John and I have returned from a much-needed vacation and celebration of our 40th anniversary. We left our house for Italy under multiple volleys of missiles and returned to Israel last Wednesday. Our trip, although physically grueling, was glorious. We rented a car in Milan and drove to Lake Como, Mantua (medieval city, Mantegna frescoes), Padua, Venice (museums, opera house, St Mark’s Cathedral, sunset gondola ride, Jewish quarter), Ravenna (4th century mosaics!!!), Florence, Siena, Tuscany, Arezzo, Ptigliano (medieval city carved from rock on a cliff and “little Jerusalem-“ haven to Italy’s persecuted Jews in the 1500s), Lucca (home to Puccini), San Gimignano, Assisi, Pompei, Herculaneum, Paestum (entire Greek city from 500 BC with 3 huge and beautiful Greek temples in the Doric order), the Amalfi Coast (spectacularly gorgeous and makes the Big Sur Drive in California look like chump change) and Rome where I finally gave up the ghost and couldn’t walk no further. All-in-all, we had a fantastic time.
While in Italy, we traveled on our American passports. When anyone asked, we told them we were from California, outside of Los Angeles. It’s not a lie. Several times we met up with these dear, sweet British sisters. First in Florence at a museum, then in Siena and finally in Lucca. They asked us to join them for tea in Lucca, and we gladly obliged. We shared stories of England and Scotland travel d told them we had two children living there. It was all quite pleasant. After a while, I explained to them that we had moved to the Holy Land and were living in Galilee. They wanted to know about the war, having heard about occupation, Israeli aggression against Christians and basically….you know….the genocide and humanitarian disaster. They really were not at all interested in hearing our side, because…you know…the BBC does not lie.
We decided not to tell anyone else. The last week of the trip, there were extreme anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli pogroms against Israeli football spectators in Amsterdam. Riots. Destruction of Jewish property. ElAl airlines had to charter two special planes to bring the fans back home. Then there were shake-ups against Jewish people in France. We got texts on our phones from the Israeli State Department to not visit certain countries, and if warranted, to not look so visibly Jewish (wear a baseball cap or other hat rather than a kipa. Tuck in Jewish jewelry. Hide tsitsit (men’s prayer fringes). John and I ran into no trouble and continued to enjoy ourselves.
So, was I surprised when I saw the European coverage of the news? Not horribly. Anything concerning the Middle East was decidedly one sided and pro-Palestinian/Hamas /Hezbulla. They were always the victims, and there was no talk of attacks towards Israel. Neither was there mention of any humanitarian efforts in Gaza on behalf of Israel. The only time we saw anything to do with the 101 remaining hostages was when we went to the Venice and Rome Jewish ghetto areas and in Ptigliano, little Jerusalem. The good news: until we got to Rome, there were no pro-Hamas protestors or Palestinian and Hizbulla flags.
We had a lovely welcome home shortly after we returned to Israel. Ben Gurion Airport was shut down temporarily due to heavy missile fire. We just made it to baggage claim and were able to reach a safe space. On the way back to our city in the North, we had three sirens and had to stop: once under a bridge; then beside the road we had to get out of the car (there was no way I was going to lay down on the ground, hands protecting my head); and inside a tunnel.
Since being back, we’ve had a couple more missile barrages here and many in the towns neighboring us, especially towards Akko and Haifa. A kindergarten in Akko suffered a direct hit by rocket yesterday. Thankfully all the children and teachers were safe in their protected areas.
We’ve learned to go about our regular business with a little prayer under our lips unless there is a warning siren in our immediate area. Then we proceed swiftly and calmly to the nearest protected space. Several of our friends are afraid to venture out anywhere and all the local businesses are suffering greatly. We had plans to get together with another couple families for Thanksgiving, but the couple doesn’t have a safe room big enough for everyone, so it was cancelled. We have offered to have our friends from Tiberias over with us, but they are too afraid to drive any ‘far’ distance.
In the past two and a half months, there have been several direct strikes on homes and apartments both in our city and in neighboring communities. Two yesterday alone. Despite the fact that civilian population centers are targeted, there have only been a handful of deaths, but quite a few injuries. This is miraculous. Most missiles on the trajectory to land in populated spaces are intercepted by Iron Dome (right over our house). It’s the falling shrapnel that is so dangerous. After a strike, our mayor has teams that go out to each neighborhood to check on the local population and to pick up any pieces that have fallen from the sky.
I’m hoping that next week I can resume some more upbeat news and features. I’ve collected a few amazing recipes both in Italy and here. I just can’t wait to share them with you…. I took a little cooking class in Tuscany. In the meantime, have a relaxing weekend and our prayer is for cooler heads to prevail among the worlds’ current leaders. Shabbat shalom!
Israel Dreams 
Wow
We were in Italy in October.
We visited Lake Como and stayed in Bellagio for our nieces wedding. Which was held at a beautiful castle. How they even found this place, I will have to ask.
I loved your beautiful pictures of your travels. Sad to hear of all the hate. You are a brave e soul and G-d walks with you.
You and Israel are in my prayers. Last year we had an Israeli couple move in 2 houses up the street. They are also worried about their safety. Even here in TO.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you and all the knowledge you share with me.
Hugs to you and John,
Angelique
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Tamar, I’m grateful that you’re back home and online again. If not for these posts, I’d have only a vague idea of what it’s like on the ground. Congrats to you and John! Stay safe.
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Thank you so much. Even though we had a great trip, it’s good being back home again. Hopefully, I can begin to post more good news soon. Thanks so much for your readership!
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PS. joyfully is Harv and Cathy. We’ll be celebrating our 45th! Gads, we’re old!
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Mazal tov!
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Thank you dear Tamar for your update. The blindness of the world is stunning. It’s as though they have become blind and deaf. Helen S
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I know. And there are some outlets I can’t believe who have come out all pro-Hamas/Hizbulla. And now, they are rejecting all my reporting and op eds. It’s so frustrating!!! And I don’t know what more to do…. Hopefully we c@n meet when I come back to the States in March-
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I’d love to meet up sometime. Probably not March as we will be in Uganda for the whole month.
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Hi Tamar,
Thinking of you and wondering how your trip was going and then your update today! Loved to see your gorgeous photos. So sad how people around the world are misinformed. Know that you have strong support from your friends and people of faith here in TO. That’s who I hang out with so maybe I am living in a bubble and not getting a true picture of people’s views.May G-d bless you and the Holy Land!
Joan P.
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Thanks so much, Joan. As I just wrote to another ‘s maddening and frustrating that now publications I used to write for are no longer taking my reports and op eds. They have gone completely anti Israel in the past few months. John and I no longer know what to do in response.
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Many thanks, Tamar, for sharing your beautiful 40th anniversary trip highlights and pics in Italy as well as your on-the-ground firsthand reportage and footage from Israel on your dramatic return. What contrasts!
We pray for safety in Israel for you, your family, and all Israelis and for the world to wake up and see the evil antisemitism in the world.
We send our warmest love and mazel tov on your 40th!
Sue and Don in Texas
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Thank you so much for the compliments and war, wishes. We are definitely getting older, and it was our “trip of a lifetime” although we were just talking this morning about going back (Ravenna and Lucca were incredible – so much to see and do. And the Amalfi Coast!!! Still it’s great to be back in my own bed and sitting in my cozy den once more-
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Hi Tamar:
Sounds like a beautiful trip. Happy 40th Anniversary! – can you believe how fast the time goes by? It was lovely reading about all the amazing places you saw. Mike and I took our wedding money and did Europe on $5 a day (in 1971 you could actually do that!) and we visited some of the places you were at. We loved Italy also.
Can’t wait to get those delicious recipes you brought from Italy.
So sad that England has become a hateful antisemitic place.
Missed the blog a lot.
Warmest wishes,
Dalya
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What separates the Torah Menorah from the Hanukkah Menorah? שלום כנגד מלחמת אחים
The Torah menorah in the Mishkan has 7 branches which affix to the 6 Yom Tov and Shabbat. Hence the bnai brit soul has 7 names affixed to these 6 Yom Tov + Shabbat. Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chyyah, Yechida, Nefesh Klalli, and Nefesh Shalom. These 6 + 1 souls dedicated holy to HaShem on those Chaggagim & Shabbat have Divine Names. Yah, Ha’El, El, Elohim, El Shaddai, Eish Ha’Elohim, Shalom. The Talmud teaches that the name Shalom – a Divine Name. These Divine Names remember the Yom Tov + Shabbat throughout the year; something like the rear and front sights of a rifle permit a person to shoot accurately down range.
These 7 Divine Names affix as the k’vanna within the heart to the davening said on each specific day of the week. The mitzva of shabbat requires making the most essential הבדלה. Hence the blessing said over wine at the beginning and termination of the day of shabbat. Why does making הבדלה absolutely essential to observe shabbat? K’vanna (shabbat and yom tov exist as tohor time oriented commandment which require מלכות defined prophetic mussar k’vanna – learned by comparing precedent case studies one against another), separates the understanding which discerns like from like.
For example, what separates the Oral Torah revelation of tohor middot spirits from words: ה’ אל רחום חנון וכו? If a person cannot discern one tohor middah from another then likewise that person fails to discern tohor middot from tumah middot. The heart contains two opposing Yatzirot. Hence the kre’a shma writes לבב, which Rabbi Yechuda the author of the Mishna calls Yatzir Ha’Tov vs the Yatzir Ha’Rah.
The Yatzir Ha’Tov through tohor time oriented Av Commandments breaths the Spirit of the 1st Sinai commandment Name, the greatest commandment in the Torah – doing mitzvot לשמה. The sin of the Golden Calf lacks understanding and confuses the Divine Spirit Name רוח הקודש with word translations! Hence the Xtian bible and Muslim koran both worship other Gods of avoda zarah. Monotheism violates the 2nd Sinai commandment. The 10 plagues which afflicted Par’o and Egypt judged the Gods of Egypt. The brit cut at Gilgal calls upon HaShem to likewise judge the Gods of Canaan. The Rashi tefillen based upon the oath sworn at Gilgal; the Rabbeinu Tam tefillen based upon the oath sworn at Sh’Cem.
The examples brought all require making the essential הבדלה. To keep shabbat requires making the essential הבדלה which separates and distinguishes מלאכה from עבודה: skilled labor from unskilled labor. Mesechta Shabbat addresses the verb of מלאכה; whereas mesechta Baba Kama delves into the verb of עבודה. The morning davening concludes with יום ראשון בשבת יום שני בשבת וכו. A person who observes Shabbat observes all the commandments! The Mishkan has the מקום קדוש וגם מקום קדוש קדושים. So too likewise observance of the Mitzva of Shabbat.
On the day of Shabbat, which has the Divine Name Shalom dedicated within your Yatzir Ha’Tov heart, a person sanctifies not doing acts of מלאכה. This dedication not to do מלאכה on the day of shabbat likewise equally sanctifies not doing איסור עבודה on the 6 days of Chol “shabbat”. The mitzva of shabbat observance sanctifies not just the day but the entire week.
Mesechta Baba Kama makes the דיוק on the opening Av Mishna. It makes the required הבדלה which separates and distinguishes Tam from Muad. Four avot tam damagers and Four avot muad damagers.
The דיוק defines the latter as חמס גזל ערוה ושוחד במשפט. A person who sanctifies not to do these Avot muad damages during the week, sanctifies not doing the 39 forbidden labors on the day of Shabbat and therein keeps all the Torah commandments!
Hence the Gemara of Shabbat learns precedents from the Gemara of Baba Kama. The study of Talmud – a common law legal system and not a post sealing of the Gemarah codification of statute law halachot codifications. The Rambam’s Yad Chazakah failed to make this critical הבדלה and the court of Rabbeinu Yonah together, (it seems to me) with the majority of the Baali Tosafot which learned the Talmud as common law and not assimilated Roman statute law which relies upon Aristotle’s logic of organizing laws into egg-crate like orders, placed the Rambam into נידוי. T’NaCH/Talmud common law – as different from Greek\Roman statute law – as Shabbat differs from both Xtian and Muslim interpretations!
First Light of Hanukkah
Time oriented mitzva from the Torah IF a person affixes prophetic mussar as the מלכות of the oath sworn ברכה לשמה. Now that’s how the B’HaG, also known as Baal HaMaor,,, (based upon his commentary to the Rif’s famous halachic code) [[This, the student of the Rif, and Rabbeinu Gershom]],,, learned.
This unique poskin of Halacha, that tohor time oriented commandments could make an aliyah of positive and negative toldot commandments unto time oriented Av commandments to create from nothing the chosen Cohen people in all generations יש מאין. Furthermore, he argued an even larger chiddush, even halachic rabbinic mitzvot – if elevated to time oriented Av commandments by means of interpreting the k’vanna of prophetic mussar tohor middot – as the מלכות of the sworn ברכה, these rabbinic commandments too became Mitzvot from the Torah!
However the מלחמת השם directly challenged the priority to interpret the k’vanna of mitzvot, over the need to establish religious halachic codifications as the Rif code clearly accomplished. The commentary written by the RambaN on the Rif halachic code, the dispute between the B’HaG and the RambaN (which also included the Raavad III – this מחלקת ראשונים) … disputed matters of priority.
Whether to learn the T’NaCH\Talmud in order to interpret the k’vanna of tohor Oral Torah middot, as learned from T’NaCH/Talmudic Primary sources vs. the establishment of religious halachic codifications, to cement the religion of Judaism, during the dark ages of Medieval Europe.
Herein defines the essence of the dispute which ripped Jewish communities apart from Spain, to France, to England and Germany. This terrible Jewish Civil War erupted into an all out brawl after the Rambam published his Yad Ha’Zakah. That the RambaN named his commentary to the Rif code מלחמת השם testifies to the bitter fierceness of this brutal Jewish Civil War.
War brings chaos and anarchy. Civil War brings foreign intervention. Picture a dead carcass where lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and vultures all fight to consume the carcass of some trief animal … this depicts a Civil War. How many countries in Syria today? Iraq invaded Iran immediately after the Khomeini revolution in 1979. 1980 Iraq invaded. G’lut Jewish Civil War did not have vast Armies as did the American Civil War where England Russia and France threatened to intervene. But it most definitely experienced foreign interventions!
Henry Seward the Yankee Secretary of State, the European equivalent of Foreign Minister, prevented PM Gladstone from recognizing the Confederate states. Russia threatened to send its navy to Yankee ports and also to widen the American Civil War into a general war across Europe, if England initiated to break the Union blockade of Confederate Ports. Secretary of State Seward pulled a clever stratagem. He knew that PM Gladstone and FM Lord Russell detested one another. Therefore he sent two diplomatic notes conveying opposite messages to Gladstone and Russell.
The Industrial revolution began in England. Hence England, the first European country to outlaw slavery! The Yankee States also Industrialized as did France, especially after Napoleon’s defeat at the battle of Waterloo in 1815. Both the Southern Confederacy and Russia maintained a feudal agricultural based slavery/serf economy. In 1864 both Lincoln and the Czar of Russia outlawed slavery. Both the consequences of military victory/defeats. Lincoln following the battle of Gettsburg & Russia after the 1856 Crimean War. Where Russia faced off against industrialized England and France, and lost that war just as the Confederate South lost the Civil War to those Damned Yankees!!!!!
Southern bitterness has not diminished to this day. Jewish bitterness because lions, tigers, bears and wolves have mauled our trief bodies over and again since the Rambam Civil War have caused the Jewish people to forget the extreme bitterness of that specific horrible Jewish Civil War which plunged Jews into chaos and anarchy following publication of the Rambam’s Yad Chazakah halachic code of “Statute Law”.
Secretary of State Seward sent a diplomatic note to PM Gladstone saying America would tolerate, if England traded Confederate long strand cotton (Only in 1864 did a similar long strand cotton start growing in Egypt. British mills required long strand cotton.), by acquiring it through the Mexico-Texas border; to prevent the British navy from breaking the Union blockade of Southern ports! Secretary of State Seward sent a different diplomatic note to Foreign Minister Lord Russell. In that note Seward bluntly stated that if England attempted to bi-pass the Union blockade of Confederate ports, by trading through Mexico, that such a hostile act – Washington would consider as a pre-text for War between England & the United States.
Secretary of State Seward gambled that the two men, Gladstone & Russell, would not communicate and share their received diplomatic Notes from Seward. Gladstone, deceived by Seward’s diplomatic note, immediately dispatched British troops to acquire Southern Cotton in Mexico. Secretary of State Seward issued an Ultimatum of War, and Foreign Secretary Russell waved his diplomatic note in front of the whole of Parliament, and called the PM a warmonger! This diplomatic crisis almost brought down the Gladstone majority in Parliament! British politics entered into a state of chaos and anarchy!
In this near collapse of the British government, during the ensuing chaos and anarchy – of the fox in the hen house – Bismarck of Prussia initiated his 3 little wars which turned Prussia (dismembered Poland) into the 2nd Germanic empire. That damned Yankee Seward set up a domino effect ירידות הדורות, which triggered the 1st & 2nd World Wars and the Shoah! The resurrection from the dead of the Jewish state, 2000+ years after Rome expelled almost all Jews living in Judea and renamed the land “Palestine”, also a direct result of Secretary of State Seward stratagem to prevent PM Gladstone recognizing the Confederate right to self-determination.
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