Which Noahide is it?

I am pleased to see that my last blog post was well read and shared.

This will be a short [holiday] week, so before delving into the next topic of neo-noahism [as apparently I've coined it as such] I would like to make a brief statement concerning the last blog post.

There are many Noahides in the World B"H.
There are not as many Noahide organizations however.

Aside from the various lone wolf Noahides [and their quasi-organizations; i.e. blogs and books] the official Noahide organizations can probably be counted on one hand.

So to be clear, my mezzuza blog post was directly addressing issues that arise from the beliefs presented on AskNoah.org in cooperation with the expressed beliefs of Pirchei Shoshanim who work in tandem with Ask Noah. 

The issue is: 'are all Noahides akum?' Ask Noah says yes, all Noahides are akum.

On a side note, the blog post had nothing to do with posting a mezzuza on a Noahide's door post. That was strictly the subject matter of a thread on Ask Noah. My objective was strictly to point out the belief system of Ask Noah involving their theological basis of the concept/term - akum, and the ramifications as such.

To be clear that akum does not simply mean: 'akum is just a censored word. It really means all non-Jews' [as some say]; please note the actual text and context of the Rema [from Ask Noah's source text]: 

*(the subject of the Rema in context is when a Jew sells his house to an absolute non-Jew; an akum)

"The akum [complete non-Jew, diametrically opposed to Noahide, during the sale; not careful with the 7 Laws] that requests that he give him [the] mezzuza, so that he may hang it on the door post, [the law is that] it is forbidden to give it to him."

וְאִם שָׂכַר הַבַּיִת מֵעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים, אוֹ שֶׁשְּׂכָרוֹ לְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים, נוֹטְלָהּ וְיוֹצֵא. הַגָּה: וְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ לוֹ מְזוּזָה, וְרוֹצֶה לְקָבְעָהּ בְּפִתְחוֹ, אָסוּר לִתְּנָהּ לוֹ

*The source of this halacha comes from the Talmud, Bava Metzia 102a and the Talmudic term for non-Jew there is Nochri. Please note, a Nochri is the Biblical version of the Talmudic term akum. This is not a censorship issue in context. 

A righteous observant Noahide by definition is not a Nochri in context. Nochri carries a context as an idolater [at least in shituf], and the observant Noahide seeks to reject [all forms of] idolatry [properly]. The Noahide and the Nochri are diametrically opposed philosophically. They should not be the same person [and won't be when Noahides follow the Torah path]; the pinnacle of this concept is a Ger who formally rejects shituf. 

(see Parahsas Re'eh 14:21 where the Nochri is in direct contrast with the Ger in your Gates. Bedieved [consequently], the Ger in this verse could be a [lesser] Noahide, i.e. lacking proper kabbalah and yet careful in the 7 Laws, but still not considered a Nochri. For example, in regard to giving neveilah to the Ger and selling it to the Nochri, any observant Noahide would receive the neveilah as a gift, whereas a Christian, who is a Nochri must purchase the meat. This law is not contingent on a Jubilee Year, and is applicable even today. 

It is also interesting to point out that a Muslim in this case is considered a Ger Toshav [akum], but not a kosher Noahide, and would be gifted the meat over the purchasing Christian. The Rema's akum would be sold the meat, not gifted, for he is a Nochri, and not a Noahide. According to Ask Noah all Noahides are by default Nochri and would never be allowed to be gifted the meat.

The akum of the Rema is a Nochri, i.e. not careful at all in the 7 Laws, by definition of its context, and therefore not the righteous Noahide.)  

It should be obvious and clear that there are many denominations of Noahism, and none of them yet see eye to eye on all crucial subject matters. Notice the last blog post was directed solely upon Ask Noah and their expressed views of akum. I relied on Pirchei Shoshanim's views on akum as well for consistency, especially since they are an official partnership.

Please take note that the majority [if not all] of my original content that takes aim against neo-noahism is in response to content from Ask Noah and Pirchei Shoshanim, as the majority of Noahides subscribe to and share their teachings on the internet and social media. If I occasionally change gears, I will make that clear in my content.

We can take away from this that there are many different hashkafot within today's Noahide, all of which are man-made. Noahism is a new religion and  there are too many disturbing contradictions within Noahism. The search for authentic Noahism is a worthy cause, and yes it is theoretically found within authentic Torah sources. Its authentic version is not man-made, which means, to date, neo-noahism is not authentic [yet]. My goal is not to perfect Noahism, nor is Ger [Toshav] Noahism.

My insights against neo-noahism are not intended to reveal what Noahism is [or should be], rather to reveal what it is not. In the case of my last blog post, I pointed out two parts: A) There are indeed righteous Noahides B) These righteous Noahides per force cannot be considered akum. There are Noahides who are not righteous, and rightfully are considered akum. This would beg the question of what deems one righteous, and this too, is beyond the scope of what I have written about.

There is also the question of, 'why is Ger [Toshav] relevant for non-Jews [who are not content with being Noahides, for better or for worse] and how does exposing the fallacies of Noahism relate to Ger [Toshav]?'

This is not the most pertinent question and it has folks in a bind. However the answers are: A) By definition, from a Torah point of view, Noahism should be authentic B) From a Torah point of view Ger [Toshav] exists and matters.

Theoretically the two are not exactly related nor synonymous, but they are similar enough that people 'conflate' the two. They shouldn't. Reality dictates itself, and with that said, three initiatives must be met with non-Jews seeking righteousness: A) Refine Ger [Toshav] B) Keep Ger [Toshav] separate from Noahide C) Clarify Noahism where it conflicts with Ger [Toshav].

In my last blog post, neo-noahism conflicts with Ger [Toshav], in that Ask Noah paints its Noahides as Pious Gentiles and as akum. One could argue that Ger [Toshav] is a righteous gentile, and BY DEFINITION A GER TOSHAV IS NOT AN AKUM. In authentic Noahism, a righteous gentile, a Noahide, Pious...is not an akum. A non-righteous gentile is an akum.

Neo-noahism conflates [in terminology] its observant congregants with its non-observant congregants. Torah terminology seeks to do the opposite; its terminology distinguishes between observant, non-observant, etc. A righteous Noahide does not think of one's self as an akum per force [according to its Torah definition]; they are not being taught by Ask Noah this fact, nor its ramifications.

There are many differences between an akum and a Pious Gentile in Jewish Law. Another example is the 'Shabbos Goy'. A Shabbos Goy is an akum. A Pious Gentile may not be a Shabbos Goy, but for that to happen they will have to leave the category of akum, and through the prescription laid out in Torah. This is achieved through taking a proper 'kabbalah' [which contains a proper rejection of shituf]. The lack thereof, even if one does not actively belief in shituf, will keep one confined to that of an akum.

It is not mandatory that a gentile seeking righteousness must A) leave akum B) Not be a Shabbos Goy C) Properly reject shituf. One can be an observant Noahide of Noahism and still be A) akum B) Shabbos Goy C) not having rejected shituf according to the Torah prescription [kabbalah].

Yet one may choose to not be an akum. By definition, there are more than one type of non-Jew. We see this explained by the Ritva to Makkos 9a: 'There are three types of non-Jews - Ger Toshav, Ben Noach, and Goy [akum].

In conclusion I have presented at least four core issues:

1. What Noahism isn't [a conflation of terms]
2. What Noahism is [at least a few points of it; not in its entirety]
3. That there is more to choose from [Ger Toshav; not limited to a conflated version of Noahism]
4. There are more than one type of non-Jew

One can be a Noahide. One can be a Ger [Toshav]. One should at the very least be real, and not a product of conflation. Not all non-Jews are the same, and one has the God-given freedom of free will to choose what is best for them. 

Perhaps there is an even more authentic Noahide program out there, one more intelligent than that of Ask Noah. If so, I applaud them. In the meantime, I urge Noahides that if they seek out Noahism, please make sure it is authentic. And for those who seek Ger [Toshav] intelligently, the Torah applauds you and embraces you. The two are not at odds, rather they should be complimentary toward each other. If they are not, then something is wrong.

Topics like the mezzuza, giving meat, Shabbos Goy, etc. come up often, creating awareness and arousing the same burning question each time: 'how many types of non-Jews are there in Torah [Judaism]'. Here is a hint: it's like, ya'll - 'more than two'.

To those that know, it is called 'you either know the sugia' [sugia: bigger framework to which a topic is indigenous to] or 'you do not know the sugia'. Akum, Noahide, Ger, etc. all belong to the greater sugia of the non-Jew in the Torah. To not acknowledge the entire sugia at any point in the discussion of non-Jews is automatically rendered false and incomplete. 

Ger [Toshav] usually is the answer to the questions concerning the righteous gentile. But I understand that people struggle making the jump. This is why the Lubavitcher Rebbe himself states, that there is a righteous Noahide stage that exists between Ger and akum. See the Ritva and others as well. 

The missing distinctions are the cause of confusion because they are deliberately withheld from Torah discussions of the non-Jew. My advice to ya'll...is to not only learn the sugia, but learn how to apply it as well [Lefi Pshuto - textual truths]. 

'These' are the textual truths [Lefi Pshuto] that people apply to real life as a construct. Real life doesn't work this way, nor is real life a contruct. The Torah itself identifies what a righteous gentile is in reality; He is the Ger in your Gates, and he is not a Nochri.

May Hashem bless us all to have the truth revealed with open eyes and may this continue to happen deep into 5778 and beyond.

  

Modern Noahides [of Noahism] are Aku"m

Some things are outrageous and treif

Modern [invented] Noahism is a contemporary man-made religion. In the post Vendyl Jones - era, Noahides are being rounded up to conform to a secular neo-noahism. The ramifications that manifest from this predicament are too many to mention and list in this [specific] blog post, but I would like to point out what I consider to be a core issue of neo-noahism.

Neo-noahism has created a special distinction for non-Jews by referring to them as akum. The immediate logical question is what does akum mean? It means idolater. But that would imply that all non-Jews are idolaters. Neo-noahism would then respond that akum also is a general term for any non-Jew. So if you are reading this, and you are a non-Jew, or a Noahide, you are an akum [according to neo-noahism]. 

Now that we have exchanged insults, I will add some salt to the wound. Neo-noahism defines its Noahide congregants as Faithful and observant Noahides [B'nei Noach] as opposed to secular and plain descendants from Noach. In other words, in Noahism, there are [only] two kinds of people in this world: Jews and non-Jews. And there are [only] two kinds of non-Jews: observant ones and secular ones. Our job as Jews and their job as 'missionaries' are to make all B'nei Noach 'frum'; supremely religious. This would turn them into superior faithful observant Noahides. It is safe to loosely and philosophically [non-halachically] refer to them as the pious from among the nations. 

At this point I have introduced to you the bulk of their terminologies in reference to non-Jews; remember there is only one category of non-Jew in contrast to the Jew. They are just non-Jews. And they are:

• Noahide
• B'nei Noach
• Pious...
• non-Jews
• Akum
• observant [ones]
• secular [ones]
• ...and there are more that are beyond the scope of this blog post

Try to paint a picture of a classic 'Noahide' within these terms. He is a non-Jew. I suppose he isn't idolatrous, i.e. he is not a practicing Christian. Today there is no longer any Biblical idolatry left in the world. He is somewhat righteous; pious from the nations. He keeps the 7 Laws happily and responsibly. He is frum, observant, and therefore faithful. Until now this sounds really good, and if we are sticking to context, our Noahide stands on good ground. 

Before continuing, I would like to point out that up to now we have not given any source text [Hebrew original] and we have described him purely from opinions and colloquial terms. If it happens to be technically correct in some areas, it is not intentional to the point where we can draw conclusions. And please keep in mind this is all English. Also keep in mind, this is how Noahides today are being taught - in this style and format. They are not presented with anything deeper, more authentic, Hebrew, nor made aware of the bigger picture going on in this discussion [according to Torah].

Do you see a problem with this picture? 

Our good characterized Noahide is clearly being seen in a positive light. But there is an elephant in the room. He is a non-Jew... And therefore he is an akum. No matter how high he climbs, he is still an akum. He is a Shabbos goy, and he is being told he will never not be a Shabbos goy. The most he can hope for is to be a supremely loyal and faithful and observant Shabbos goy. He is an akum. Some would call that [as mentioned above] an idolater. Others would quickly chime in and say akum just means non-Jew. But the conflict is how can a legitimate righteous and pious Noahide be forever confined within the term akum? 

All of the laws [halachot] for akum would then be applied to our Noahide. The Noahide [observant] is then halachically the same as the non-observant [Ben Noach]. Nothing was gained from piousness. Now dig a little bit deeper, if there is a halacha for an akum - idolater, the same halacha applies to the Noahide. Simple logic [along these lines] mandates that I [the Jew] am to consider the akum idolater the exact same as the pious Noahide.

An example of this is in the following question that was asked and posted on asknoah.org:

 "Can Noahides put up a Mezuzah scroll on their doorposts, though they are not commanded to do so? If not, should a Noahide remove them if he already has them?"

...the answer given [as it relates to our akum issue] is:

(the general answer given there was an all around no, and the student reiterated the question, thus the context of the answer presented here)

"No, since this violates all of the general principles above from Rambam. Likewise we have the ruling to this effect, specifically regarding mezuzah, by Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles), the famous Ashkenazi rabbinical authority, in his gloss on the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewsh Law), section Yoreh Deah, vol. 3, chapter 291, law 2."

Let me be clear: Someone asked the official site for Noahism whether or not a Noahide may hang a mezzuza on their doorpost...

(It is made obvious in Noahism, that all discussions of Noahides implies a faithful and observant Noahide. To cut to the chase, that means the Noahide is from the pious among the Nations. This begs the question as to why this Noahide would still be considered akum and would come categorically under the akum in halachic matters.)

...The answer given was no, and quoted the 'Rema' as the official answer. It is true, that every Orthodox Jewish Rabbi holds from the Rema, the Ashkenazi halacha that compliments the Shulchan Aruch. This is universally agreed upon in this context...

...However when one opens the Rema, they may be surprised by what they read, especially given the context of asknoah's framework. If we are dealing with a pious Noahide, one asking if they can hang a mezzuza, and the answer is no, one would suspect the Rema to be addressing a pious observant faithful Noahide. I would also expect the Hebrew to reflect this in its context...

...I would not expect it to say akum, for surely that would imply the idolater context of non-Jew. We must then address what is the subject matter of this Rema?

It is dealing with a non-Jew who bought a house from a Jew, and the law is that the non-Jew isn't allowed to then hang a mezzuza on the doorpost, [almost] exactly as asknoah reported...

...Pay attention that I gave over the context of the Rema, and i described it with the word 'non-Jew'. The only question left is, what was the Hebrew word given in the Rema, that I translated [for expression] as 'non-Jew'? The word in the Rema is 'akum'.

Asknoah then gave the answer [no] to the mezzuza question not through a personal or philosophical opinion, which could be argued either way. The site quoted the Rema, whose context was similar, but not the same as our original question. The conclusion was then taken from the Rema, this akum, and represented as an answer to the Noahide.

The discussion would look like this:

Q: 'Can a [real] Noahide hang a mezzuza?'
A: 'No, an akum cannot hang a mezzuza.'

or, alternatively,

A: 'No, an idolater [idolatrous non-Jew] may not [actually should not, but that is another story altogether] hang up a mezzuza.'

There are at least two problems with this: A) The question and the answer don't match and B) The Noahide is synonymous with an idolatrous non-Jew.

The conclusion from this [and there are many; too many to count] is that Noahides are considered idolatrous [akum] by halacha.

But the Torah is merciful, and allows for a third category, one who proactively rejects idolatrous ways according to the Torah. This is called Ger Toshav. It exists today, and the idolatry that they reject is called shituf; the idolatrous behaviour, thoughts, etc. while today there is no outright idolatry. Many have left their idolatrous ways, but fulfillment comes through a full rejection of all forms of idolatry, even shituf. This takes the Noahide out from being categorically 'akum'.

The ramifications of this are many. If you are a Noahide, mazal tov on leaving behind your idolatrous ways. But finish the job, or be content with staying akum. The choice is yours. Should you wish to continue your path toward returning to Hashem, the Torah exists to advise you, and there are Jews on that path who serve as a Light to Nations. And like Adam in the garden, there are many challenges on the path of the Tree of Life.

Choose Life.

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I Get Shituf

By Shifra Chana Hendrie

All human beings are descended from Noach. Therefore the term Ben Noach is the raw general term used for all human beings. All human beings (other than Jews who are obligated to 613) are obligated to keep the Seven Laws of Noach, which are the Creator's basic fundamental prescription for "an inhabitable, sustainable world" (the Rebbe).

 It is also important to realize that Noach’s world was filled with idolatry and evil, to the point where the Torah says that G-d “regretted” that he had made man. He chose Noach to carry on the human mission through his descendants, because Noach was the only one in his time who was able to form a true relationship with G-d. We are all descended from him. 

 The primary Divine mission of the nations is to create the vessel (an inhabitable world based on fundamental order and morality) and the Divine mission of the Jews is primarily to bring down the higher light and wisdom of G-d /Torah into the world. 

 Not all humans do currently keep the seven, obviously, and if they don't, in a sense they are undermining, rather than fulfilling, this mission. If they do keep them, they are legitimate followers or successors to Noach. Sometimes the term Ben Noach (descendant of Noach) is used not to refer to all humans, but to allude to someone who is doing this mission as a true son of Noach. It is typical in Torah that terms have both general and more specific meanings, and understanding them properly depends upon context. 

 The Rebbe (and also other holy leaders) urged their followers to reach out to the world with these seven laws. The Rebbe even said that if the seven laws had been followed there could not have been a holocaust. In an effort to create awareness of the seven laws of the children of Noach (Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach) various people worked hard to create outreach programs and learning resources for these people. The people who actively engaged, learned, and began to follow the seven mitzvot were at that time named Noachide, or Noahide. That specific term is not used in the Torah, and this is why people are saying it's made up. 

 Taking on the seven mitzvot does move a non-Jew OUT of the idol worshiper (opposing/undermining the Divine mission) category, and INTO a more appropriate and aligned place. But it does not make them part of the Jewish mission, which is to bring G-d's light/Torah into the world. 

 The innovation of Rabbi Katz's work, which as far as I have been able to ascertain until now is completely source-based and Torah-true, is that he has brought into the discussion another category or level on the path toward holiness that moves from idol worshiper to Ben Noach / akum to Torah/Jew. This category is NOT new, it is actually mentioned all over the Torah. And that is the category of Ger. 

 As I said before, there are many terms in Torah which have both a general and specific meaning, and often more than one, and in all of these cases understanding depends upon context. This is known to all who learn Torah, it's not new. It's basic. 

 Somehow, possibly because in the 1900 years of exile it was a danger to life to talk to non-Jews about Torah, Ger has somehow come to be assumed to mean "convert according to Jewish law" in all cases. Without getting into the complex halachic distinctions, which I don't yet fully understand, it is extremely simple even on a basic level of Torah learning to see that that is not always the case. In fact, the term ger can and is used to refer to a convert (who becomes a Jew), to a slave owned by a Jew, to a ger toshav (someone who "dwells with the Jews" to paraphrase) and possibly more, and each of these categories depends upon time, place and situation, with myriad distinctions and implications in Torah law. 

 But the basic point is that there is a category, in ALL times and places and situations, that is k’Ger Toshav, "like a Ger Toshav". To keep it simple, this refers to any descendant of Noach (non-Jew) who wants to move into a close, direct, and committed relationship with Hashem. At this point he is no longer going to take the easy way out by relying upon any other figure to make rules or do the work for him, whether this is a yoshke or astrology or (maybe?) even a rabbi who he appoints to do his learning and thinking for him. Living as a Ger implies commitment, continued growth and self-responsibility in coming closer and closer to Torah and Hashem. 

 Let's be real, of course we all rely upon others at times, and appropriately so. This is one of the distinctions I personally feel has been seriously missing in the Ger discussions. NONE of us is meant to function alone, NONE of us is meant to be so arrogant that we think that we know it all. We each have our piece and there is a structure in Torah that has Divine roots and MUST be observed. Have a question in halacha/law? You don't meditate for the answer. You ask someone who is an expert and has no agenda, i.e. a rav. Don't know how to learn something on your own? Guess what, even rabbis and scholars learn from others much of the time. BITUL - the open-hearted humility and respect that allows a human being with an ego and a limited perspective to open to Divine consciousness - IS REQUIRED, wherever and whoever you are. This is KEY. 

 BUT... that doesn't mean that you're exempt (as a Jew or Ger) from moving up and in, level after level, under your own free will, and with your own mind and heart. We are all meant to grow, in accordance with Hashem's plan and instructions and Torah, beyond any limits imposed by anyone, including ourselves. To find new depths of the Torah and to make them come alive. We each have a portion in Torah that our lives and commitment and consciousness will help us reveal. But it has to be from within the structure of the Torah, which is designed not to be static, but to continuously deepen and expand. 

 This is also not new... it is the entire process of what's been happening since the Torah was given on Sinai, from the chumash, to the mishnah, to the gemara, to Kabbalah and chassidus and everything in between. And everything continues to deepen and grow in accordance with Divine Law... yagdil Torah v'yaadir. 

 A GER in our context (who is only one of the many kinds of gerim) is a non-Jew who, of his /her own free will has come to realize that there is a G-d in the world. A real G-d, the prime cause, the Creator of heaven and earth. He realizes that that G-d has a plan. And the GER wants to be a part of that plan. It's not just that he wants to do the minimum, enough not to be bad or get in trouble. He wants to CONNECT. He wants to GROW. For this reason he is willing to abandon all levels of shituf (ascribing a portion of G-d's power to some other entity or force, and being satisfied with that) and GO DIRECTLY FOR G-D. 

 Because a GER has awakened his inner soul's desire and free will to connect to G-d and G-d's mission, he naturally feels an affinity and love for Torah, for Jews, for Israel. And when this is sincere, it seems that the Torah gives him a place, NOT as a Jew (unless he undergoes full halachic conversion, which makes him a Jew and part of the Jewish people), but as someone who, in a sense, "dwells with the Jews", i.e. is a part of the Jewish mission -- to bring Divine light and Truth into the world. 

 The distinguishing factors between any old Ben Noach (akum, which is an acronym for ovdei kochavim u'mazalot, or someone who serves the stars and constellations, i.e. astrology, i.e. shituf), which IS permissible but NOT desirable because it is not the ultimate TRUTH and does nothing to reveal the TRUTH... and a GER TOSHAV (who "dwells with the Jews and is part of the Jewish mission) are: He connects to the One G-d, and that connection pulls him up in holiness and out of shituf. This is a natural progression and one goes with the other. 

 The connection is out of free will. He's not obligated/commanded, and therefore he has gone beyond the letter of the law. He loves the Jews, the Torah, Israel. He recognizes these as truth. He loves G-d, so what G-d loves, he loves. He is NOT part of the Jewish people. He IS part of the Jewish mission. 

He may not be a Shabbos goy, because he has recognized and committed to the distinctions of holy and mundane. (maybe more reasons too?) He may learn Torah, because he is now, at least in part, on the side of "revealing the Divine light". He may participate out of free will in most mitzvot. He is not commanded except in the seven mitzvot. He may NOT “keep” or observe Shabbat halachot like a Jew, but he may CELEBRATE Shabbat in his own way because he loves holiness and G-d. He is committed to grow in his connection to all of the above. He feels a sense of mission to reveal the truth in the world, if only in his/her private world. 

 These, as I see things so far, are the basics. Pursuing ONENESS with Hashem out of free choice and LOVE, rather than submission to a moral code and who cares. 

 One last point. The Noachide movement is an important step, because it offers non-Jews a kosher relationship with Torah and the world. In olden times this was required of EVERY non-Jew (ben Noach) and when the Jews were in their power in Israel they were obligated to enforce these laws and compel the non-Jews to obey on pain of death. Obviously in our times this doesn't apply. We can't force, even if we would want to. 

So Noachide has evolved as a heartfelt attempt to persuade and educate the non-Jews who are open and searching to leave false religions and keep these laws. It has a very important place in our times. But it is a beginning for many, not an end. The path forward seems to be within the awakening Ger.

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The Non-Jew Created in The Image of God

Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik Z"TL

What is [authentic] Zionism?

The Vilna Gaon - Father of Zionism [Tzion'it Gra'it]

The Vilna Gaon created/fathered Zionism in the 18th Century [1740] calling it 'Tzion'it Gra'it'. If you thought Zionism was created by the seculars and Hertzl - think again, as it all began with the GR"A and his students. Authentic Zionism is not only kosher and created from Daas Torah, but it will be the path of Moshiach ben Yosef 'that lives'. The GR"A [and his students] have given us a heritage of all that happened in the 100 years after the prophetic time of '1740' detailed in the diaries of Midrash Shlomo, the companion work to the celebrated 'Kol HaTor'. 

No longer does Zionism need to be thought of in secular kelim, for the Torah will never be separated from Zion. This is a sample chapter from my new translation of 'Midrash Shlomo' that serves to reintroduce Tzion'it Gra'it to the many who have not yet had the experience to see for themselves what Zionism is and where it comes from and what is to be expected in its fulfilment. We are in the times...and not because I said so, but because the Vilna Gaon tells us it is so, as he kicked things off in 1740 in a way that can't be stopped. 

The task upon Kl'al Yisrael today is to emulate the ways of the Messiah's namesake 'Yosef' which as the GR'A explains is to be successful. Geulah will be paved by a path of success, and as promised, MBY will live, ushering in a complete redemption. On a personal note, let it be stated [and obvious] that pandering to Christians, Muslims, etc. and their affiliates is not in any way considered 'success'. But the righteous non-Jew, who follows the Torah of Moses that calls him a 'Ger in your Gates', is fundamental to the success of Geulah. The poskim call this a 'chiddush gadol' to quote the Lubavitcher Rebbe in specific. The same Lubavitcher Rebbe who speaks about Ger Toshav in 'Likutei Sichos vol. 31 Parashas Mishpatim' and as brought in 'Shaarei Halacha and Minhag'. 

The Torah contains many angles that have not been brought out into English. Now, finally, the vision of the GR"A's Zionism may come to light, and the time couldn't be any more opportune.    

Gra Zionism

Learn well of the Zionism of the GR”A – as it was announced and spread by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi Rivlin of Blessed Memory author of ‘Darshan HaGeulah’ – we are to learn well the history and the ideology of the GR”A and his students, the founders of The Settlement; to learn well the Messianic Torah of The Start based on the views of our rabbi the GR”A, and the self-sacrifice of his students in their efforts of the in-gathering of the exiles and the establishment of The Settlement in our Holy Land.

Learn well all of this for the sake of sanctifying the Name of God, for the sake of strengthening and expanding The Settlement; for the sake of the honor of our Holy Torah, and for the sake of strengthening the Messianic Faith in the heart of every House of Israel. Learn well each great and lofty Parasha of this type, for the sake of bringing close the Complete Redemption.

GR”A Zionism was the foundation of all foundations of every Holy Establishment  and its fulfillment ; its opening and its success from all of these aspects, as was said through the great voice ‘Darshan HaGeulah’ Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi of Blessed Memory.

It is a Commandment upon us proclaim, said our rabbis, of Going out of Egypt. It was already explained by the earlier ones that every ‘going out exile is called a going out of Egypt’ and it is a Commandment from the Torah to remember leaving, as it is written, ‘Remember the days of yore; understand the years of generation after generation’. That is to say that it is comes to know what happened and it is on you to meditate deep meditations on the conditions of the earliest generations, and if you do not meditate on them, then ask your father and he will tell you, or your elder and he will say it over to you.

According to the Midrash: ‘The main thing/principle of the offspring/legacy of the righteous is good deeds. In order to draw down for us their merit and their Shefa from the Upper World for the sake of strengthening their deeds that they performed in the lower world.

To speak of the GR”A and gathering the exiles and on the Messianic Torah of the Start from the view of the GR”A, and so too of the self-sacrifice of his students who established The Settlement, explained for a considerable length of time, also over many days and months so as to not stop comprehension of this great and lofty Parsha.

A comprehensive synopsis in general categories of the offspring of this movement are brought in a special essay under the name ‘Hartzet Chazon Zion’ in this sefer above. However, this synopsis-essay is also long, and that this reading [which is a collection of important Ikkarim…] is an investigation that can take several hours, and since that a large gathering of the masses is not a place for lengthy words, thus in order to give all of this over, the entire concept from this vast parsha of GR”A Zionism, [it] mentions only a gist of the chapter headings of the fundamental points of this complex thing with concise vigor.

This digest is divided here into divisions:

A)  Messianic Meaning

B)  Aliyah Movement

C) Actions of Settlement

A)  Messianic Meaning: The fundamental points of the first portion of ‘Messianic Meaning’ are the following:

1)   Bringing the Redemption close through Gathering the exiles and building Zion and Jerusalem.

2)  Gathering the exiles will bring the time period called ‘Pekida’ with an ‘Awakening from Below’ just like it was with Cyrus and in the days of Second Temple.

3)  Every effort of gathering the exiles and building the Settlement of The Land of Israel will be helped with high and mighty power from Heaven assigned to the First Messiah, Messiah son of Joseph.

4)  Our Rabbi the GR”A himself saw with his Divine Inspiration through ‘Holy Hints’ that he merited this sent lofty mission from Heaven categorically as Messiah son of Joseph. Many of our Rabbi the GR”A’s expert students wrote about the greatness of quality, of that which was his Divine Inspiration, and on his Higher Knowledge with wondrous actions, and on  his knowledge to involve himself with Secret Names [of God]. Through Revelation of Jacob our Father and Elijah the Prophet of which, were revealed to him in days of stress. With all of these revelations that he saw with his Divine Inspiration was all part of his great mission to gather in the exiles.

5)  Our Rabbi the GR”A fastened his way to journey to The Land of Israel twice, and from Heaven he was held back because he was a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu and was not given permission to enter into The Land of Israel. Our Rabbi the GR”A gave over this holy mission to his students that they should fulfill his request and this Commandment with all of their rigor, as it will be brought through the continuation of these words.

6)  Our Rabbi the GR”A in his compilations of The Torah of Kabbalah increased his speaking about the ways of Messianism concerning the Start of Redemption through different hints, and only concerning the Final End did he write that he adjured in the Name of The God of Israel that this should not be revealed.

7)  Our Rabbi the GR”A saw his mission of gathering the exiles through many wondrous hints; the first hint he saw was in the verse ‘A perfect and just weight’ – that in it he saw his name ‘Even Shleimah’ [‘a perfect and just weight’ (hinted at) ‘Elijah son of Shlomo’ the name ‘Elijah’ begins with an ‘alef’ and the words ‘son of’ is ‘ben’ in Hebrew, which is an acronym of ‘Eve”n’, and ‘Shlomo’ – ‘Solomon’ is the same spelling as ‘Shleimah’ – ‘complete’] …and in the second verse it speaks about wiping out Amalek and immediately after this it says ‘And you will come to The Land’. The author of ‘Kol HaTor’ a student of the GR”A, in the 3^rd Chapter counted even more hints of the GR”A in this complex thing and said to the GR”A that there were 52 hints in Tanach, the same number as ‘Elijah’ – that in them he saw his great mission to gather the exiles and the Commandment of Settling The Land of Israel.

8)  Our Rabbi the GR”A led from his name to reveal hints of The Torah concerning The Footsteps of The Messiah; thus our Rabbi the GR”A knew where every Man of Israel’s Name and Mission is hinted at in The Torah, and many from among his students revealed hints like these concerning their missions in gathering the exiles and Settling The Land of Israel.

9)  The author of ‘Kol HaTor’ counted 156 Aspects and nick names of The First Messiah, the Messiah son of Joseph, that on his hand is the gathering of the exiles and the redemption from national subjugation and a victory for Israel in the war of Gog and Magog. And through them there is to learn and to fully comprehend all of the ways of the Start of the Redemption and the ways of the Holy Efforts of Gathering the Exiles and Building The Settlement of The Land of Israel, and the lofty virtues and the expansion of The Settlement until the coming the Redeemer, The Messiah son of David may he come quickly and in our days. Further on it is explained that the first purpose of the GR”A and his students who founded The Settlement through their efforts of Gathering the Exiles – that these were the principle things: To accelerate the ‘Revealed End’ to bring close The End Redemption according to Chazal (Sanhedrin 98a and Megillah 17a), build Jerusalem and the Commandment to expand according to that which is written ‘I will expand the place of your tent’, to setup a central place of Torah in Jerusalem and a place to learn the 7 Wisdoms as Commanded by the GR”A in the name of grasping the Wisdom of Torah and for the sake of Sanctifying The Name of God in the eyes of the nations.

B)  The Aliyah Movement: The arrival of the students of the GR”A to The Land of Israel which first came into action in the year 5569. However the movement to prepare this arrival came out and lasted many years before this. Further in the life of the GR”A in the year 5541 the Gaon sent Rabbi Azriel from Shklov, the Elder of the Gaon Rabbi Yisrael, through the sages of Shklov to The Land of Israel in the name of preparing The Land for an Aliyah of the multitudes, however due to many reasons he was held back from this journey. In the year 5561, three years after the passing of the GR”A, the movement was revitalized with a great awakening to fulfill the Commandment of the GR”A to Settle Zion. In the month of Sivan 5566 a major conference called ‘Yevaneh Dreisen’ was held in the city of Shklov in the name of accomplishing this great purpose. The conference was held in a great hall in the Yeshiva of Shklov. In the conference, the sages of Shklov and the multitudes of other cities in Russia joined; Rabbis – the heads of Kollel’s, and leaders and known noblemen, and an empty chair stood at the front as a remembrance of the GR”A. Invited to the conference were the Gaonim Rabbi Benyamin from Shklov, that through him and the sages, the city of Shklov was built, Rabbi Yehoshua Tzeitlin, and Rabbi Hillel the son of Rabbi Benyamin. The conference lasted many days and held in a grand style, amidst enormous enthusiasm for this lofty purpose. There was a special assembly established by the name ‘Chazon Tzion’ to help the Aliyah and to strengthen The Settlement in The Holy Land. They made strong efforts to prepare for the travel of the first convoys, and on the 24^th of Cheshvan of the year 5569 the first convoy went out from Shklov to The Land of Israel. The journey by sea and land took ten months, ‘three hundred days and storms of trouble’. About two months after the first convoy went out, a second convoy went out. The first convoy reached the city of Tzfat on the 8^th day of Elul of the year 5569, and the second convoy in the month of Tishrei 5570. Fourteen students of the GR”A came in these convoys, along with ten families, the majority of which were from the group of Peirushim [non-Chassidim] along with individuals from the Chassidim; the majority of these Settlers were of middle age, and a portion of them were juniors to the days that they came with their families, women and children. Among these Settlers were prominent wealthy people. Peculiar details through suffering and hardships and through the heroism of the spirit of these first Settlers on their route from Russia to The Land of Israel and in the Establishment of the first Settling in The Land of Israel, as brought in the work ‘Chazon Zion’ through the legacy of the Aliyah of the students of the GR”A.

C)  Settlement Undertaking: By way of the first establishment of Settlement there fell into place opinionated matters among the students of the GR”A; a portion from them and first and foremost the Gaon Rabbi Yisrael from Shklov taught with absolute authority to begin the establishment of the Settlement in the Galilee, and they exerted with much self-sacrifice to open the Settlement in Tzfat and in Tiveria, and a portion of them, headed by the Gaonim Rabbi Hillel from Shklov and Rabbi Sadiah explained with full authority to begin the establishment to Settle in Jerusalem. The position of the Gaon Rabbi Menachem Mendyl from Shklov who was an expounder of Torah in this complex thing.

In the month of Elul in the year 5571 Rabbi Hillel went to Jerusalem and after him, in the month of Cheshvan in the year 5572, they went to Jerusalem and settled in it, also Rabbi Saadiah and Rabbi Menachem Mendyl from Shklov and his son Rabbi Natan Netta and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Shapira and Rabbi Yitzchak Baruch Mekovna and more.

Immediately upon coming to Jerusalem a great stir fell to concentrate on the main things concerning the efforts of Settling in Jerusalem, and began to inspire great propaganda from our brothers that were in the Diaspora – to ascend to Zion and to settle it.

And The Settlement in Jerusalem began to grow in large measures, additional convoys began to come from Russia and this influx continued for many years until it reached the level of a hurried Aliyah.

The first actions of the students of the GR”A were in Jerusalem; established a central institution to strengthen The Settlement and to expand it under the name ‘General Assembly of the Kollel of the Peirushim’ and ‘Aderet Eliyahu’. After many years, from the year 5581 and onward, this institution expanded under the name ‘General Assembly of the Kollel of the Peirushim and Chasidim’.

This institution was the first foundation of the General Assembly of The Gathering of Israel [Rebbe Meir Baal HaNes], that from the beginning of the first foundation in the year 5572 and onward, it was practically the primary and central institution of The Settlement from all aspects. From the start of the foundation, the settlement of the Ashkenazim in Jerusalem came through the students of the GR”A, and afterward a partnership included the Chasidim, and in good measure there was also a partnership with the heads of the Sefardic camp, who had already made vigorous steps and bold plans to strengthen The Settlement and to expand it.

‘The Era of Troubles”

Shocking deeds are told of this era. Thirty years from the year 5570 until the year 5600were known as ‘The era of the students of the GR”A’ and were equally remembered as the ‘Era of Troubles’.

Here in this parsha we will mention in a short synopsis, ‘from among the troublesome period, loomed hardships and horrors:

…epidemics repeatedly occurred from time to time, amidst breaks of several years, such that many sicknesses fell in the heart of civilization without skipping even one home at the heart of the Jewish camp and without being able to escape or flee from them. There were special epidemics of the land, lack of water, and sick places. Arabs approached the Jews in Jerusalem. There were frequent government taxes – constant and sudden, as a sign of their lives by the government officials, which would also burden the heads of the Kollel like a forced pledge.

Persecution, scorn, and beatings of the Jews, particularly the Ashkenazim in the entire Land, in matters taken up by the Arabs, like contact ways and transport. There was plunder in their paths, robbery in their homes; these things happened every day, and so too insults like being under the duress of Sodomite behavior.

And it is known that the custom of the Arabs was sure to trap Jews passing their way and to load something heavy with him, and they would roar after them to their houses to spy to cause baseless misery. All of these horrible things happened to the Jews, through robbery and murder of hundreds of Jews, they raped women on Torah Scrolls in Jerusalem, Hebron, Tzfat, and in Tiveria and this happened many times in ‘The Era of Troubles’.

Added to this, were the troubles that came because of changing the government in The Land; There was a rebellion by the King of Egypt against the Ruler of Turkey in the year 5592, conquering The Land of Israel and Syria through his general ‘Ivrim Pashah’ and the Ruler of Turkey returned in the year 5600, that between conquests the Jews suffered from the retribution of captivity, and the heavy payback came with the blast in the Galilee that brought down thousands of sick Jews and caused additional menacing distress also onto the Jews of Jerusalem.

In spite of all of this, in the midst of this troubling storm, and grave dangers – the heads of the divisions and all of the men of Jerusalem did not stop for even a brief time in their efforts of strengthening the expansion of The Settlement from every aspect.

The heart’s desire and foremost purpose of the students of the GR”A and their Nilviim, who are the Peirushim and the Chasidim according to all that has been journaled – these are the principle things: Gathering the Exiles, Building Jerusalem, and Expanding The Settlement in The Land in general, according to the view of the GR”A, in order to fulfill the Commandment of ‘expansion’ according to the verse, ‘I will expand the place of your tent’ and ‘hasten the revealed end’ which is to say through planting and building according to the view of the Rabbis, in the name of bringing close the redemption.

This is the rule of every effort and plan of the students of the GR”A and of the students of the students and of all of the heads of the division in Jerusalem concerning the labors of The Settlement; they strengthened it and expanded it from all of the aspects spanning 100 years from the day that they established The Ashkenazi Settlement in Jerusalem. They founded and established it only through ‘Starting Messianic Torah’ through the view of our rabbi the GR”A.

On the foundation of this tradition, they relied on and accepted with deep faith by every division and by every resident of The Land of Israel, even the commoners of the nation…in those days…these three principles/things:

A)  Before the coming of the Messiah there will be a ‘Start of the Redemption’ through permission of the governments of the nations, just like it was in the days Cyrus and the Second Temple.

B)  Before the Complete Redemption there needs to be an in-gathering of the exiles with a tally of no less than 600,000 in the Gates of Jerusalem.

C)  Before the Complete Redemption The Land of Israel needs to be built and bearing fruit in all of its expansiveness under the category of the Revealed End that was spoken of through the Rabbis.

This was the aspiration and aim of the GR”A and his students, the founders of The Settlement, and until The Land of Israel will be entirely as a Garden of Eden on Earth according to the verse, ‘For Hashem will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her wasteland like a Garden of Hashem’.

Our Rabbi established on The Torah of Holy Settlement a recuperation of The Land in measure, expanse, and space. The mission of our Rabbi is our mission, on every detail of building and developing. And every holy hint is a light to our path, becoming a lengthy book to our Torah of our Settlement.

In all of these things, they toiled and gave effort with great vigor, not only the leaders, but also the general men, great and small joined in these efforts with great enthusiasm. All of them grabbed a hold of this higher faith with deep faith, Messianic Faith, that with every stride and step they expanded The Settlement and strengthened it, bringing close the redemption according to the view of the GR”A; his Commandment and his Blessing. In spite of these difficult conditions and incidents of this era, it drew out stubbornness even without the Commandment of this holy service.

A journal of these essential efforts ’26 Types of Labor’ of all that was done in that era, drawn out over 100 years from the Start of the establishment of The Settlement through the students of the GR”A from the year 5572 and onward, through the direction of the higher foundation of the Ashkenazi camp in Jerusalem, including the Peirushim and the Chasidim and the General Assembly of Israel – they journaled in the work ‘Mosdei HaYesod’ about the General Assembly. Here we mentioned only the various vital actions of saving The Settlement – its structure and it’s being strengthened, from the start of the foundation of The Settlement of Ashkenazim in Jerusalem.

A)  Forming a Jewish Guard…this is known by the name ‘Hagavradi’ brought together from Ashkenazim and Sefardim. This Hagavradi stood for many years and it continued also during the entire era of the foundation and building of the first neighborhoods outside of the walls of Jerusalem. And the originals already wrote, ‘that were in not for Hagavradi of the Jews the Jews of The Settlement would not have been able to withstand those days for even one day.

B)  For a long time the division leaders in Jerusalem performed great vital labor, that they saved the entire Settlement from devastation and desolation which benefited and rescued also the Arabs in those days. A unique and courageous effort to remove the roots of illness and plague through removing and drying rancid pools of water, that stood since the destruction of the Temple amidst the Old City in Jerusalem and its outskirts.

C)  Innovative foodstuffs came from outside The Land – from Russia and from Amsterdam: flour, potatoes, rice, medicinal herbs, etc.

D) Building houses and building sewage conduits.

Concluding this essay, we will return with what we began with, with enthusiastic and holy words by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi Rivlin of Blessed Memory: ‘Learn well the Zionism of the GR”A, learn well the history and the ideology of the GR”A and his students who were the founders of The Settlement, learn well the Beginnings of Messianism through the view of the GR”A , the self-sacrifice of his students in their efforts of gathering the exiles and establishing The Settlement in our Holy Land, learn well all of this for the sake of Sanctifying God’s Name, for the sake of strengthening and expanding The Settlement, for the sake of glorifying our Holy Torah, for the sake of strengthening Messianic Faith in the heart of all of Israel, learn well this entire great and holy and lofty parsha for the sake of bringing close the complete redemption.

‘If we forget this great and holy history’ cried Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi with a great voice – ‘if we hadn’t maliciously forgot GR”A Zionism, The Land of Israel would have been settled already by our brothers, the Children of Israel through Torah and the Commandments.

It is a holy obligation upon all of us to repair this light that is crooked with all self-sacrifice.                        

Why is Geula Blocked [you ask]?!

Don't forget - you too could be a lost Jew! 

[at least thats what you are being told by counter-missionaries]...

***watch at 5:15 specifically***

Internet spiritual denominations...are like the mystery box; don't get caught up in them.

The answer is simple. Yes there are many strange cases [of lost Jews] in the World, but for most, the spiritual answer for the Biblically perplexed is 'Ger'.

Don't deny the truth; tell the whole truth.

There are Jews and there are Ger. See, it's really simple.

Torah is reality. Don't put your soul into the mystery box.