For years, the terrorists have carried out attacks, including brutal assaults on civilians, wanton killings, widespread violence, destruction, and abductions. The Jews in Israel have been suffering at the hands of Arabs for centuries, but the attacks on October 7, 2023, were the worst Israel has faced in modern history, and the worst anywhere since the Holocaust.

Israel declared war on Hamas, vowing to destroy those wicked people and rescue the hostages. The war dragged on for over a year, and Hamas remains in control of Gaza, dictating terms for Israel to follow if it wants to secure the return of its hostages, both dead and alive. As part of the deal, many hundreds of the world’s worst people have been released from Israeli prisons.

Since that awful day, when so many Jews were killed, wounded, and kidnapped, the images of the Bibas family came to symbolize the tragedy. A father, mother, and two young children were taken on October 7^th. The photo of a terrified mother trying to protect her sons as they were dragged from their home in Nir Oz by savages and taken to Gaza became a haunting image. The photos of the two young boys, Ariel, who was 4, and 9-month-old Kfir, became ubiquitous, seen worldwide wherever good people expressed grief over the catastrophe.

The story took an even more tragic turn when the terrorists held a macabre ceremony last Thursday in returning the bodies of the mother and two boys to Israel. The tragedy deepened when Israel discovered that the body said to be that of Shiri Bibas was not hers. Eventually, her body was returned a day and a half later.

The very symbols of the hostage crisis were violated yet again. There was little anyone could do other than mourn.

The proud Zionist nation, which views itself as strong and powerful, was left at the mercy of a far inferior group they had sworn to eradicate.

How did such things happen? What can Israel do to regain its pride and eradicate the terrorists who seek its destruction in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel? What can it do to free all of the hostages?

The answer came the evening the Bibases were returned. West Bank terrorists had planned a mass murder for Friday morning. They placed bombs on five Tel Aviv-area buses, timed to go off at 9 a.m., when they would be packed with morning commuters and shoppers doing their pre-Shabbos errands.

But a miracle happened. Three of the bombs exploded on the buses Thursday evening at 9:00, while the buses were still empty in their depots. A quick inspection was carried out, and two more bombs were found and deactivated before they could do any damage.

Who saved the lives of the hundreds who would have been on those buses? Was it the police? The army? The Shin Bet?

It was none of the above, even though they are spread across the West Bank fighting terrorists and trying to thwart their plots.

The tragedy was prevented by Hakadosh Boruch Hu. It was the One Above who intervened and ensured that the massacre did not take place.

Very often, heavy rain storms are accompanied by thunder and lightning. Meforshim explain that since we are not always worthy of the blessing of rain, Hakadosh Boruch Hu causes thunder and lightening to shake the storm area so that people should be shaken out of their complacency and do teshuvah as they become awed by Hashem’s power.

So it happened last week, that following the tragic morning, in the evening Hashem brought a tremendous nes, which forced even doubters to recognize that everything that happens is from Hashem.

On a day that began with sadness, Hashem showed us that He is our Father, carrying us on His shoulders. When we merit, He protects us from those who seek to harm and destroy us.

When we acknowledge that He is carrying and shielding us, we merit His protection. But when we doubt Him and falter in emunah and bitachon, He drops us, and the murderous dogs come charging at us.

The image of the invincible Israeli army and soldiers, born from the miracles of the Six Day War, is deeply ingrained in the minds of Israelis and Jews worldwide. Nothing that has happened since has tarnished that image. Everyone remembers Israel’s unimaginable victory over multiple enemies, but many forget that those victories were forged by miracles. Hashem carried all of Israel on His shoulders that week and caused a tremendous victory.

But when that is forgotten, and people wonder where Hashem is, He drops us and leaves us at the mercy of the beasts. And in the Middle East, there are regrettably many such beasts.

As believers, maaminim bnei maaminim, it is our duty to rationally examine what has happened and understand that everything that takes place is done by Hakadosh Boruch Hu for reasons He understands, reasons that we will one day comprehend. When Hashem wants the Israeli army to win, they are invincible superfighters. When He does not want them to win, they don’t.

Some wars were miraculously won, as any objective study will show, while others were lost due to various reasons: poor intelligence, inadequate planning, weak generals, tactical errors, and more. This past war displayed all of the above.

People still wonder how it is that the Israelis didn’t see the terrorists coming on October 7^th or why they weren’t able to stop them. People just don’t understand. How can it be that Israel couldn’t defeat Hamas, despite the mesirus nefesh of its soldiers? How can it be that the American president is more aggressive about Israel’s enemies than Israel itself seems to be? How can it be that despite the Israeli prime minister’s eloquent speeches over the past three decades about the danger of Iran, that country is on the verge of manufacturing nuclear weapons?

How can it be?

For those blessed with emunah and bitachon, the answer is obvious. Sometimes Hashem helps the Jewish army, and sometimes He doesn’t. It’s plain and simple.

You may ask: Why does Hashem carry us at some times and drop us, so to speak, at others?

Although we no longer have a novi to guide us to the real reasons and direct us on the path of teshuvah, we can deduce from the pesukim of the Torah what we must do.

When the Jewish country battles Torah, when the Jewish country seeks to destroy the foundation of our people, dismantling yeshivos and forcing those whose merit sustains the nation to exchange their Gemaros for M16 assault rifles, Divine anger is stirred.

When the country’s political and military leaders fail to acknowledge Divine assistance, they add to Hashem’s wrath and bring harm upon their people.

When the Jewish prime minister, who rarely expresses gratitude or references G-d, visits the United States, and the non-Jewish president publicly acknowledges and thanks G-d for keeping him alive and for his victory in the recent election while praying for Divine guidance in leading the country, yet the prime minister neither learns from this example nor mentions G-d at any point during his stay, only doing so occasionally after returning to Israel, it raises concern.

As Purim approaches, let us take to heart the lessons from the battle with Amaleik, the evil Haman’s ancestors, and work to strengthen Torah. May we increase our own emunah and bitachon, and work to help strengthen the emunah and bitachon of those around us, and of all Jews, here and in Eretz Yisroel, as we seek to free ourselves from our evil enemies and merit shalom and shalvah, peace and deliverance.

May we all merit the final defeat of Amaleik and the coming of Moshiach, who will return us all very soon to where we belong.

Fidelity to the Truth

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

We are meant to learn lessons from current events. Today’s headlines connect to the first Rashi in this week’s parsha.

A new president took office three weeks ago, promising to tackle waste and fraud in government while returning power to the people. Since then, he has worked forcefully to root out corruption and inefficiency in government spending. Taxpayers, stunned and disgusted, are learning the full extent of how billions of their hard-earned dollars were squandered.

Despite these revelations, the mainstream media continues to ignore these disclosures and maintains its relentless criticism of the president, who is fulfilling the will of the people. His efforts to shrink the bloated government and reduce the excessive expenditures that contributed to a staggering $37 trillion deficit are met with resistance from those who benefit from the status quo.

The Democrat Party and its representatives, who turned a blind eye to the mistakes and failures of the previous administration and its ineffective, incoherent leadership, have now turned their ire on the president. They attack his attempts to clean up government and restore American greatness.

President Trump and his administration are being vilified for exposing the lies and deceptions that allowed the government to operate under a veil of corruption. For this crime, he faces daily ridicule. Last week, Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Europe, where he delivered a sharp critique of European nations, calling out their hypocrisy. The response was swift and predictable, as the vice president committed the cardinal sin of breaking with the norm of diplomatic complacency, challenging the idea that global leaders must always play along with the prevailing narratives, as fictitious as they may be.

Two weeks ago, the president exposed the hypocrisy of the Arab world and those who harbor animosity toward Israel when he proposed relocating the residents of Gaza from the land, which has become a grim and desolate place under Hamas control. After more than a year of Israeli bombardment, it has become uninhabitable for human life. Rather than receiving praise for offering Gaza’s residents a chance at a normal life by changing the status quo, the president was harshly condemned by those who claim to be concerned about so-called refugees. In reality, they revealed that they don’t genuinely care for this population. Instead, they use them as pawns in their ongoing battle against Israel.

In the world in which we live, truth is rare. Fiction, deviation, misinformation, and half-truths pervade across the world. The only way to have a connection to the truth is by following the Torah. Consequently, the laws that govern financial interactions between people must have a basis in the Torah for them to be truthful and just. Relying on other sources will lead to improper outcomes.

Parshas Mishpotim follows Yisro, because the dramatic and awe-inspiring majesty and glory of Maamad Har Sinai were an introduction to the laws governing how we deal with each other.

The depth of the connection between the two parshiyos is discussed by the Sefas Emes, who explains that “Ve’eileh hamishpotim asher tosim lifneihem” is the natural consequence of “Anochi Hashem Elokecha.”

The posuk states, “…asher tosim lifneihem,” teaching us that even though these laws appear to be rational, Jews are forbidden to adjudicate their disputes in secular courts. Even if the secular laws seem to equal those that appear in the Torah, we must know that they are not. There are truths and then there is the Torah’s truth, composed and transmitted by the One who created the world. We don’t live our lives in accordance with social mores and customs of the world around us. We live with His truth, the real truth.

Chazal teach that Hashem created the world according to the Torah. Therefore, it follows that the rule by which Hashem designed us to live is that of the Torah. The halachos are based on the logic of the Torah, not the logic of human beings. If our logic happens to conform with the Torah, that is because we have studied the Torah and it has affected us. It is also because the Creator created us to follow the rules of the Torah and implanted in us those concepts. The reason why a person who injured someone else pays him damages is not because it makes sense, but because the Torah mandates us to do so. Since that is the rule of the Torah and the world was created according to the laws of the Torah, people have those concepts embedded into them.

When people veer from the Torah, when people are corrupted, their mindset also changes and becomes corrupted. While they acknowledge the obligation to be truthful, they view truth differently in order to justify their way of life. Truth remains a value, but it becomes subservient to their agenda and objectives. They justify lying for what they view as the common good. They hew to a veneer of fidelity to the law coupled with kindness and goodness as they convince themselves that they are good people. Eventually, those around them and those who deal with them and study them recognize that it is all a ruse.

Study the leaders and administrators of communist and socialist countries and you will find that those who claim to be leaders of a worker’s paradise where all people are treated equally are, in fact, sadist butchers, who could care less about people’s rights, possessions, and lives. The same is true, though not on the same level, of the full gamut of politicians who care for themselves and their own power and wealth, viewing the people as pawns they must use to help them fulfill their desires. These people appoint judges and bureaucrats who will carry out their will and help advance the desired agenda. They speak of fidelity to truth, justice, and fairness, but, in truth, veer far from their stated goals.

The world runs on a form of fiction, a lie that is compelling and enticing and bears all the similarities to the truth. But it is still a lie. The system of justice presents itself as honorific and precise, but all too often, we find that the people who administer justice are lacking in fidelity to a just code.

From outside appearances, it seems that the laws are similar, but they are not. There are some things that you think you can accept at face value, but even those are often fiction. The yeitzer hora tempts us with different guises. Some are transparent and obvious enticements, while others are more cleverly devised to fool and entrap us. Societal mores are presented as truths, and those who don’t accept them are made to feel that they are out-of-fashion and irrelevant vestiges from a different time.

It’s all a game. Some people play baseball, some play football, and some play the truth.

There is no truth outside of the Torah. Leadership is about acting, about sincerity and compassion, about intelligence and presence. Facts and numbers are stubborn things, but they are either ignored or spun by those in power to create and foster the narrative necessary to promote their agenda.

The Torah is eternally true and relevant. We are not affected by today’s trends and fads, for we know that they will not stand the test of time. To compromise on truths is to engage in a fictitious momentary pursuit. To compromise on what we are and what we stand for to appeal to the world is a foolish endeavor.

The transparent attempts to betray the life-giving vision and mission of the Torah are to untether our vital links in exchange for temporal and fleeting societal standards that are in constant flux.

Chazal refer to this world as “alma deshikra,” meaning that everything around us is a lie. It’s all fake. The sooner we realize that, the sooner we can have a connection to the truth of the Torah. When we recognize that the nations of the world are governed by lies covered by a veneer of integrity, we learn a valuable lesson in how to navigate its roads and avoid its pitfalls.

Much of what happens in the world is akin to a Potemkin village, a deceptive or superficial facade created to give a false impression of prosperity, success, or well-being for the purpose of misleading others or hiding what is going on. So often, appearances are not what they seem, having been deliberately manipulated to conceal undesirable realities.

It’s one thing when marketers craft illusions of an ideal scenario while concealing the often less flattering reality. But it’s an entirely different matter when a government, particularly an American government, does the same. For four years, a man was propped up as president, while everyone in his administration, his party, and the media knew that he was physically and mentally incapable of fulfilling his duties.

Now, we’re learning that the funds we were told were being allocated to charitable projects worldwide were, in fact, funneled into a massive slush fund for Democrats, their allies, and their associates. The public was deceived for years, but it was all supposedly for the greater good—to advance the liberal progressive agenda in this country and around the world, and to enrich those connected to the political elite.

Anyone whose neshomah was at Har Sinai must learn this parsha and realize that if we study Parshas Yisro and accept the Torah and its truth, but we fail to study and properly observe the laws contained in Parshas Mishpotim, our acceptance of the Torah is lacking. Yisro is contingent on Mishpotim. One who doesn’t properly carry out the laws of Choshen Mishpot can be neither a ben Torah nor a mokir Torah. Someone who lacks respect for the property of others is lacking in faith. Those who engage in fraud and disrespect are not only dishonest and uncaring, but have failed in their commitment of naaseh v’nishma.

Sometimes, people neglect or bend the laws of Choshen Mishpot because they place the pursuit of finances above all other values. In so doing, they demonstrate their human frailty as well as a lack of faith in the Divine order. At times, man’s vision becomes clouded. We must endeavor to always be honest and upstanding in our dealings, not permitting our own interests to subconsciously cause us to err.

The Torah that we follow is comprised of emes and its paths lead to peace. In order to achieve proper lasting relationships and friendships, they must be based on honesty and fidelity to the truth. If we are evasive or deceptive, as charming as we try to be and as hard as we try to mask our differences, we will ultimately fail.

Armed with strength and truth, and guided by the Torah, we can build bridges to make the world a better place and prepare it for the coming of Moshiach. By being honest, facing up to our differences and surmounting them, we can reach accommodations that last over time.

Just as life has no meaning without the Torah, so is the order of creation interrupted by a lack of mishpot. When the baal korei reads the Aseres Hadibros, everyone pays close attention, for we know that the Torah is the song and foundation of life, and these hallowed words are the foundation of Torah and a Torah life.

But we must know that the pesukim of Mishpotim are also verses in that song and form the foundation of Torah life. The Torah is not a theoretical and philosophical book. It is the very foundation of the world, of life in general and our lives in particular. Those who live by it are blessed and live a blessed life.

May we study these laws of mishpotim of Choshen Mishpot as well as we study the laws of Orach Chaim, so that we know them and follow them as second nature. Doing so will earn for us the brachos of the Torah and help us merit the geulah sheleimah bekarov.

The Beauty of Shabbos

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Finally, after generations of enslavement in Mitzrayim and a dramatic redemption, Klal Yisroel reaches the apex of creation, standing at Har Sinai and receiving the Torah from Hakadosh Boruch Hu. They hear the Aseres Hadibros and are awed and inspired to live lives of holiness, following the will of the Creator.

One of the mitzvos included in the Aseres Hadibros is Shabbos. We study the posuk of “Zachor es yom haShabbos lekadsho” (20:8), which literally translates as “Remember the Shabbos day to make it holy.”

The pesukim then state that we are to work six days of the week and rest on the seventh, not doing any work on that day because Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Therefore, He blessed the Shabbos day and sanctified it.

The Ramban explains the posuk of “Zachor es yom haShabbos lekadsho” to mean that it is a mitzvah to remember to sanctify Shabbos and keep it holy. He cites the posuk which states, “Vekarasa laShabbos oneg likdosh Hashem” (Yeshayahu 58:13), and writes that when we rest on Shabbos, we do so because it is a holy day. We therefore take a break from even thinking about mundane matters. Instead, we seek to satiate our souls in the way of Hashem and study Torah.

In Parshas Beshalach (16:28-29), the Torah discusses Shabbos in reference to the monn. A double portion fell on Friday because none fell on Shabbos. The posuk states, “Reu ki Hashem nosan lochem es haShabbos - See that Hashem has given you the Shabbos.”

The Seforno explains that the posuk is saying that we should think about the concept that Hashem has given us Shabbos, which has two components that set it apart from the rest of the week: firstly, through its mitzvos, and secondly, because it is a gift that Hashem gave to the Bnei Yisroel.

This is probably based on the Gemara in Shabbos (10b), which states that Hashem told Moshe that He has a good gift among His treasures by the name of Shabbos and He wishes to present it to Klal Yisroel.

What is the gift? Is it the entirety of Shabbos or is it a component of Shabbos?

In the sefer from Rav Meir Soloveitchik al haTorah, in Parshas Beshalach, it is brought from the Brisker Rov that he deduced from a Rashi in Bereishis (2:2) that the rest component of Shabbos – menucha – is not just a lack of work, but a special creation that Hashem presented to us. He says that Shabbos has two components. The first is its mitzvos and the second is the menucha.

The Brisker Rov concluded that the menucha of Shabbos was especially created for the Jewish people and is the gift that Hashem gave us.

What is the gift of menucha?

Rav Shimshon Pincus (Shabbos Malkesa 3:4, 2) explains that when a person engages in intense physical labor, he naturally becomes tired and requires rest. This is rooted in the laws of nature, as it reflects a deep spiritual truth: that the source of all life is spiritual. The physical realm, by contrast, is not only distinct from the spiritual, but also serves as a barrier, distancing a person from his spiritual essence and, in turn, from his true source of vitality.

When someone immerses themselves entirely in physical labor, he becomes disconnected from this spiritual energy, leading to exhaustion. However, when he ceases his physical exertion and rest, his physical side no longer obstructs his spiritual side. This allows him to reconnect with his true source of life, replenishing his energy and restoring his vitality.

This is compounded when we sleep and our neshamos ascend on high to their Creator, becoming reconnected to their life source. They return to us fully charged and we wake up energized to take on the day.

The gift that Hashem gave us with Shabbos is that on this day we totally separate from gashmiyus – physical labor, activities, and thoughts – and return to ruchniyus, that which is spiritual. The holiness of Shabbos envelops us. Once we are unburdened from the physical aspects of life that we have been enveloped by for the past six days, we enter the realm of the kedusha and menucha of Shabbos, as we proclaim, “Yom menucha ukedusha l’amcha nosata.”

Shabbos disconnects us from gashmiyus, enveloping us in the source of energy and life. This is the ultimate gift of menucha that Hashem presented to us.

In order to merit this gift, however, we have to do our part and not only refrain from doing the physical labor of the 39 melachos, but, on Shabbos, elevate ourselves from the mundane through our actions and also through our thoughts. We refrain from discussing, reading about, or thinking about work and the everyday concerns that occupy our minds during the week. Shabbos is a time to step away from the ordinary and reconnect with a higher, spiritual realm. The more we do so, the better off we are and the more energetic we will be.

Menuchas Shabbos is not about lounging around, engaging in shallow conversations, or indulging in gossip without regard for the truth or the harm it may cause. It is not about speaking ill of others, mocking them, or simply passing the time with meaningless chatter.

Those who seek to experience the gift of menuchas Shabbos do so by elevating their ruchniyus through learning, refining their behavior, thoughts, speech, and what they read and focus on.

Shabbos is not solely about refraining from the 39 melachos. It’s about rising above our physical, material side as much as possible. It’s an opportunity to connect more deeply to our spiritual essence.

Shabbos is a precious gift from Hashem. The more we recognize and appreciate this gift, the closer we draw to Him and the better off we are. Viewing Shabbos as a burden only robs us of the deep opportunities it offers. It keeps us stuck in the triviality of the physical world, sapping our energy and preventing us from experiencing the true depth and perception this holy day can provide.

The holiness of Shabbos is so profound that, according to the Vilna Gaon, when we eat and drink on Shabbos to fulfill the commandment of oneg, experiencing the joy of eating and drinking on Shabbos, it is as sacred as if we were partaking in a korban. The reason for this, he explains, is that by engaging in these physical acts, we bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual realms, connecting the material (gashmi) and the spiritual (ruchni).

Rav Dovid Cohen elaborates on this by explaining that the essence of kedushas Shabbos lies in elevating the physical world and connecting it to the neshomah. Eating and enjoying food, though a physical act, becomes a spiritual one when done with the intention of fulfilling the mitzvah. As a result, this act is considered so holy that it is as if the person was consuming the meat of a korban.

Imagine that, although we are in golus, without the Bais Hamikdosh and without korbanos, every Shabbos we have the opportunity to eat in a way that is equal to eating korbanos. We don’t have to travel anywhere or do anything special. All we need to do is sit at our Shabbos table, immersed in the sanctity of the day, enjoying the delicacies our mothers and wives prepared for us and the family. Most likely, the recipes they used were handed down to them from their mothers, who received them from their mothers for hundreds of years, each one of whom cooked for a family of mekadshei Shabbos who had the pleasure equivalent to eating korbanos that were shechted in the Bais Hamikdosh.

No matter where they lived and how hard they worked all week, they all enjoyed the transformative powers of Shabbos, the yom menucha ukedusha.

Davening in the Zichron Moshe Shul in the heart of Yerushalayim’s Geulah neighborhood is a special pleasure. The shul and its shtieblach welcome Jews of all stripes who combine to form the beautiful mosaic that is Geulah in particular and Yerushalayim in general. Sitting side by side are the greatest talmidei chachomim, tzaddikim, mekubolim, tradesmen, shleppers, and every other type of Torah Jew you can imagine. It’s a special feeling to share a bench with them and call out to Hashem in the Holy City in the Holy Land.

I was there one Friday morning and saw a man sleeping on a bench. His clothing was dirty. His sleep was repeatedly interrupted as he scratched himself in pain from not having showered in many days. It was a pitiful sight, though not unusual in that hallowed shul.

On Friday evening, I was going to a different neighborhood for the meal and would be davening there as well. However, I went out of my way to pass Zichron Moshe and take in its sights and sounds.

As I passed the shul, I stopped by the window of the large bais medrash, known as “The Big.” I looked towards the mizrach, and there, next to the rov, was the man who, that morning, had been sleeping in squalor on a bench in that very room. From the window, I saw him as he sat on the mizrach wall, facing the mispallelim. He was bedecked in a Yerushalayimer gold bekeshe and shtreimel. He was shining as he sat there with a broad smile on his face. He looked like a malach.

Shabbos transformed him. He was a new person.

It was Shabbos, and he was a new being, almost unrecognizable from what he was a few hours before.

I stood there soaking in the image and thinking that this is how the geulah will be. We are overcome with shmutz, dirt, pain, and sadness. We are in golus, exiled among the nations and those who have strayed. We are far from home. But we do not despair. We know that the day of our redemption is around the corner. We will be cleansed, freshened, and made anew. Joy will return. And in the very place where we experienced pain, humiliation, and suffering, we will find comfort.

Meforshim wonder about the connection between the geulah and the heightened moments when Shabbos enters every week, which are combined in the universally recited Lecha Dodi.

We raise our voices and sing, welcoming the kallah, yet the words we chant aren’t as much about Shabbos as about Yerushalayim.

We shift from Likras Shabbos to Mikdash Melech, focusing on the Palace of the King. We hope for Hisna’ari and call out for Hisoreri, breaking into dance as we envision the time of Yosis Olayich Elokoyich.

The commentators ask why we chant these poetic expressions about the redemption and Yerushalayim at the time that Shabbos descends upon the world. Why do we mix the two?

In Zichron Moshe, as I stood transfixed at that window, I saw the transformational power of Shabbos and I discovered the answer to this question.

Every Shabbos, we are each able to rise from the dust of the workweek, from the darkness of golus - mei’afar kumi.

When Moshiach comes, we will do so as a people, together, just as we sing in Lecha Dodi: “Hisna’ari mei’afar kumi livshi bigdei sifarteich ami al yad ben Yishai bais halachmi korvah el nafshi ge’olah.”

May we all merit, each week, the transformation that Shabbos offers, and the ultimate transformation that Moshiach will bring when he redeems us from the struggles of the six days and ushers us into the world of eternal Shabbos.

Choose the Path of Faith

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Recently, we’ve become all too familiar with the heartbreaking news from Eretz Yisroel: surprise attacks, bombings, hostages, deaths, and soldiers killed and suffering grave injuries. Each day brings new challenges—political unrest, legal battles, and the looming threat of the giyus. We long for the day when peace will finally prevail in our ancient homeland, and our brothers and sisters can live in safety and harmony.

Good news is rare, and when it comes, we cherish it.

Last week, there was news that gave everyone a jolt and a feeling of chizuk. Three female hostages were released on Thursday. Big deal, you say. We have become used to hostages being released by the savages who have been holding them since October 7^th. But this release was different.

First, we must learn not to take the news and world events as mere facts. Every occurrence carries a lesson, a message from Hashem guiding us on how to live our lives. Nothing happens by chance; everything is orchestrated with purpose.

Second, when good news arrives, it should bring us happiness. The release of a Jewish captive, held in deplorable conditions for over a year, is significant and is worthy of celebration. It’s an opportunity to recognize Hashem’s kindness, just as we acknowledge His judgment in times of tragedy.

We should embrace good news, celebrate it, and remember it, rather than focusing solely on the sorrow and constantly criticizing. There is much good in the world, and it’s important to seek it out and celebrate it.

Last week’s release was special for several reasons. As part of the latest cease-fire deal, for some reason, the release of hostages takes place on Shabbos. Agam Berger was on the list to be released last Shabbos. Her mother asked that the public refrain from engaging in any chillul Shabbos surrounding her release. She asked that no pictures be taken on Shabbos and that none of her and her family’s friends should travel to greet her on Shabbos when she is brought to an Israeli hospital for a medical review.

The Bergers were not a religious family prior to the tragic day when Agam and so many others were taken hostage. But as the ordeal began, Mrs. Berger decided that the hostages were taken because they were Jewish and that it would be a zechus for them to be released if she and others would become more Jewish. She found her daughter’s diary where she wrote one month before she was taken away that she was working on bringing herself closer to Hashem. Mrs. Berger began reaching out to rabbonim and religious teachers to help her along her way. She began adopting Shabbos, arranging gatherings for tefillah, spreading taharas hamishpocha, and working on strengthening emunah and bitachon in Hashem in keeping with her daughter’s adoption of the posuk of “B’derech emunah bocharti” (Tehillim 119:11) as her slogan.

As an apparent gift from Hashem to Agam and her family, there was no chillul Shabbos at all involved in her release. She was freed from captivity on Thursday and instantly set off a dramatic display of kiddush Sheim Shomayim.

As she completed her ride to freedom aboard an Israeli helicopter, she held on her lap a pad that read: “B’derech emunah bocharti uvederech emunah shavti…” Instead of choosing other avenues to keep herself alive as she fought to survive amidst the hardship of cruelty of being kept as a prisoner of Hamas, she chose the path of bringing herself closer to Hashem and trusting in Him.

She then let it be known that while in captivity, despite her precarious situation, she refused to do work on Shabbos. Despite being deprived of food and water, despite being famished and malnourished, she did not eat non-kosher food, did not partake of chometz on Pesach and fasted on Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av. She davened from a siddur she found in Gaza, no doubt a gift Hashem sent her as a reward for her mesirus nefesh and deep emunah.

Her story is reminiscent of stories of old that we read about people held by the Nazis in Auschwitz, who, though barely surviving, didn’t permit non-kosher food to pass their lips and held on to their siddur or tefillin as if it was the most precious item in the world, though doing so threatened their life. And here was a young soldier, who didn’t know much religiously, who risked her life for the observance of mitzvos.

Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin became famous for his dedication to mitzvah observance as he endured an unjust period of confinement, and his story still inspires people. Remarkably, when he was in Israel a while back, Mrs. Berger reached out to him for guidance in inyonim of emunah and bitachon. They met twice and a bond was formed.

Books filled with stories of Holocaust heroism continue to be published, inspiring readers today, many years after the events took place. Yet, there is often an asterisk next to these stories, as they occurred 80, 90, or even 100 years ago in a very different world and under vastly different circumstances. The unspoken question lingers: would people in our generation—raised in times of abundance—be able to endure and overcome such unimaginable challenges?

The truth is that Jewish people, since our founding, have faced challenges of faith, requiring mesirus nefesh for mitzvah observance and our very survival. For thousands of years, nations of the world sought to eradicate us, using all types of methods, and despite it all, we are still here. We are eternal survivors. As the novi Yeshayahu (54:17) foretold, “Kol kli yutzar alayich lo yitzloch, none of the weapons that will be fashioned against you will succeed…zos nachalas avdei Hashem, this is the heritage of those who serve Hashem.”

When we see someone from our time, who grew up in comfortable surroundings, with all the modern accoutrements, be able to so strongly defy dastardly efforts to destroy her—held in the most inhumane conditions, above and below ground, always on the brink of starvation, in the shadow of death, and not fearing evil because she knew Hashem was with her—and despite the risk to her safety and life she insisted on keeping Shabbos and kashrus, it is a source of chizuk to all.

Every person has challenges in their life, thankfully not as severe as those the freed hostages were forced to endure. And when we wonder from where we will get the strength to surmount our nisayon, we can think of Agam and her situation and do as she did, resolving to do as the posuk prescribes, “Derech emunah bocharti,” choosing the path of emunah and bitachon. When conquering the challenge, we will be able to proclaim, “Uvederech emunah shavti,” Hakadosh Boruch Hu returned me to where I belong.

A foreign visitor to the Chazon Ish asked him what message he could bring back with him for his country folk. The Chazon Ish told him that the posuk says regarding Noach, “Tomim hayah bedorosav,” that in his day he stood out for his goodness. He explained that every time period has a specific mitzvah that defines it and helps the people of that time succeed.

The Chazon Ish said that in our time, the supreme mitzvah is emunah. Those who have emunah will have everything, for everything else will follow. In our time of darkness, when the good is covered and so many are misguided and don’t recognize Hashem in their lives, the way to persevere and succeed in being a good person and a good parent, as well as a shomer Torah umitzvos, is first by looking beneath the surface and recognizing Hashem’s fingerprints everywhere, welcoming Him into your life.

Even in a time of hester such as ours, when Hashem is hidden, He is still there. It is simply that we must seek Him, for He will never abandon us. Every once in a while, He sends us reminders that behind it all, He is there. When we get such a reminder, we should rejoice and remember that if we learn seforim such as Chovos Halevavos with a good peirush and Mesilas Yeshorim with the peirush of Rav Don Segal, we gain an understanding of what emunah is and how it enhances our life.

When we hear good news, such as Agam’s story, it should strengthen our emunah and remind us who we are, why we are here, and what is incumbent upon us. Emunah is a guide for a good life, and with proper emunah, we are able to follow a path to success, happiness, and redemption.

In this week’s parsha of Beshalach, we begin with Klal Yisroel at a high point, having finally been redeemed from Mitzrayim’s servitude. They miraculously cross through the Yam Suf and sing shirah to Hashem. But then, in short order, they quickly fall, and the parsha continues with a series of complaints that the newly freed slaves had toward Hashem.

And then, finally, at the end of the parsha, a change seems to overcome Klal Yisroel, and after that change, they do not rebel against Hashem for many parshiyos that follow.

Amalek descended upon the Jewish people, intent on destroying them and erasing their existence. Faced with this threat, Klal Yisroel was changed. Moshe, Aharon, Yehoshua, and Chur led the charge against Amalek. The Torah tells us that as Moshe raised his hands, the Jews gained the upper hand in battle, and when his hands were lowered, they faltered. The Mishnah teaches that the posuk reflects a deeper truth: when the Jewish people placed their faith in Hashem, they triumphed, but when they wavered in that trust, they faltered. It was their emunah and bitachon that ultimately led them to victory over their bitter enemy.

The parsha ends as Hashem instructs to write the story of Amaleik’s attack and to know that Hashem will erase the memory of Amaleik. However, that realization will wait until Moshiach’s arrival, for until then, we will face attacks from Amaleik in every generation, as we are so aware.

Amaleik decided to attack Klal Yisroel because they saw all the complaining and reasoned that the Jewish people were lacking in emunah. They saw a void and sought to exploit it. The nation of asher korcha baderech worked assiduously to tamp down any remaining embers of faith.

However, Amaleik wasn’t aware of Klal Yisroel’s power. When rallied by their leaders, they did teshuvah and returned to Hashem. Having thus asserted themselves, they were now stronger than ever. They believed with a new certainty and focus that Hashem controls the world and everything else is just a distraction from that reality.

The encounter with Amaleik tightened their embrace with Hashem and brought them closer to Har Sinai. Similarly, in every generation, when Amaleik attacks us, he causes us to reaffirm our beliefs and turn to Hashem. This is why Hashem promises that our arch-enemy will be ever-present until the redemption. We need him in order to remain loyal to Hashem. We need him to remind us who we are and why we are here.

That is how it has been throughout our history. The Jews are forced from their homes to a new exile. There is much pain and anguish. Jews are mercilessly killed and robbed of their possessions. Beaten and barely holding on, they establish roots in a new country. Slowly, they spread out of their ghettos and gradually become accepted and comfortable in the new host country. Good times are had by all, but then, just as it seems as if Moshiach has come and brought us our home in the host country, the cycle begins again. The goyim get fed up with us, the noose tightens, and before we know it, Amaleik is at our throats again.

We must ensure that our faith remains firm, and that we remain on the path of Torah and mussar, not slackening off in how we observe the mitzvos and conduct ourselves as bnei and bnos Torah.

People have many questions: Should I go to this place? Should I do this job? How should I respond to this person? Should I fight or squabble? Should I slander a business, or a competitor, or someone who embarrassed me in shul? Which school/yeshiva should I go to? Which school/yeshiva should I send my child to? The list is endless. The answer is always the same and it’s simple. Ask yourself if doing so will make the world a better or worse place. Will it make you a better person or a worse person? Will it add to your kedusha or will it weaken any holiness you have? Ask yourself if that is the way a person with emunah should be conducting himself. You will know the answer to these questions on your own, without any help or guidance. If you follow Dovid Hamelech’s advice and say, “Derech emunah bocharti,” life becomes so much better and easier.

Amaleik is ever-present, attacking us daily with challenges, moral, legal, and ethical. He seeks to temper our dikduk b’mitzvos with different guises and categorizations. Sometimes, they sound intelligent and sophisticated, while at other times, they are directed at our baser temptations. When Torah is mocked, when lomdei Torah are mocked, when our way of life is castigated by an antireligious, leftist band that seeks to overturn the government that is supportive of our community and splinter and divide us, know that they are acting as modern-day Amaleikis and don’t let them get their foot in the door.

To continue thriving, we must do as Jews have been doing throughout the ages and remain faithful to our mesorah, unyielding in our devotion to Torah, untempted by anything that dilutes a holy life, and support the hands of the Moshe Rabbeinus of our generation with emunah, bitachon, shemiras mitzvos, and limud haTorah. By doing so, we will be bringing ourselves closer to our personal redemption and the final geulah, bemeheirah beyomeinu.