The hate for the fellow Jew that flows from Mr. B. Michael's pen shocks me. The style in which he writes about sectors of the population is much the same as the writings of some of the more notorious and infamous anti-semites. Just as most anti-semities are driven by Xenophobia - dislike for anything different from themselves, Mr. Michael writings seem to stem from fear of people who think and act different from himself. To remind you Mr. Michael, these people who you write about and attempt write off as a crazy cult, went through a mass traumatic experience that is totaly unprecedented in any democratic society. It is obvious that since these people do not think or act like you, they have no place in your ideal democratic state.

There are two types of punishment: those caused by man and those caused by G-d. The evacuees were discriminated against by those who will now pay the price. The truth is coming out now. Settlers? They are Israeli citizens who kept the front line for everyone else. Now that line is getting closer and closer. You don't want to believe. Just keep watching. This is G-d's land and he calls the shots.

I do not think it is a good thing to revel in the misfortune of anyone, whether it be Ariel Sharon or Meir Kahane. I am not a religious Jew but doesn't the book of Proverbs warn against rejoicing when your enemy falls? "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls; nor let your heart be glad when he stumbles...." I believe what Ariel Sharon did to the residents of Gush Katif was a reprehensible crime. How can I ever forgive him? He became a stooge, a puppet for President George W. Bush whom I believe is an Israel-hater, just like his father and James Baker III. These fine people were expelled from their homes and are still suffering and refugees in their own land. Still I did not revel in Sharon's misfortune whether it was divine or not. Why reduce ourselves to this level, so that in this writer's (B. Michael's) eyes we are little better than "pagans" who rejoice when someone falls?

You quote the verse in Mishle "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles." But there is another verse, "The downfall of the wicked brings glad song." How to reconcile these two verses? The first refers to a personal rival or competitor, someone you have quarrelled with or are competing against. The second verse refers to those who are demonstrably evil. Mishle cautions against rejoicing at the failure of a personal rival, but encourages celebration at the downfall of the wicked. Steve, do you celebrate Purim or do you observe Tisha B'Av twice?

Genesis 12:3"And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him who curses you"... This is a fact. Hashem has spoken it, and that settles it. The reason vegence doesn't happen immediately is because Hashem has mercy. But sooner or later people cross the line of Hashems mercy and they now fall into the results of the justice. Be not deceived, G-D is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that's what he's going to reap.

It puts ALL those foolish Leftists(including the author) in a very bad light. It describes them as bad and mean people, morons, cruel, corrupt, unkind and merciless, etc. etc. etc.

Indeed many settlers and their supporters have rejoiced at "God's punishment" given to Arik Sharon and various other individuals. As the writer points out, these superstitious fools ignore the suffering of thousands of evacuated settlers they're always shouting about. And indeed they ARE pagans. Not because they worship themselves, but because they worship land, elevating it above saving life and everything else.

I see that at Ynet, the rabid, raving loonies are now writing articles instead of talkbalks...

You neglected to mention a few other people who also suffered as a direct result of the "Disengagement": * All the residents of Sderot, Ashkelon, and all of the towns and kibbutzim in missle range of the Gaza Strip. * About a million residents of the North. * All of the soldiers who were crippled and lost their lives in a needless war, paying for Sharon's and Olmert's blindness and stupidity. And their families. * All of the residents of the State of Israel. (If you don't believe that one, just wait another few months.) You can believe whatever the heck you want. Even Pharoah's advisors eventually woke up and smelled the coffee (Exodus 8:15, 10:7).

You said, there is another verse, "The downfall of the wicked brings glad song." Can you please tell me, where this can this be found? Was the author of this verse as wise and great as King Solomon? Why should I believe the author of this saying? Maybe he was mistaken. Wasn't G-d displeased when the Israelites began to dance and sing and celebrate the destruction of Pharaoh and his army? You say: "How to reconcile these two verses? The first refers to a personal rival or competitor, someone you have quarrelled with or are competing against. The second verse refers to those who are demonstrably evil." You wrote: "Mishle cautions against rejoicing at the failure of a personal rival, but encourages celebration at the downfall of the wicked." What is Mishle? Pardon my ignorance. You wrote: "do you celebrate Purim or do you observe Tisha B'Av twice? " I am not that religious. Why do you ask this? Are you saying it is a sin if I did not openly rejoice Ariel Sharon's incapacitating stroke? Even if a prophet were to say it was divine judgment, you think it a mitzva to celebrate, rejoice and break out into glad song over the former prime minister's misfortune? This does not seem like what our prophets would have commanded us, does it? It does not seem like Judaism to me. Are you sure about this?

Prov 10:11 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish there is joy. I will have to give this some thought. Maybe he is saying, this is what happens --- this is what occurs --- because it is human nature to rejoice when the wicked perish. Not that it is the ideal? Because the two contradict one another, otherwise.

Not to the Children of Israel, just look at the Song of the Sea and how we worship Purim. Its a great and joyous day when evil is destroyed and we should all celebrate it. May it be G-d's will we enter the days of Geula!!!

i know what your saying. and thats comming from a persion with a background that is lets say needs the crutch, but your very premmisses is in there scriptures. why ?why ?oh why......... in evolutionary terms .

who rejoices when the when the wicked prevail? its just a sentance . dont put too must trust in anything. unless its somethin.

I do not wish to debate what you and Kyle are talking about, but I do have one small question for you. Where in the 15th chapter of the Book of SH'MOT(EXODUS) does it say that Hashem was displeased with the Israelites when they sang and Moshe's sister picked up a tamboourine and led all the women in a rythmic dance of victory over the destruction of the Egyptians? I just can't seem to find it in any of the 27 verses of that chapter. Perhaps I missed it?

There are many questions that reside in question what part did G-d have and what part did man have. Certainly the Pharoh was able to aflict the Hebrew population, but he paid. The leftist in the Desert also paid for their whining. The question of magic is clear in the Ballam Ballak story so anyone practicing in very real maguc curses, is guilty of a sin and would likley be punished. For their should be no majic in the tents of Jacob. It makes Israel weak. The question of Gaza is clear it is not Israal proper and is spelled out as a territory belonging to another "family" than Israel. (Deverim/Deut) So the leaders then afflict the settles in some worldly politican game. Thus afflicting Jewish people is also deserving of a curse. So sum total, all sides are breaking Torah and all sides get the results of such. To add salt to this sorrow. The writer of this story choose to join the sorrow. He too is guilty. Torah is real and G-d's future for Israel is real. The pashoot answers all these questions. The unseen sins are for G-d. One G-d one love.

HE / SHE is an equal opportunity cosmic provider. It's up to us to see and recognize the opportunities ! We are co-creators with God, of our world and situations.

At least this hateful article was easier to follow in the English version than it was in the Hebrew - small consolation

Throughout history, man has been unable to take responsibility for the evil in the world. Those who have a good knowledge of history understand the irresponsibility man has shown toward his friends, neighbors, and society-at-large. Yet, whatever murders, rapes, and wars have come to pass, man easily escaped the responsibilities of his freedom of choice, escaped the consequences of his behavior by blaming G-d. The Holocaust was blamed on G-d. Man takes no responsibility for his actions. What will have to happen for man to finally awaken and realize the bitter results of his so-called progress as he poisons the atmosphere, fills the world with nuclear weapons in preparation for the final war, and spreads hate and vengeance everywhere. When will man have the courage to take the blame and responsibility for his fate?

The differences between three pivotal terms are key: 1. נפל (naphal; to fall, falling) 2. כשל (kashal; to stumble, stumbling) 3. אבד (avad; to be completely lost, ruined; to die) and avod (complete loss, ruin, death) (Note that everywhere in the Bible, good and wicked are defined by Torah, in terms of doing one's utmost to keep the mitzwot Torah or not.) Mishlei Shlomoh 11.10 reads: In the tov (good) of Tzadiqim (people who are just) a Qriyah (village) shall revel; and in the avod of the resha (wicked) shall [the village] rina (be jubilant); i.e. "In the good of those who are just a village shell revel; and in the complete-loss of the wicked shall it be jubilant." Mishlei 24.17 reads: In the naphal of your [masc. sing.] enemy don't tismakh (samakh; rejoice); and in his kashal don't let your heart yageil (gil; exult); i.e., "In the fall of your enemy don't rejoice; and in his stumbling don't let your heart exult." Note that the first two (naphal and kashal) more often refer to a temporary setback while the third (avad) is permanent -- suggesting that it is premature -- and, therefore, unwise -- to samakh or gil over a temporary setback to one's enemy. He may recover to take vengeance; or dance over your demise tomorrow. A further difference is that 24.17 speaks of "your (masc. sing.) enemy"; a personal enemy while 11.10 contrasts tov (good) against resha (wicked) as defined by doing one's utmost -- or not -- to keep Torah. Too, all of the terms that refer to degrees of gladness or celebration in these passages differ from each other (revel, jubilant, rejoice and exult are all different terms in Hebrew). These two passages describe different things in different terms without contradicting each other. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

Yes , god protect his people , you wrote . A question : where was this "protection" during the Shoa ?

Instead of asking that question, "Where was he?" Ask, where are you now and how are you trying to prevent another Holocaust? And, another question: Where was your family, where was American Jewry, why didnt Israel in the 40s open its borders, why werent world Jewry united? WHERE ARE WE NOW! Our brothers in Sderot are being hammered with missles, WHERE ARE YOU!?!??!?!

I hate to answer to cowards who are ashamed to give their name and their living place . In your case you are certainly right , you have to be ashamed whit your writing . Many of my family members , those who god as one wrote , protects , were murdered . Don't answer with questions [ it's a Jewish way ] I don't accuse American Jewry , nor the then Palestinian Jews . I only asked David where this "protection" was . You said that god helps those who help themselve , why do we need him ? Why did David write that god protects his people , if "his" people has to protect himself as you say . Now , a stupid question from you , i'm living in Petach tikva .

Guys like B Michael make you feel so good to be Jewish. I dont think there were even 2 people that agreed to him in the tb's. Rather we had a bunch of warm sensitive people who even came to a wonderful debate on how to understand different verses in the Torah. Hashem is definitely proud of us because of so many of you.

I remember reading up from my Yeshiva years when learning Tractate Megilla that Haman asked Mordechai how can you be happy at your enemies downfall. Mordechai answered that the verse only applies to Jews and Gentiles that are not our enemy. But to our enemies you should be happy. As to the destruction of the Egyptians, the angels wanted to sing as the Jews were. G-d answered my creations are drowning in sea and you want to sing? Meaning only angels may not sing but Jews are definitely allowed to sing and should do so.

if a person sits in the middle of a motorway and gets killed can he blame g-d gives him the free will to kill himselfthe withdrawl from gaza and the peace process are analagous to sitting on a mortorway in fact the disastourous consequences from the peace process and the gaza withdrawal is g-ds way of telling us that these policies are moronic history shows that when israel follows its security needs and ignores the rest of the world it is successful e.g six day war entebbe and osirak and when it listens to the rest of the world e.g peace process and wirthdrawl from sinai [the arms in gaza are smuggled through sinai with the agreement of egypt and 1973 and gaza withdrawl very negative consequences occur this proves to me that g-d is against the peace process and for the elimination of all threats to israel and g-d will bless these efforts that they should be quick and painless victories the reason why the ground campain in lebanon was a failure was the fact that g-d did not want the occupation of lebanon only its obliteration and that is why the aerial bombing campaign was a success

Thank you for clearing that up for me my friend.....Shalom, Shalom

I'll gladly set mine to it, because the questions its author asks is one that I have asked many times before. And in order to save you the trouble of calling me a traitor and deserter again and asking me what I'm doing for Israel I will tell you right now that I am living in exile because the only thing I could do for Israel were I living there today would be to die for it in the same way the soldiers who died in last summer's war did, achieving nothing. But I would still like you to answer #54's questions. P.S. The second question should be rephrased to ask "why didn't we see it coming and get the heck out of Europe and why don't we see it coming now P.P.S. I never took you for a dimwit who takes everything literally. When the poster asks "where are you?" he doesn't whant to know your geographic location, he wants to know why you and other members of the Israeli electorate don't show up enmasse in front of news-camera's demanding that your government do its duty and defend its citizens.