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FINDING YOUR BROTHERS

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  FINDING YOUR BROTHERS "And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dotan." (Genesis 37:17) This is a personal story about a 10-K race.  Ostensibly an ordinary race that began in Judea-Samaria, in a village called Dotan but turned out to be a memoir of self determination and more importantly, a discovery of brotherhood.   A brotherhood built out of respect and love, where brothers and the Givati Brigade always watch each other’s backs. The other day, I was in Khadera, waiting for a bus to take me to an ordinary race in a place called Mevo Dotan.  Also waiting, sitting next to me were three soldiers.  They were young, but had a tough look and they all sported a battle ribbon on their chests.  I saw from their shoulder patch that they belonged to the Givati Brigade, an elite battle-hardened infantry unit.  Maybe this race was not going to be so ordinary. I had signed up for a 10-kilometer race, about 6  ...
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THE REEMERGENCE OF ESAU

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  THE REEMERGENCE OF ESAU OVERCOMING FATE AND TAKING HOLD OF DESTINY THE LEGACY OF ESAU This essay is a character study of Esau, the son of Rebeca and Isaac, the brother of Jacob. As presented in the Chumash and supported by historical fact, the essay is the historical actuality of Esau. It is not based on Midrash or a reading in to the Torah verses. Esau is trapped by fate, at least initially when his Mother is told at Genesis 25:23 by Hashem: And Hashem said to her: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your innards; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. Not aware of the prophecy, Esau is the first to emerge despite his twin brother Jacob’s efforts to hold him back by grasping Esau’s heel. 25:25-26 - And the first emerged ruddy and hairy like a cloak; and everyone called him Esau. And after that his brother emerged, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel; and his name wa...
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THE RELIGION OF SCIENCE

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    THE RELIGION OF SCIENCE Among other things Parshat Bereishis concerns the origin of the universe.    For many of us this brings about a disturbing conflict between science and religion.    For my part I would caution you not to worship science as if it were a religion unto itself.    In doing so, at best you will be engaging in a form of polytheism  resembling  a form of idol worship that our Prophets railed against. Although in a certain sense, science may be viewed as a religion: 1. Science has its venerated saints, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking for example.   2. Science holds certain truths as being sacred:    All life on Earth shares a common ancestor known as the last universal common ancestor. 3. Science has developed what amounts to a sacred narrative: it may be called “The Evolutionary History of Life on Earth”.    This “writing” or writings, is said to be true by its followers. 4. Science’s sacr...
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                                  THE "TRUE" STORY OF NOAH AND THE ARK By  MICHAEL JARON PROLOGUE    In the Chumash we read the Torah portion called “Noah”.  I have a granddaughter called Samuela or Sam for short.  She claims to know all about Noah; in fact she says that she knows the “true story” about Noah and how and who helped him build his Ark.  I’ll pass her story on to you, and then you can decide for yourselves:  Hi.  My name is Samuela.  People call me Sam. I’m just an ordinary eleven year old girl, and I live in Paris, France.  Here is my picture: Hi.  My name is Samuela.  I’m just an ordinary eleven year old girl, and I live in Paris, France.  Here is my picture.   My grandfather, Zayde, lives in Nahariya, Israel.  He is always telling me stories and incredible tales.  Sometimes I do not kn...
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