During the Second Temple, the Greek empire reigned (over Israel),1 and they (the Greeks) passed decrees against the Jews and (tried) to erase their religion, and did not allow them to carry out Torah (study) or the commandments. They put their hands on their property and their daughters. They entered the Temple, destroyed and made the pure unclean. The Jews were in great distress because of them and were much oppressed, until the G-d of their fathers had mercy on them, delivering them from their hands and saving them. Then overcame, the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest, (the Greeks) and killed them and saved the Jews from their hands. They appointed a king from the Priests, and the kingdom of Israel was restored for more than 200 years until the destruction of (the) second (Temple). When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was the 25th of Kislev2 when they entered the Sanctuary (inner room) and did not find pure (olive) oil in the Temple, except one jar sealed with seal of the High Priest, and it did not contain enough to light except for one day only. But they lit from it the lamps of the Menorah3 for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce a (new quantity) of pure oil. For these reasons, decreed the Sages of that generation that these eight days that begin on the 25th Kislev, will be days of joy and praise. One lights on them lamps at evening at the entrance to the houses, every evening of the eight nights to show off and demonstrate the miracle. These days are called ''Hanukah'' that is to say ''they rested'' (chanu) on the ''25'' ('th of the month) because on the 25th they rested from their enemies. and also because of those days they (re)-dedicated the house (Temple) which their foes had defiled. Also some say that it is a commandment to increase slightly the festive meals on Hanukah. Another reason is because the work of (building) the Sanctuary (in the desert) was completed in these days. One should tell one's children the story of the miracles that were done for our fore-fathers in those days, (see Josephus) However, these meals are not considered as part of the commandment unless one says at the meal songs of praise. One should increase charity in these Hanukah days, for this can help mend any defects in our souls. This charity, should be given particularly to poor Torah scholars. (KSA 139:1)
1) 352 BCE until 70 CE
2) 139 BCE
3) The Menorah was made of gold and had seven branches.
THE FOLLOWING IS VIA YWN
A well known Gabbai Tzedakah from Eretz Yisrael was badly wounded in a crash on Ocean Parkway in Flatbush on Tuesday night.
Please be mispallel for Nosson ben Yehudis Yittel
Sources tell YWN that Nosson (Nati) Yaffe was sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle when the driver lost control near Ave K, striking an oncoming vehicle in the opposite direction head-on.
Flatbush Hatzalah responded to the scene within moments of the crash, at around 10:30PM, and transported Yaffe to Maimonides Hospital. Yaffe and the young bochur who was driving were enroute to daven Maariv at Laundau’s. The driver, as well as the driver of the other vehicle, were not as seriously wounded.
Yaffe was diagnosed with at least 13 broken ribs and a broken sternum bone....
CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials unveiled some additional strategies in combating Mexican drug cartels Wednesday in Chicago alongside members of the Mexican government, military and federal police, who said one priority was to capture the leader of the increasingly powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
A joint news conference with the officials side by side was a display of bilateral cooperation amid ongoing tensions over President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, including over his vow to build a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile (3,218-kilometer) U.S.-Mexican border.
The new plans include putting greater emphasis on attacking cartels' financial infrastructure and calling for a new enforcement group based in Chicago that will c...
Jerusalem - The Israeli government said on Wednesday it is investing 90 million shekels ($24 million) to shore up the country’s cyber security industry as a global leader.
Under the three-year program companies dealing with high-risk research and development will be eligible to receive up to 5 million shekels a year. The program will also help fund pilot projects in Israel and abroad.
“Despite significant investment from VCs who have expressed faith in the local cyber market, many companies face challenges in finding suitable sites to test their technologies,” said Aharon Aharon, head of the Israel Innovation Authority.
“This new program solves this issue and will significantly accelerate companies’ growth and penetration into the global market,” he s...
Minneapolis - President Donald Trump, meet Ilhan Omar.
Just two years ago, the Minnesota Democrat became the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature. Now she’s likely to become one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. And she says one of her top priorities will be resisting the Trump administration, which would forbid her from entering the U.S. if she were attempting to immigrate today.
“I myself would have been part of the travel ban,” Omar said on the campaign trail.
Her victory in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for a House seat from the immigrant-rich Minneapolis area depended heavily on support from people who feel persecuted in Trump’s America and voters who empathize with them.
No Republican has won the heavily liberal distri...
Those coming to daven at the Mikdash Moshe shul in Petach Tikva were astonished to discover that on the wall of their shul were painted Nazi symbols.
A swastika and SS letters were sprayed on the wall of the shul, right near the aron hakodesh.
“The mispallelim arrived at Selichos at 4:00 AM and was shocked to see how they desecrated the aron,” Aharon Berger told Channel 20. “It’s heartache, I do not even want to think who can do things like that, and anyone who sees it gets dizzy, especially in the month of Elul.” Read more.
BaltimoreJewishLife.com (BJL) is proud to partner with STAR-K CERTIFICATION that realizes that there is no substitute for a person’s own Rav. In an effort to offer a possible solution, it has launched its Institute of Halachah as a public service. Over the years, the agency’s Kashrus Hotline has answered generic halachic questions from kosher consumers the world over, including inquiries regarding the kosher status of foods and certified Sabbath mode appliances. The formation of a separate official division within STAR-K testifies to the need for addressing these issues.
The Institute of Halachah is directed by HaRav Mordechai Frankel, under the guidance of HaRav Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator. It is an invaluable resource for a diverse array of rabbis to discuss general halachic matters, as well as gain access to source materials for shiurim and answers to congregants’ questions.
Shailos for regular or Kashrus shailos may emailed or discussed using this widget.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of lacking “intentions to achieve reconciliation” during a meeting of the Palestinian Central Council on Wednesday.
By contrast, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah wants “one government, one law and one legitimate weapon without militias,” connecting the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Abbas declared.
Abbas clarified that any future intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement must be impartial and “all inclusive” in the sense that a future Palestinian state must unite Gazans and Palestinians living in the West Bank.
Read more at i24NEWS.
Israeli Police said on Wednesday afternoon that last week they prevented a stabbing attack planned by a Palestinian in the Old City of Yerushalayim.
The suspect is reportedly a 26 year-old man from Chevron. On August 8, he was stopped and searched in the Old City by Israeli police officers who found pepper spray and a knife on his person, the police said in a statement.
The suspect told officers that he was in Yerushalayim to pray. Based on suspicion that the suspect may have been concealing something, the officers detained and questioned him, eventually unveiling the true purpose for the terrorist’s visit.
“Police interrogators used a number of investigative techniques by which they succeeded in uncovering the true intentions of the suspect,” the statement said. &ldqu...
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his “2030 security outlook,” in front of the security cabinet on Wednesday, explaining the threats which the state faces as well as the military manpower it needs.
The full document is currently classified but will soon be shared with the Knesset Subcommittee for the Intelligence Services, the IDF General Staff, Shin Bet and Mossad.The version presented to the security cabinet on Wednesday called for an increase in defense spending of 0.2 to 0.3 percent of gross national product.
“Because of our small territory, concentrated population and multitude of threats around us, Israel’s security needs will always be much greater than those of a similar size,” Netanyahu said.
Read more at i24NEWS...
More than one hundred Likud activists have signed a petition calling for amending the existing situation at the Me’oras Hamachpelah, in which wheelchair bound visitors are prevented from visiting the holy site due to the lack of ramps.
Construction work is currently not available because the Palestinian Authority prevents them.
“More than a million and a half people, Jews, Arabs, Christians and tourists, arrive every year, but despite this, the place is completely locked up for the limited population and the elderly, more than a hundred difficult and tiresome steps that can not be skipped to reach the site,” the petition states.
“We must prove that we are a country that cares for all its citizens, and we urge you to act immediately to solve this humanitarian prob...
Ronald Lauder saw it fit to publish an opinion piece in the NY Times about what he believes is wrong with Israel today and how he believes Diaspora Jewry is being affected by what amounts to internal Israeli policy decisions.
Lauder’s position, however, is stale, irrelevant, and not reflective of today’s reality. Despite his position as head of the World Jewish Congress, his opinion reflects – at best – that of the old-American-Jewish guard. Jews of the diaspora, under the age of 40, for the most part do not agree with his half-cooked positions.
Instead, Diaspora Jewry is either entirely disconnected, apathetic, or anti-Israel/Judaism on the one hand, or highly-connected, motivated, energized and full of love and respect for Judaism and the modern-day ...
Two top military officials were arrested Tuesday in Caracas as part of an investigation into what the government called an “assassination attempt” against President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
Col. Pedro Zambrano and Gen. Alejandro Pérez appeared in court on Monday, chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab said in a televised speech. He did not offer details about the charges.
The two are among 14 men jailed after an attack in Caracas involving two drones, which caused panic and injured several people but left Maduro unscathed. At least 20 other suspects remain at large, according to Saab.
Critics say the government is using the drone incident as an excuse to intensify its campaign against political and military dissidents, and to divert attention from Venezu...
The FBI warned banks that hackers are preparing to steal millions of dollars from ATMs in a digital heist that could occur any day now, according to a report by blogger Krebs on Security.
“The FBI has obtained unspecified reporting indicating cybercriminals are planning to conduct a global Automated Teller Machine cash-out scheme in the coming days, likely associated with an unknown card issuer breach and commonly referred to as an ‘unlimited operation,’” the confidential warning the FBI shared only with banks on Friday, and obtained by Krebs on Security, supposedly stated.
The report explained that cyber crooks could hack the banks or the card processing systems to clone cards. The hackers could then change account fraud controls, maximum withdrawal limits and ev...
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday claimed that “Hezbollah is stronger than the Israeli army”.
“We will soon celebrate a victory on Syrian soil,” said the head of the Lebanon-based terrorist group in a televised speech marking the 12th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, while claiming that Israel has been “deterred” since being “defeated” by Hezbollah in 2006.
“12 years have passed and Israel is still threatening us with war. Israel talks about the strengthening of Hezbollah and its capabilities so much that one of the senior officers in Israel said that Hezbollah is the second most powerful army in the region after the IDF,” Nasrallah continued.
“Let me tell this senior officer: Hezbollah is stronger than t...
White House National Security Adviser John Bolton will meet Russian officials in Geneva next week as a follow-up to the summit meeting that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in Helsinki last month, the White House said.
Bolton, as part of his trip, will also visit Israel and Ukraine for meetings with officials in those countries, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.
Trump has defended himself against criticism that he was too cozy with Putin in their talks in the capital of Finland and a subsequent joint news conference. The Trump administration in the aftermath of the summit imposed more sanctions on Moscow.
Trump has invited Putin to visit the United States in 2019.
Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
Turkey on Wednesday raised tariffs on a number products imported from the United States, including passenger cars, tobacco and spirits, retaliating for President Donald Trump’s decision last week to double tariffs on Turkish metals.
The tit-for-tat measures are part of a broader dispute between the two countries over the fate of an American citizen, Andrew Brunson, who is being prosecuted by Turkish authorities on terrorism-related charges. The Trump administration has demanded that Brunson, a pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for decades, be allowed to return to the United States.
Turkey has suffered the most from the feud, which has helped push its currency, the lira, to record lows against the dollar. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has accused the United St...
Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Wednesday that the Republican Party has “demonized” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), adding that the GOP has attacked Pelosi because she’s a woman.
Sanders said on CBS’s “This Morning” that he believes Pelosi is an effective leader and called the Republican Party “bankrupt intellectually” for its attacks on her.
“I think Nancy has done a good job,” Sanders said. “Let me say what she may not say, I think it’s also the fact that she is a woman. I think they have demonized her.”
“The Republican Party is bankrupt intellectually. They are not going to campaign on their views of giving tax cuts to billionaires and cutting Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid, so t...
Part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed on Monday by US President Donald Trump includes a provision requiring foreign media outlets like Al Jazeera to register with the US government.
Section 1085 of the “John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for 2019” would require any “United States-based foreign media outlet” to report its financing details to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), including a description of the outlet’s relationship to the foreign entity that contains both their legal and funding structure.
This specific measure would amend the Telecommunications Act of 1934.
The reports from the outlets would be made available on the FCC’s website. Additionally, the FCC would summarize these reports t...
The United States is trying to make Iran surrender through the imposition of sanctions, Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said on Wednesday.
New US sanctions against Iran took effect last week, and President Donald Trump said companies doing business with the country will be barred from the United States.
“The first priority for all of us under a sanctions situation is to work toward managing the country in a way that brings the least amount of damage to people’s lives,” Fars News quoted Jahangiri as saying. “America is trying by applying various pressures on our society to force us to retreat and surrender.”
The new sanctions targeted Iranian purchases of US dollars, metals trading, coal, industrial software and its auto sector, though the toughest me...
The World Bank plans to provide unemployed Gazans with millions of dollars in aid, Israel Hayom learned on Monday.
In late July, the World Bank announced that it would increase its yearly allocation to the Palestinians from $55 million to $90 million because of “challenges in the Gaza Strip that have left the territory on the verge of economic and social collapse,” reported the Bloomberg financial-news agency.
The latest World Bank initiative will funnel $17 million to Gaza as part of a project that aims to employ 4,400 Gazans ages 18 to 34, half of them women, in third-sector organizations focused on health care, education, and assistance for the elderly and the disabled.
The new proj...