In this Mishna, Rabbi Yehoshua lists three personality flaws which “remove a person from the world.” The implication is not simply that G-d will punish such a person, but that such behavior itself will actively “remove” him from the world. One who possesses these evil traits will make himself miserable, unable to enjoy the blessings he has been granted.
Parashat ToldotFew Biblical struggles, few familial conflicts—in a book filled with stories of intra-family struggles—are as tragic as the confrontation between Jacob and Esau. The twin grandsons of Abraham and Sarah were, from their birth onwards, locked in a constant struggle over inheriting leadership over the family, and of course, inheriting the riches of the land which G-d had first promised to Abraham.
Molly is the street name for a drug that is pushed as the pure powder form of MDMA, the main chemical in Ecstasy. In the last five years, Molly has made its way into popular culture. The drug’s dangers became more apparent after a rash of overdoses and four deaths this past summer, including two at a music festival in NYC.
Our tears have yet to dry on our cheeks. I am not sure that they ever will dry up. The torrent of tears burst through the dam for millions of Jews in Eretz Yisrael and throughout the world. Suddenly, we have all been thrown down to the ground, pinned down by a loss of spiritual support. Why is all this so? It is because Maran Ovadia Yosef zt”l, was larger than our generation. Or perhaps we should say, the generation is too shrunken, too beaten by the wind to fully appreciate Maran’s greatness. It is still unclear.
When I woke up this morning and heard the tragic news that our teacher Hacham Ovadia Yosef zt”l has passed and left all of Israel as orphans, I could not think straight or comprehend what was occurring in the world that day. Therefore I dedicate to the Jewish people the following biographical portrait of a righteous and accomplished leader.
With the passing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l at the age of 93, Israel lost a giant in Torah and statecraft, a seminal figure who lifted the status of downtrodden Sephardi Jews from the Middle East and North Africa and provided them with the pride and political strength to revolutionize Israeli society. In the history of the re-born State of Israel, political leaders have, for the most part, occupied one domain and Torah scholars another.
It is difficult to compress the immense life and achievements of our master and teacher Hakham Ovadia Yosef zt’l into a few sentences. During his life he accomplished more than most people do in 10 lifetimes. He touched so many people that it is not surprising a reported 800,000 people filled the streets of Yerushalayim for his levaya. The Rav was our national treasure.
On Monday, October 7, the world lost great scholar, spiritual leader and teacher Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l. Rabbi Yosef was Chief Rabbi of Israel and he was one of the foremost interpreters of religious law in recent generations. He inspired a renaissance for Sephardic religious life in Israel as the spiritual leader of the Shas party. Rabbi Yosef was 93 years old. Just hours before his passing, President Shimon Peres visited him in the hospital.
Eight hundred thousand people lined the streets of Jerusalem within hours to pay their last respects to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l, making it the largest funeral in Israel’s history. The streets were engulfed by a sea of his followers who loved and respected him and were there to honor their supreme spiritual leader. The van carrying his body was held up for hours as masses blocked the route to the cemetery.
The Prophet Yirmeyahu said “He has cast Yisrael’s glory down from the Heaven to the ground.” It is not possible for me, a tiny, feeble candle, to properly eulogize the glory of the sun. Nevertheless, my heart is churning within my breast. I must express my feelings about the loss of our nation’s leader, the leading Posek of the generation, its crowning glory, the pillar of kiruv, the pillar of Torah and of halakha.
At its height, the number of Jewish citizens in Ireland only reached 5,000, so why does Ireland need a museum to celebrate a community that today numbers just over 1,000? The answer to this question is long and beautiful.
Chabad of Harlem first opened its doors in the fall of 2007, to serve the small but growing Jewish community of Harlem. The vibrant and welcoming synagogue offers a fantastic children’s summer camp and Hebrew School, Torah classes for adults, as well as year-round family friendly events for all the Jewish holidays.
The Ljuba Davis Ladino Ensemble has performed all over the world, including Australia and New Zealand and at some of the major venues in Jerusalem. Band members play the bouzouki, a Greek stringed instrument similar to a mandolin; Spanish guitar; and the oud. The musicians as diverse as their instruments.
As a nutritionist and dietitian for the past 16 years, I work to help people get healthier, lose weight, and reverse medical problems through improving their nutrition. Learning to eat the right foods can strengthen a person’s body and optimize one’s well being. Most people are able to integrate my recommendations into their lifestyle to make themselves more fit and healthy.
