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This week, it come to light, that gentile beggars are taking advantage of the generosity of the Jewish Community by disguising themselves as Jewish beggars. Armed with a few Hebrew words like “shabbat,” “shalom” and “Sedaka,”they're making much more than they'd make in their own neighborhoods! Of course Jews have no problem giving to gentiles (as a heartwarming story this week here) , they just didn't like that they were falsely representing themselves.

What do you think about panhandlers who man the exits off of I-95, some of which might be using the funds for drugs or alcohol?

Would you give Charity to someone who might not be deserving?

A beautiful answer lies in the enigmatic curse of the Prophet Jeremiah to the people of Anatot (referenced in the Haftarah this Shabbos). Frustrated with their disobedience to G-d. He cursed them with a strange curse 'that whenever they give charity, it should be to the undeserving'.

What is the meaning of this strange curse?

As a lover of Israel, the prophet Jeremiah understood that the sinners of had no merit of their own to be found worthy before G-d. Their only saving grace would be to force G-d's hand, per se.

The way of G-d is measure for measure- the way we treat others is the way G-d treats us.

When one gives charity to people undeserving of your kindness, then G-d is forced to do the same with us- to give us despite the fact that we might be found wanting. Jeremiah used this curse as a last chance to redeem the sinners.

So go ahead- Give Charity even to those you may feel are undeserving of your kindness. Each time you do, you are making sure that G-d will have to be kind and good to you too, even if He feels that you might be undeserving as well!!!

Wishing you a Shabbat of Generous Spirit,

Rabbi Dovid and Chana Vigler

Chabad of Palm BeachGardens 
7025 Fairview Lane 
Palm Beach Gardens FL 33418 
See our Full Schedule of programs at www.JewishGardens.com/Calendar

Community Annoucements:

Community Kiddush Luncheon this week is sponsored by Ed Gabelman in lovng memory of his father, Julius, on the occassion of his Yahrtzeit and his recent retrun from China.

Friday Night Services, weekly at 6pm 
Shabbat Morning begins at 930am, Sermon at 1130am. 
Kiddush Community Luncheon just past noon. All welcome. 

Please let us know if you would like an Aliyah. 
Kiddush Community Calendar: wwwJewishGardens.com/Kiddush or email[email protected]

Pray for our Soldiers:

Our hearts and souls pray for our aliant soldiers who have entered the Gaza Strip to defend our homeland from vicious rocket attacks. We wonder what we cand o to help. In times of distress, Jewish People always recite chapters from the book of Psalms that 'pierce the heavens and shatter the evil decree'. 

In an unprecedented show of global unity, a weebsite has been created that allows anyone to join in a global sequence fot he Tehillim (Psalms). In the past few hours 22,290 Jews have joined to complete the book of Psalms 570 times! Join the campaign by clicking here .

If you want to read the Tehillim in English, click here.

Two more things you can do:

• Men can lay Tefillin - it doesn't need to take more than 3 minutes.Here's how 
• Women can Light Shabbat Candles- 'how to' video , Tonight before7:58pm.

National Jewish Retreat

The National Jewish Retreat in Chicagois in two weeks- there's still time to jointhis life changing Woerld Class learning experience: www.JRetreat.com 

Let 5000 People know about your business:

Our Jewish Art Calendar and Program Guide is in currently being prepared. Feature your business to 5000 local Jewish homes and businesses. And you can support the Jewish Community Progamming at the same time! Fill out this form by clicking here or call the office at 561-624-2223. Printable form is here .

Membership:

As we prepare for the High Holidays, we are offering two complimentary seats to our Members. Please consider becoming a Member of our Shul:www.JewishGardens.com/Join

In the past 72 hours over 365 deadly rockets were fired on Israel. If you've ever been to Israel, you'll notice that 80% of the population is concentrated in the densely populated region of the heartland. It's really hard to miss hitting something.

Yet, astoundingly, there haven't been any casualties on the Israeli side. The world uses this fact, that there are only arab casualties in this conflict, as a misguided weapon against us. (G-d forbid for us to condone the suffering of the innocent arab civilians that are being used as human shields and who fall victim to 'collateral damage', yet the staggering facts are impossible to ignore!) In a despicable

official statement yesterday, the government of my native South Africa used this logic to condemn Israel and equate her with the Nazis.

(This reminds me of the primitive thinking during the black plaque in the middle ages when the Jews were accused for having poisoned the wells, since very few Jews fell victim to the deadly disease. In reality, the Jews observed the age old mitzvah of washing hands before eating, which proved effective in stopping disease long before germs were ever discovered.)

Iron Dome, Israel's ingenious defensive missile system, manages to neutralize the majority of the rockets. But how is it possible that the rest haven't caused fatalities?

Admittedly, there was a direct hit on a home in Sha'ar Hanegev yesterday, But amazingly, no one was home- the family was on vacation in Eilat!

Take a look at our cousins wedding wednesday night took fireworks to a new level, when everyone at the Chuppah couldn't help but stare at the missiles flying overhead. Watch

this shocking video

where yet another wedding was evacuated in the middle of the chuppah! Incredibly, no one was hurt.

How do you explain this phenomenon?

David ben Gurion, Israel's brave first Prime Minister famously said: ​'In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.'

 

Indeed, over 3300 years ago, G-d promised us: 'Tamid einei Hashem Elokecha ba merishit hashana vead acharit shana'- the eyes of G-d your G-d are upon it (the land of Israel) throughout the year'

 

Way back then, G-d Almighty promised us that there will be an iron dome over the land. If you read the contract carefully, you'll notice that He never said we'd have good neighbors. But he did say we'd outlive them!

 

 

Hinei lo yanum velo yishan shomer yisrael- Behold the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. And where is a better place to shout this from the rooftops, than The Azrielli Towers- Israel's tallest buildings in Tel Aviv in above photo.

Just like the ozone layer that protects us, needs to be nurtured and protected from harm, G-d's iron dome over us too, needs to be validated.

In a powerful public statement during the dark days preceding the outbreak of the Six Day War, the Rebbe prophetically declared that if every possible Jewish male will lay tefillin, we will experience extraordinary miracles. Chabad set to work right away, calling upon Jewish Men and boys everywhere to 'bare arms' for Israel. The rest is history.

Here we are in the comfort of our golf courses and gated communities and we're frustrated not knowing what we can do to help our brethren in the Holy Land. The closest we get to an air raid siren is when the siren goes off on the golf course warning of an impending storm.

Indeed this is something we can do to help. Roll up your sleeve and lay tefillin- it doesn't need to take more than 3 minutes. Here's how to do it.

Women can Light Shabbat Candles- another powerful mitzvah that ushers peace into the world. Watch this beautiful 'how to' video produced recently in Israel, Starring our beautiful niece Rachelli Naparstek. Tonight before 7:59pm.

 

Tefillin reafirms our eternal covenant with G-d. The proof is in the pudding: it worked in 1967 and it'll work today too. If you need help or don't have a pair, please drop into the Shul or contact me- I'll be glad to help you fulfill this critically important mitzvah!

Over the last several weeks as we held our breath waiting, hoping and dreaming for an outcome that would have truly been a miracle, something struck me. It was amazing to me how in the search for the three kidnapped Israeli teens, all eyes turned to three individuals. As if on cue, all cameras were set in the direction of the heartfelt pleas, outpouring of thanks and words of encouragement of three formidable women, the mother’s of Eyal, Gilad and Naftali. 

It was they who stood at the forefront of every interview, who traveled to rally the UN to help end the search to find their boys and who profusely and continuously thanked the hundreds of thousands who expressed support and solidarity throughout. We know them each by name, Rachel Fraenkel, Bat Galim Shaer, Iris Yifrach. And while I’m sure they were no less concerned or involved, I have absolutely no idea what the names of the dads were.

Not too shabby for a trio of observant Jewish women.

They were poignant, graceful and modest. Didn’t make a scene but made a point. Didn’t make noise but were surely heard the world over.

These are women who know their role. Who understand what it means to be the anchor of the home. Who appreciate that the entire future of the Jewish nation rests upon them. This is a Yiddishe mama, a true Jewish mother.

A woman who realizes the incredible powers entrusted within her. That she holds the key to the whole family. That her primary focus in life is to steer her husband and children in the direction of Torah and good deeds. She teaches her children the value of life but that along with that sometimes G-d does some unbearable, unthinkable things that are beyond our understanding yet we accept them with dignity and with love as we do the rest. They show by example that with hate you get nowhere, yet in unity we are indomitable. They encourage their sons to go to Yeshiva, their husbands to go to minyan and their daughters to be proud and beautiful ambassadors of the Jewish people. And that everything else is secondary.

Then it all made sense. When we pray for a sick person's physical recovery, we invoke the mother's name; while when praying for a deceased person's soul, we use the name of their father. This is because the mother is more associated with the body and the father with the soul. Specifically, it is the mother who holds the pulse. It is she who keeps the Jewish heart beating.

In very stark contrast, there was another woman who made a headline, albeit a single one, a headline nonetheless. Entitled: “The shocking comment from the mother of one of the prime suspects in Israeli teen abduction”, she said that if her son committed the crime, she would be “proud of him.” Quite frankly, this is not in the least bit shocking. To me, shocking would have been should she have condemned this most heinous and evil act. What can society expect from the child of such a mother? If this is what he is being lullabied to sleep and awoken to every morning, shocking would be if he grew up with moral, decent values.

Yet, these are people we are told who covet peace. With whom we shall live side by side.

Let me tell you something my friend, peace can come and it will come to those who deserve it and to those who truly pursue it. Haters have their day, but they don’t last very long, as have the mighty Romans, the communists and even the Nazis. But with the strength of the yiddisher mamas at the helm as in years gone by the Jewish people will always rise above. Because don’t you know, good always prevails over evil.