Latest Essays

• The “Well-Meaning” In-Laws

  Feb 3, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  Do you know what I thought was interesting? When Yitro came to the Nation in the desert, then Aharon, the elders, Yitro, and Moshe sat down for a festive meal. They all sat down for a meal, and suddenly Moshe Rabbenu - the Mashiach of the generation, the one who has saved the nation, the one who speaks to G-d, the one after whom 3 million went into the desert - took a tray and started serving people. The Sages said that he had done it out of humility. 
  
  Please allow me to share my perspective on these verses. So, with your permission, let's begin.
  
  The Parashat Yitro 18:12 says: "And Yitro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to partake of the meal before G-d with Moses' father-in-law." The name of G-d that is being used in the sentence is Elokim. So, here goes the question - why does the Torah use the Name of Judgement? It's just a meal. Why judge anyone at that moment? 
  
  The answer is found in the Midrash Mekhilta De Rabbi Ishmael, which states: "This is because Moshe Rabbenu was standing on his feet, serving the people. Moshe was humble enough that he ignored his status completely." 
  
  Again, what is about to follow is simply my opinion of how I understand and view the verses.
  
  But woe, that's a heavy one. Do you mean to tell me that Mashiach of the generation suddenly took a tray and started serving the dishes to everyone? Yes, but why? Was it because he saw his father-in-law? And suddenly he forgot that he is the leader of millions who always sits at the front, and that he is the one who should be served? Are we dealing with some kind of past and unresolved trauma?
  
  To understand this, let's go back in time.
  
  In Parashat Shemot, the Midrash tells us that when Moshe killed the Egyptian, and after being reported to authorities by Dathan and Aviram, he fled to the City of Cush. At around age 20, he joined the army and later became a king. Later, at the age of 67, he came to Midian and was sitting by the well. When the shepherds attacked the daughters of Yitro who were shepherding their flocks, Zohar said that "the girls were being attacked primarily because their father had abandoned the local idolatrous practices." 
  
  When Moshe came to live with Yitro, Targum Yonatan says: Moshe told him his life story - killing an Egyptian, and being deposed after being a king in the City of Cush. Not sure what to make of it, Yitro has thrown Moshe into a prison with no food and water for the next ten years. He would have starved to death if not for one of the daughters of Yitro, Tzipporah. She had pity on him and secretly fed him every day. That is how he survived those ten years. Imagine their amazement when they opened the prison to find Moshe alive and healthy.
  
  Later, he married Tzipporah and had a son whom he named Gershom, as if to say I have been a foreigner in the strange land, says Parashat Shemot 2:22. It never mentions that strange land. But I strongly believe that the strange land was the city of Midian, where Yitro lived. 
  
  In my opinion, since Yitro left his idolatrous practices, the locals were not friendly toward him, his daughters, or Moshe, who was caring for Yitro's flock. And since he was outside most of the time, he had plenty of face-to-face contact with the locals. 
  
  But I would also like to add that he was not only a stranger in the land but also a stranger in the family of Yitro. 
  
  When we are first introduced to Yitro in Shemot 2:18, it says, "they came to their father Reuel." Reuel means a friend of G-d. But not necessarily friendly to the son-in-law. When one comes to meet the future bride's parents, he finds them very religious and friendly. It is only after the wedding that he sees their true colors. Going forward, the Torah no longer uses the name Reuel; instead, it calls him Yitro. 
  
  With six daughters of marriageable age, I assume he had plenty of interesting moments with his brothers-in-law. 
  
  On the way to Moshe in the desert with Tzipporah and her two sons, Midrash Tanchuma says: "Said Yitro, I am here with your wife and two kids. If you will not come out to greet me, at least come to greet your wife. If you do not consider her worthy of your consideration, at least come to greet your two sons." (Hmm...)
  
  And here they are in the tent, everyone sitting around the table, and Moshe Rabbenu is serving everyone with dishes. What's wrong with it? The people who were present at the table - the elders, and Aharon, were stunned!! 
  
  In my opinion, it looks like Moshe had a tough life in the house of Yitro. He was raised as a prince, served as a king in the City of Cush, but in the house of Yitro, he served dishes.
  
  That is why G-d's name is used in the pasuk as "Name of Judgement"- Elokim. As if Hashem was saying to Moshe: Moshe, how can you do this? At least now DO NOT carry dishes in front of YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW and other people around this table. Through you, I have performed the 10 plaques in Egypt. Through you, I have punished Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Through you, I have parted the sea where the Jewish nation passed through it, and I drowned the Egyptians. Through you, with thunder and lighting I have given you the Torah. Through you, I give over the commandments and My teachings. You, I have raised and made almost as a god in the eyes of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. 
  
  And after all I have done for you, you feel it is okay to take a tray and serve people, as you have done in the house of Yitro?
  
  But again, what's wrong with it? 
  
  The elders who were sitting at the table, as is customary, talked. And they have done plenty of talking. At the time of the splitting of the sea, and plenty of efforts on Hashem's part, people finally believed in G-d and Moshe Rabbenu. But after this incident, his ratings dropped. He fell in the eyes of the Nation. The problems with Korach, Dathan, Aviram, and plenty of complaints flowed in throughout their forty-year journey.

  Yitro, his father-in-law heard and then saw that Moshe had risen to unbelievable heights. And simply by being present at the party, he had altered Moshe’s life path. 
  
  Reminds me of another incident in Parashat Vayetzeh 29:31: "וַיַּ֤רְא ה׳ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃ - Seeing that Leah was unloved, G-d opened her womb; but Rachel was infertile." In all the books, Senuah Leah is translated as "Leah was unloved," but the literal translation is "Leah was hated." Yaakov Avinu did not like that Lavan switched the sisters, and instead of Rachel, whom he loved and for whom he had worked seven years, he got Leah. So he hated her, if I may say so, because Lavan did things his way, the way he wanted, the way he saw things should be done. Yaakov Avinu wanted only one wife, just like his father Yitzchak Avinu had, but he ended up with four, and all because of Lavan, his father-in-law.
  
  No wonder our Sages have made a custom for a groom to break a nice piece of glass on his wedding night. 
  
  In the fourteenth century, the author of Kol Bo offered the following explanation: The broken glass represents the wreckage of our past glory, and the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem in the first century. It recalls, at the most joyous and momentous occasion of the life cycle, that there is a continuing national sadness. It is a memory of Zion that reminds us that, in life, great joy can be cancelled by sudden grief. 
  
  But it can also mean the following: The sound of broken glass is a reminder to those around the groom and bride at the wedding. SMASH - to remind them how their ancestors have destroyed the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, and how they, the well-meaning in-laws and all those well-wishers, and not around the newlywed couple, may and definitely could destroy once again the new Temple that is about to be built by this new couple that just got married. 
  
  Shout-out to the well-meaning in-laws and all those well-wishers or not - how far have you gone in your efforts?!
  
  The sound of the broken glass - SMASH - means: Stay Out, Don't Get Involved. Mind Your Own Business. And only then does this new couple have a shot at creating their Temple - Bayit Ne'eman B'Yisrael, a Faithful Home in Israel.
  
  Kudos To All The Amazing In-Laws Out There. I Know You Exist.
  

  Keep On Being AMAZING!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• The “Borrowed” Treasures

  Jan 25, 2026 Admin 0 Comments

  Isn't it strange that Hashem is telling Moshe Rabbeinu to ask the nation to go and ask for gifts of silver and gold from the Egyptians?
  
  Parashat Bo, 11:2 it says: "דַּבֶּר־נָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיִשְׁאֲל֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ מֵאֵ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ וְאִשָּׁה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת רְעוּתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֖סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃ - Tell the people to borrow, each man from his friend, and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold."
  
  The Sages say that Hashem made a promise to Avraham Avinu, and He wants to keep His word. So, when the Jews ask the Egyptians, they will gladly give. 
  
  But I think there's much more hidden behind these words. So, please allow me to uncover what may be the reason for this odd request.
  
  In Parashat Lech Lecha, when Lot was taken captive, Avraham Avinu assembled a small army and went to free his nephew. After the battle of four against the five kings, Avraham Avinu was on the side of the winners. The victorious king made an offer to Avraham, in Lech Lecha 14:21: "וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻ֖שׁ קַֽח־לָֽךְ׃ - Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the possessions for yourself."
  
  To which Avraham Avinu answered in Lech Lecha 14:23: "אִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם׃ - I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, It is I who made Avram rich." It seems like Avraham Avinu wants to attribute his success and wealth to only one source—Hashem, but here, I believe—if I may say so—an error was made.
  
  In Parashat Vayera, when the angels visited Avraham Avinu after he had made the Brit, one of the angels said that he had come to execute a judgment against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. When they finished speaking with Avraham, they left and continued on with their task.
  
  In 18:23-33 it says: "וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ - Avraham came forward and said, Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ - What if there should be fifty innocent people within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it?" And so Avraham went down in numbers each time lowering it, all the way to 10. Hashem said that He would not destroy if He found ten righteous individuals in that city, and for their sake, he would not destroy other people. On this note, they parted.
  
  This story is located near the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, so many, attribute this conversation to that event, but if I may suggest, let's view this incident from a different angle.
  
  Let's imagine, for a second, that it's not about Sodom and Gomorrah, but rather about the generation that came out of Egypt. Avraham Avinu is a prophet, and he has realized that he made a mistake. When the King of Sodom offered him gold and silver, Avraham declined. But now he has realized that this was a huge mistake. 
  
  In Parashat Lech Lecha 15:13-14, it says: "וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר ׀ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה׃  - And [God] said to Avram, "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years; וְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַגּ֛וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲבֹ֖דוּ דָּ֣ן אָנֹ֑כִי וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן יֵצְא֖וּ בִּרְכֻ֥שׁ גָּדֽוֹל׃ - but I will execute judgment on the nation they shall serve, and in the end they shall go free with great wealth." 
  
  And because Avraham Avinu had declined and did not take the wealth - gold and silver offered by the King of Sodom, which he had earned by fighting in a war, where warriors go through pain, blood, and death, and by the rules of war, the treasures taken from the enemy are called booty or spoils of war and are shared amongst the winners. Declining to take the spoils of war from the King of Sodom led Avraham Avinu's descendants to go down to the unknown land into slavery, and to also experience pain, blood, and death, and then be freed by Hashem, and only then bring out that great promised wealth - or "spoils" from the Land of Egypt. 
  
  Remember the discussion Avraham Avinu had with Hashem, where Hashem agreed to save the city if He found 10 worthy individuals? So, since Avraham Avinu's descendants had to go into exile, and later in Parashat Shelach, when the spies came back from Eretz Yisrael, Hashem didn't find the required 10 people out of the 12 spies to save the "city", since 10 spoke against the Land. Hashem did as He had promised - the fate of the men aged 20-60 in that generation or that "city" was decreed to be buried in the desert. 
  
  So, at this point, you may ask why such a harsh punishment for not taking gold and silver when the King of Sodom offered them to Avraham Avinu?
  
  Because Avraham Avinu was raised by a father who was a craftsman, who made idols from clay, wood, gold, and silver. Every day, he saw the influence the idols had on people who came to his father's store. He should have foreseen the consequences of not taking the gold and should have prevented it by taking the treasures when they were offered to him. Only he was able to raise them to the levels of holiness to serve Hashem, but since he declined them, those treasures were made into idols, which misled the population, and eventually led to the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. 
  
  That is why Moshe Rabbeinu asked people to get silver and gold from the Egyptians, and to bring the treasures out of Mitzrayim. In the desert, he has raised those treasures to the highest levels of holiness by making them into Holy items, such as the Mizbeakh, Mishkan, Menorah, and other Holy vessels, to serve G-d Almighty. And those objects were built from gold, silver, and other materials that the nation of Israel has earned, and paid for with pain, blood, and death. 
  
  Just like the Gemara in Masechet Berachot 5A says, Three things are acquired through hardship: The Next World, Torah, and Eretz Yisrael. And I will add that the above artifacts of such enormous proportions of holiness under Torah, which can't be acquired merely by money. They require national effort of sacrifice and suffering, and only then will Hashem's presence be found among the nation, when the Nation is molded as if one vessel through hardships, and at the end, together works toward one goal - to serve Hashem in holiness. 
  
  Part 2: The above is the story of how Moshe Rabbeinu elevated the treasures they brought out of Egypt to the level of holiness. However, there were other events throughout our history where gold was "used".
  
  - In Parashat Ki Tisa, people approached Aharon HaCohen and asked him to create for the nation an intermediary between Hashem and the people, because Moshe Rabbenu had delayed his return from the mountain. Aharon HaCohen asked them to bring him the golden earrings from their wives, thus trying to delay the time. When the wives rejected this idea, men wanted to expedite the process; so men gave their earrings - exactly those that they had gotten from the Egyptians, the ones they paid for with pain, suffering, and death - thus contributing to the sin of the Golden Calf and cheapening the national efforts of years of slavery and national sacrifice. 
  
  - Later, King Solomon tries to atone for it, or elevate the gold in the service of Hashem, where Moshe Rabbenu left off, due to the sin of the Golden Calf. We are told in the Book of Melachim 1 that King Solomon covered most of the First Bet Hamikdash with gold, along with most of its vessels. There's an opinion that about 1,086 talents, or about 34 tons of gold, were brought to Jerusalem from Ophir by King Solomon's workers. This amount of gold is estimated to have been about half of the world’s known gold supply at that time. The First Temple was the most beautiful building in the world in its time, as the House of G-d should be. But there was another problem. King Solomon had around 1000 wives, and for each of them, he built a palace that also required gold to make them feel "royally accepted" in society. So, each of the wives' palaces was also looking golden and sparkly. But later in life, due to his age, he lost control over his wives, and they began to worship their idols in each of their palaces, so the vast amount of gold of King Solomon was not elevated in holiness, and gold did not achieve its intended purpose, thus it was not atoned.
  
  So, where do we go from here? 
  
  We got another shot at it, and it is a Third Bet Hamikdash. According to one opinion, when the time comes, we will build the Third Temple under Mashiach's supervision. And this time, we will also use gold, and lots of it too. The Third Bet Hamikdash - The House of G-d will attract people from all over the world, according to Sefer Yeshayahu. It will be a magnificent structure and, most importantly, holy, built according to the Jewish Law. But why use so much gold on it, you may ask? Since the beauty of that scale and aggrandizement of this structure should elevate the Honor and Name of G-d ONLY. Because, if anyone deserves the praise and fanfare of that magnitude, that would be not us - the mere mortals, but only Him alone - Hashem, G-d Almighty!!
  
  So, at the end of the day, Mashiach would have previous experience working with gold and would find a way to atone and elevate the gold in the service of G-d.
  
  Part 3: But what do we do with the other gold? That same gold that Avraham Avinu didn't take as spoils from the King of Sodom. Since Avraham Avinu hasn't taken the spoils of war and others weren't able to atone for the gold, who will take it? Since its balance is there in Hashem's books marked as pending.
  
  This time Hashem will give this to Mashiach, as it says in the Book of Yeshayahu 53:12, "Therefore I shall give him a portion with many, and he shall split a booty with mighty ones. For he exposed himself to death and let himself be counted among the transgressors, whereas he bore the sins of many and prayed for the transgressors."
  
  Here, I should probably bid farewell and call it a day, since I believe the point is made. 
  
  But - this time, Today, let me ask you a question. 
  
  - "And he shall split booty with the mighty ones" - Why would Hashem give the spoils to Mashiach? What does it mean? How did he earn it? 
  
  - "For he exposed himself to death?" What is it talking about? It almost feels like somehow he mimicked Avraham Avinu, but how??
  
  - "...And let himself be counted among the transgressors" - This one is really puzzling...Why would he do that? Plenty of questions here...
  
  - And how about this one - "...He bore the sins of many and prayed for the transgressors" - Why would he pray for the sinners? 
  
  SOS!! Is anyone out there? 
  
  The above and many more missing pieces of the puzzle will be revealed to the selected few on That Day, hopefully sooner, with the help of the Mighty G-d. 
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  January 14, 2024

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• Yosef & “The Spies”

  Dec 17, 2025 Admin 0 Comments

  As always, what is about to follow is just my opinion, based on studying the Holy Books, and my understanding of the verses. With your permission, let’s get right to it.
  
  In Parashat Miketz 42:9 says: “Josef recalled the dreams that he had about them(the brothers). He said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where the land is exposed."
  
  What just happened? Yosef HaTzaddik has accused his brothers of being spies, and I believe this is where a whole new story is being unfolded.
  
  The brothers denied the accusations. Later, they brought Benyamin, and eventually they all immigrated to Egypt with their families. One may think that the story is over.
  
  But hold on, Yosef HaTzaddik has made an accusation, do you think it’s all forgotten!? I believe this action has led to many events to unfold over the centuries. Please allow me to get a bit more specific. 
  
  Were the brothers spies? No, not at all. They entered Egypt through ten gates to find Yosef; later, they were caught in a bad neighborhood while looking for him. They had good intentions. 
  
  This begs the question: if you look at Jewish history, why has Hashem given us, their descendants, so much trouble over the centuries?
  
  Yosef had accused the brothers, but he was trying to make his dreams a reality, deliberately taking steps to bring about the events he had seen in his dreams.
  
  In the same way, when Miriam, out of concern for Tziporah, asked about Moshe Rabbenu, Hashem considered it as Lashon Hara and punished Miriam for this sin. Yosef HaTzaddik took it to the next level, knowing the future from his dreams, he tried to bring the events to fruition, made this one big plan, and accused his brothers.
  
  Watch now how Hashem will unfold the events from this point on… 
  
  In Parashat Shelach, the twelve tribes sent out an expedition to spy out the Land. It was a failed mission, since the majority came back and slandered the Land for which that generation had paid dearly. But when they asked for Hashem's permission to go into the Land, Hashem told them, "Send for yourself." An interesting way to answer.
  
  Ever since the sale of Yosef, the nation has felt its aftereffect—this event has always been on the nation’s conscience—something they have always wanted to fix.
  
  That's why Hashem said, "Send for yourself. He meant, send for your own good, definitely try to fix this sin, since this sin must be fixed, and this sin is not going anywhere, unless it is fixed. Let Me see how you will do it."
  
  The 12 people went to spy out the Land in order for Yosef’s words not to sound as an accusation. But the spies have failed to atone for this sin, and all the males aged 20-60 of that generation were punished. (Parashat Shelach)
  
  Now Hashem has taken upon Himself to cleanse the Nation of this sin. And so He begins…
  
  Centuries later, ten great sages were brutally tortured and executed by the Romans to atone for the sin of the brothers.
  
  But it is not enough.
  
  At that moment, it was also decreed that ten religious Jews will be murdered every year till the end of times, as it says in Yalkut Shimoni on Proverbs, as mentioned in the Book of Meam Lo'ez.
  
  But it is still not enough.
  
  The situation with Bar Kamtza was also an atonement for Yosef and the Brothers, which ended badly for everyone involved (Talmud, Taanit 19b, The Rejected Trio).
  
  But it is still not enough.
  
  Since the sin wasn't atoned through all these mentioned situations above, Hashem found a different way to fix it, please refer to the essay called: The Rejected Trio, where the members of the nation will be put through situations of infertility, and men dying early with no children, and then either Levirate Marriage or Khalitza process will take place, and all the pain and suffering that stem from all of these situations, will serve as an atonement of that sin.
  
  The above would be enough, you would think, but no.. Hold your horses, we are not done yet.
  
  Since then, over the centuries, Hashem has put the Jewish nation through many false accusations:
  
  - The death of Jesus, this belief, known as deicide, became a powerful justification for antisemitism.
  - In ancient times, Jews were often blamed for various societal issues, including plagues and economic troubles.
  - Blood Libel: Jews were falsely accused of murdering Christian children to use their blood in religious rituals. This myth led to violence and massacres.
  - Causing the Black Death: During the 14th-century plague, Jews were scapegoated and accused of poisoning wells, resulting in widespread persecution.
  - Economic Accusations: Excluded from many professions, Jews often became moneylenders, leading to stereotypes of greed and exploitation.
  - Conspiracy Theories: In the 19th and 20th centuries, Jews were often depicted as part of a global conspiracy to control governments and economies.
  - Zionism and Ani-Zionism: The establishment of the State of Israel led to accusations against Jews of being responsible for conflicts in the Middle East, often framed in antisemitic terms.
  
  And all the trouble above was because Yosef wanted the dreams to come true. 
  
  Each person is the head of a family-tribe, and just as Yosef and the brothers, these people put their children and descendants in harm’s way.
  
  Miriam talked about Moshe Rabbenu out of concern for Tziporah. Yosef accused the brothers because he was trying to bring the events of the dream to come about. And there we are, with our justifications, working daily on a man-made verbal mess. The mess that probably spread out of control for many, with daily consequences for the other parties to deal with.
  
  And only G-d stands by it all, and brings them and the descendants of the parties involved throughout the world, to the bitter situations they have themselves created, by simply talking.
  
  Makes one uneasy, doesn’t it?
  
  So..what have you been spreading lately?
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• The Great Shofar

  Nov 4, 2025 Admin 0 Comments

  Shofar has three distinctive sounds - Tekiah, a long, loud blast; Shevarim, three broken blows; and Teruah, nine broken blows. Why exactly are these notes being played? 
  
  The story is told in the Talmud, a mother of General Sisra would always wait for her son to return home from the battle. One day, she waited and waited, and it got very late, and he was not coming back, since he usually should have been back a while ago. She understood that he had been killed, and she started to cry for her son. She cried a bitter cry that only a mother would cry for her son.
  
  So we mimicked her cry with a shofar. 
  
  My question would be a pretty simple one: Why do we mimic the cry of a non-Jewish lady in our service to G-d? What does she have to do with us? We have plenty of our personalities crying throughout the Torah —so why don't we use any of them? Why is the cry of this lady being used?
  
  So, please allow me to offer you what may be the explanation.
  
  In the story of Akedat Yitzchak, when G-d comes to Avraham Avinu, He asks him to bring his son as a sacrifice. The Parashat Vayera 22:2 says: "Take your son, your only son, the one you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on a mountain, I will show you." So Avraham Avinu goes and ties up Yitzchak, and places him on the Mizbeach. Once he was on the Mizbeach and Avraham was about to bring him as a sacrifice, Hashem tells him, "Avraham, Avraham. Do not raise your hand against the boy or do anything to him. Because now, I know that you fear G-d since you have not withheld your son, your favored one, from Me." But Midrash says that Avraham Avinu wanted to carry out the commandment, to bring Yitzchak as a korban, and some say he did so. 
  
  So here's my question: why such a desire to hurt him? Yes, I know he wanted to carry out the commandment, but for Yitzchak, it wasn't a fun moment. Later, we see that when Avraham goes to fight for Lot and is offered prisoners instead of gold, he declines, saying he won't take even shoelaces from the king as booty. Again, why not feel bad for the prisoners and take them and set them free, or convert them and show them the path to serve the True G-d?! When it came to Yishmael, and Hashem told him to listen to Sarah and throw him out, Avraham Avinu grew sad, but Hashem reassured him, saying He would make a nation out of him, since he was his seed. How come Avraham didn't feel sad for the prisoners or Yitzchak? No compassion was shown, if I may say so.
  
  We go further into the story of Chana in the Book of Samuel. Chana had no children and was praying for a child. Eli, the Cohen, saw her and thought she was drunk; she asked him a question: "How come you didn't see in your prophetic vision and bless me so I can have a child?" Why didn't you feel bad for me? Again, no compassion was shown.
  
  More on the story of Chana and Penina. You'll be amazed at how much suffering Chana had to endure, all because she had no kids. This is yet another case of zero compassion.
  
  We go to Yaakov Avinu. When Rachel approaches him and asks him to give her a child, he tells her to talk to G-d, since he can't help her. Again, there is no compassion shown.
  
  The same happens with the brothers and Yoseph. Yoseph begged them to return him to his father, but they sold him to Egypt, again without compassion.
  
  During the First and Second Bet Hamikdash, there was no compassion shown toward one another; the nation had plenty of man-to-man problems, to the point that Hashem allowed the Two Temples to be destroyed, millions to be killed, and millions to be sent into exile.  
  
  This was when the Men of Great Assembly made it a law to blow the shofar in exile - mimicking the cry of a non-Jewish lady - the mother of General Sisra. The nation went into exile to be amongst the non-Jews, and there in those distant lands to blow the broken sounds of the shofar and to experience hatred, humiliation, death, pain, and suffering - because the nation has displayed no compassion towards each other in Israel, in the Land of G-d, and in the House of Hashem. 
  
  And now two thousand years later, we are bitter and have suffered plenty. But how do we know that we, as a nation, have acquired the trait of compassion and are ready for the next chapter of our history?
  
  In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 53 discusses Mashiach and his suffering. Here comes the question: Why does Hashem make him suffer? Why put him through so many—no compassion shown—moments? Let him live his life, and later appoint him to carry out his mission. Does it make sense, wouldn't you think? 
  
  And here's why Mashiach is going through the rough waters...
  
  After a long exile and plenty of suffering, Hashem wants to see - if and when the Nation of Israel will find a potential Mashiach; Hashem awaits for the nation to feel his pain, "to rescue him," and to "come over to the Mizbeach on which Mashiach is tied and suffering", and this time say to Him - to Hashem:
  
  "Hashem, Hashem, do not raise Your Hand against the boy, or do anything to him. Since now, You know that we fear G-d... - for thousands of years, away from home, in exile, scattered all over the world, we have seen it all - death, illnesses, wars, pogroms, hunger, hatred, humiliation, difficulties, pain, suffering, and have had plenty of other unpleasant events happen to us. We have seen them all, and we have experienced them all, but we have stayed as Jews and still fear ONLY You. And now the time has come to "take this boy OFF the Mizbeach" and offer our korban - this prayer, and blast the shofar, just like Avraham Avinu did on That Day. And with that blast, Avraham Avinu started the exile, but Today - this exile will end with us right now, also with the blast of the shofar. The blast of Tekiah - a long, loud blast - תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו - Teka b’Shofar Gadol l’Cherutenu - Sound the Great Shofar for Our Freedom. No more the sound of the broken blasts - no more sorrow, tears, pain, and hardships.”
  
  And with this long blast of shofar, the nation closes the old chapter of Exile - of this Galut and begins a new chapter in History - the Chapter of Geulah Shlemah, a Complete and Long-Awaited Redemption.

  May it be so, and in our days, Amen!!

  Shmuel Katanov
  09/10/2024

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• Why the community of the ancient Jerusalem was destroyed?

  Nov 3, 2025 Admin 0 Comments

  The 9th of Av is the most horrible and darkest day in Jewish history. Thousands of Roman troops came to the walls of Jerusalem, and on the 9th of Av, Jerusalem was on fire. Why? What did the Jews in the community do, so this happened to the nation?
  
  The Talmud, Gittin 55–56, says that the Second Bet Hamikdash was destroyed due to an argument between two people—Kamtza & Bar Kamtza. The story goes like this: a man threw a party and asked his servant to invite his friend Kamtza. The servant went, but instead of going to Kamtza, by mistake, he invited his enemy, Bar Kamtza. Already at the party, as the host went from table to table, he noticed his enemy sitting and having a good time with the rest of the guests. The host came over and asked him, "What are you doing here?" Bar Kamtza politely answered that his servant had invited him. That's when the host realized that his servant had made a mistake and called the wrong guy. Furiously, he asked the guy to leave the party, but Bar Kamtza offered to pay for his meal and asked him not to make a scene and not to humiliate him in front of everyone. But the host refused again and asked him to leave. Bar Kamtza offered to pay half the cost of the party, then the full cost, but the host refused and threw him out.
  
  The Talmud says that people present at the party, especially the Torah sages, sat quietly and didn't get involved. The Talmud rebukes this behavior and says at the end, that this incident was the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple.
  
  Any argument is accompanied by gossip and rumors.
  
  The same thing happened many times in our history, and every time, Hashem's reaction was very severe. 
  
  - Yosef was saying about his brothers to his father, and for that they hated him. Because of this, the brothers sold Yosef, and later the whole family emigrated to Egypt (Bereshit Chapter 37, and Bereshit Rabah 84:7)
  
  - Moshe was puzzled as to why the Jewish people had such a hard life being slaves in Egypt. But when he found out that amongst them were people who spread rumors, he understood why this was their fate. (Shemot and Rashi 2:14)
  
  - When the spies came back and slandered Eretz Yisrael, those who believed paid with their lives - all the adults died and were buried in the desert. (Parashat Shelach)
  
  - Doeg, the Head of Sanhedrin, was solely responsible for the killing of the City of Kohanim. (Shmuel 22:9)
  
  - The armies of Shaul HaMelech were losing battles with the Philistines because people were spreading rumors about (already anointed and future) King David. (Midrash Shocher Tov 7:8)
  
  There are lots of other stories of people being slandered, and all of them have one thing in common: they break one commandment —the Commandment of Lashon Hara, which means saying something bad, even though it may be true. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Hachaim 156:10)
  
  - It is forbidden to repeat something about someone, even though this may not be negative; this is called Rechilut. (Vayikra 19:16, Mishneh Torah, Chilchot Deot Chapter 7)
  
  - It is forbidden to listen when someone says something negative about someone. The person should admonish the speaker, and if this is not possible, he needs to remove himself from his presence. (Chafetz Chaim 6:2, based on Talmud Ketubot 5A and many other sources)
  
  - And even if the person heard something negative about someone, he is not allowed to believe it; on the contrary, he needs to give him the benefit of the doubt and justify his actions, and always judge a person for good. (Talmud Pesachim 118A, also in the commentaries of Rashbam in Perek HaMekabel)
  
  In the Book of Shemot, Parashat Vayera 18:1 - 18:33, it talks about Avraham Avinu: right after he made a brit, the three angels came to him. One of the angels said that he came to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Avraham Avinu heard that, he began praying to Hashem and asked Him whether fifty righteous people were living there, so that He would not destroy the cities for their sake. Hashem told him, There are not. Then he asked him to save the cities for forty-five, and again He said they are not there. Then he asked for thirty, and twenty, and still he got a negative answer. Then, once again, he approached Hashem in prayer and asked to save the cities for ten righteous people, but Hashem said that even ten righteous people don't exist in those cities. Rashi says that the lawyer —Avraham Avinu — fell silent, and Hashem left his presence, since there were not even ten tzaddikim to save the cities in their merit.
  
  In the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, there were no ten members of the community who thought well of Bar Kamtza, and who were willing to get up and publicly defend him and stop the host of the party. People have been gossiping about Bar Kamtza, and others have believed it and spread it further. This was an epidemic in a society that had laws against such behavior. People were so sure that Bar Kamtza was the guilty party that they took on the roles of observers at the party. They were judging Bar Kamtza unfavorably because they already had an opinion of him, influenced by all the gossip and rumors circulating before this incident at the party. And with all of this, laws of lashon hara and other laws were broken, which led to the destruction of the Second Temple, loss of millions of lives, and an exile till our time.
  
  We are in exile, which means this disease is still plaguing us. And suppose there's a person amongst us, about whom everyone is talking, and talking very badly, and people believe and spread rumors. Based on these rumors, he is being judged and treated differently, while being subjected to more and more new labels and accusations. In that case, this is called Lashon Hara—talking badly, spreading rumors, and gossip— which Torah calls in two words: sinat chinam or baseless hatred. 
  
  And if in that place you still have 50, 45, 30, 20, or 10 righteous people, who do not believe all that gossip, contrary to public pressure, then there's still hope that Hashem's fury can be turned away. We should always try to prevent the community from speaking and spreading rumors, using our influence and communal pressure, and squash this type of behavior right from the start. 
  
  And if not? And the rumors went far—then there's a job to do: he should be cleaning up. When he sees those who heard and those who might have heard, he needs to convince them that this is not true and ask Hashem for mercy. (Sefer Chafetz Chaim). Otherwise, as was said in the previous articles, our Small Batey Mikdashim—homes, synagogues, and social places — are at stake. 
  
  Our Sages taught, "Any generation in which the Temple is not built, it is as if it had been destroyed in their times" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Yoma 1A). Because that generation continues in the footsteps of the one who destroyed the Temple, they are not trying to fix the mistakes of the past generations, but continue doing the same destructive sins in the eyes of Hashem and the nation.
  
  Our goal is to build strong families and communities which have to live by Torah laws. Based on our life experience, we need to help people by giving them advice, guiding, and encouraging all those who fell in life - and to do this not because we owe them or they owe us, but just like that, as the Gemara says: Loving and helping another Jew without any reason, as Achavat Chinam or Baseless Love. 
  
  This action alone will grow, multiply, and strengthen the Jewish Nation and our communities while doing an unforgettable act of bringing peace between people and families, for which Hashem Himself will repay. This action will be responsible for many who have left the Judaism, returning to Hashem and His Torah and mitzvot. And based on everything said above, we and our families will merit seeing Mashiach while doing our part to hasten his arrival and free us from this prolonged exile.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  08/13/2025
  
  

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