#Israel On My Mind:

Some might be surprised to learn that throughout the ages there have been remarkable women who have held top positions in leadership of the Jewish people. Dating back to Biblical times we learn of Devorah, Yael, Yehudit, Esther, Shlomtzion to name a few. Today we will talk about a women who was the leading figure of the Jewish community in Kurdistan in the 17th century.

Kabbalist Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi Barzani was the head of the Yeshiva in Mosul in the 16th century. He had no male sons, only one daughter, Asnat. He trained her in the rabbinical teachings and passed all his knowledge to her. She was very bright and dedicated to the study of Torah. She gained the respect of many Jewish scholars who awarded her the title “Tanaait” a name used for sages of the Mishna.

With her father’s blessing she was married to his outstanding student Rabbi Yaakov Mizrachi on the condition that she would not be burdened with the cores of housework and would be free to continue her study of Torah. After her father’s death, her husband assumed the title of Rosh Yeshiva, but while he was too busy with his own studies, she actually taught the students in the Yeshiva and when he died she became the Rosh Yeshiva.

Asnat Barzani is a renowned figure among the Kurdistani Jewish community. Many legends and stories narrate her life and the miracles she performed. The most famous is the tale of the “Flock of Angels” which is told at Rosh Hodesh, the new month in the Hebrew calendar.

According to the legend, her father often appeared in Barzani's dreams, revealing dangers to her and telling her how to avert them. On one such occasion, she went to the city of Amêdî where she convinced the Jews to celebrate Rosh Hodesh, making a blessing on the new moon, outdoors, as had been their custom before they were harassed by hostile non Jewish towns-people.

As they proceeded with the celebration, there were shouts and they saw flames shoot up into the sky. The synagogue had been set on fire, with all the sacred books and scrolls in it. After Asnat Barzani whispered a secret name she had learned from her father, the people saw a flock of angels descending to the roof of the synagogue. The angels beat the flames with their wings, until every last spark had been put out. Then they rose up into the heavens like a flock of white doves and were gone. And when the smoke cleared, everybody saw that not only none of the Jews had been hurt since the congregation had been outdoors, but that another miracle had taken place: the synagogue had not burned, nor were any of the Torah scrolls touched by the flames. After that miracle, the Jews of Amêdî or Amadiya were not harassed by the gentiles for a long time.

Asnat is buried in Amadiya where would Jews go on pilgrimage.

Have you heard of the Jewish rabbi from Morocco who became a sea pirate and a diplomat in the 16th century? This is the story of Rabbi Samuel Pallache. He was born in the city of Fez, Morocco in 1550 to parents who had made their home there after fleeing persecution of Jews in Spain following the Al-Ham-bra decree of March 1942. When Catholic Monarchs Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon expelled all Jews from Spain as part of the Reconquista. This followed forced conversion of nearly half of Spanish Jews to Christianity. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were either forced to become Catholic or flee the country.

Samuel Pallache was born in 1550 in the crowded Jewish quarter of Fez, like many of his neighbors who were descendants of Jews expelled from Spain. His father was a rabbi and teacher, who planned a similar career for his son. But Samuel, who was ordained as a rabbi, had different aspirations he dreamt to travel seas. Samuel with his brother Yosef, went to Tetuan in north Morocco, where they soon became seamen and Pirates. The Pallache brothers determined to punish the Spanish for the crimes they committed against the Jews, they would attack Spanish commercial ships coming back from South America loaded with wealth from the New World and then they would pose as Spanish traders and sell the goods they stole in the Spanish port cities.

In his book “Jewish Pirates” Edward Kritzler sheds light on a fascinating phenomena: Jewish pirates who acted after the expulsion from Spain and would attack mainly Spanish ships as revenge. The most notable man among them was Don Samuel Pallache, who was a rabbi, ship captain, ambassador, spy, double agent – as well as a pirate.

Samuel Pallache arrived in the Netherlands (Holland) sometime after 1590. After a delegation from the Dutch Republic visited Morocco to discuss a common alliance against Spain. In 1608 Sultan Zidan Abu Maali appointed the Jewish merchant Samuel Pallache to interpret for his envoy to the Dutch government in The Hague.

On June 23, 1608, Pallache met Prince Maurice of Nassau and the States-General in The Hague to negotiate an alliance of mutual assistance against Spain. In December 1610, the two nations signed the Treaty of Friendship and Free Commerce, an agreement recognizing free commerce between the Netherlands and Morocco, and allowing the sultan to purchase ships, arms and munitions from the Dutch.This was one of the first official treaties between a European country and a non-Christian nation.

In addition to his diplomatic affairs, Pallache also continued his activities as a merchant, actively trading between the Netherlands and Morocco. He also got permission from Prince Maurice for privateering activities. The goods obtained through these pirating activities were sold along the Moroccan coast.

In 1614, Pallache, having captured a Portuguese ship, was unable to bring its cargo ashore in Morocco and so sailed for the Netherlands. A heavy storm forced him to seek refuge in an English port where, by request of the Spanish ambassador, he was arrested and imprisoned. Eventually, Prince Maurice came to his aid and helped bring him back to the Netherlands. However, he had lost all his money by then and fell ill shortly thereafter.

On February 4, 1616, he died in The Hague, and was buried in the Beth Haim cemetery of the Portuguese Jewish community in Ouder-kerk aan de Amstel near Amsterdam. His tombstone describes him as Morokkaans Gezant (the Moroccan envoy). It cites his birthplace of Fez (Morocco). and burial date in Hebrew calendar 16 of Shvat 5376 (February 4, 1616). And  lists three sons: Isaac, Moses, and David.

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:   2 Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the law of the  burnt-offering: it is that which goeth up on its firewood upon the altar  all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept  burning thereby.   3 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen  breeches shall he put upon his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes  whereto the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he  shall put them beside the altar.   4 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.   5 And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereby, it  shall not go out; and the priest shall kindle wood on it every morning;  and he shall lay the burnt-offering in order upon it, and shall make  smoke thereon the fat of the peace-offerings.   6 Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out. {S}   7 And this is the law of the meal-offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, in front of the altar.   8 And he shall take up therefrom his handful, of the fine flour  of the meal-offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense  which is upon the meal-offering, and shall make the memorial-part  thereof smoke upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD.   9 And that which is left thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat; it  shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the court of the tent  of meeting they shall eat it.   10 It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their  portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the  sin-offering, and as the guilt-offering.   11 Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as a due  for ever throughout your generations, from the offerings of the LORD  made by fire; whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. {P}

12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:   13 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they  shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part  of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it  in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.   14 On a griddle it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked,  thou shalt bring it in; in broken pieces shalt thou offer the  meal-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD.   15 And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among  his sons shall offer it, it is a due for ever; it shall be wholly made  to smoke unto the LORD.   16 And every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly made to smoke; it shall not be eaten.

The Book of Leviticus or Veyikra in Hebrew is the third book of the Torah, the five books of Moses in the Bible. Jewish tradition is to read a portion of the Torah each Shabbat in Synagogue and complete the reading each year.

1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying:   2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any  man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your  offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.   3 If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer  it a male without blemish; he shall bring it to the door of the tent of  meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.   4 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.   5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD; and Aaron's  sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and dash the blood round  about against the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.   6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.   7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire.   8 And Aaron's sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, and the  head, and the suet, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is  upon the altar;   9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water; and the  priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an  offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. {S} 10 And if his offering be of the flock, whether of the sheep, or  of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without  blemish.   11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before  the LORD; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall dash its blood against  the altar round about.   12 And he shall cut it into its pieces; and the priest shall lay  them, with its head and its suet, in order on the wood that is on the  fire which is upon the altar.   13 But the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the  priest shall offer the whole, and make it smoke upon the altar; it is a  burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the  LORD. {P}

14 And if his offering to the LORD be a burnt-offering of  fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves, or of young  pigeons.   15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and pinch off  its head, and make it smoke on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be  drained out on the side of the altar.   16 And he shall take away its crop with the feathers thereof, and  cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.   17 And he shall rend it by the wings thereof, but shall not  divide it asunder; and the priest shall make it smoke upon the altar,  upon the wood that is upon the fire; it is a burnt-offering, an offering  made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

In this podcast I will briefly discuss the issue of the so-called forbidden chapter Isaiah 53.

It seems that this issue pops up as paid promoted content for Jews in Israel on Youtube and probably other sites. The way that paid content works is that the people behind the promotion rig their advertisements to show up based on content viewed and keywords searched by the user, as well as demographic description on the type of people that the advertiser is aiming for. In this case the people behind the “forbidden chapter of Isaiah” are Christian missionaries, Jews for Jesus and Messianics. Their goal is to get in the face of Jews and give them the impression that they have uncovered a huge conspiracy meant to hide the truth from them.

1 And if any one sin, in that he heareth the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he hath seen or known, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity; 2 or if any one touch any unclean thing, whether it be the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean swarming things, and be guilty, it being hidden from him that he is unclean; 3 or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever his uncleanness be wherewith he is unclean, and it be hid from him; and, when he knoweth of it, be guilty; 4 or if any one swear clearly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall utter clearly with an oath, and it be hid from him; and, when he knoweth of it, be guilty in one of these things; 5 and it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that wherein he hath sinned; 6 and he shall bring his forfeit unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin. 7 And if his means suffice not for a lamb, then he shall bring his forfeit for that wherein he hath sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD: one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering. 8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, and pinch off its head close by its neck, but shall not divide it asunder. 9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin-offering. 10 And he shall prepare the second for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven. {S} 11 But if his means suffice not for two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering for that wherein he hath sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon; for it is a sin-offering. 12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial-part thereof, and make it smoke on the altar, upon the offerings of the LORD made by fire; it is a sin-offering. 13 And the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven; and the remnant shall be the priest's, as the meal-offering. {S} 14 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 15 If any one commit a trespass, and sin through error, in the holy things of the LORD, then he shall bring his forfeit unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy valuation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt-offering. 16 And he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt-offering, and he shall be forgiven.

The Hebrew Bible in English according to the JPS 1917 Edition

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any one shall sin through error, in any of the things which the LORD hath commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them: 3 if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin-offering. 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tent of meeting before the LORD; and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the bullock, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 5 And the anointed priest shall take of the blood of the bullock, and bring it to the tent of meeting. 6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tent of meeting; and all the remaining blood of the bullock shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting. 8 And all the fat of the bullock of the sin-offering he shall take off from it; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the lobe above the liver, which he shall take away by the kidneys, 10 as it is taken off from the ox of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall make them smoke upon the altar of burnt-offering. 11 But the skin of the bullock, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung, 12 even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.

13 And if the whole congregation of Israel shall err, the thing being hid from the eyes of the assembly, and do any of the things which the LORD hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty: 14 when the sin wherein they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bullock for a sin-offering, and bring it before the tent of meeting. 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD; and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD. 16 And the anointed priest shall bring of the blood of the bullock to the tent of meeting. 17 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. 18 And he shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tent of meeting, and all the remaining blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting. 19 And all the fat thereof shall he take off from it, and make it smoke upon the altar. 20 Thus shall he do with the bullock; as he did with the bullock of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bullock; it is the sin-offering for the assembly.

The Hebrew Bible in English according to the JPS 1917 Edition

Leviticus Chapter 3

1 And if his offering be a sacrifice of peace-offerings: if he  offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without  blemish before the LORD.   2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and  kill it at the door of the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons the priests  shall dash the blood against the altar round about.   3 And he shall present of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an  offering made by fire unto the LORD: the fat that covereth the inwards,  and all the fat that is upon the inwards,   4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by  the loins, and the lobe above the liver, which he shall take away hard  by the kidneys.   5 And Aaron's sons shall make it smoke on the altar upon the  burnt-offering, which is upon the wood that is on the fire; it is an  offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. {P}

6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto  the LORD be of the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without  blemish.   7 If he bring a lamb for his offering, then shall he present it before the LORD.   8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and  kill it before the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall dash the  blood thereof against the altar round about.   9 And he shall present of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an  offering made by fire unto the LORD: the fat thereof, the fat tail  entire, which he shall take away hard by the rump-bone; and the fat that  covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,   10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is  by the loins, and the lobe above the liver, which he shall take away by  the kidneys.   11 And the priest shall make it smoke upon the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD. {P}

12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall present it before the LORD.   13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it  before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall dash the blood  thereof against the altar round about.   14 And he shall present thereof his offering, even an offering  made by fire unto the LORD: the fat that covereth the inwards, and all  the fat that is upon the inwards,   15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is  by the loins, and the lobe above the liver, which he shall take away by  the kidneys.   16 And the priest shall make them smoke upon the altar; it is the  food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour; all the fat is  the LORD'S.   17 It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.

The Hebrew Bible in English according to the JPS 1917 Edition

Leviticus Chapter 2

1 And when any one bringeth a meal-offering unto the LORD, his  offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put  frankincense thereon.   2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and he shall  take thereout his handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil  thereof, together with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest  shall make the memorial-part thereof smoke upon the altar, an offering  made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.   3 But that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's  and his sons'; it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made  by fire. {S}   4 And when thou bringest a meal-offering baked in the oven, it  shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened  wafers spread with oil. {S}   5 And if thy offering be a meal-offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.   6 Thou shalt break it in pieces, and pour oil thereon; it is a meal-offering. {S}   7 And if thy offering be a meal-offering of the stewing-pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.   8 And thou shalt bring the meal-offering that is made of these  things unto the LORD; and it shall be presented unto the priest, and he  shall bring it unto the altar.   9 And the priest shall take off from the meal-offering the  memorial-part thereof, and shall make it smoke upon the altar--an  offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.   10 But that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's  and his sons'; it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made  by fire.   11 No meal-offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be  made with leaven; for ye shall make no leaven, nor any honey, smoke as  an offering made by fire unto the LORD.   12 As an offering of first-fruits ye may bring them unto the LORD; but they shall not come up for a sweet savour on the altar.   13 And every meal-offering of thine shalt thou season with salt;  neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be  lacking from thy meal-offering; with all thy offerings thou shalt offer  salt. {S}   14 And if thou bring a meal-offering of first-fruits unto the  LORD, thou shalt bring for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits corn in  the ear parched with fire, even groats of the fresh ear.   15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon; it is a meal-offering.   16 And the priest shall make the memorial-part of it smoke, even  of the groats thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense  thereof; it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

The Hebrew Bible in English according to the JPS 1917 Edition

The Book of Leviticus or Veyikra in Hebrew is the third book of the Torah, the five books of Moses in the Bible. Jewish tradition is to read a portion of the Torah each Shabbat in Synagogue and complete the reading each year.

1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying:   2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any  man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your  offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.   3 If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer  it a male without blemish; he shall bring it to the door of the tent of  meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.   4 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.   5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD; and Aaron's  sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and dash the blood round  about against the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.   6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.   7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire.   8 And Aaron's sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, and the  head, and the suet, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is  upon the altar;   9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water; and the  priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an  offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. {S}   10 And if his offering be of the flock, whether of the sheep, or  of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without  blemish.   11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before  the LORD; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall dash its blood against  the altar round about.   12 And he shall cut it into its pieces; and the priest shall lay  them, with its head and its suet, in order on the wood that is on the  fire which is upon the altar.   13 But the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the  priest shall offer the whole, and make it smoke upon the altar; it is a  burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the  LORD. {P}

14 And if his offering to the LORD be a burnt-offering of  fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves, or of young  pigeons.   15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and pinch off  its head, and make it smoke on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be  drained out on the side of the altar.   16 And he shall take away its crop with the feathers thereof, and  cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.   17 And he shall rend it by the wings thereof, but shall not  divide it asunder; and the priest shall make it smoke upon the altar,  upon the wood that is upon the fire; it is a burnt-offering, an offering  made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.