32/33 Behar-Bechukotai: Day 2 (Monday) | Jewish Connection to the Land of Israel

17 Iyar 5786 AM | 1 AVE.

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us by Your Spirit and invited the nations to share in the richness of Your Word. We thank You for the people and state of Israel, including the Messiah, our First Fruits, through whom the harvest of life has begun.

Today is the thirtieth day of the Omer according to the minority Sadducean and Essene counts, which is 4 weeks and 2 days.

May the Spirit of Truth prepare my heart for the revelation of the 50th day.

6:14 AM EDT. 

Jonathan Writes:

The reading is Leviticus 25:19-25:28.

This is the link to the Daily Chumash with Rashi at Chabad.

The Daily Wisdom from the Lubavitcher Rebbe is titled "We are G-d's Partners." 

I am also following this section of Behar in Torah as a Guide to Enlightenment by Rabbi Gabriel Cousens and scanning the headlines at JNS, TOI, Haaretz, and JTA.

I am reminding myself that I don't need to have something brilliant to say every day. It is enough that I show up to pray, read and listen. Maybe the Holy Spirit will only move me to offer something up on one or two days a week - if I am listening deeply and not forcing it.

Last night during and after dinner I watched 112: Why the World Is Obsessed with Zionism, with Alana Newhouse. 

Now to finish up this morning's session I will watch 'One big failure': An IDF official on the Iran war -- so far.  

The 60-day timer under the War Powers Resolution is officially up. The White House is in legal, diplomatic, and military hot water with its operations in Iran. Operation Epic Fury is now arguably "Triply Illegal." Some of President Trump's threats to the Iranian regime sound like war crimes. But did exactly those threats help bring about a ceasefire? Will it matter to future legal historians? Israelis and Jews must be extremely careful to avoid complicity in a major assault on the US Constitution and international law by the White House in the conduct of Operation Epic Fury. It will be devastating for Israel and world Jewry if Trump is impeached in the US for "selling the US Constitution out to the Zionists," whether or not Israel is later found responsible for genocide by the ICJ. Netanyahu, Bennett, Lapid and Eisenkot should all position appropriately. Whether he pivots or doubles down, Trump will handle the communications dilemma masterfully, to be sure, but there will be huge pressure on Vance to keep the White House in line with the base if the President continues the war.

Shalom.

End 7:51 AM.