In this week’s parashat Shemini my attention was drawn to two specific personalities: Aharon HaKohen in the parasha, and Yehoshua bin Nun whose yahrzeit (date of death) falls in this week on the 26th of Nisan. Although the specific crises facing these holy men were vastly different, both were made to bear profound burdens which would have felled lesser men.

We have undergone enormous suffering at the hands of Christianity and Islam over the last 2000 years, with the epitome of our suffering during the 6 years of the European Shoah. As a survivor of the American Shoah, I wish to make a proposal to the large orthodox organizations in the galut like the RCA, OU and Young ISRAEL

This is being written on the 23rd of March 2021 on the fourth election day in two years. But from my angle of vision as a retiree from active participation in Israeli life, now perched high above the din, babel, cacophony, and discordance of our political system, I can say that it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses the election!

The Hagada instructs every Jew to see himself and herself as if they were enslaved in Egypt and were freed by the hand of HaShem. The most effective way is to stand before a mirror and imagine that you are looking at a Jewish slave.

After reading the following story of two brothers, stand before a mirror and ask yourself two questions: Which of the two brothers and their respective families are living a life closer to the word and spirit of the Torah? Where do you and your family fit into the story?

This week, as we close the book of Shemot — still under the spell of our miraculous exodus from Egypt — joined together with our waning memories of last week’s Purim, a bittersweet Purimdika story comes to mind that has relevance to the lives of many Jews today…

Why is the present American administration, in concert with major Christian countries of Western Europe, continuing the ways of the bad old Obama days? They are running amok to appease the deranged and despicable ayatollahs of Iran; the ones who shout “death to America” whenever a camera appears.

The Gemara in Megillah 14:a states that Esther argued before the rabbis that the episode of Purim deserved to be recorded in the Tanach. The rabbis initially denied her request, relying on a verse that is understood to mean that victory over Amalek is to be mentioned only three times in the Tanach. Is there a discrepancy – and if so how will that play out with respect to geula?

Parashat Terumah relates the minute details of the construction of the Mishkan and serves as “coming attractions” of the three Batei Mikdash in Yerushalayim, built by King Shlomo, Ezra the Scribe and Hordus (Herod), and the future Bet HaMikdash which will, b’ezrat Hashem, be built in our time.

Much like a cinema that shows “coming attractions,” Megillat Esther serves as “coming attractions” for the final days when HaShem will perform the final miracles in the redemption process of the Jewish people.

We of Am Yisrael, who have merited to return home, are experiencing five national challenges that are fraught with menacing perils and risks. R. Chiya taught that the way of Jewish redemption can be likened to darkest night followed at first by a dim light that continues to gain more and more momentum.

I often receive letters from Chareidi yeshiva circles in galut criticizing my emphasis on aliya to Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael. The critical points in these letters are the government and secular facets of our life in the Medina.

I have an abundant quantity of patience, but it is running thin, so I would like to reply to these critics of our holy land.

Judging by the list of questionable characters appointed to sensitive positions in the Biden administration, it is quite evident that, just as Esav’s agenda did not include the welfare of his brother Ya’akov, the US agenda does not include the security of the Jewish state. The US under the Democratic Party is no longer willing or even able to continue their big brother role of recent years. So, this places Israel in the awkward position of having to find another “big brother”.

Several years and several ambassadors ago, I was invited to speak at a function together with the US Ambassador, the topic was “Land for Peace”. He reiterated the US policy of Israel withdrawing from Shomron and Yehuda in return for peace; meaning withdrawing from the heartland of Eretz Yisrael in return for a promise of peace. Not worth the piece of paper it would be written on. Conversely, over the last four years, we have had the unique privilege of having the honorable Mr. David Friedman as the US Ambassador to our country.