by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Aug 20, 2014
Our parasha begins with Moshe dictating to the nation the very first mitzva that they will be obligated to perform upon their immediate arrival in the Holy Land – the blessings recited when facing Mount Gerizim and the curses when facing Mount Eival – surrounding the city of Shechem.
From the alternatives of blessing vs. curse, it appears that in HaShem’s world there is no third way. There is either “drive” or “reverse,” but no “neutral” state for one to enjoy a respite from the Torah’s requirements. And indeed that is the reality of being a Jew; at any given moment one is either spiritually in ascent or in a spiritual down slope.
This extreme condition is the unavoidable consequence of another verse in the parasha…
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Aug 14, 2014
Starting with the “Three Weeks” we pounded the Hamas wing of Amalek from the air, from the ground and from the sea. The damage to their infrastructure and manpower is horrific, despite their demented, hallucinatory claims to the contrary. When the leadership comes up from the tunnels in which they are hiding and see the devastation that has been wrought upon them by the “Yahud,” in addition to the abject failure of their missiles, rockets and invasion tunnels to do more than minimal damage, their hate will increase, their insanity will grow exponentially, as they realize in their heart of hearts that the God of Israel is real, while their alla is buried deep in their illusions.
In this period, with special emphasis on the “Nine Days” (from the beginning of the month of Av to Tisha Be’Av), we witnessed not just a rare historic phenomena, but a game changing one which could have been programmed only by HaShem.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Aug 7, 2014
Who can measure the pain felt by Moshe Rabbeinu when denied entry into Eretz Yisrael after appealing to HaShem 515 times, the gematria (numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word) “va’etchanan”.
I hope that Moshe in his lofty, eminent place in Paradise is unaware of the Grand Rabbis and the pulpit rabbis in the communities of the galut, who all talk in the name of Moshe Rabbeinu, while they disparage the mitzva of living in Eretz Yisrael.
I have been writing these weekly divrei Torah because I knew that the day will come when, for many varied reasons, HaShem will close the door on aliya to Eretz Yisrael. I felt that if I didn’t warn my fellow Jews of this, I would be derelict in my duty as a rav and be in violation of the injunction (Vayikra 19:16) “Do not stand by when your fellow Jew is in mortal danger”.
Day by day, we get visibly closer to the redemption of Am Yisrael – Don’t miss the boat!
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 31, 2014
Is there a relationship between Shemita & Redemption? And is our current war possibly leading to the final destruction of Amelek?
Predicting the future has always been a precarious business; ever more so when predicting the future of Am Yisrael, as many prophesiers have discovered. But as we draw closer to the “end”, the chances of success become greater.
I would like to try my hand at deciphering the signs of the redemption and the time frame in which it will happen; and in doing so, uncover the disguised intentions of Chazal.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 23, 2014
My personal prayer to our Father in Heaven:
Avienu Sh’be’shamayim. You are the essence of perfection, in need of nothing – least of all my counsel, so let these words be for the protocol in my personal file, if for nothing else.
Twice in Your world, the earth opened its bowels to ingest the evil wrought by lowly man.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jul 16, 2014
Israel is again at war against Amalek. I dedicate this week’s divrei Torah to our holy soldiers of Tzahal, from privates to major generals, from regular army of 18 year olds to reserve soldiers of over 50 years old.
