BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

Maggid Maggid - Retelling the Passover Story Raise the tray with the matzot and say: This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat; whoever is in need, let him come and conduct the Seder of Passover. This year [we are] here; next year in the land of Israel. This year [we are] slaves; next year [we will be] free people. The tray with the matzot is moved aside, and the second cup is POURED.(Do not drink it yet). Now the child asks "Mah Nishtana?" What makes this night different from all [other] nights? On all nights we need not dip even once, on this night we do so twice! On all nights we eat chametz or matzah, and on this night only matzah. On all nights we eat any kind of vegetables, and on this night maror! On all nights we eat sitting upright or reclining, and on this night we all recline! The tray is restored to its place with the matzah partly uncovered. Now we say "We were slave...

by Khaled Abu Toameh Hamas and Fatah officials traded accusations over the weekend, holding each other responsible for the collapse of the reconciliation talks that were aimed at forming a new Palestinian unity government. The negotiations, which were held in Cairo under the auspices of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, were called off on Thursday after the two sides failed to solve most of their differences. BLAME is the concept. Notice I didn't say "responsibility." Think for a few seconds about the two words. Perhaps use them in a sentence. Blame is an affect laden word. Responsibility, on the other hand, does not tend to have the same level of affective (emotional) weighting. Usually, when we think of somebody as being to blame for an event we are judging both their behavior and that person. Hamas and Fatah spokesman said the talks might restart at the end of April. However, Fatah officials in Ramallah told The Jerusalem Post that, given the wide gap between ...

by Reuven Hammer "This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you" (Exodus 12:2). One might have thought that Nisan, the month of springtime, was designated the "first of the months for you" because it is the time of the renewal and rebirth of nature, but that is not the case. Nisan is the first because it is the beginning of the renewal and rebirth of the people Israel, the time when Israel gained its freedom and emerged from Egyptian slavery. "Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how the Lord freed you from it with a mighty hand... You go free on this day, in the month of Abib" (Ex. 13:3-4). It is part of the revolutionary nature of the religion of Israel that it downplayed the cult of nature, which was so important in many pagan religions. It did so mainly in order to stress the idea that nature is subservient to God, the creation of God, and is not...

That crazy Olmert - he's just GIVING IT ALL AWAY. That's right. Jews just finished with Passover, the celebration of the release from the enslavement of the powers-that-be of Egypt. And the start of their journey towards the land of Israel which Hashem himself promised to the Jewish People. And now one political hack with a bad comb-over is going to just give it away for the PEACE which has been promised to Israel by people who NEVER KEEP THEIR PROMISES. What ever happened to "the best predictor of future behavior is past actions?" Stop the Insanity! Olmert tells Assad Israel will cede entire Golan for peace By Yoav Stern Syrian news agency "Sham-Press" reported Wednesday morning that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has relayed a message to Syrian President Bashar Assad affirming that he agrees to a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for peace with his nation. According to the report, the message was passed on by Turkish Prime Minister Re...

Police are looking for Yaser Said, and below is a video of pictures of the possible different looks that he may be using: In January, 2008 - Yaser Said performed an honor killing of his two daugthers, Amina and Sarah Said (may they rest in peace). The Lewisville cab driver had been suspected of abuse in the past, according to the Dallas News . He was accused of sexual abuse when they were children, and it was recanted later by them. Many feel out of intimidation by Said, the animal. During the funeral vigil, the girls’ brother took the microphone, saying his father did not kill his sisters. “They pulled the trigger, not my dad,” he said. What do you know? Misogyny and violence against women is being passed on to the young men - in this case, the girls' OWN BROTHER. Atlas Shrugs has her usual kick-a** take on it as well as some great graphics and links: This man brought his barbaric islamic practice from Egypt, tortured these girls for years. Beat them, raped them, kicked the...

by Anna Valerious I was re-reading the account of Joseph's life in Genesis several nights ago. I saw something there I had never taken note of before. I'll try, as best I can, to distill it down to the part you might find helpful. The story of Joseph is a long one. It starts in Gen. 37. It jumps over chapter 38 and continues on from chapter 39 through 49. I'll do a quick review of the first part of his life and then concentrate on what happened in chapters 42-45. As far as I'm aware, there are only two men (other than Christ, of course) in the Bible that do not have sins recorded against them in the record. Joseph and Daniel. The Scriptures don't call these men sinless, but no specific mention of a personal sin is recorded against them. The greatest patriarchs for Jews and Christians, Abraham and Moses, both had some significant personal failings. The Scriptures never shy away from presenting even the most noble of its characters as they were... real men with real s...