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The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

New From Rav Asher Weiss Rav Asher Weiss, shlita, has quickly become known as one of the leaders of our generation. His mastery of halachah, his open heart and door to every Jew who needs him, and his leadership during a very difficult time have set him apart as one of the gedolim of our generation.

In this series on the mo’adim, we discover not only Rav Asher Weiss’ scholarship but also his heart; included here are some of the wonderful drashos that Rav Weiss has taught about the Yamim Tovim of Pesach through Shavuos.

VISIT US ONLINE AT MOSAICAPRESS.COM Mosaica Press books are available for purchase online or at your local Jewish bookshop.

The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Dear Readers, 3,333 years ago the Yidden in Mitzraim were instructed by Moshe to take a sheep, the idol of the Egyptians, and tie it to their beds. They were to explain to anyone asking that in a few days they would be shechting the animal as commanded by Hashem. Talk about a test of faith! When the first-born Egyptians asked why the Yidden had sheep and were told that Hashem was going to kill all first-born Egyptians, they started a civil war in which many Jew haters on both sides were killed. The Yidden didn’t have to lift a finger or be involved at all. The Mitzri’im did the job for them. When we do what’s needed from us Hashem takes care of the rest. Fast forward. The Yidden are being chased by the Egyptians with nowhere to go. Everyone panics. Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu “talk to the people of Israel and they shall travel.” The different response to the threat posed

by Amalek and that of the Egyptians is interesting. Amalek needed to be wiped out. The Egyptians were to be ignored. We had to do the fighting against the Egyptians, Hashem waged war against Amalek. The key difference is the position of the challenger. The Egytians were behind us so we were told to forge ahead. Amalek was in front of us so we needed to wage war. Not every battle is meant to be fought. The litmus test is simple; is it in the way of our mission? Then take it head on. If it isn’t then we need to focus all our energy in learning Torah and keeping the Mitzvos. May we experience true freedom with the coming of Moshiach now. Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos Hagadol and a Kasher un Freilichen Pesach,

Shalom

T H E P R E M I E R J E W I S H N E W S PA P E R H I G H L I G H T I N G L A’ S O R T H O D OX C O M M U N I T Y The Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly newspaper. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly. FOR HOME DELIVERY, OR TO HAVE THE LATEST ISSUE EMAILED TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE, SEND A MESSAGE TO EDITOR@JEWISHHOMELA.COM

The WeekCorner In News Sarah's

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

What the Orthodox Girl Taught Me Sarah Pachter

D.V. was the first “cool” religious girl I met. I was 18 years old and had just arrived in seminary. She was just a year older and strictly Orthodox. She had a double-name (Devorah-Shainale), and her sister’s nickname was Yumshki—no joke! But she was pretty, well dressed, and fun loving. Until then, the only people I associated with covering their elbows and knees were women who lived in Meah Shaarim, the ultra-Orthodox section of Jerusalem. I also knew a few rabbis’ kids who dressed modestly, but I felt they were nerdy. D.V. made Judaism more accessible to me by bringing Orthodoxy in from the outfield, closer to home plate. I realized that maybe I too could be more religious, and still be myself. Something she once casually mentioned brought prayer to a whole new level for me. After studying together one evening, she said, “I’m going to daven that Hashem helps me get an ‘A’ on the test tomorrow.” “You’re going to do what?” I asked her. It had never occurred to me to pray for such a thing. She replied, “Of course I’m going to daven for my test to go well. We can ask Hashem for anything, big or small.” Today, when speaking to groups about prayer, a question that often comes up is, “Are we allowed to pray for small things, or should prayer be reserved only for the big ticket items?” Not only is it okay to pray for small requests, but this is actually how Hashem designed this world to run. Rabbi Elimelech Biderman shares,

A little boy was unhappy with the architects who designed his home

because everything was so high up. He lived on the fourth floor, so he needed to go up flights of stairs to get there, and each step felt like a hill to him. He had to climb up all these hills, every day. Once upstairs, if he wanted to turn the light on, he had to climb up on a chair. Why did they build everything so big, he wondered. To simply wash his hands or get a drink, he needed a stool. He was so frustrated. Eventually, the boy realized that the home was not really built for him, but for adults. It was designed in a way that if a child needed something, he must ask a parent for help. If he tried to do something difficult alone, he might fall down and get hurt. This is how tefila works. Hashem created the world in such a way that if you need something, you must ask Him for it. And if you try to do it alone, you might fail and end up hurt. We were designed to lean on Hashem for our needs, and must recognize this essential partnership. Formal prayer is important and has its place, but sometimes I find myself racing through the prayer book and reciting words by rote. Meaningful prayer emerged when I started praying for the small stuff—like D.V. suggested. When I brought Hashem into my daily life,

I began to feel more connected. Hashem is waiting to give us what we need and deeply desire. We just have to open our mouths and ask. Praying can be as simple as saying: Hashem, please help me find a parking spot. Hashem, help me get to my appointment on time. Hashem, help me get everything done calmly before Shabbos. Hashem, help me speak patiently with my children when they arrive home from school. The Sefer Hachinuch writes that Hashem wants to shower goodness upon us, and the means with which we can receive all goodness is through prayer.1 When Hashem first came to Moshe and asked him to lead the Jews out of Egypt, Moshe declined the task because of his speech impediment. Hashem encouraged him to approach Pharaoh with his brother, Aaron, serving as his spokesman.2 The Ramban asks why Hashem did not simply cure Moshe’s impediment instead? The answer is simply that Moshe did not ask 1 2

Sefer Hachinuch, Pg. 431 Parshat Shemot, 6:12

for that. Hashem was ready to cure him, but withheld because Moshe did not request His help. Asking Hashem for what we need and want is the necessary step to bring down bracha from above.3 Nonetheless, Hashem does not always answer our requests in the affirmative. Just like a parent blocks a child from reaching detrimental household items, so too Hashem sometimes says no. G-d knows what’s best for us, even if His answer seems cruel or uncaring from our limited perspective. Sometimes, the things we need are out of reach, and other times, the things we don’t need are too close to easily ignore. We need Hashem’s guidance to keep us on track, via an honest dialogue attained through prayer. Tefila requires humbling ourselves before G-d. We are children who need His help, not only to reach for the simplest things, but also to decipher what serves us best. Prayer is about figuring out our desires, asking for them, and accepting the answer that follows—even if it isn’t what we wanted. We can and should ask Hashem for anything. When we do, prayer becomes a tool to connect and communicate with Hashem in a deeper way. 3

Living Emunah, Ashear, David, pg. 127

The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Living with the The Week In Times News

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

From Maror to Matzah

Publisher of the Yated Ne’eman

Many reasons are given to explain the custom of children stealing the Afikoman from the head of the Seder and hiding it from him. One year, when the Chasam Sofer’s son Shimon was seven years old, he asked his father to explain the custom. To Shimon’s great surprise, his father ignored his question and continued with the Seder as if the question had not been asked. The boy understood not to ask again and moved on. When the Seder ended at 4 a.m., the Chasam Sofer turned to his son. “You asked me a very good question,” he said. “At the Seder we do many things to remind us of what took place in Mitzrayim. The Torah recounts that on the evening of the first Pesach, as the Jews were removing belongings from the homes of the Mitzriyim, their dogs should have barked at the thievery that was going on in front of their eyes. But Hakadosh Boruch Hu made a miracle and not one dog barked. The custom to steal the Afikoman was instituted to remember that miracle which took place many years ago on this night, which Hashem conducted to allow the Jews to retrieve things from the Mitzri homes.” The boy accepted the explanation, but asked his father a question. “I asked my question many hours ago, during yachatz. When did you think of the answer?” “As you were asking,” the father answered. “So then, dear father, why did you wait until the end of the Seder to tell me the answer?” The Chasam Sofer answered, telling the boy who was to grow up to be the famed rov of Krakow that the night of Pesach is all about emunah. The explanation of emunah is to do what we have to whether or not we understand why we are to do

that action. We do it because Hashem - and in this case our chachomim - told us to do it. “Sometimes,” said the Chasam Sofer, “a person will say, ‘I don’t understand it, so I won’t do it.’ That is why I did not answer you. I wanted you to take the Afikoman even though you did not understand why you were taking it. Now you have seen that it is possible to do an action that you do not understand, and you have experienced another part of emunah that is fundamental to our existence as the Jewish people.” The Gemara in Pesochim (120a) quotes Rava, who rules that the obligation

and there is a mitzvah to eat Pesach, and maror is tangential to the Pesach and there is no mitzvah to eat it. The Ramban (Shemos 12:8) writes similarly that the mitzvah was to eat the meat of the korban and matzah, and there was no mitzvah to eat maror. We see that maror never played a leading role in the Seder, and even today, in our golus status, when we are obligated to eat a kezayis of the bitter vegetable, it is a requirement imposed on us by the rabbonon. Why is that? Doesn’t the Seder commemorate our painful existence in Mitz-

They knew that the Jewish people would endure. to eat matzah the first evening of Pesach is a de’Oraisa, a Biblical obligation. The obligation to eat maror in our day is derabonon, rabbinic. This is because there is a posuk – “ba’erev tochlu matzos” – which obligates the eating of matzah on the first evening of Pesach, but there is no posuk that obligates the separate eating of maror. The reason we ate maror at Pesach Mitzrayim and in the time of the Bais Hamikdosh is because the posuk states, “Al matzos umerorim yochluhu,” that the Korban Pesach must be eaten together with matzah and maror. But there was no specific obligation to eat maror. The Rambam writes in Sefer Hamitzvos (56) that there is a mitzvah to eat matzah

rayim, as well as the miraculous redemption? Why do we minimize the aspect of the Seder that elicits the biggest purely physical emotion and play up the matzah, which, the posuk says, reminds us “ki bechipazon yotzosem miMitzrayim,” that Hashem removed us from the bitter life so quickly that the dough for the bread they were planning to bake for the trip was not able to rise? Today, before we depart for a trip, we go shopping and buy everything we think we will need to keep us fed and nourished and keep the children occupied. Everything is much simpler these days. Then, if you wanted to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a trip, you had to procure wheat, grind it into flour, add the other in-

gredients, wait for it to rise, and bake it. As for the peanut butter and jelly, that was a whole different story, besides that peanuts weren’t around yet. And even at the first Seder, which took place in Mitzrayim before the Jews left in haste and their bread didn’t rise, there was matzah because the korban and the matzah were the foundation upon which the seder was formed. Even back then, when the bitterness and pain were freshly seared in their memories, the maror was but a sideshow. Maror, which symbolizes the bad times and the periods of suffering, doesn’t play a major role in the Seder, because we are to view those times as temporary and fleeting. We begin the Haggadah by proclaiming, “Ha lachma anya,” on the matzah, which is referred to as “lechem oni,” because we recite the Haggadah over the matzah. This is because our permanent situation is to be geulim. Rabbeinu Mano’ach (on the Rambam, Hilchos Chometz Umatzah 7:6) says that this is the reason why, after we recite and hold aloft the Pesach, matzah and maror, we proclaim, “Bechol dor vador, in every generation, a person has to view himself as if he has left Mitzrayim.” This is so that if a person will feel down when something unfortunate happens to him, he will trust that Hashem will help him in his time of need. And just as the tzaros of suffering in Mitzrayim were so intense that Hashem redeemed the Jews earlier than had been planned. Similarly, all the anguish we experience in our golus will serve as a justification for Hashem to quickly bring about the final redemption. The maror gave birth to the matzah. Just the same, if a person endures suffering in their personal life, the lesson of Mitzrayim should bring them strength and emunah that the pain will soon end and they will go on to lead a happy and successful life. The maror will bring on the matzah. Hashem did not bring us to this world to suffer. Rather, He created us to be kind to us and to allow us to enjoy the blessings of His beautiful world. We are reminded of this every time we perform a mitzvah, and also when we recite in Kiddush, “Zeicher l’Yetzias Mitzrayim.” Just as Hashem

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MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

saved us from the evil Mitzriyim, so will He save us from those who torment us and cause us pain. Thus, we also recite, “Vehi she’omdah la’avoseinu velonu.” It wasn’t only the Mitzriyim who sought our destruction, but for all time, in all ages, centuries and continents, the nations of the world plotted against us and sought to destroy us, and every time, we ultimately prevailed. We survive against all odds because Hashem assists us. The people in Mitzrayim were so beaten, they weren’t able to accept Moshe Rabbeinu’s promise of salvation. Imagine being alive at that time, or at the time of the harugei Beitar, or during the Crusades, or when Polish or Lithuanian peasants came crashing through your town, killing every Jew they could. Imagine being in Chevron in 1929, or in Itamar only ten years ago. Or more recently, in Yerushalayim at a bus stop, or in a kosher supermarket in Paris, when a crazed Arab with a knife came looking for Jews to kill. Imagine the feelings of anguish and agony. Their whole world darkened and closed in on those Jews. While they were beaten physically, instead of being defeated, they remembered the message of the matzah and carried on with their mission to live Jewish lives. It wasn’t easy. With proper faith, they persevered, and that is why we are here today, celebrating Pesach. We can’t even imagine what it was like to be in a concentration camp, or on a labor march, fingered for death by the evil Nazis and their killing machines. Just the thought of it can cause a person to collapse. Yet, because people who lived through that inferno retained their faith, upon their exit they were determined to rebuild what had been destroyed and give birth to a new generation that would replace the one that had been wiped out. They pushed aside the maror and embraced the matzah. And that is why we are here, flourishing as never before. For all we know, it was in the merit of the extreme suffering of the Holocaust generation that our people have reached unprecedented heights, in the amount of Torah studied, and in wealth. The maror gave birth to the matzah. Similarly, Rabbeinu Yonah writes in Shaarei Teshuvah (2:5), “Ki yihiyeh hachoshech sibas ha’orah – Darkness is the cause of light.” The following story took place on Erev Pesach in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The Bluzhever Rebbe, Rav Yisroel Spira, asked for and received permission to

bake matzos in the camp. After returning to the camp from their body-breaking labor the night before Pesach, the rebbe, along with a small group, assembled an “oven” and ground wheat kernels into flour. They mixed the flour with water and quickly kneaded the mixture, rolling out matzos to bake in their small oven. Flames danced atop the branches fueling the oven and the holy work of baking matzos for Pesach in Bergen-Belsen was underway. Suddenly, the commandant burst into the room, shouting wildly and swinging at everyone. His eyes fixed on those of the rebbe, whom he beat within a hairsbreadth of life. The next night, the people sat down to a “Seder” in the rebbe’s barracks. They had everything – well, almost everything. The rebbe knew the Haggadah by heart, and he was going to lead the Seder. For wine, they were going to drink the slop the Nazis called coffee. There was no shortage of maror, with bitterness everywhere. The rebbe let it be known that he was able to retrieve a very small piece of matzah from their failed attempt. When it came time at the Seder to eat matzah, everyone assumed that the rebbe would be the one to perform the mitzvah and eat the small piece he had rescued. After proclaiming “motzie matzah,” the rebbe looked around, as he tried to decide who was the most appropriate person to partake of the matzah. A widow stood up and said, “Since upon this night we engage in transmitting our traditions from one generation to the next, I propose that my young son be the one to eat the matzah.” The rebbe agreed. “This night,” he said, “is all about teaching the future generations about Yetzias Mitzrayim. We will give the child the matzah.” When freedom came to the camp, the widow approached the rebbe. She needed help. Someone had proposed a shidduch for her, but she had no way to find out about the man. Maybe, she said, the rebbe could help her. “Can you find out who he is? Can you see if he is appropriate for me and if I am appropriate for him?” “What is his name?” asked the rebbe. The woman responded, “Yisroel Spira.” The rebbe said to her, “Yes, I know him well. It is a good idea that you should get to know him.” She returned to the shadchan and gave her approval to set up the match. When the woman showed up at the right address,

standing before her was none other than Rav Yisroel Spira, the man she knew as the Bluzhever Rebbe! A short time later, they married, and the little boy who ate matzah in Bergen-Belsen became the rebbe’s son and eventual successor. Which spiritual attributes did the rebbe see in that woman that led him to marry her? When asked, the rebbe answered that in the cauldron of Bergen-Belsen, where the horizon was measured in minutes and the future was a day at a time, a woman who believed in the nitzchiyus of Am Yisroel, that our people is eternal, and who worried for the future generation, was someone with whom it was worthy to perpetuate the golden chain. It is thanks to people such as the rebbe and the widow and those with them at the Seder that night that we have survived as a people. They never forgot that the ma-

ror they were experiencing was temporary. They knew that as strong as they appeared to be, the Nazis would crumble and the Jewish people would endure. No amount of pain and torture could remove the taste of matzah and freedom from their souls and mouths. Their maror gave birth to their matzah. Their darkness led to great light. Thankfully, our situation is not nearly as dire as theirs was. Historically speaking, our golus is one of the better ones. But we all have holes in our souls and tears in our hearts. We are all lacking and missing and don’t have all we need or want. Everyone has their own pekel of maror and darkness. We pray that very soon, our maror will lead to matzah and the darkness will lead to the great light that will shine when Hashem finally sends us Moshiach to bring about the final redemption. Amein.

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The Week In News

Wo Spr i RS men’ ng O VP s 4 pe yu /11 n H .ed • M o u u/ op en’s se en ho 4/18 us e

The Week In News

State of Happiness For the fourth year in a row, the World Happiness Report has ranked Finland as the happiest country on Earth, with Denmark and Switzerland trailing right behind it. Iceland came in fourth on the happiness index, while the Netherlands came in fifth.

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Israel ranked twelfth on the list, with the U.S. significantly below it, in 19th place. Finland has seen just 805 deaths from coronavirus, data from the John Hopkins University shows. In a Friday tweet, Finland’s Embassy in the U.S. wrote: “For the 4th year in a row, Finland is the happiest country in the world. Our happiness stems from a balanced everyday life, supported by good governance, trust, wellbeing and equality. The pandemic has not changed this long-lasting foundation.” The annual reports are based on data from the Gallup World Poll, which asks respondents to rate their own lives. This year’s report examined the relation-

ship between individual well-being and COVID-19 and noted a 12% decline in life satisfaction among those unemployed during the pandemic. John Helliwell, another editor of the report, said: “Surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people’s own evaluation of their lives.”

Gibraltar: Everyone Vaccinated On Friday, Gibraltar became the first nation to vaccinate its entire adult population, leapfrogging over Israel to earn the

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UK Health secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday told the House of Commons: “I am delighted to be able to tell the House that yesterday Gibraltar became the first nation in the world to complete its entire adult vaccination program. “Throughout this crisis we have provided Gibraltar with PPE, testing and a sovereign guarantee for their COVID spending,” he said. “We have also provided Gibraltar with vaccines – as we have all other British Overseas Territories.” Gibraltar First Minister Fabian Picardo said: “The loyalty of the People of Gibraltar to the Crown of the United Kingdom has never and will never be in doubt. The United Kingdom has played a blinder on vaccinations, and we have been among the beneficiaries in the British family of nations. “Gibraltar will be the first nation to complete a whole nation vaccination program,” he said last Wednesday. Gibraltar is bordered to the north by Spain. It has a population of around 34,000 people.

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The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC) is pulling out all the stops for the first Pesach since the Abraham Accords were signed. Founded in February, the AGJC is an umbrella group representing a network of Jewish communities from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. With the recent wave of peace agreements between Israel and Arab countries resulting in an influx of Jews in the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, a slew of Jewish leaders joined forces to develop Jewish life in the region. With Passover approaching, the AGJC has organized a slate of programming to support and enrich the holiday for the local Jews. Its initiatives include sending almost 650 pounds of matzah to six Arab countries along with a shipment of kosher for Pesach food.

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MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Other activities focus on explaining the meaning of the holiday to the locals. On Wednesday, AGJC leader Rabbi Dr. Eli Abadie led a 30-minute Zoom seder. The event focused on the themes of the holiday and included participants from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. On the first night of Passover, the AGJC leadership will conduct a public seder at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. Chief UAE Rabbi Yehuda Sarna and Rabbi Elie Abadi will host the ritual feast together with U.S. military chaplains. “It is very exciting to see such demand for Passover programming in the Gulf this year,” said Rabbi Abadie. “As many will be leading their own seder this year due to less travel because of the pandemic, we are looking forward to offering the Seder Essentials webinar in order to provide them with tools and tips for doing so.” “We created the AGJC in order to share resources among the Jewish communities in the Gulf and one of our first projects was the coordination of matzah for the upcoming holiday,” added AGJC President Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo. “As a result, we are bringing in nearly 650 pounds of matzah which will be disseminated throughout the GCC, the largest amount to date.” Founded in February, the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC) is the umbrella organization that aims to enhance religious and cultural life for Jewish communities of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. New initiatives include founding the Beth Din of Arabia and the Arabian Kosher Certification Agency, while other plans are in the works for lifecycle events and other community programs.

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Iran will “cold test” its redesigned Arak nuclear reactor ahead of its inauguration later this year, the country’s Atomic Energy Organization said on Friday. Typically, cold testing includes the initial startup of both fluid and support systems. Under the 2015 Iran deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to shut down the Arak reactor. Since that time, though, Iran has said that the reactor has been redesigned for both medical and agricultural use. The Arak facility itself was permitted under the deal to produce heavy water. Since the 2015 signing of the deal, Iran has repeatedly violated the agreement, enriching more uranium than allowed and re-

fusing to allow international inspection of nuclear facilities. The rogue state is now pressuring U.S. President Joe Biden to rejoin the JCPOA, after former U.S. President Donald Trump left the deal because of Iran’s nefarious activities and sanctioned Tehran. Biden, for his part, has expressed willingness to rejoin the deal, so long as Iran complies with the terms. However, Iran insists that the U.S. remove sanctions that Trump slapped into place before returning to the agreement.

Corpses Discovered in Benghazi

Libya’s new Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, who heads a unity government, said on Friday that he has instructed his attorney general to investigate the discovery of corpses in Benghazi, Reuters reported. “I gave direct instructions to the Interior Minister to deal with this event, and I requested the Attorney General to open an investigation,” Dbeibeh said. According to local media, over a dozen people were shot dead, and their corpses were discovered on Thursday. Security Headquarters in Benghazi initially denied the corpses had been found but on Friday agreed to issue a statement on the issue. The Security Headquarters includes both military and police units. For over a decade, Libya has seen both violence and chaos as militant groups aimed to control Benghazi’s various districts after a NATO-backed uprising toppled the previous government, led by Muammar Gaddafi. Benghazi was the site of a coordinated attack against two United States government facilities on September 11, 2012. Members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia attacked the American diplomatic compound in the city. United States Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith were slaughtered in the attack.

N. Korea Cuts Ties with Malaysia Over the weekend North Korean diplomats abruptly left their embassy in Malaysia after the country extradited a North Korean suspect to the United States. The North Korean flag and embassy signage were removed from the premise in a Kuala Lumpur suburb. Two buses ferried the diplomats and their families to the airport, where they were seen checking in for

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

The Week In News a flight to Shanghai. Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the expulsion was in response to Pyongyang’s “unilateral and utterly irresponsible decision” on Friday to sever diplomatic ties. “This action is a reminder that Malaysia shall never tolerate any attempt to meddle in our internal affairs and judiciary, disrespect our governance system and constantly create unnecessary tensions in defiance of the rules-based international order,” Hishammuddin said in a statement. Malaysia has defended its move to extradite Mun Chol Myong, saying it was carried out only after all legal processes have been exhausted. A top court ruled Mun can be extradited after rejecting his appeal on grounds that the U.S. charges were politically motivated. Mun, who lived in Malaysia for a decade and was arrested in May 2019, has denied U.S. accusations that he was involved in supplying luxury goods to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions while working in Singapore. He also denied laundering funds through front companies and issuing fraudulent documents to support illicit shipments to his country. “The Malaysian authority delivered our citizen to the U.S. in the end, thus destroying the foundations of the bilateral relations based on respect of sovereignty,” Kim said in a short statement outside the embassy, before heading to the airport.

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Pig Plague?

Chinese authorities are investigating tens of dead pigs found along a section of the Yellow River, according to a statebacked media report. Dozens of pig carcasses were discovered in the Inner Mongolia section of the country’s second-longest river and some were rotting in the water. Local authorities are investigating the source of the pigs and checking if they carried any disease, in addition to disinfecting the area. This is not the first time China has found dead pigs in its rivers. In 2013, thousands of dead pigs were discovered in Shanghai’s Huangpu river – some of which were reported to be infected with porcine circovirus disease – threatening the region’s water supply. A year later, authorities pulled more than 100 dead pigs from the Ganjiang River in Nanchang city. The latest discovery comes as China’s

hog herd is recovering from the ravages of African swine fever. The disease broke out in the country in 2018 and destroyed almost half the hogs in the world’s largest pork producer. Concerns over food safety and rising costs of pork production have accelerated the closure of small pig farms in favor of larger, more efficient facilities. North Korea has called the money laundering charges an “absurd fabrication and [a] sheer plot” orchestrated by the U.S. and warned that Washington will “pay a due price.” Some experts say cutting ties with Malaysia was North Korea’s way of showing anger with President Joe Biden’s administration without jeopardizing an eventual return to nuclear negotiations with Washington. North Korea has insisted it won’t engage in talks with Washington unless it abandons what Pyongyang perceives as a “hostile” policy. But experts say North Korea will eventually seek to return to diplomacy to find ways to get sanctions relief and revive its moribund economy.

Estonian Spying for China Tarmo Kõuts, an Estonian politician and marine scientist arrested in Septem-

ber 2020, has been spying for China since 2018. According to Danish government officials, at the time of his arrest, Kõuts had received approximately $20,000 and several luxury trips. The 57-year-old has close ties to the Estonian military and worked on several sensitive projects, reports said. After the espionage was discovered, Kõuts was promptly sentenced to three years in prison. His arrest was initially covered by the Daily Beast, as well as by Estonia’s ERR.

As per a NATO intelligence official, Chinese agents used conference trips and academic settings to disguise their interactions with him. According to Business Insider, the case is part of a larger trend in which China can be seen attempting to infiltrate institutions across Europe. The Insider also spoke with three European intelligence officials, who said that China often poses the worst espi-

Communicated

Where Should You Buy in Israel? Ask Shelly Levine When an observant Anglo is looking to buy real estate in Israel, as a home or investment, it’s likely he will find his way to Levine. Her company, Tivuch Shelly, specializes in selling in new and existing communities that attract Anglos. She knows what will attract American buyers and uses her influence with the builders to shape new communities. “People know that when we put our name on a project, it will be exactly the way we say it’s going to be,” she said. “I just sold a bunch of apartments in Ramot. One buyer said he called up his sister in Israel to ask her opinion. She said, ‘if it has Shelley Levine’s name on it, buy it.” Levine has been a Zionist since she was a teenager, but it wasn’t until 1978 that she made it to Israel, with her late husband Charley, who started his own PR company. “In 1986, after settling her family, she decided to use her MSW “to help settle others”, and Tivuch Shelly Real Estate was born. Shortly after starting her company, Levine saw the potential for Bet Shemesh to become a vibrant community. “High tech was coming in and we needed a place between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with quality of life.” She met a developer who had

1,000 units there and told him she wanted to bring in American buyers. She succeeded so well, that a house was recently sold there for almost the same amount that the builder had paid for all the land. With a rich variety of prime properties and smart investments in the finest locations in Israel, Tivuch Shelly offers something for everyone. For those who dream of living in the heart of historic-modern Jerusalem, the Haneviim project is ideal. A new Anglo community is being established in Ma’aleh Adumim, with high-standard apartments surrounded by gyms, parks, Ssluh and breathtaking views. The state-of-the-art Shechter project in the Ramot Aleph area nearby Jerusalem is another smart choice. Outside Jerusalem, the centrally-located Neve Shamir project in Ramat Bet Shemesh Hey, boasts luxurious apartments with balconies or gardens, enchanting views, and a special sale offered on 4-bedroom units. Modi’in, Israel’s dynamic ‘city of the future,’ offers an array of apartments and penthouses at ‘Pay 20% now and 80% at completion’ option. Gabay Tel Aviv project is the best investment, you will be surrounded by every convenience imaginable, and pay just 7% down, 13% at permit

and 80% at completion! “No financial investment is greater than real estate in Israel – people have made a fortune with me,” says Levine. “We also offer an exclusive project Gabay, Aria, in rapidly-developing Ashkelon,” she adds. “For people dreaming of the beautiful Mediterranean the project is within walking distance to the beach.” “Now is the time to buy in Israel, either as an investment or with an eye towards Aliya. Anti-Semitism is pushing

people from many counties to move to Israel.” She adds, “After 2,000 years of Jews being in Galut, what better privilege than to be involved in building Eretz Yisrael by settling people here.” For more information, contact Shelly Levine at 050-726-4376 or email: tivuchshellylevine@gmail.com. Visit online at https://tivuchshelly.com. Abridged version of an article by Bracha Schwartz, originally published in the Jewish Link of New Jersey.

The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

THE MISHNAH BERURAH The group also includes four police officers accused of handing over confidential information. Prosecutors say Jean-Francois Paris, Ikea France’s former director of risk management, regularly sent lists of names to be investigated to private investigators, whose combined annual bill could run up to 600,000 euros. Among the targets was a staff member in Bordeaux “who used to be a model employee, but has suddenly become a protester,” according to an email sent by Paris. “We want to know how that change happened,” he said, wondering whether there might be “a risk of eco-terrorism.” In another case, Paris wanted to know how an employee could afford to drive a brand-new BMW convertible. Founded in 1943, Swedish multinational Ikea is famous for its ready-to-assemble furniture, kitchen appliances, and home accessories which are sold in around 400 stores worldwide.

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DR Congo: Killed and Displaced

This revised and expanded English Sefer, KITZUR HALACHOS: PESACH, delves into the complex halachos of Pesach – based on the Mishnah Berurah. Authored by Rav Zev Hofstedter, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Acheinu L’Tzeirim, hundreds of common and practical halachos are made clear.

TOPICS INCLUDE: > Cleaning for Pesach • Halachos of bedikas chometz for those

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With Pesach fast approaching, this sefer as well as KITZUR HALACHOS: YOM TOV AND CHOL HAMOED will help you properly prepare and experience the joyous Yom Tov of Pesach.

F R SE ORIM HE

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Nearly 200 people have been killed and 40,000 displaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, the United Nations said on Friday, noting an “alarming increase” in attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo. Thousands fled to the towns of Oicha, Beni, and Butembo. In Geneva, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters, “In less than three months, the ADF has allegedly raided 25 villages, set fire to dozens of houses, and kidnapped over 70 people.” According to Baloch, “The majority are women and children, as men stay behind to protect properties, exposing themselves to the risk of further attacks.” He added that most of those displaced are living in dire conditions and lack shelter, food, water, and healthcare, as well as basic supplies. “Only 4,400 families can be assisted out of hundreds of thousands in need,” he explained. The ADF is believed to have killed 465 people in 2020.

IKEA Spying on Staff?

The French branch of Swedish retailing giant Ikea went on trial this for running an elaborate system to spy on staff and job applicants using private detectives and police officers. French investigative publications Le Canard Enchaine and Mediapart uncovered the surveillance scheme in 2012. Prosecutors say Ikea France set up a “spying system” across its operations across the country, collecting information about the private lives of hundreds of staff and prospective staff, including confidential information about criminal records. Since the media revelations, the company has sacked four executives, but Ikea France, which employs 10,000 people, still faces a fine of up to 3.75 million euros ($4.5 million). The 15 people also appearing before the court in Versailles near Paris include former store managers and top executives such as former CEO Stefan Vanoverbeke and his predecessor, Jean-Louis Baillot.

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onage threat to European institutions. One of the officials, from a Baltic state, told the Insider that “Russian intelligence activity obviously takes the highest priority in our neighborhood, but the amount of resources required to monitor China increases for us each year. “Our natural experience is more with the Russians but we have been warning about China for well over a year,” he added. In February, Estonian officials warned that the threats posed by China and Russia are comparable. The Insider quoted an official in Belgium as saying: “It’s been building for about five years. We first saw a giant uptick of activity in Brussels as it was obvious that [China’s] EU mission was being used as cover. In 2019, it had become clear that the Chinese had committed as many as 250 intelligence officers to various EU and academic missions. “We realized that China not only had the most spies but that it was possible most spies were Chinese” in February 2019, after a EU foreign policy report showed that, in Brussels, at least 250 Chinese spies and 300 intelligence officials from other nations were operating.

AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL SEFORIM STORE OR DIRECT FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR, ISRAEL BOOKSHOP AT 888-536-7427 / ISRAELBOOKSHOPPUBLICATIONS.COM

The Week In News

MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Visit your way As you explore options for senior living, it’s good to get a complete overview of any community you’re considering. Come and find the lifestyle you want. We make it easy to see what our community has to offer you with convenient online visits and in-person meetings: Take a virtual tour using the video-conference app of your choice.

Meet us outside at our community while social distancing.

Meet us indoors at our community in a sanitized meeting room (where available).

We’re here to help you understand your options and take your next step. Visit with confidence and find out for yourself.

Brookdale Alhambra (626) 208-9278

Brookdale North Tarzana (818) 303-2607

Brookdale Chatsworth (818) 208-1259

Brookdale Ocean House (310) 878-0647

Brookdale Gardens of Tarzana (818) 208-1813

Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens (310) 734-3248

Brookdale Monrovia (626) 208-9419

Brookdale South Bay (401) 203-3636

*In-person visit rules subject to change based on state and local guidance.

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MARCH 25, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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