I can’t tell you enough how happy I am to be living in Israel, where the Torah is meant to be kept, and where Hashem wants His Jewish People to be. It’s so Jewish here! So holy!

The last two weeks, everybody has been wishing everyone else a Shana Tova and Gamar Tov, taxi drivers, supermarket workers, the postman, people on the street, religious and non-religious alike. And, as usual, Yom Kippur was mind-blowing. After the Kol Nidre service, I took a walk with my young boys, out to a bridge over the usually busy Begin Highway and from there to the entrance to Jerusalem. Not a car on the road!  Just think of it – Jerusalem is a major international capital and the whole city was shut down in honor of G-d! Where else in the world can you find such holiness? And not just Jerusalem – the whole country – no buses, no taxis, no TV, no radio, all in the fear and love and honor of G-d. Not just amongst the religious – everyone!

This incredible phenomenon gives expression to the teaching of our Sages that every Jew is holy, and that every Jewish soul, in its inner sanctums, is absolutely pure. Sin is totally foreign to a Jew. Sin is totally external to our holy beings. As the Hasidic master, “Shem M’Shmuel,” explains, sin is caused by the pernicious influence and impurity of Esav, the gentile culture which surround us. When a Jew attaches himself to this polluted culture, and identifies with its pastimes and customs, he is led astray from his holy roots and falls into sin, like putting on soiled clothes. He sins because he is led astray after the moral pollution of the unholy culture around him. But the Jew himself, in his inner essence, is always pure. That’s why our sins can be washed away with our repentance on Yom Kippur.

When I think of how immersed I used to be in the polluted America culture, I shudder, and thank G-d for having rescued me by bring me to Israel and teaching me the Torah of Eretz Yisrael. Let me give an example. During the short afternoon break in our Yom Kippur prayers, I went to the bathroom, but my head was so filled with thoughts of G-d, I didn’t know what to do. You can’t think about G-d in the bathroom. So I tried to think about work, but I didn’t want to think about work on Yom Kippur and Shabbat, so I had a sudden flash to think about something unholy like baseball. But my mind went blank. I don’t know anything about baseball anymore, thank G-d. I used to love baseball as a normal American sports fan, and I still remember names like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Warren Spahn, Willy Mays, Duke Snider, SANDY KOUFAX, Yogi Berra, Pee Wee Reese, and Jackie Robinson, but since I became a baal t’shuva and moved to Israel, I don’t follow American sports at all. Zero. Not the World Series, and not the Super Bowl. I couldn’t care less. It’s all a waste of time. We have a Jewish country to rebuild, and millions of Jews to re-educate – who has time for stupid nonsense like American sports? Exercise is a mitzvah, and kids should be encouraged to engage in sports, but following baseball players and Major League standings of the goyim – why pollute our holy Jewish minds and waste precious time?

A friend who recently came on aliyah told me that when the airplane landed in Israel, a black-kippah clad, religious American youth in his twenties, gave out a cheer. My friend thought he was happy to land in Israel, but the youth called out that the Yankees, or some other team, I don’t remember, had just clinched the playoffs! Thank G-d that the Almighty has cleansed my brain of all that foreign goyisha nonsense that makes such a big deal about hitting a ball.

Thank G-d I live in Israel. Thank G-d that I don’t see prostitutes, body builders, junkies, and all kinds of alien heathens, however well dressed they might be, when I walk home from shul. Thank G-d that I don’t have to worry about getting run over, crossing the street on Yom Kippur. Thank G-d that my children grow up speaking Hebrew and understand every word of the prayers. Thank G-d that Motzei Yom Kippur is filled with the sounds of hammers banging away, as Jews proudly build sukkot for the upcoming holiday, and that no one yells at them to be quiet, and that I don’t have to set up a mini-sukkah on the back lawn for fear of the goyim and local police. And how wonderful to be in the Land where the Four Species grow naturally, where the holiday of Sukkot is meant to be observed!

How wonderful to live in Israel. It’s the only Jewish place to be. A whole Jewish country! The Holy Land! The Land of the Bible!  For someone who really wants to get closer to G-d, this is the place. For someone who wants their children and grandchildren to continue to be Jews, Israel is the only solution.

What are people waiting for? Can someone tell me? It’s so wonderful here! I simply can’t figure it out!   

On the day before Yom Kippur, there is a custom which many people practice, called Kapparot, whereby a rooster is waved around one’s head, then slaughtered. Ever wonder why? I’ll give you a hint. Our Sages have warned us not to be like roosters with our wives. A Jew is called upon to sanctify himself, even in matters that are permitted to him. If you enjoy Kabbalah, the Arizal explains this custom in greater detail at the beginning of his discussion of Yom Kippur in the book “Shar HaKavanot.”

In fact, all of Yom Kippur deals with Tikun HaBrit, rectifying our sexual transgressions. You’ll find lots of fascinating insights in the essay, “Yom Kippur and Rectifying the Brit,” posted on our jewishsexuality.com website. If all of these insights are true (and who are we to doubt the Torah wisdom of the Arizal, Rabbi Nachman, the Sfat Emet, and the Chatam Sofer), then why have the majority of us never been taught all of these exalted matters? Perhaps the most diplomatic answer is to be found in the teaching of Kohelet that to everything there is a time (Kohelet, 3:1). In our age of wanton sexual transgression, the time has certainly come.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask forgiveness of any and all readers whom I may have offended. I have tried to present the truth, and nothing but the truth in this blog, always for educational purposes, out of deep love and concern for my brothers, but sometimes the truth hurts. Writing for the Internet is not a simple matter. The audience is so widespread and vast, with so many different types of readers, that you are bound to upset someone. Plus, my style of writing is sometimes very strong, often employing humor and exaggeration for effect, and this may be a little like the famous bull in the proverbial china shop. So, I sincerely ask your forgiveness, and I will strive to be gentler in the future, with an emphasis on adding light, rather than exposing the darkness.

May you and all the Jewish People be inscribed in the Book of Life for a wonderful year of happiness, prosperity, health and shalom.

Hatima tova!

And pay attention to our very last request at the end of Yom Kippur:

“Next Year in Jerusalem!”

Rabbi Hanan Porat, of blessed memory, studied at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. As a student of HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, he was one of the leaders of the Gush Emunim settlement movement, from the first breakthrough settlements in the Shomron, to the return to Hevron, and the continuing rebuilding of Judea and Samaria. In addition, he was a dedicated teacher of Torah, traveling all over Israel to gives lectures on the Torat HaGoelet, the Torah of Redemption, Torat Eretz Yisrael, spreading the great light of Torah which he had learned at Rabbi Kook’s Yeshiva.

In tribute to his great spirit which surely shines on after his passing, we would like to continuing in his footsteps, by giving others the opportunity to experience the incomparable light of Rabbi Kook’s teachings, by familiarizing readers with a wonderful website dedicated to Rav Kook, www.ravkooktorah.org. The website, created by Rabbi Chanan Morrison, presents a broad spectrum of Rav Kook’s writings, in clear and succinctly explained translations which make Rav Kook’s vision of Redemption accessible to every reader. Also recommended are two important books which present Rav Kook’s insights and thoughts on the Torah portions, “Gold From the Land of Israel,” and on the Shabbat and the Jewish holidays, “Silver From the Land of Israel,” both by Rabbi Morrison. http://www.ravkooktorah.org/book-gold.htm

Here is a short piece about Yom Kippur which appears in both books:   

The Ox and the Goat

There are many unique aspects to the Temple service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. One special feature of Yom Kippur concerns the chatat sin-offerings. On all other holidays, a single sin-offering was brought, from a goat. On Yom Kippur, however, there were two sin-offerings: an ox and a goat.

What is the significance of these two animals, the ox and the goat?

Forgiveness for All Actions

The ox is a symbol of great strength. Oxen were traditionally used for construction and cultivating land. The ox's strength was harnessed to till the earth, to transport goods, and other constructive purposes.

The goat is also a symbol of power — but of a corrosive, destructive nature. The Hebrew word for goat (sa'ir) means to storm and rage. The foraging goat devours the very roots of the plants. Overgrazing by goats leads to land-erosion and destruction of pasture.

Both of these forms of power — constructive and destructive — may be used for positive goals, and both may be utilized for evil purposes. Each has its proper place and time. We use constructive forces to build and advance, and we need destructive forces when dismantling existing structures in order to rebuild and improve. Both types of forces, however, may be abused, causing much sorrow and grief.

The most common need for atonement is when we accidentally hurt or damage. For this reason, the standard chatat offering is the goat, a symbol of blight and destruction.

On Yom Kippur, however, we seek forgiveness for the misuse of all forms of power. Therefore, we offer a second chatat from an ox, the classic beast of labor. With this offering, we express our regret if, inadvertently, our constructive deeds may have been inappropriate or harmful.

 (Gold from the Land of Israel, pp. 198-199. Adapted from Olat Re'iyah, vol. I, p. 167)

May this learning, and the learning that readers may glean from the many other illuminating writings in these books and on the ravkooktorah.org website, be a tribute to Rabbi Hanan Porat, may his memory be for a blessing.

Believe it or not, visitor number 1,000,000 to our blog “Hollywood to the Holy Land” was none other than everyone’s favorite talkbacker, Moses Brown from Dimona.

Congratulations, Moses! You have won a non-autographed copy of probably the world’s greatest novel, “Tevye in the Promised Land.” Please choose between the large format, paperback edition, or the just-released Kindle edition.

For all readers who have been following this blog, you too can have the pleasure of reading this award-winning classic of true Jewish literature, which is obtainable at Amazon Books, including the new, low-priced Kindle version.

While I thank Hashem for the success of this blog, and feel very grateful for having the opportunity to spread the wonderful truths of our Torah, I am even prouder in having had the honor of writing “Tevye in the Promised Land.” A blog is a blog, but “Tevye” is a work of art. You can put a message across in a blog, but no blog can compare with the depth, poignancy, drama, and emotional power of a novel.

Rabbi Kook writes that preceding the Redemption of Israel, Jewish writers will do t’shuva, paving the way for the nation to follow: “Literature will be sanctified; the writers too will become holy. The world will be elevated to realize the great and subtle power of literature – the uplifting of the spiritual foundation of the world with all of its prowess… Every writer will not dip his pen without first sanctifying his thoughts before each creation, thoughts of t’shuva, deep meditations of return to our Source. Then the work will come out pure, the spirit of G-d will rest upon it, and the spirit of the entire nation will grace it with holiness” (Orot, Orot HaTechiyah 37).

This is what I have striven to do in my novels. They are works that are filled with t’shuva, with faith, simcha, and great inspiration. For instance, after I made aliyah to Israel, I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Tevye still standing on the roof in some foreign land with a fiddle in his hand. So I decided to bring him to Israel and give him a shovel and rifle instead. In his unforgettable adventure to become a pioneer building in the Promised Land, Tevye, the Milkman from Anatekva, is put through test after test, just like the Nation of Israel itself, and, clinging to his towering love and faith in G-d, he rises to overcome every challenge and crisis.

So, Moses, I hope you enjoy the book, and I urge all INN readers to get yourselves a copy, and share it with your children, your families, and friends. It’s the best New Year’s gift I can give you for having had the willingness to put up with me on this blog.

May the New Year bring you and all Israel everything good, in health, prosperity, and Torah, and may you and all Israel merit to serve Hashem with everlasting joy in the Land of Israel, the Land that Hashem gazes upon from the beginning of the year to the end.