#ch: malachi | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wardenparker · 2 months

Text

Hummingbird Has Landed, ch 3

Marcus Pike x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

After the debacle of his failed engagement and relocating to Washington to take charge of his task force, newly minted Special Agent Marcus Pike is ready to get back out into the dating pool once more. A slew of bad dates has him feeling a little down, and he takes an old friend up on an invitation to get away and get his head on straight. Imagine his surprise when he finds not only fresh air, but his soulmate as well - hiding in plain sight but in the unlikeliest of places.

Rating: Mature, but this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 11.1k Warnings: *Blanket warnings for this series: occasional mention of American politics, pregnant character, food/alcohol consumption, mentions of clothing/regulated dressing for occasions, mentions of therapy because we believe in self care here, reader is in a previous relationship, love triangle* Disagreeing amongst partners, disappointments, unexpected turns, denial of feelings, unwanted revelations. Summary: It's Valentine's Day and no one's date seems to be going quite the way they expected. Notes: Apologies for the posting delay, my lovelies! Please enjoy 💖

Ch1 ~ Ch 2

When you still haven't heard from Marcus the next day, you're really pretending not to be bothered by it. You go about your work as usual, take care of your guests, manage a few nibbles of lunch, and work through the Valentine's check-ins with Malachi to make sure that everything goes smoothly. The whole day is chaotic and the inn is completely sold out, and yet you can't stop glancing down at your phone to see if you've gotten a text back.

You've just slipped into the kitchen after your shift to see Sydney after her spa-and-afternoon-tea date when the restaurant's hostess on duty comes in with a reservation slip to add to the board. The restaurant is basically fully booked now, with a few last minute cancellations and reservations working themselves out throughout the day, and a part of you wishes you could just stay here tonight and keep working, but you promised Sam. And you promised your mother's office that there would be social media updates tonight. This date might as well be public, so there is no backing out now.

“Hey babe!” Sydney grins as she looks up from the cake she is decorating, the piping bag in her hand full of dark chocolate buttercream. “Checking in before going to get ready?”

“Yup. Just came in to say hi and check the last minute reservations.” You take the slip from Sydney’s hostess with a flourish to tack it up on the board, and immediately make some sort of inhuman squawking noise that has your best friend whirling around in the kitchen.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” She demands, rushing over to the board. From the noise you made, it’s either incredibly good or incredibly bad.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Not technically, anyway. But you hand over the slip with obvious discomfort — or maybe a tinge of something else deeper and darker — on your face. “It’s…I guess…Marcus has a date tonight.”

“What? Oh…” she takes the slip and reads it, frowning slightly as she looks up to see you fidgeting and looking away from the paper. “Well, um, I guess that means he will be here and it’s good that you are going out with Sam.”

The frown that has formed on your face cuts deep, and you put down the empty mug you had grabbed to pour yourself a late afternoon cup of coffee with a slam. “Of course it’s a good thing.” You state unequivocally, not wanting to deal with or admit to the burning feeling in your chest. “He’s my boyfriend. It’s a very good thing.”

Sydney doesn’t comment, just pins the reservation to the allotted slot: 7 pm for two. There’s a note on the reservation to have a bottle of champagne brought to the table with dessert, so she’s not sure what to make of that. It seems unlikely that he’s taking his mother or sister out for a romantic meal.

“I have to get changed.” Comes the unnecessary announcement as you pace a little square around the corner of the kitchen only to end up facing Sydney again. “I just wanted to say hi, and I hope you and Juan had a good day.” Before this…intrusion into your thoughts, you had wanted to know everything. Every single thing they ate at tea and did at the spa. Now you feel like throwing up from pure discomfort.

“We did.” It seems wrong to rub it in your face right now, since you seem to be having some sort of reaction to the idea that Marcus would book a date here. She has to wonder if there’s meaning behind it, or if he had just imagined bringing someone here because it was a wonderful little place. The dining room of the restaurant is intimate, perfect for romance, especially tonight with the lights lower and the decor that had been brought out for the holiday.

“Good. I—okay. I’m going to go up, then. Malachi has a full reservation book and there’s an extra bellhop on tonight for the full house.” Sweeping out of the room is probably an overstatement, but you certainly move fast enough that Agent Bailey has to hop to in order to keep up with you as you head for the back stairs. Suddenly you have all the nervous energy in the world to walk all the way up to your apartment instead of taking the elevator.

“Okay…bye.” Sydney calls out, eyes wide at the dramatic exit and she pulls out her phone to send a quick text to her husband.

You might have tried a little harder than was strictly necessary to look good tonight. Not because Marcus might see you — that doesn’t make any sense — but to try to shut up all the whirling thoughts in your head about your loyalties and your attachments. You’ve been with Sam for almost a full year. It’s eleven months next week. And he deserves your complete attention. So if he gets you in your best little black dress and the earrings he gave you for your last birthday? That’s good, too.

Sam is nothing if not punctual, actually showing up fifteen minutes before you needed to leave. One of his office aides had run out to get you some flowers, now in hand, and he smiles widely when he sees you. “Wow.” He hums, whistling appreciatively. “I feel underdressed.” He jokes, wearing a smart suit like he normally does.

“You haven’t been underdressed since the day you were born.” Sam is perpetually put together, so you have definitely stepped up your game from the jeans and cheeky blouses that would normally have been good date clothes in the past. “Hi honey.”

“Hey, sweetheart.” He offers you the flowers with a smile. “You look incredible. These are only half as beautiful as you.”

“Thank you, honey.” The large bouquet is all red and pink buds, clearly done up for the holiday, and you let the day’s earlier tension roll off your shoulders as you inhale the sweet scent. “Let me put these in the vase in my office and we can get going?” Upstairs in your place they’re beautiful, but downstairs means anyone who sticks their head in your office will see them.

“Of course.” He nods and looks towards Agent Bailey. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Agent Bailey.” He tells her politely. “Would you mind following us to the restaurant tonight?”

“No surprise stops, Congressman?” Following behind isn’t unusual, but Bailey still had to do her job. Any unexpected additions to the night just complicate matters.

His smile tightens slightly. “Just the itinerary you have planned out.” He comments, slightly irked that he has to have plans approved through the Secret Service. It’s not exactly his idea of pleasant.

“Ready to go?” It only takes a moment to get your flowers in water, and you reach for Sam’s hand. After spending your time getting ready reminding yourself to focus on your relationship and stop being so wishy-washy, you’re trying to put your best everything forward for tonight.

“Absolutely.” Sam smiles broadly, his shoulders rolling back and he puffs his chest out proudly. “Let’s go get romantic.”

The restaurant that was picked out is small and welcoming, a homespun but upscale bistro owned by a couple from New Orleans that moved up to Maryland sometime during the raising of their children. You had read the website while you were getting ready for tonight. The place boasts an impressive menu and a fan favorite étouffée, as well as an entire family working every aspect of the restaurant. From what you can tell, it looks like a perfect date spot. When you pull up it’s brimming over with people, too, which makes you even more excited. Busy means tasty, of course.

“Well this looks promising.” Sam comments, looking over at you. “What did you say the menu was?” He hadn’t really paid attention to where it was, just that you had said it was a good choice for a dinner out and photographs. You know how to work PR from your mother’s campaign, something he admires.

“New American through a New Orleans lens.” That’s what the website had said, and you could swear you already hear jazz pouring out the front door.

“Interesting.” He doesn’t particularly care for spicy foods, his stomach never agrees with it, but he trusts your judgement. “It’s perfect for the photographer and I’m assuming there’s some heartwarming backstory to the place?”

“Family owned and family run.” You can practically hear the silent commentary in his head, and you touch his arm as he holds the door for you. “I read the reviews in advance. Not everything is spicy. Don’t worry.”

“You know me too well.” He throws you a grateful look and leans forward to open the door for you to enter the bistro.

“Good evening.” The hostess at the front of the restaurant knows exactly who you are, just like everyone working tonight does. Just like their entire family does. Getting a visit from the Secret Service and having a discreetly placed photographer arrive just a little while ago gives the whole night an extra flare of the unbelievable. With two menus in her hand, she smiles a shaky, bright grin. “Please come right this way.”

Sam’s hand is on your back, knowing that a lot of eyes are turning from the staff to the patrons. It’s expected when your significant other is a recognizable face. He doesn’t miss that they put you and him at a table in the middle of the room.

There are small vases of red carnations on every table, and candles, and neat purple tablecloths that look like they have been given a little extra pressing for the occasion. You thank the girl politely and smile, not thrilled to have all eyes on you but already knowing that there is nothing you can do about it.

Sam is the one to pull out your chair and help you sit down before he pulls his own chair out. “Shall we order a bottle of wine?” He asks. “Or would that not look good?”

“How about a half bottle?” You suggest, showing him the part of drinks menu that lists half bottles. “Celebratory but responsible.”

“Perfect.” Same agrees, knowing. It wouldn’t be a positive image to have drinking and driving be recorded.

“Whatever you want to choose.” He’s pickier than you are in general, and definitely about wine, so it’s up to him.

He smiles at you in gratitude and immediately dives into the wine list to see what they have available.

“Oysters Rockefeller to start?” As a Maryland boy he loves seafood, and there’s some sort of odd determination in your mind to prove to yourself that your focus is entirely on Sam.

“Absolutely.” He agrees while wholeheartedly and when your server approaches, he finds in a polite smile to give them.

He orders the wine and your appetizer, and beams a smile at the flustered waitress before the two of you are left — sort of — alone again. Agent Bailey has gone to sit with the designated White House photographer at a separate, discreet table. It leaves the two of you to pretend that this is just as normal a date night as any other. “So,” you hum, looking over the menu. “How was work?”

“It was good.” He had kept his office hours short today, like most of the House, so he could get out on time. Plenty of other members had plans or just didn’t show up at all today. “Worked on the bill I want to introduce.”

“How close are you to having the draft done?” The House Judiciary Committee has been an important posting for him, and though you can’t claim to understand the nuance of every single detail of the bill he has been working on, you know that it is a big offering to make from such a new member of the committee.

“First draft is almost complete.” He tells you proudly. “Only a few more hours of work to be honest. My team has been working hard on it.”

“The first bill you’re sponsoring yourself is a big deal. I’m glad you’re proud of it.” Given how much of his work is paperwork and legal-ease, it’s good to have something tangible to work on and be proud of. Certainly not everyone who works in the government can say the same.

“Thank you.” He smiles, leaning back as the waiter comes back with the glasses of wine. “Hopefully it’s just the first of many.”

"I hope so, too." He has high hopes for his career, and you know he'll work hard for it. There's just the tiny voice in the back of your head reminding you that he might not value your success as highly that is bothering you. Still, you raise your glass to him and smile. "Happy Valentine's Day."

“Happy Valentine’s Day, darling.” Sam smiles and taps his glass to yours before taking a sip. “Have you given any thought to my proposal?”

“I thought we could talk about it tonight?” The mention of a proposal specifically makes you shiver in a way you didn’t know you could shiver, but here you are. “Starting with…the logistics of it all.”

He admires the practicality of your statement and nods. “What are your concerns?” He can hear that you have them and hopes that the two of you can come to some kind of agreement. He’s negotiated a lot in his position and knows there is always give and take for things to work.

“I…” He’s practical. Pragmatic. And you know that. It’s something that you have always said you liked about him because it balances against your tendency to dream. “I want to move forward. Take another step.” In your impulse, you reach across the table and take his hand. “But I’m not sure I’m ready yet. So I’d like to do it slowly.”

“Maybe a drawer for when you stay over?” He offers, lifting a brow. “Space for a toothbrush?”

“That’s kind of what I was thinking, yeah.” A relieved smile spreads, glad to see that he isn’t upset at your still moving slowly in this relationship. Moving too fast in the past is what you blame some very serious relationship failures on. “Maybe try to see each other more than just once a week? Work permitting, of course. I know we’re both busy.”

“That was kind of the point of moving in together.” Sam reminds you, although he’s not put out by it. “Maybe we can, but you will have to spend less time at the inn.” He hums. “You are always there. You even live there.”

"I know." That's on you, and you know it. But you still shift in your seat like you've been called to the principle's office. "I have to cut back on late nights. Malachi is more than capable of running the place any time of day and the new night manager is doing really well."

Sam nods, it’s a conversation that he’s had with you several times but nothing has changed so far. “I understand being passionate about your work.” He reminds you with a smile, reaching for your hand. “But I also want you to be passionate about other things too.” He squeezes your fingers. “Maybe kids, one day?”

"You know I want kids." That is never something that you have hemmed or hawed about. Wanting a marriage and a family is something you were pretty up front about. "Kids, a dog, the whole white picket fence thing."

“I know.” It’s a good thing too, because he wants the same thing. Although he knows that can’t really happen if you are running yourself ragged at the inn. “Just wanted to make sure that was still the case.” He jokes.

"It is." Your fingers squeeze his gently. "I haven't changed my mind about what I want."

“That’s good.” Sam smiles and feels a little better about the fact you aren’t jumping at the chance to move in with him. He had expected less resistance if he was honest with himself.

"So the next time I come over I'll bring some things to keep at your place?" A little bag of work clothes and duplicate toiletries at his house sounds positively quaint, but very sweet.

“If that’s what you want.” He agrees, leaning back again when the waiter comes with the appetizer. “Are you still planning on staying tonight?”

You pause long enough to thank the waiter and for both of you to order your entrees and have a sip of your wine after the waiter goes again. "Of course I was planning on it. It's what we talked about. But...I felt like packing a bag to bring over tonight felt a little...presumptuous? I didn't want to jinx it."

“Nothing presumptuous about it.” Sam disagrees with a smile, knowing he would have loved if you had started bringing things over. “But we will do things on your schedule, as long as our end goal is the same.”

End goal. That part still bags at you a little and you still aren’t sure if you’re overreacting. Marcus seemed to agree with us, and so did Sydney…and it’s making you wonder. But will it ruin the night to make a fuss over it? There’s really no way to tell. “I want to make sure we’re on the same page about all of it.” You decide, making sure there is no worry or waver in your voice as you reach for an oyster. It’s just a conversation. Just a conversation with your boyfriend. No big deal. Just clearing the air.

“Good.” There’s a moment’s pause where the two of you start to split the appetizer, each of you tasting it and Sam hums in approval. “I say we live together for at least a year.” He looks up at you. “What do you think?”

“At least a year before what?” The clarification seems important, since the two of you seem to have slightly different expectations. It’s slight, but it’s there.

Sam chuckles slightly. “Before the next step?” He asks playfully, shrugging slightly.

“That makes sense.” But not knowing exactly what he meant makes you feel a little foolish, so you huff a laugh and have another sip of wine. “Of course. That makes perfect sense.”

“You seem off tonight.” Sam tilts his head curiously. “Fight with Sydney? Never thought I would see that.”

“No, god no, nothing like that.” A fight with Sydney is about the farthest thing from the truth. The trouble is…you can’t really tell Sam the truth. It would be a ticking time bomb in the middle of your relationship. To not only think that you might have met your soulmate but to suddenly find yourself caring immensely about what that could mean? Hell, even being attracted to him? It would be a disaster. And you can’t blame him because you would feel exactly the same way if Sam came to you after meeting the girl that the universe says is his perfect match. Instead? All you can really do is make an excuse. “I haven’t really been feeling myself for the past few days.” That is very much true. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t let it affect tonight.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Sam’s brows pull down. “Do we need to ask them to box up our meals? The photographer can take their photos now and we can go home if you aren’t up for a night out.” Despite his own views of how the night would go, he would never drag you around if you’d rather be in bed sleeping.

It’s sweet of him to offer, but you know he would be disappointed. And, unfortunately, no amount of sleep is going to pull you out of the Marcus-shaped funk you have found yourself in. No, sleep won’t help. And tonight is supposed to be about you and Sam, so it’s going to be. “That’s okay,” you assure him, shaking your head and promising yourself that the smile on your face won’t falter again tonight. “I’d rather spend tonight celebrating with you.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” He’s giving you a doubtful look, but he doesn’t call the waiter over. “Maybe it’s just that you need a night away.” He suggests. “I have a late morning scheduled so we can sleep in.”

“Unfortunately, I have an early morning.” You bite your lip, knowing he’ll hate that. “We have a big event tomorrow night and they’re showing up early in the day. Early bird check in, venue set up, all of it.”

Sam is quiet for a minute and then looks down at his plate again. “Well, I guess that can’t be helped.”

"It's all hands on deck right away." And suddenly you feel horribly guilty about it, even though it's your job. It's something you do out of love and a deep passion for the industry that you've chosen to work in. But a morning of just sleeping in sounds so nice.

“You don’t need to explain.” It’s not like you would change your plans anyway, but it definitely sours the idea he had for the next morning. “You have priorities.”

“Yes, I do. Just like you would if you had a day full of meetings to handle.” He sounds cold, and it bothers you so much more than you would have thought. Like you’d had disappointed your parents with a bad grade on your report card instead of telling your partner than you’re anticipating a demanding work day. “I would support you if that was the case, so I don’t understand why you seem so upset with me.”

“Because we had talked about it.” Sam reminds you. “Two days ago.” He clenches his jaw and takes a breath before releasing it. “You’re right, you have work and it’s important.” He agrees. “Forget I said anything.”

“We did talk about it two days ago. And we talked about me staying over, but not about doing anything the next day. Because I told you weeks ago when this group booked their party that it was going to be a big deal.” Barely managing not to drop your fork in the table, your eyes drop to your lap and you can feel the pressure of disappointment driving at the backs of your eyes like fire and you have to take a deep breath to steady yourself. “I feel like we haven’t been communicating as well as we used to.”

“After we talked about you staying over, I asked if you wanted to have a lazy morning and you said ‘sounds good’.” Sam realizes you had told him about the booking. “We got our signals crossed. It happens. We will need to work on it.”

“Yeah.” You nod, quietly sitting back in your chair again while being very aware of the pairs of eyes that have all turned to witness the First Daughter argue with her boyfriend over their romantic Valentine’s dinner. Fuck. Mom’s going to kill me. “Yeah,” you agree with a vague nod of your head. “We’re just a little off. We’ll work on it.”

“It’s okay.” Sam promises with a smile, reaching out and taking your hand again. He doesn’t want you to be photographed looking unhappy, because then rumors would fly. Public figures aren’t allowed to have bad moments. “We will make the best of tonight.” He tells you. “Or…we can go back to your apartment if you’d prefer?” He offers. “That way you can sleep a little longer?”

"You normally hate staying at my apartment." The water pressure is better at his house, you'll give him that. And the bed is bigger. But the breakfast at your place is far superior every single time.

“I know, but I also know that you have an early morning and I would like to compromise.” He offers.

His hand fits around yours, anchoring you to the table and to him, and you remind yourself to breath. A miscommunication isn't an argument. And even if it is, an argument isn't the end of the world. "I would really like that," you agree, squeezing his hand just a touch. Trying to show him silently how much you appreciate that he's willing to bend a little for you. It has never bothered you that you go to him — stay at his place, attend his work and social events, usually let him pick restaurants for dates as well. But it's nice to feel a little give in your direction as well.

“Alright, then it’s settled.” He nods quickly and smiles at you. “We will have to swing by my house to pick up a change of clothes though.”

"We can do that." You'll tell Agent Bailey after dinner, and the message will get relayed. It will all be fine. Whatever is causing this gap between you and Sam, you'll figure it out. Starting with a little bit of compromise. "And tonight we'll clean out a drawer for you at my place. We'll each have a drawer."

It’s on the tip if his tongue to refuse, to remind you he doesn’t like staying at your place. It’s too busy and he likes privacy in his home, not people coming and going at all times. “It’s a plan.” He decides to say instead, happy that the meal is coming out.

The restaurant is busy tonight, full up with reservations for dates and girls’ nights out. Tables are packed full and the kitchen is bustling, but Malachi sits calmly at the reception desk making sure that all of the inn’s reservations for the night are being taken care of to the best of his ability. The less you have to worry about tomorrow with that incoming party, the better.

Marcus smiles as he walks up to the desk, guiding Vanessa up with a warm hand on her lower back. He hadn’t wanted to be alone, especially on Valentine’s Day, so he had once again tried one of the dating apps. Tinder Without Marks was kind of the opposite of Mate Marks and he appreciated that. There wasn’t any emphasis on tattoos or scars, just on personalities. He had been talking to Vanessa since you had bailed on his offer of dinner and tonight was the first date. “Reservation for Pike.” He greets Malachi warmly.

"Special Agent Pike!" Malachi was not going to forget that face or those shoulders anytime soon, and he smiles genuinely for what seems like the first time all night. Holidays are always a lot of extra running around. "Reservation for the restaurant tonight?" He would have noticed the name if the FBI agent had reserved a room at the inn. He definitely would have noticed that.

“Yes.” Marcus nods and smiles. “How are you Malachi?” He remembers the concierge’s name and greets him like a friend. “I knew that coming here would be a fantastic treat.”

“And…Miss D’Amario.” When the concierge’s eyes light on the woman beside Special Agent Pike, he nearly bursts out laughing. This is going to be the biggest gossip amongst the staff. Multiple staffs. “Does chef know to expect you? Or should I let her know?”

Marcus tilts his head and looks at Vanessa. “I didn’t realize you’ve been here before.” He had told her where he had made reservations, but she hadn’t said. “Do you come often?”

“Once or twice.” She admits with a sheepish smile as Malachi comes out from behind the desk to escort them into the restaurant. “Usually just to run errands. My boss…he comes here a lot.”

“Interesting coincidence.” Marcus muses as the two of them follow Malachi. “You never actually said who you worked for.” He reminds her.

She hadn’t. That’s true. Because on a dating website all kinds of information can get taken out of context or photoshopped into other things. All she had said before now is that she works on Capitol Hill. “Congressman Chase.” She tells her date, a little more secure in handing this information over after having looked into him and agreeing to this dinner. A girl can never be too careful, after all. “I’m the senior aide in his office.”

To his credit, Marcus doesn’t freeze, although his eyes blow wide. He can hear Malachi snicker quietly, although the agent isn’t sure why. Even though he doesn’t have anything against the congressman, the knowledge that she is his senior aide dulls the excitement of the date almost immediately. “I met him just the other day.” Marcus admits. “My friend and former colleague is the event planner here.”

“You know Juan?” Vanessa seems to ease immediately, the tension of meeting a stranger off the Internet soothing with the knowledge that Juan Badillo is an excellent judge of character. “Okay. So you know who owns the inn, then. And why I’m running errands here fairly often.” She smiles when Marcus pulls out her chair for her and thanks him before sitting. “I’ve always wanted to try the restaurant but never have a chance.”

Marcus smiles and nods, even though he’s not exactly sure how this dynamic would work. “Then it’s a good thing I got reservations here.” He tells her and picks up the menu. “Do you want some wine? I think I would like some.”

“That sounds great.” She nods happily, not catching the change in his demeanor even in the last few seconds.

He’s still not going to be rude. Vanessa is a lovely woman, and he shouldn’t feel guilty for being here on a date with her. Not even if you know her and she works for your boyfriend. “Are you a red, white or rosé kind of woman?” He asks, scanning the selections and looking back up at her.

“Usually white. But if you like red I’m happy to try something new.” Vanessa is happy to let Marcus take the lead, not feeling strong enough one way or the other to have a preference.

“There’s a wonderful Prosecco on the menu.” Marcus offers, lifting his brows. “It’s Valentine’s Day after all, and we aren’t alone. We should celebrate.”

"Perfect." Her smile spreads again and she sits back, looking over the menu and regarding the man across from her. "So what department of the FBI are you in? We haven't really talked about work yet."

“Art Crimes.” He supplies wondering where you and Sam are. A discreet glance around the restaurant was a relief and a disappointment not to come up with you. “I’m actually the head of the department.”

"So...is that forgeries and thieves? Like in caper movies?" Vanessa sounds suitably impressed even though it isn't the part of FBI work that gets glorified on tv or in movies. "I didn't know that was a whole department on its own. You must have a lot of responsibility."

“It’s a lot of paperwork.” Marcus admits. “Although I’m sure you have plenty yourself.” He chuckles. “I wish that it was like the movies, or that show White Collar that was on a few years ago. I could use a Neal Caffery sometimes.”

"Oh, I don't think I've ever seen it. I guess I have a little homework to do." On whatever the show is, plus on art as a whole. Art class or art history...museums in general aren't really Vanessa's thing. It just never seemed very practical. "Paperwork is okay when there's a rhythm to it. Sometimes I even turn on music quietly in the office while I'm copying and filing. It's really helpful even though it's kind of a no-no."

“Why would that be a no-no?” He wonders if Sam is a stick in the mud. “Most of the time, I encourage my team to listen to music, it helps engage your mind.”

"We try not to have anything on in the office that could interfere with being understood on the phone," she explains, like it's some kind of party line or sage advice that has been handed down to her. "Staying on message is important. And it's hard to stay on message if you can't be heard."

“And what’s your message?” He asks, finding it slightly intense, but he’s not the politician.

"Right now, our message is about serving our community. Working to bring business into our district without threatening existing small businesses, and making sure that we take safety standards into account." Obviously very proud of her work, Vanessa sits up straight in her chair and folds her hands in her lap with the air of someone being interviewed. "The Congressman is paving his own path and we're all on board for the ride."

“I see.” He can approve of such a message, admire it even. The congressman is obviously working for the best of his district and there is something noble about that. “That’s a good message to have.”

“It really is.” When Vanessa nods, it’s eager. “He’s on the fast track to the White House. It’s a privilege to get to work for him now.”

“A fast track, you say?” Marcus works so hard to keep from frowning, not liking the way that it makes it seem as if you are a steppingstone for Sam. Even though that shouldn’t bother him as much as it does.

“Absolutely.” She pauses long enough for the waiter to return for their drink order and explain the beautiful Valentine’s prix fixe menu before leaving them be again for a few minutes. “Congressman Chase has seven more years to be the youngest president ever elected, and he can do it.”

“That’s a lofty ambition.” Marcus agrees, wondering how much of dating the current president’s daughter is included in those plans for the White House.

“It’s going to be great.” She laughs, not the least self-conscious, but shrugs her shoulders. “I like my job a lot. Sorry if I get carried away a little.”

“Nothing to be sorry for.” Marcus waves that away, although he’s sure he sees hero worship in Vanessa’s eyes, and perhaps a crush on her boss. Nothing wrong with that unless they are being inappropriate and he can’t see the congressman doing that with his ambitions. Some congressmen, sure, but not Sam. “I wish a lot more people enjoyed their jobs like that.”

“It makes hard work worth it,” she agrees, though she does demure and tuck a stray hair behind her ear. “You…must love art? To be so involved with those crimes specifically?”

“I have come to really appreciate it.” Marcus tells her. “I never really stopped to look and think about much art before, but some weekends, I enjoy going through the museums for pleasure and not trying to research a piece.”

"DC is a very good place if you like museums." Even if she's not very big on them herself, she knows that to be absolutely true. It's where she ends up bringing family whenever they visit, so she has seen quite a few of the Smithsonian museums by now. She'd just rather be at a game.

“They are nice. Especially if a game gets rained out.” Marcus agrees, leaning back when the waiter comes back with the first course. “Thank you.” He hums and looks up at Vanessa. “This looks amazing.”

“It really does.” Vanessa looks as delighted as Marcus does and she offers him a sincere smile. “I’m very glad you decided to ask me out tonight.”

“I am too.” He smiles at her even if he feels guilty that he’s not as glad has he had been before he realized the connection to Sam Chase and therefore….you. He picks up his Prosecco and holds it up. “To positive first dates.”

“Absolutely.” Their glasses make lovely clink as they tap together and Vanessa smiles again, very glad that she decided to take this step to try to get over the crush she has on her boss.

“Looks like the inn is fairly packed tonight.” Sam hums as he pulls into the employee only portion of the oyster shell parking lot. He’s not upset for you business-wise, but he wished there weren’t so many people there.

“The night manager had the idea to keep our sitting room open for some live music, and it seems like people have stayed. It must have been a success.” The rooms aren’t sold out tonight because there are early check-ins for that party in the morning, but managing to keep people in house and engaged is a huge deal.

“Interesting concept.” Sam’s not really sure if that would attract the kind of clientele that you want here, but he’s a politician, not an inn owner. “Hopefully not too late?” He asks, wondering if it will be noisy into the late night. That’s not romantic.

“It should be over soon,” you promise him, seeing that your watch reads almost eleven o’clock.

“Good.” Once out of the car, he rushes around the hood and wraps his arm around your waist. “I don’t want them to interrupt our plans for tonight.”

“Nothing’s going to interrupt us.” Heading for the back door, you can pop right into the elevator to head upstairs without having to interrupt anything that’s going on or get sidetracked by Malachi. You just want to take a peak into the sitting room but that’s all. “And you can sleep in, in the morning after I’ve tired you out.”

"Is that a promise?" Sam asks playfully, allowing you to lead him away from the elevator and down the hall.

"Absolutely." The rest of the date had smoothed out, being a relatively quiet and pleasant night Now that you're back at the inn with a bag of Sam's things to stash away in your bureau, you're feeling a little bit flirtier and more upbeat. "And when you come downstairs after you finally drag that excellent butt out of bed, I'll have Syd make you some breakfast."

“I do love her breakfasts.” Sam groans, smirking at you playfully. “So you are planning on wearing me out completely?” He squeezes your waist and looks ahead towards the music.

"I'd say you deserve a night of intensely deep sleep, and I intend to make sure you get it." There is a little line waiting for the elevator as guests start to go up to their rooms for the night, so you hang back with Sam and look toward the sitting room instead. The music coming through is atmospheric and sweet and you are right about to lean your head on Sam's chest while you wait — when you spot someone unexpected in the sitting room.

Marcus had decided that just because Vanessa works for Sam doesn’t mean that he can’t have a nice night with her. The music had sounded lovely floating from the sitting room and he had asked if she wanted to stay. Now, they are dancing and he hasn’t thought about you in at least five minutes.

It's not exactly a gasp, but you end up trying to swallow whatever noise of surprise you were going to make when you spotted Marcus with his date in the the other room — and instead of keeping your reaction to yourself you end up choking on your own damn spit and coughing hard enough to worry Sam.

“Are you alright?” Sam pats your back and leans in with a worried look on his face while you wave him away. “What’s—” he glances around the room and immediately stiffens. “What is he doing with Vanessa?” He asks, his voice bristled with a slight anger he can’t shake.

"Vanessa?" You hadn't even seen who he was with, just choked at the sight of Marcus enjoying a quiet, romantic moment with another woman — something which you know shouldn't bother you but it had been a whole five minutes since the last time you thought about him so apparently that is your maximum. "Like your aide Vanessa?"

“How does he know her?” Sam ignores the question, staring holes into the FBI agent that is currently slow dancing with said aide and making her beam up at him in a way that has Sam wanting to drag her away from him.

"I don't know." He's practically fuming, and your forehead furrows as you turn your eyes back from the couple in the other room to Sam beside you. "Why does it matter?"

“I find it funny—” his tone definitely says otherwise, “that this man just magically shows up, gets invited to a game night and is now cozying up to my top aide.” Sam knows that he’s already been tagged by the DNC as a rising star, his own seat on the council is indicative of that, and now there’s this FBI that is showing up everywhere.

"He's friends with Juan." The defense in your voice is impossible to miss, and you cross your arms defiantly over your chest like you're waiting for him to pick a fight. "Maybe they were introduced by a mutual friend? Met in a coffee shop? Found each other on a dating app? Who knows?"

“And they just happened to book your inn as a date?” He scoffs slightly, unable to believe that fanciful tale and narrows his eyes as Marcus twirls Vanessa around and pulls her back against him.

"Why don't you go interrupt them and find out if you're so curious?" This has taken a very deep turn for the worse, and you can only be glad that the last guests waiting for the elevator near you have gone up so you're more or less alone now. Of course Agent Bailey is nearby, but she never comments.

“No.” He wants to. That’s the problem, and he knows it’s not a good move. Frowning, he turns away from the dancing couple. “Let’s go upstairs. The music is horrible.”

It's not. At all. But this isn't about the music and both of you know that silently even if it isn't said out loud. Sam jams his thumb in the 'Up' button for the elevator again but you say nothing, glancing back at the sitting room one more time to wonder if Sam is upset about the date that is happening for the same reason you are. And if he is...what does that mean for the two of you?

Once upstairs, Sam steps out of the elevator and sighs. “Can we just have the apartment to ourselves?” He directs his question to Agent Bailey, not looking at you.

There are certain protocols that have to be upheld, and Agent Bailey looks to you before starting them. “Ma’am?”

In your mind it’s awfully rude, knowing that asking her to sit in the hallway means hours and hours of uncomfortable sitting, but you also know that Sam is…in less than a good mood right now. And while you’re cranky too, you would rather try to smooth things over if you can. “If…you wouldn’t mind?”

“Please stay here.” Bailey directs you both. She’ll do a sweep of the apartment to make sure no one is waiting for you, and then she’ll take a chair into the hallway. She won’t say so, but she doesn’t mind not hearing a fight if it happens. Or the makeup sex. Neither one is her favorite.

Once you two are alone, Sam sets his bag down, aware that the mood of the evening is ruined and it’s his fault. “Do you want me to leave?” He asks, not even sure if he wants to stay at this point. Especially if Vanessa and that agent will also be spending the night under this roof. He’s not happy to see his best aide here, and usually he’s always happy to see her.

“Can you explain to me why you’re so upset?” It’s definitely uncomfortable, this tension that hangs in the air now, and you try not to let your eyes drop to the right before going back to him. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just surprised. He’s the one who got mad.

“It’s— I’m not—” There’s not a rational reason why he’s upset, and logically he knows this. “I don’t like the fact this man seems to be everywhere.” You had told him about meeting Marcus at the market and it seems as if he’s suddenly everywhere when a few weeks ago, no one knew this man was even in the area. “Strange in my eyes.”

“It’s just a coincidence.” That’s what you’ve told yourself, anyway. It has nothing at all — nothing whatsoever — to do with the universe putting you into situations where you’ll bump into each other. Not at all. “The Secret Service did a background check on him. He’s totally clear.”

“Then I guess I’m just overreacting.” Sam sighs and wipes a hand down his face. “I should go.” He knows that if he stays, the night won’t proceed like it was planned and he’s better off going home. You don’t seem too happy with him. “Unless you want me to stay?”

What you want, and what you should do, and what seems like the healthiest decision for your mental health all are different things. You should tell him to stay, brush it off, and try to salvage the evening. You want to go downstairs and interrupt that damn date to find out if Marcus Pike is as good a dancer as he seemed to be in the small space of the sitting room. But what’s best for your mental health? Is probably neither of those things. “Maybe I can come over this weekend and we can try to have a less stressful night at your place instead?”

Sam is silent for a moment and then nods. Understanding that something has fundamentally shifted in your relationship and trying to figure out what that might mean for the future. “Sounds good.” He agrees and looks at his bag before picking it up. “I’m sorry about how the night ended.”

“So am I.” The air between you feels different. Colder or heavier or just more tense, but you won’t back down just for the comfort of having him next to you in bed tonight. That isn’t fair to either of you.

Instead of a romantic kiss, Sam leans in and presses his lips to your cheek. “I’ll text you when I get home.” He promises, stepping back and frowning slightly before nodding. He had honestly expected you to change your mind, but he won’t beg to stay, knowing it’s not the best idea.

“Get home safe.” A long moment passes with thick air hanging between you before Sam nods again and opens the door, stepping out of your apartment and back in to the elevator. “It’s just us tonight,” you tell Agent Bailey, who comes back into the room the moment she hears the door. “The Congressman has gone home for the night.” And of referring to him by his title instead of his name isn’t a big fucking clue to you right then and there, it should be.

It’s not surprising, given the way the evening has turned sour, but it’s not her place to say anything. “Very well.” She nods. “If you need anything, let me know.” She intends to stay outside and let you sulk if you need to. She hadn’t missed ’the Congressman’ title instead of Sam.

“You can stay inside.” Banishing your Secret Service detail to the hallway is one more thing that rubbed you the wrong way. “I’m just going to go to bed. But the coffee you like…the vanilla caramel one? It in the cupboard above the coffee maker. Any time you want to make some.”

“Thank you.” The couch you don’t mind her sitting on is a lot more comfortable than the chair in hallway and she appreciates that you don’t mind her using the bathroom either. “Is there anything you need before you go to bed?”

“No.” You’re too afraid to ask if you did wrong by letting Sam go home, so you don’t even consider it. “Tomorrow’s an early morning. Agent Sisson coming to relieve you early?”

“Five.” She nods. “If you need to be up earlier, I will be here.”

"I won't be up until after that." Unless you can't sleep, which is a serious possibility considering how poorly the night went and how half of your thoughts are currently downstairs in the sitting room. "So I'll see you tomorrow, Agent Bailey."

“Goodnight, ma’am.” It’s best to keep things formal, although she feels bad that your evening did not end up like it was supposed to. And incredibly interested in the reaction of the congressman to Marcus Pike’s presence.

"Good night." Going to your room alone isn't what you wanted for tonight, but it feels like it's for the best. All you can do now is hope that you sleep.

The next morning is a flurry of activity, but Sydney notices that you aren’t rushing in from the parking lot when you come into the kitchen, looking like you didn’t get much sleep last night. “Good morning sunshine.” She teases, reaching for the coffee pot to pour you a cup.

Teasing barely earns her a grumble in return, but you gratefully accept the cup of coffee she pours you and turn to doctor it immediately. “That early check-in group should be here in a half hour.”

“I already have a breakfast spread ready for them.” She motions to the counter and the baskets she has already started filling with baked goods. The bowl of fresh fruit is inside a hollowed-out watermelon. “I couldn’t sleep.” She explains. “Indigestion.”

“There’s a joke in there about swallowing too much cum, but I’m too tired to make it.” You huff though, trying for a smile for your best friend. “It looks great, Syd. Thank you for working so hard.”

She sees through you instantly and frowns, moving around the counter and wiping her hands on the ever present rag tucked into the pocket of her chef’s jacket. “What’s wrong?” She asks, feeling your forehead and looking like an over anxious mother hen worrying over her baby. “Are you not feeling good? Juan, Malachi and I can handle this if you need us to.”

“Not a chance.” Considering you never take sick days even when you’re actually sick, there is no way you would make your team handle a big event without you. “It’s nothing. I just…had a bad night. That’s all.”

“Everything alright?” She frowns, tutting at your stubbornness and moving over to the espresso machine to give you a shot to help boost you up.

“Sam and I had a little…series of tiffs,” you admit with a sigh. There is a pan of her fresh baked broscia nearby and the Sicilian brioche-style bread is calming to you to be crammed full with jam and butter so you grab one still warm. “We got into it at the restaurant over me having to be at work early today and then again later when he flipped out about Marcus being here on his date.”

“Marcus?” Her head whips around and she gives you an utterly confused look. “One, why was he here? Two, why was Sam upset about that?”

“He must have stayed after dinner. For the musician that Malachi brought in.” Sam had been cranky about it, but you thought the singer at the piano had been lovely. “He…uh…Marcus, that is…did you see who his date was? When they came in for dinner last night?”

“I didn’t see, it was crazy in the kitchen, but Malachi told me that it was Vanessa.” She huffs. “How the hell do they know each other?”

“I don’t know. But the same question made Sam so upset that he ended up leaving my apartment last night instead of staying over.” The best you can do is shrug your shoulders. Because as much as it bothers you? You know why it does. There’s no mystery there, only guilt. “He thinks there’s something suspicious about Marcus, apparently.”

“Something suspicious about Marcus Pike?” She chokes out, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it. “The FBI agent? The man who was an Eagle Scout?” She and Juan had pulled that nugget of information out of him at game night.

“Because apparently, he’s ‘suddenly everywhere’ when none of us had seen him before.” Jam and butter join your bread roll and you sigh a little at the comfort of it. “I think it’s just confirmation bias. Like we probably were in the same places as him before, we just didn’t know to look for him.”

“Well…Juan would have recognized him.” Syd reminds you. “So that’s not exactly true, but I understand what you mean.” She sighs and hesitates for a moment. “Do you think it’s him or because he was with Vanessa?” She knows the other woman has a crush on Sam, it’s obvious from the hero worship stars in her eyes when she’s around. She knows Sam isn’t the type to cheat, but maybe there’s some feelings there that are repressed.

“I feel like that didn’t help.” Coffee and a little breakfast is helping. You can think a little straighter even if you don’t like the thoughts. “I know Vanessa has a thing for him. It’s not subtle. But before now I didn’t think there was cause for concern the other way.”

“It could be that Sam thinks that Vanessa could give away information that he could use if Marcus wanted to cause problems between you and Sam.” She rationalizes. “Slightly conspiracy theorist in my mind, but I could see how it could be construed.” Sydney enjoys playing Devil’s advocate, even if she likes Marcus and doesn’t think he is angling for anything.

“Before last week, I didn’t think there were problems between me and Sam.” It’s disconcerting to realize, as you stand here and talk through it with your best friend, that your relationship has not been as steady as you once thought. “Now? I don’t know.”

“Other than his overreaction, what makes you think that?” She asks, aware that you’ve been a little edgy lately but every relationship has ups and downs at times.

“He seems…really agitated lately. Much more upset than usual about having an agent around. Last night he wanted Agent Bailey to sit out in the hall while we slept, how does that make sense? And making comments about the future of our relationship to other people?” To Vanessa’s parents, now that you think about it. It sometimes slips your mind that his most trustworthy aide is also the only daughter of one of his largest donors. “Everything just feels on edge.”

“Have you talked about all this? Like really sat down and talked?” She frowns, not liking what she is hearing, although it could just be a case of miscommunication.

“Before now there hasn’t really been a reason.” Or at least, there hasn’t been such an obvious compilation of reasons. “And considering he never texted me back when he got home last night, now I’m wondering if he’ll be willing to sit down and hash things out.”

“I’m sorry.” She slides the shot of espresso over and reaches for your hand. “I like Sam, but if it doesn’t work out, it’s better to find out now, than down the road.”

“With the whole soulmate thing and now this kind of…weird accumulation of things?” You shake your head and just sort of shrug awkwardly. “I feel discouraged in a way that I really wasn’t expecting.”

“I’m sorry.” Immediately feeling guilty, Sydney’s shoulders drop and she bites her lip. “I shouldn’t have teased you about finding out what kind of hummingbird tattoo he has.” She hadn’t expected it to cause so many problems, or for you to be so resistant to it. Before Sam, you would have demanded to see the tattoo right away just to disprove the soulmate theory. “What can I do to help you?”

“Honey, you’re growing a literal human. You have enough to deal with.” It’s disheartening, and confusing, and frankly you’re shocked that you’re so willing to throw up your hands. That’s not like you at all.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t and won’t be there for my best friend.” She argues, frowning at you. “Your shit is my shit, remember? I’ll be expecting you to do a rotation getting up with the baby.” She jokes, wanting you to laugh a little.

"If we still lived together, I absolutely would." Being in this apartment upstairs is actually the first time you've ever lived alone — taking over the role of caretaker for the inn when Sydney moved out of the apartment you had been renting in Old Town to buy a house with her soulmate. "At this point I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place...and one of those blockages is purely made up of how confused I am over...just feeling like I want to throw in the towel instead of working things out. That's not who I am. Or not who I have been."

“Honey, sometimes you just…don’t want to work things out. That doesn’t make you a failure.” She hums. “You might just realize that you have different goals.”

"But why do I feel that way?" There's only a few bites of your bun left and you know that today is going to be a peckish day. You tend to nibble when you're worried. "Is it just because I'm having doubts? And why am I even having doubts? It's...soulmates never mattered to me before this."

“Maybe it’s because of the man and not the soulmate aspect?” She probes gently. “Let me ask you this….if you weren’t in a relationship with Sam, would you be interested in Marcus. Even without the soulmate possibility?”

"I—" It feels dirty. A kind of guilt you really don't like and makes your skin crawl. But this isn't a situation you're going to lie about. Not when you're literally asking your best friend for help. "I mean...probably. Yeah."

“Then you should step back. From Marcus or Sam, that decision is yours. But some space might be needed to figure out what you are feeling.” Syd suggests.

"All the social media shit from our date last night is going to go viral really fast if anyone gets a whiff that we've broken up." Just as astonishing as the idea that you would even consider ending things, it's alarming how fast your heart knows the right decision to make. Or at least what you perceive as right in this moment. "It's going to be a shitshow..."

Sydney doesn’t comment on the fact that it seems like you’ve made up your mind, just humming. “Take it slow. It doesn’t have to be some kind of announcement.”

"The last thing I want is to have to make an announcement." The end of your coffee cup comes all too soon, and you fill it up again with a sigh. This morning is going to be a lot for many different reasons. "Syd...you would stop me if you thought I was making the wrong choice, right?"

“I would definitely try to talk to you.” She promises. “I like Sam, I really do, but if you don’t see yourself marrying him, well—” she shrugs. “Just give yourself a week, how about that?”

"Have I really reached the point in my life where it's not worth staying with someone that I don't see myself marrying?" That is a fairly rude awakening because of how honest it is, and you stifle a groan in one hand. "You're right, and I know you're right. But the State Dinner for the Spanish royal visit is in just over a week. The last thing I want is to have to go to that alone."

“To make it fair, give yourself that time.” She tells you. “Give him an honest try and if you still can’t see it, then you have your answer because Sam is the type to want marriage.”

"I want to get married, too." You always have. Ever since you were little. You reveled in family weddings and dreaming in your own big day. You had even talked to Marcus about it at the market. But whenever the future comes up with Sam, it ends up feeling tense now. "I just...it's a lot to even think about, Syd. You and Juan just...you're so good together. I don't think I'll ever get that lucky."

“I think you will.” She encourages. “My relationship with Juan isn’t without work.” She reminds you. “We still have to communicate and work through issues.”

"But it's worth it because you love each other so much." The sentence is out of your mouth before you have a chance to really sit on what you're saying, and just seconds after you hear yourself say it, your shoulders fall in defeat. "Oh...fuck..."

“What is it?” She asks, frowning at the way you just seemed to deflate.

"It's worth it for you and Juan to work through your issues because you love each other so much." Repeating the phrase makes it hurt all the more, because you didn't realize until this exact moment that it doesn't apply to you. At least, not anymore. "I...don't think I feel the same way..."

“Oh honey.” Her expression softens and she is immediately around the counter again, this time pulling you in for a big hug.

"I'm okay," you insist, through very obvious tears that announce the contrary. "I'm okay." You have to be. You have work to do, and you can't greet a large family party here to announce and celebrate an engagement with runny mascara. "I...have to be okay."

“Listen.” She lets you go and takes your shoulder to look you in the eyes. “You are going upstairs. Ahhh.” She stops you when you start to protest. “Take ten minutes, take an hour, take all day, but take some time to yourself before you start running around dealing with the very obvious results of love.” She tells you. “I can get them started with food and then Juan can take over to take them to the venue.” She shakes her head, huffing when you open your mouth again. “No, I’m not listening. Now go.”

"I'll be back in ten minutes." The best thing you can do for yourself today is keep busy, but she's right that you need to have a clear head for things to go well. "I just...I didn't know this was going to happen today. Or ever."

“I know, babe.” She squeezes you again and sighs. “But I’m here for you. Completely.”

"Thank you, love." Squeezing her tight against you as much as you can, you steal your second coffee away with you from the kitchen and head back upstairs with Agent Sisson following behind.

Sydney sighs as she looks at the door you disappear through for a moment before turning back to her work. The best way she can help you right now, is to make sure the incoming clients are happy.

Walking out through the back hall, you clutch your mug of coffee and try to hang onto a thread of dignity until you get back upstairs. There are more tears pressing at the back of your eyes and you absolutely do not want them shed in public. The elevator is in use, apparently, and you jam your finger in the button a second time for good measure before blowing out a sigh. What a great fucking Valentine’s last night turned out to be, and what a terrible fucking day this is looking like…

The little toiletry kits provided in the rooms are a godsend and both Marcus and Vanessa quickly clean up after the alarm had woken them. “Can’t believe we drank so much and we don’t have hangovers.” Marcus hums, riding the elevator down to get a quick breakfast with his Valentine’s date. They had ended up finishing a bottle and then having another few glasses while dancing. Feeling too drunk to safely get home, the night manager had agreed to let them take one of the rooms on the promise they would check out early. He has been grateful and eagerly agreed. “How about you?”

“Normally I would say I’m still drunk,” Vanessa admits with a sheepish laugh. “But I’m okay. I think it’s just a miracle and I’m not in the habit of questioning those. Though I could use some breakfast.”

“I’ll get you fed and then get you home so you won’t be late to work.” Marcus promises. He will be late, but he had already told his team to come in late, so it’s just paperwork that he’s missing.

“In case no one has ever told you before, you are a consummate caretaker.” It makes a girl like Vanessa feel very special, who spend her working hours caring for someone else and her downtime making sure to live up to her parents’ expectations, and while Marcus Pike isn’t quite her dream man — he’s handsome and sweet and she would be stupid to ignore that.

"I like to make sure people are happy and safe around me." Marcus shrugs off the praise with a small grin. "I took you from your house, it's only right I deliver you back to it." He hums as the elevator stops and dings before the doors open. "Now to get you fed."

When the elevator doors slide open in front of you, the most unwelcome sight in the world is waiting. The vision of Marcus Pike and Vanessa D’Amario in the same clothing you saw them wearing last night, looking refreshed and giddy huddled together in one corner of the elevator car makes you want to turn on your heel and flee back into the kitchen. And you probably would, if you weren’t rooted to the spot in shock and trying to remember how to breathe.

Vanessa murmurs your name in surprise. "I—I didn't expect to see you here this morning!" Her eyes dart around, almost nervously as she expects Sam to pop up. "I—uh, is Congressman Chase here?" She asks, "I thought— he said that you had a date." Normally dates between you and Sam included sleepovers.

“He’s not here.” You won’t invite questions by giving extra information, but when your feet remember how to work, you step out of the way to let them off the elevator. “I—um—I was just headed upstairs.” Sam is going to be in a very foul mood if he’s coming off a bad night and Vanessa walks in looking freshly fucked, and that almost makes you sob all over again. “N—nice to see you, Vanessa. Marcus.”

Marcus can't even do more than just nod and lift his hand and wave slightly, feeling foolish as he watches the doors slide closed and your eyes meet his in a kind of silent agony. "Well," Vanessa giggles and Marcus can't help the way that he swallows guiltily, like he's done something wrong. "I guess that's one way for my boss to learn I had a date."

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

HHL: @haileymorelikestupid @anoverwhelmingdin @storiesofthefandomlovers @missladym1981 @babeincolor @storiesofthefandomlovers

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Marcus Pike #Marcus Pike x you #Marcus Pike x reader #Marcus Pike x female reader #Marcus Pike x f!reader #The Mentalist #soulmate au #First Daughter reader #Juan Badillo #Graceland #Juan Badillo x f!OC #Juan Badillo x OC #love triangle

131 notes · View notes

thecanonbeneath · 2 months

Text

Jewish Tradition vs $ionism

הֵן יִרְאַת אֲדֹנָי, הִיא חָכְמָה; וְסוּר מֵרָע בִּינָה

“Behold- to fear he Master is Wisdom, And to depart from evil is Understanding” (Iyyov/Job 28:28)

בְּתוֹרָה וְתַלְמוּד וְרִאשׁוֹנִים וְקַבָּלָה אֲבוֹתֵינו, הַקֵץ אֵין מְצִיאִים אֶת־הַתָּכְלִית

אֶלָּא בְּהַדֶּרֶךְ מִצְוָה יִהְיֶה הַתָּכְלִית, וְהָרְבִיעִי מִן הַכָּתוּבִים הַרְבֵּה

In the Torah, Talmud, Rishonim, and the Kabbalah of our Fathers, ‘the Ends’ do not ‘Justify the Means’. Only through the proper means can ends be achieved. We learn this from many verses [such as the rejection of Israel’s sacrifices and observances on account of their sin]:

"כִּי אִם-תַּעֲלוּ-לִי עֹלוֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶם, לֹא אֶרְצֶה; וְשֶׁלֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶם, לֹא אַבִּיט"

“Yea, though you offer me burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.” (Amos 5:22)

לֹא תוֹסִיפוּ, הָבִיא מִנְחַת-שָׁוְא-קְטֹרֶת תּוֹעֵבָה הִיא, לִי

חֹדֶשׁ וְשַׁבָּת קְרֹא מִקְרָא, לֹא-אוּכַל אָוֶן וַעֲצָרָה

“Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations--I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.”

(Isaiah 1:13)

וַהֲבֵאתֶם גָּזוּל וְאֶת-הַפִּסֵּחַ וְאֶת-הַחוֹלֶה, וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת-הַמִּנְחָה

הַאֶרְצֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיֶּדְכֶם, אָמַר יְהוָה

“And you have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering; should I accept this of your hand? says HaShem” (Malachi 1:13)

וְזֹאת הַמִּשְׁפָט מְכִיר בְּרַבִּים גְּמָרוֹת דִּבְרֵיהֶם

כְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יָהוֹי, עַל הַלּוּלָב הַגָּנָב

And this principle underlies many Talmudic discussions, such as what R. Yohanon said in the name of R. Shimon Ben Yahoi on waving a stolen lulav.

מִשּׁוּם דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ מִצְוָה הַבָּאָה בַּעֲבֵירָה

“[It is unfit] because it is a mitzvah that comes [fulfilled] by means of a transgression.”

(Sukka 30a)

" וְכֵן אֶתְרוֹג שֶׁאֵינוֹ עָרְלָה, וּמָעוֹת הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁאֵינָן גֶּזֶל, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם

שֶׁהָﬠָרְלָה הִיא מִשָּׁלֹשׁ קְלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת לְגַמְרֵי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם ﬠֲלִיָּה לְעוֹלָם

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּﬠֵץ חַיִּים. וְכֵן כָּל מִצְוָה הַבָּאָה בַּﬠֲבֵירָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

“Similarly, an etrog which is not orlah, or money given to charity that has not been acquired through theft and their like. For Orlah is of the three completely unclean kelipot that can never ascend into holiness, as is written in Etz Chaim [Shaar 49 ch.2]. Similarly, [this applies to] any precept involving a transgression, heaven forfend.” (Likkutei Amarim ch.37)

"וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה

'לֹא הוּכְשַׁר לִמְלֶאכֶת שָׁמַיִם אֶלָּא טְהוֹרִים וּמוּתָּרִים בְּפִיךָ':"

“As our Sages state: ‘For the ‘work of heaven’ [i.e., mitzvah objects] only that which is pure and permissible to eat may be used.” (Likutei Amarim ch.37, Shabbat 28b)

וְגַם זֹאת הַמִּשְׁפָט מְכִיר בְּמִשְׁנַת הַגְּאֻלָּה וְהַשְּׁכָרָה

Furthermore, this principle also is critical to the discussions of redemption and reward discussed in the Mishnah,

בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי רָץ לְמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, וּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה

שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וַעֲבֵרָה גוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה. שֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוָה, מִצְוָה. וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵרָה, עֲבֵרָה

“Ben Azzai said: Be quick in performing a minor commandment as in the case of a major one, and flee from transgression; For one commandment leads to another commandment, and transgression leads to another transgression; For the reward for performing a commandment is another commandment and the reward for committing a transgression is a transgression.” (Avot 4:2)

וְהַוִּיכוּחִים עַל טָהֳרַת בִּגְדֵי הַנֶּשָׁמָה כְּהוֹגֶן

כְּגוֹן כַּוָּנָה בְּרוּרָה בְּמִצְוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת

וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת נָכוֹנָה, וְכֵן הַלְאָה

And the discussions about proper purity of the garments of the soul, such as proper kavanah [determined-focus], these being critical and consequential in the mitzvot performed, and correct passion, and so on.

וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ

“And thou shalt love HaShem your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:5)

כִּי-קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר, מְאֹד: בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ, לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ

“But the word is very nigh unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it”. (Devarim/Deuteronomy 30:14)

אַךְ אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, אָמְרוּ: תְּפִלָּה אוֹ שְׁאָר בְּרָכָה בְּלֹא כַוָּונָה – הֵן כְּגוּף בְּלֹא נְשָׁמָה

“Yet, nevertheless, it has been said that prayer or any other blessing, said without kavanah, is like a body without a soul.”

(Likkutei Amarim ch.38; see Yeshuot Meshicho, p12a; Shnei Luchot Habrit, vol.1 p. 249b.)

מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּחָכְמַת הָאוּמּוֹת, הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ וּמְטַמֵּא בְּחִינוֹת חָכְמָה־בִּינָה־דַּעַת

שֶׁבְּנַפְשׁוֹ הָאֱלֹהִית בְּטוּמְאַת קְלִיפַּת נוֹגַהּ שֶׁבְּחָכְמוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁנָּפְלוּ שָׁמָּה בִּשְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים מִבְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁל חָכְמָה דִקְדוּשָּׁה, כַּיָּדוּעַ לְיוֹדְעֵי חֵן

“Not so in the case of the science of the nations; thereby, one clothes and defiles ChaBaD [Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge], which is his Divine soul, with the impurity of the kelipat nogah [the translucent husks, i.e. overdoing the permissible to the point of transgression] contained in those sciences, whither they (the sciences) have fallen, through the “shattering of the vessels,” out of the “hinder-part” of Wisdom of holiness, as is known to the students of the Kabbalah.

אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן קַרְדּוֹם לַחְתּוֹךְ בָּהֶן

דְּהַיְינוּ כְּדֵי לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס מֵהֶן בְּרֶיוַח לַעֲבוֹד ה

אוֹ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן לַעֲבוֹדַת ה' אוֹ לְתוֹרָתוֹ

“unless one employs them [these sciences] as a useful instrument, viz., as a means of earning a more affluent livelihood with which to be able to serve G-d, or unless he knows how to apply them [the sciences] in the service of G‑d or to his better understanding of His Torah, e.g., [he utilizes mathematics to better understand the laws of the Sanctification of the New Moon.]

וְזֶהוּ טַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל הָרַמְבַּ"ם וְרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה וְסִיעָתָן שֶׁעָסְקוּ בָּהֶן

“This is the reason why The Rambam and Ramban, of blessed memory, and their peers engaged in them” [in the sciences—since they were able to utilize this knowledge in the service of G‑d and Torah, as physicians committed to healing.] (Likkutei Amarim ch.8)

ועוֹד אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שְׁכָל עֲווֹנוֹת, זוּלָתִיָּהֶם מִסְפָּר, יֵשׁ לָהֶם תִּקּוּן, אֲךָ הָעֲווֹנוֹת הַטְּמֵאִים בְּעַצְמָם, כְּגוֹן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, גִּילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וְשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, הֵם מְרַחִיקִים אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ, חָס וְשָׁלוֹם, כַּאֲשֶׁר מְסָרוּ הַמְּקוּבָּלִים

And the sages have said that all sins, except for a number of them, have a remedy, but the inherently impure sins, such as idolatry, illicit sexual relations, and bloodshed, distance a person from holiness, heaven forbid, as the kabbalists have transmitted.

"הֵם אֲסוּרִים וּקְשׁוּרִים בִּידֵי הַחִיצוֹנִים לְעוֹלָם"

“These are tied and bound by the ‘extraneous forces’ [the kelipot] forever.” (Likutei Amarim ch.8)

וְאִם כֵּן, הָאָדָם הָעוֹבֵר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ

הוּא גָּרוּעַ וּפָחוּת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מֵהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא וּקְלִיפָּה

הַנִּקְרֵאת "עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה" וֵ"אלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים

“It follows, then, that the person who does violate G-d’s will is greatly inferior to and more debased than the sitra achara and kelipah, which are called avodah zarah and “other gods”.

" וְהוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַפֵּירוּד מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ��בָּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנָּה

וּכְאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּאַחְדּוּתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

“He is separated completely from G‑d’s unity and oneness even more than they are as though denying His unity even more radically than they, Heaven Forfend.

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּעֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר מ"ב סוֹף פֶּרֶק ד', שֶׁהָרָע שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַחוּמְרִי

הוּא שִׁמְרֵי הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הַגַּסּוֹת כוּ, וְהוּא תַּכְלִית הַבֵּירוּר וְכוּ

“This is similar to what is written in Etz Chaim, Portal 42, end of ch. 4, that the evil in this corporeal world is the dregs of the coarse kelipot, it is the sediment of the purifying process, and so on.” (Likkutei Amarim ch.24)

וְהִנֵּה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וְהַתַּוִּיב בְּעוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָה מְכִיר

בְּיַד הַקְּלִיפוֹת הַתְּמוּרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמֶּקוּבָל

It will continue to be shown, the content and the context of our actions in the world of action have dire consequences, in terms of a Jew’s connection to their Father in Heaven. The principles identified above stem from [combating] the role of the completely impure kelipot in the scheme of redemption, as the kabbalists explain:

שַׁסַ"ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה – לְהַפְרִיד שַׁסַ"ה גִידִים שֶׁל דַּם נֶפֶשׁ הַחִיּוּנִית שֶׁבַּגּוּף, שֶׁלֹּא יִינְקוּ וִיקַבְּלוּ חַיּוּת בַּעֲבֵירָה זוֹ מֵאַחַת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ קְלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת לְגַמְרֵי, שֶׁמֵּהֶן נִשְׁפָּעִים שַׁסַ"ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְעַנְפֵיהֶן שֶׁהֵן מִדְּרַבָּנָן

[when they will refrain from transgressing] the 365 prohibitions, to restrain the 365 blood vessels of the animal soul in the body so that they do not draw nurture or receive vitality by means of such transgression from any one of the three completely unclean kelipot, from which are derived the 365 Biblical prohibitions, and the Rabbinical prohibitions.

וְשׁוּב, לֹא תוּכַל נֶפֶשׁ הַחִיּוּנִית לַעֲלוֹת אֶל ה' אִם נִטְמְאָה בְּטוּמְאַת הַשָּׁלֹשׁ קְלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן עֲלִיָּה לְעוֹלָם, כִּי אִם – בִּיטּוּל וְהַעֲבָרָה לְגַמְרֵי כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ

“the vitalizing soul could no longer ascend to G‑d, having been tainted by the impurity of the three impure kelipot, which can never be elevated, but must be nullified and utterly destroyed, as is written, ‘And I shall banish the unclean spirit from the earth’.”

(Likkutei Amarim ch.37, Zechariah 13:2)

וְחַטָּאֵי עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלּוֹ מְעַכְּבִים אֶת עִידַן הַמָּשִׁיחַ

כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יֶחֱטָא אִישׁ בְּרָצוֹן,אָז בִּרְצוֹנוֹ מְשָׁאֵב חַיּוּת מִקְּלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת

וְהוֹפֵךְ לִמֶּרְכָּבָה לְקְלִיפּוֹת וְלֹא לִמֶּרְכָּבָה לְקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

וּלְפִי שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל צִוּוּיִם לִהְיוֹת 'אוֹר לַגּוֹיִים'

כָּךְ חַטָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם כְּנֶגֶד חַטָּאֵי זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמִדְרֶגֶת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת

עֲלֵיהֶם לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַמָּשִׁיחַ בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה', כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּלְמַד בְּרַבּוֹת מְקוֹמוֹת בַּמַּסּוֹרֶת

And the sins of the entire people of Israel also delay the Messianic Era. For when a person willfully sins, he draws vitality by his own will from the impure husks, becoming a vessel for the husks rather than a vessel for the Holy One, Blessed be He. And since all of Israel is commanded to be 'a light unto the nations', the sin of the world corresponds to the sins of the seed of Israel, according to the status of the husks; they must earn The Messiah through service to G-d, as is learned from all over the Tradition.

"מקדש ראשון מפני מה חרב? מפני ג' דברים שהיו בו: עבודה זרה וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים... אבל מקדש שני, שהיו עוסקין בתורה ובמצות וגמילות חסדים - מפני מה חרב? מפני שהיתה בו שנאת חנם. ללמדך ששקולה שנאת חנם כנגד שלש עבירות עבודה זרה, גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים

“Why was the First Temple destroyed? Because of three things which prevailed there: idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed... But why was the Second Temple destroyed, seeing that in its time they occupied themselves with Torah, mitzvot and acts of kindness? Because baseless hatred prevailed. This teaches you that baseless hatred is equal to the three sins of idolatry, illicit relations and murder.” (Yoma 9b) [The Kingdoms and Temples were taken away as direct result of the sins of the children of Israel]

" וְהִנֵּה, תַּכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵימוּת הַזֶּה שֶׁל יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים

שֶׁהוּא גִּילּוּי אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַגַּשְׁמִי

תָּלוּי בְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ וַעֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ כָּל זְמַן מֶשֶׁךְ הַגָּלוּת

כִּי הַגּוֹרֵם שְׂכַר הַמִּצְוָה – הִיא הַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ

“Now this ultimate perfection of the Messianic era and [the time of] the resurrection of the dead, meaning the revelation of the Ein Sof-light in this physical world, is dependent on our actions and [divine] service throughout the period of exile. For it is the mitzvah itself that causes i.e., creates its reward.” (Likutei Amarim ch.37, Avot 4:2)

וְאִם כֵּן, הָאָדָם הָעוֹבֵר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ

הוּא גָּרוּעַ וּפָחוּת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מֵהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא וּקְלִיפָּה

הַנִּקְרֵאת "עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה" וֵ"אלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים"

וְהוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַפֵּירוּד מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנָּה

וּכְאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּאַחְדּוּתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

“It follows, then, that the person who does violate G‑d’s will is greatly inferior to and more debased than the sitra achara and kelipah, which are called avodah zarah and “other gods.” He is separated completely from G‑d’s unity and oneness even more than they are as though denying His unity even more radically than they, G‑d forbid.” (Likutei Amarim ch.24)

וְעוֹד עִקָּר חָשׁוּב לְצַיֵּן עַתָּה, הַמְקֻשָּׁר לַעִקָּרִים הַקוֹדְמִים, הוּא עִקָּר קָדוֹשׁ וּמוּסָדִי שֶׁל פִּיקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁעֲבֵרָתוֹ חֲמוּרָה בְּיוֹתֵר: שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל אָדָם לְתַקֵּן שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים בְּלֹא הַכְנָעָה לַדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת נֹחַ, 'שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם, בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, כִּי בְצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם.' [בְּרֵאשִׁית ט:ו]. לָכֵן שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים הִיא מֵעֲווֹנוֹת הַטְּמֵאִים בְּיוֹתֵר, וְהַמְּסוֹרֶת הָרַבָּנִית לְהִתְנַעֵם מִמֶּנָּה בְּכָל מְחִיר, עַד כְּלוֹת נֶפֶשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וּבְהַלָּכָה הַיְּהוּדִית, לֹא נִתַּן לָנוּ לְהָמִית אִישׁ בְּמִשְׁפָּט שֶׁלֹּא כָּדִין, וְנֶחְשָׁב לְרֶצַח בְּמֵזִיד, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

And another important principle to mention now, linked to the previous ones, is the sacred and fundamental principle of the Preservation of Life, whose transgression is extremely severe: For no person can rectify bloodshed without submitting to Justice, as it is written in Parshah Noah, 'Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed, for in the image of G-d He made mankind.' [Genesis 9:6]. Therefore, bloodshed is one of the most impure transgressions, and the Rabbinical tradition is to avoid it at all costs, even unto death, heaven forfend. And in Jewish Law, we are never permitted to kill anyone extra-judicially, and it would be deemed 'willful murder', heaven forfend.

לֹא תִרְצָח

“You shall not kill.” (Shemot/Exodus 20:12)

מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת מוֹת יוּמָת׃

“One who fatally strikes another party shall be put to death.” (Shemot/Exodus 21:12)

וְאִישׁ כִּי יַכֶּה כׇּל־נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מוֹת יוּמָת׃

“If any party kills any human being, that person shall be put to death. (Vayikra/Leviticus 24:1)

וְכִי־יִהְיֶה אִישׁ שֹׂנֵא לְרֵעֵהוּ וְאָרַב לוֹ וְקָם עָלָיו וְהִכָּהוּ נֶפֶשׁ וָמֵת וְנָס אֶל־אַחַת הֶעָרִים הָאֵל׃

“If, however, a man who is the enemy of another lies in wait and sets upon [the victim] and strikes a fatal blow and then flees to one of these towns…” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 19:11)

עבירות שבתורה אם אומרין לאדם עבור ואל תהרג יעבור ואל יהרג

חוץ מעבודת כוכבים וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים

“With regard to all other transgressions in the Torah, if a person is told: Transgress this prohibition and you will not be killed, he may transgress that prohibition and not be killed, because the preservation of his own life overrides all of the Torah’s prohibitions. This is the halakha concerning all prohibitions except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. Concerning those prohibitions, one must allow himself to be killed rather than transgress them.” (Sanhedrin 74a)

סַנְהֶדְרִין הַהוֹרֶגֶת אֶחָד בְּשָׁבוּעַ נִקְרֵאת חָבְלָנִית

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר, אֶחָד לְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה

“A Sanhedrin that executes once in seven years is characterized as a destructive tribunal.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: " A Sanhedrin that executes a transgressor once in seventy years”.” (Makkot 1:10)

וּמַה שֶּׁפִּיקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ דּוֹחֶה שְׁאָר עֲבֵירוֹת, וְגַם יַעֲבוֹר וְאַל יֵהָרֵג

“True, we find a principle that saving a life overrides other prohibitions, though not the prohibition of idolatry, and similarly, the law sometimes calls for one to commit a transgression rather than be killed.”. (Likkutei Amarim ch.24)

ברורה המסורת על מינים ואפיקורסים בישראל, השטופים בחכמות הגויים ובפילוסופיה העקומה, המורידים יהודים אחרים לסטרא אחרא, שהיא הקליפות הטמאות והאסורות, חס ושלום. עליהם להוכח ולהתנגד, וזו מצווה ולא שנאת חינם.

The tradition is clear concerning ‘Jewish’ heretics and atheists, immersed in the wisdom of the nations and in twisted philosophy, who lead other Jews astray into the sitra achara [other side], which is the utterly impure and forbidden kelipah [husks of the hinderside of Holiness], heaven forbid. They must be rebuked and resisted, and this is a commandment, not 'baseless hatred', which we are commanded not to do.

.הֲלוֹא-מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ יְהוָה אֶשְׂנָא; וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ, אֶתְקוֹטָט

תַּכְלִית שִׂנְאָה שְׂנֵאתִים; לְאוֹיְבִים, הָיוּ לִי

“Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate You?

And do not I strive with those that rise up against You?

I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them my enemies.”

(David HaMelekh, Psalms 139:21-22)

אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, קַל וָחוֹמֶר: וּמָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה

שְׁמִי שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּקְדוּשָּׁה יִמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם, הַלָּלוּ שֶׁמְּטִילִין קִנְאָה וְאֵיבָה וְתַחֲרוּת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם - עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה

וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר דָּוִד: ״הֲלֹא מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ ה׳ אֶשְׂנָא וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ אֶתְקוֹטָט תַּכְלִית שִׂנְאָה שְׂנֵאתִים לְאוֹיְבִים הָיוּ לִי״. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה, כָּךְ אֵין מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן לֹא מִן הַמַּפּוֹלֶת וְלֹא מִן הַמַּיִם וְלֹא מִדָּבָר הַמְאַבְּדָן

“Rabbi Yishmael said: The fact that the names of G-d in the scrolls of heretics may be burned can be derived through an a fortiori inference: Just as to make peace between a husband and his wife, the Torah says: My name that was written in sanctity shall be erased in the water in the framework of the ordeal of the sota; these, the heretics, who impose jealousy, and hatred, and conflict between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven, all the more so of them. And with regard to them, the heretics, David said: “For I hate those who hate You, God, and I fight those who rise against You. I hate them with the utmost hatred, they have become enemies to me” [Psalms 139:21–22]. And just as they are not rescued from the fire, neither are they rescued from a rockslide, nor from water, nor from any other matter that destroys them.”

(Shabbat ch. 16)

וְלֹא אָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם: "תַּכְלִית שִׂנְאָה שְׂנֵאתִים וְגוֹ'", אֶלָּא עַל הַמִּינִים וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא רֵישׁ פֶּרֶק ט"ז דְּשַׁבָּת

“As for the statement by King David, peace upon him: “I hate them with a consummate hatred,” (Psalms 139:22) reserving no love for them whatsoever; this refers only to [Jewish] heretics and atheists who have no part in the G‑d of Israel, as stated in the Talmud, top of ch. 16 Tractate Shabbat.” (Likkutei Amarim ch.32)

"לֹא-תִשְׂנָא אֶת-אָחִיךָ, בִּלְבָבֶךָ;"

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:17)

"בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, גַּיְירֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: דַּעֲלָךְ סְנֵי לְחַבְרָךְ לָא תַּעֲבֵיד

— זוֹ הִיא כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ, וְאִידַּךְ פֵּירוּשָׁהּ הוּא, זִיל גְּמוֹר

“He came before Rabbi Hillel. He converted him and said to him: That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.” (Shabbat 31a)

ולא יעלה על הדעת שיש לחזור ולאמר,

כי המסורת מאששת את אסון גלות השכינה

מפני עונות עם ישראל, חס ושלום.

כל יחיד מישראל יכול להרחיק את השכינה במעשיו, חס ושלום

And it should not need expounding, that the tradition confirms the calamity of the Shechinah's [The Divine Presence] exile due to the sins of the people of Israel, heaven forfend. Every individual of Israel can drive away the Divine Presence with their deeds, heaven forfend.

שֶׁהוּא סוֹד גָּלוּת הַשְּׁכִינָה, כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה

"גָּלוּ לֶאֱדוֹם – שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם",דְּהַיְינוּ, כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה אֱדוֹם מוֹרִיד וּמַמְשִׁיךְ לְשָׁם בְּחִינַת

וְנִיצוֹץ אֱלֹהוּת הַמְחַיֶּה אֶת נֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה שֶׁלּוֹ הַמְלוּבָּשִׁים בּוֹ בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית מֵהַקְּלִיפָּה

שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁבֶּחָלָל הַשְּׂמָאלִי, הַמּוֹלֶכֶת בּוֹ בְּעוֹדוֹ רָשָׁע וּמוֹשֶׁלֶת בָּעִיר קְטַנָּה שֶׁלּוֹ

“...Which is the mystery of the exile of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence), as our Sages have said: “When the Jews were exiled to Edom, the Shechinah went into exile with them” [Megillah 29a]. It is to say, [in terms of] one’s service [to G-d], this statement means that when one acts like “Edom,” the embodiment of evil, when he sins, he degrades and draws down to there [to Edom, to the kelipot] the Divine spark which vitalizes his nefesh, ruach, and neshamah within him [with G‑dly, holy life; In this way, the Shechinah within him is drawn into exile]. What constitutes “exile” in this case is the fact that the Divine spark gives life to his G‑dly soul, which is clothed in the animal soul of kelipah situated in the left part of his heart, and as long as he remains wicked, the animal soul reigns over him, dominating his “small city” [body, in distinction to the Divine soul reigning over the body]. Thus, the Divine spark within his G‑dly soul is in exile in the kelipah of his animal soul.” (Likkutei Amarim ch.17)

מַה יִהְיֶה קֵץ לְאוּמָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁתֶּחֱטָא וְתוֹסִיף לֶחֱטוֹא, אִם לֹא גָּלוּת נוֹסֶפֶת לְפִי הָאָמוּר

וּמַה תִּהְיֶה דֵּעָה וּמַעֲשֶׂה יְהוּדִי, אִם חָכְמָתוֹ וּבִינָתוֹ נִשְׁחֲתוּ

וּמַה אִם יְהוּדִי יִתֵּן קְדִימָה לְפִילוֹסוֹפִיָּה שֶׁ'הַמַּטָּרָה מְקַדֶּשֶׁת אֶת הָאֲמִצָּעִים', חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

הַאִם יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּלִימוּדֵי חָכְמַת הָאוּמּוֹת לַעֲזוֹר בְּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם

אוֹ שֶׁיִּהְפֹּךְ לְהַצְדִּיק עֲבֵרָה, חֵטְא, אָדוֹם, סִטְרָא אַחְרָא, וְרַע מַמָּשׁ

What can be the end for a nation of Israel that sins and continues to sin, if not further Exile as previously stated? And what can be the Knowledge and Deed of a Jew, if their Wisdom and Understanding are corrupted? And what if a Jew prioritizes the philosophy that 'the end justifies the means', heaven forfend? Would they use their study of the sciences of the nations to aid in the service of HaShem? Or would it be used to justify transgression, sin, Edom, the Other Side, and true evil?

'Give me control over a nation's currency, and I care not who makes its laws. -Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1743–1812)

אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעַאי, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם נִיכָּר

בְּכוֹסוֹ, וּבְכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעְסוֹ וְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ אַף בְּשַׂחֲקוֹ

Rabbi Elai said: In three matters a person’s true character is ascertained; in his cup, [i.e., his behavior when he drinks;] in his pocket, [i.e., his conduct in his financial dealings with other people;] and in his anger. And some say: A person also reveals his real nature in his laughter. (Eruvin 65a)

“A man who invents a terrible explosive does more for peace than a thousand gentle apostles.” -[Father of Political $ionism] Theodor Herzl Diaries, May 1895

“In Paris, then, I gained a freer attitude toward anti-Semitism which I now began to understand historically and make allowances for.” -Herzl May 1895

“However, anti-Semitism, which is a strong and unconscious force among the masses, will not harm the Jews. I consider it to be a movement useful to the Jewish character. It represents the education of a group by the masses, and will perhaps lead to its being absorbed. Education is accomplished only through hard knocks. A Darwinian mimicry will set in.” -Herzl May 1895

“Throughout our two thousand years of dispersion, we have been without unified political leadership. I regard this as our chief misfortune. It has done us more harm than all the persecutions. This is why we have inwardly gone to rack and ruin. For there has been no one to train us to become real men, even if only out of imperial selfishness.” -Herzl 2 Jun 1895

“Out of this proletariat of intellectuals I shall form the general staff and the cadres of the army which is to seek, discover, and take over the land.” -Herzl 3 Jun 1895

“We shall probably model the constitution after that of Venice” -Herzl 7 Jun 1985

“German Theatre, International Theatre, Operas, Operettas, circuses, Cafe Champs Elysees” -Herzl 7 Jun 1985

“We must not only copy Paris, Florence, etc, but seek a Jewish style expressive of relief and liberty” -Herzl 8 Jun 1895

“The anti-Semites will become our most dependable friends, the anti-Semitic countries our allies.” -Herzl 12 Jun 1895

“By “G-d” I understand the Will to Good! The omnipresent, infinite, omnipotent, eternal Will to Good, which does not immediately prevail everywhere but is always victorious in the end. For which Evil, too, is but a means. How and why, for example, does the Will to Good permit epidemics to exist? Because epidemics cause musty old cities to be torn down and new, bright, healthful cities to come into being, with inhabitants who draw a freer breath. Thus, anti-Semitism, too, probably contains the divine Will to Good, because it forces us to close ranks, unites us through pressure, and through our unity will make us free. My conception of God, is, after all, Spinozistic and also resembles the natural philosophy of the Monists.” -Herzl 14 Aug 1895 [Evil to be permitted to be committed by people?]

Israel has been harvesting organs from the bodies of the people living in the Holy Land for decades: www.euronews.com/2023/11/27/israel-stealing-organs-from-bodies-in-gaza-alleges-human-right-group www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34503294 www.euromedmonitor.org/en/article/5982/Int%E2%80%99l-committee-must-investigate-Israel%E2%80%99s-holding-of-dead-bodies-in-Gaza%E2%80%8B

How Israeli doctors enable the Shin Bet's torture industry: www.972mag.com/shin-bet-torture-israel-doctors/’

הֲיִפְּלוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אוֹ יַנְחִילוּ לְאָחֳרִים בְּתוֹךְ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה

בְּתַעֲנוּגֵיהֶם אֶל-אֱדוֹם, וּבְחָכְמַת אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם

Would they fall into avodah zarah [idolatry], or would they lead others into avodah zarah, with their obsession with the Edom and the Sciences of the Nations?

“Money is the G-d of our time and [Nathan Mayer] Rothschild is his prophet." -Heinrich Heine, a Jewish convert to Lutheranism

לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן, אִתִּי: אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף וֵאלֹהֵי זָהָב, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם

“You shall not make with Me- gods of silver, or gods of gold, you shall not make unto you.” (Shemot/Exodus 20:19)

וְזָכַרְתָּ, אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ--כִּי הוּא הַנֹּתֵן לְךָ כֹּחַ, לַעֲשׂוֹת חָיִל

לְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת-בְּרִיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ, כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה

But you shall remember [with profound respect] HaShem your G-d, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day. (Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:18)

“A few months later I was sitting for the sculptor Beer who was doing my bust.” -Herzl May 1895

But the rabbis will be pillars of my organization and I shall honor them for it. They will arouse the people, instruct them on the boats, and enlighten them on the other side. As a reward they will be formed into a fine, proud hierarchy which, to be sure, will always remain subordinated to the State. -Herzl Jun 15th 1895 [And not to HaShem, heaven forfend?]

“From the very start of $ionism, prominent Jewish leaders viewed it as a rejection of Judaism itself. The chief rabbi of Vienna, Moritz Gudemann, denounced the mirage of Jewish nationalism. “Belief in one G-d was the unifying factor for Jews,” he declared, and $ionism was [and is] incompatible with Judaism’s teachings.” -WRMEA, Israel and Judaism by Allan C. Brownfeld

“In 1929, Orthodox Rabbi Aaron Samuel Tamarat wrote that the very idea of a sovereign Jewish state as a spiritual center was “a contradiction to Judaism’s ultimate purpose.” He declared, “Judaism at root is not some religious concentration which may be localized or situated in a single territory. Neither is Judaism a ‘nationality,’ in the sense of modern nationalism, fit to be woven into the three folded-ness of ‘homeland, Army, and heroic songs.’ No, Judaism is Torah, ethics and exaltation of spirit. If Judaism is truly Torah, then it cannot be reduced to the confines of any particular territory. For as Scripture said of Torah, ‘Its measure is greater than the earth.’(Iyyov/Job 11:9)” -WRMEA, Israel and Judaism by Allan C. Brownfeld

“One of the leading Jewish theologians of the 20th century, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights for all people, said, “Judaism is not a religion of space and does not worship the soil. So, too, the State of Israel is not the climax of Jewish history, but a test of the integrity of the Jewish people and the competence of Israel.”-WRMEA, Israel and Judaism by Allan C. Brownfeld

“Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan [Chofetz Chaim] received protests from many rabbis concerning his silence and lack of objection against the leaders of the $ionist movement as well as against the mocking of religion. By nature, Kagan was a man who avoided quarrels, and in the dispute over the $ionist movement he tried to avert further altercation. Nevertheless, "his heart was broken upon hearing that the leaders of $ionism [were] leading Jews astray in the colonies in Palestine and at home from the ways of the Torah; [...] Kagan's stand was this: He denied "young scholarly-religious students under his jurisdiction [permission] to follow in the footsteps of the irreligious $ionist leaders”, [Lester Samuel Eckman , The history of the Musar movement, 1840–1945]

"It was not worthwhile to become another Albania, or even another Belgium, after nineteen centuries of suffering. A state must be established on Torah foundations." [Chofetz Chaim]

The student of the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Elchanon Wasserman, saw Nationalism as a direct threat to the status of Torah as the foundational factor of Jewish life. [Kovetz Maamarim].

“On June 27 Miriam Adelson, wife of billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and major contributor to Trump’s campaign, as well as Birthright Israel and $ionist causes, proposed that the story of Donald Trump, “hero and patriot,” ought to be added to the Bible. Her article, entitled “A Time of Miracles,” appeared in the Israeli daily newspaper Israel Hayom, which her husband owns and she publishes. The paper supports Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, opposes the creation of a Palestinian state and supports annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank. -WRMEA, Israel and Judaism by Allan C. Brownfeld

“U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who is an ally of the Israeli settler movement and opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, referred to the relationship between the [apartheids] U.S. and Israel as an “altar of holiness” and the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem as a “shrine.” At a ceremony in Jerusalem, he declared that [apartheid] Israel “was on the side of God.” The U.S. and Israel, he said, should grow even closer, which would be a sign of “holiness.”” -WRMEA, Israel and Judaism by Allan C. Brownfeld

הֲיַחְפְּצוּ בְדֶרֶךְ צְנִיעוּת וָקֶדֶשׁ, אוֹ יִפֹּלוּ בְּתוֹעֵבוֹת תַּאֲווֹת וְזִמָּה

Would they care to practice sexual morality, or fall into the completely impure and illicit sexual activities?

Jewish Community Watch says 32 pedophiles moved from countries around the world to Israel in the past decade from 2016. Since 2014, more than 60 people accused of child sex abuse have evaded justice in the US and fled, making the Israeli regime a sanctuary for sex offenders. “Many of the accused pedophiles go on to abuse children in Israel, such as the case of Jimmy Julius Karow. Karow sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl in Oregon in 2000, but before being indicted in the US, he converted to Judaism and fled to Israel. Two years later, he was convicted of child molestation in an Israeli court for a separate case, and was released from prison after serving time. In 2021, Karow was sentenced to 13 years in prison in Israel for raping an Israeli child, but he is yet to receive justice for his assault on the 9-year-old American girl, whose family has demanded for him to be extradited to the US with no luck thus far. Karow had been successfully evading authorities in the US and Israel for over two decades, and he is not alone. “Another example is a Brooklyn Rabbi who sexually assaulted three young relatives as young as five years old, and was able to evade justice in Israel for over a decade. Rabbi Gershon Kranczer, who was also a former Yeshiva school principal, abused the young girls from the 1990s through the late 2000s, and fled to Israel the same day his abuse was reported in 2010. He also changed his name and managed to evade capture for 10 years. “Jewish sex offenders who obtain Israeli citizenship through the Law of Return, are not under any restrictions in Israel despite the restrictions they face in the countries where the sexual offenses were committed. Precariously, Israel also has a private national sex offender registry which only the Israeli police and prison services can access. This list, however, only documents convictions in Israel, and does not show their previous convictions. Therefore, pedophiles can still obtain a “Letter of Good Standing” from the police, clearing them to work in schools with children. In addition to this, there is no obligation in Israel to even warn residents about the presence of sex offenders in the community, making it easier for child abusers to find sanctuary there. https://tmj.news/israel-pedophilia/ Therefore, Israel has failed to protect it’s own women and children from abusers, p*dophiles, and r*pists.

“Currently, the age of consent in Israel is 16 for all genders. However, that age of consent can go as low as 14, provided the other sexual partner was no more than three years older and both parties consented. But according to [Avi] Maoz, the Justice Ministry is trying to change this to an age gap of five years. "A 19-year-old man can have consensual sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl and won't face criminal charges," -Avi Maoz, Knesset Member against this change. www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-741881

“Where do we position, and how can we understand an event in which a Palestinian man was forced to commit a sexual act with a donkey by a border police officer?” (Abu a-Rob 2003)

Rela Mazali's short story “Income Tax, Ramallah” (2019) is a poignant illustration ... It recounts a testimony her partner disclosed to her about what he witnessed during his reserve duty, shortly before the first intifada and when Israel started taxing Palestinians living in the occupied territories. The testimony reveals how a Palestinian man who couldn't pay his family's taxes was allegedly offered to bring his two daughters with him and in return have his debt removed. The man's pleadings did not help. The next time he showed up, he was accompanied by one of his daughters. The soldiers then promptly announced that they were taking a break and will not be receiving anyone. They went with the woman behind a curtain, and the break ended only after both went out. Mazali's partner told her he realized what had happened only once the first came out buttoning his trousers. Mazali's tale-story is not only a testimony of rape and extortion that wasn't filed into any human rights organization. It also exemplifies how sexual violence, how rape, in this case, is tailored into the bureaucracy of the occupation that hunts Palestinians and makes sure—perhaps, especially in cases in which physical force wasn't used—that such an event is more likely to be buried than reported. www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/conflict-and-society/9/1/arcs090105.xml#bib45

The Rape-culture evident in decades old, still ongoing Israeli Soldier Custom clothing tradition: “There are also plenty of shirts with blatant sexual messages. For example, the Lavi battalion produced a shirt featuring a drawing of a soldier next to a young woman with bruises, and the slogan, "Bet you got raped!" [also see ‘do you think you will be raped?’ ‘?חושבת שאנסו אותך’] www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/03/26/we-are-the-nazis-of-our-time

הֲלֹא תִהְיֶה לִשְׁפִּיכוּת דָּם חִנָּם, וּלְרִמּוֹס כַּף-רֶגֶל עִקָּרוֹן קִיּוּם חַיִּים

הֲיִקְחוּ צֵדֶק לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת מַאֲסוֹת לְרֵעֵהוּ וּלְשָׁכֵן, כִּי-זוֹ הַמִּצְוָה

הֲיִמְשֹׁלוּ בְדֶרֶךְ שָׁלוֹם וּבְאֵלוֹקִים, לֹא בַחֲמָס

Would it not lead to the needless bloodshed, and the utter trampling of our very fundamental principle, the Preservation of Life? Will they take measures to do not that which is hateful unto their fellow and their neighbor, for this is the commandment? Will they govern in a nonviolent and G-dly way?

“Because the majority of men were inclined to evil rather than to good; the best results in governing them could be obtained by using violence and terrorism and not by academic discussions.” -Mayer Amschel Rothschild

“A man who invents a terrible explosive does more for peace than a thousand gentle apostles.” -Theodor Herzl Diaries, May 1895

“It is a military campaign” -Herzl 8 Jun 1895

“The anti-Semites will become our most dependable friends, the anti-Semitic countries our allies.” -Herzl 12 Jun 1895

“Only by blood will the land be ours.” [referring to the blood of Jews!] Nathan Shwalb 1942

The Hannibal Directive, used in five decades of the Apartheid Israel and used again on Oct. 7th: "the kidnapping [Palestinian retaliations to Israel’s refusal to let go of Palestinian captives] must be stopped by all means, even at the price of striking and harming our own forces [people, including civillians]. " [Thousands and Thousands world-wide have seen the different footages of Israeli Tanks firing indiscriminately into Israeli Settler Homes. This sin will never be forgotten no matter how many people Israel can kill, and could never be forgiven on a bloodied Yom Kippur.]

“We killed Israelis on Oct. 7” Israeli Colonel Nof Erez 2023 www.electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/we-blew-israeli-houses-7-october-says-israeli-colonel

“We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly,” Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant

Member of Apartheid Israel’s parliament, Ariel Kallner: “Nakba to the enemy now! This day is our Pearl Harbour. We will still learn the lessons. Right now, one goal: Nakba! A Nakba that will overshadow the Nakba of 48. A Nakba in Gaza and a Nakba for anyone who dares to join!”

Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said in a radio interview that dropping an atomic bomb on Gaza was a possible tactic Israel could employ. www.newarab.com/analysis/erase-gaza-how-genocidal-rhetoric-normalised-israel

Why Is Israel Still Covering Up Extrajudicial Executions Committed by Israel?

“Dead babies, mothers weeping on their children's graves, a gun aimed at a child and bombed-out mosques - these are a few examples of the images Israel Defense Forces soldiers design these days [and have been for decades], to print on shirts they order to mark the end of training, or of field duty. The slogans accompanying the drawings are not exactly anemic either: A T-shirt for infantry snipers bears the inscription "Better use Durex," next to a picture of a dead Palestinian baby, with his weeping mother and a teddy bear beside him. A sharpshooter's T-shirt from the Givati Brigade's Shaked battalion shows a pregnant Palestinian woman with a bull's-eye superimposed on her belly, with the slogan, in English, "1 shot, 2 kills." A "graduation" shirt for those who have completed another snipers course depicts a Palestinian baby, who grows into a combative boy and then an armed adult, with the inscription, "No matter how it begins, we'll put an end to it." www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/03/26/we-are-the-nazis-of-our-time

וּמַה שִׂנְאָת חִנָּם תִּתְרַצֶּה בְּפִילוֹסוֹפִיָּה עֲקוּמָה זוֹ

אָמְנָם לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּדָבָר כָּזֶה תּוֹעֵבָה לִפְסֹל אֶת הַיְּהוּדִים הָעֹסְקִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי

And what baseless hatred would be justified in such a perverse philosophy? Surely they could not make use of something so heinous as to demerit the practicing Jews from the Second Temple?

“Whether the Jews stay put or whether they emigrate, the race must first be improved right on the spot. It must be made strong as for war,” - Herzl 26 May 1985

“And now! I find that the anti-Semites are fully within their rights.” -Herzl 12 Jun 1895

“The anti-Semites will become our most dependable friends, the anti-Semitic countries our allies.” -Herzl 12 Jun 1895

“Thus, anti-Semitism, too, probably contains the divine Will to Good, because it forces us to close ranks, unites us through pressure, and through our unity will make us free” -Herzl 14 Aug 1895

“The majority of Jews are a race of accursed beggars.” - Max Nordau, First $ionist Congress

“Arabs are dogs that must sit quietly or get the hell out.” -Meir Kahane.

“Surely it is time for Jews, worried over the huge growth of Arabs in Israel, to consider finishing the exchange of populations that began 35 years ago."- Meir Kahane referring to The beginning of the continued forced displacement of Palestinians that started this whole ‘’conflict’. Kahane also proposed a $40,000 compensation plan for Arabs who would leave voluntarily, and forcible expulsion for those who "don't want to leave". - www.Kahane.org

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, threatened to kill Prime Minister Yitzach Rabin in 1995 for signing a peace deal with Palestinians, and also he hung a picture of Baruch Goldstein in his house, who murdered 29 praying Palestinians in 1994.

“Israel would be happy if Hamas took over Gaza because IDF could then deal with Gaza as a hostile state.” -Israeli Defense Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin, 2007 www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/07TELAVIV1733_a.html

“One of the most common questions anyone who has ever written about Palestine or engaged in debate around the Palestinian-Israeli conflict would regularly face is “Why do they [Palestinians] teach their children to hate?” This question is a favoured rhetorical tool of the pro-Israel propagandists because it neatly encapsulates a host of Orientalist and racist implications while never actually making them explicit. By asking this question one is implying that Palestinians do not love their children the way every other culture loves theirs. The question dehumanizes Palestinians and casts them as other and alien, in effect blaming them for their own oppression. “...Another problem is the fact that “The daughters of Israel” is seen to represent only Jewish Israelis and not Palestinian citizens of Israel, even though around twenty per cent of Israelis are in fact Palestinian. Palestinians are thus marginalised and excluded. They are not seen to be legitimate citizens of the state of Israel. They are outsiders and alien to the [Apartheid] of Israel. “...The fourth and final trope is the representation of Palestinians as a demographic threat. There is nothing new in this statement, it is however extremely problematic [AND ANTI-SEMITIC]. The portrayal of Palestinians as a demographic threat is very commonplace in Israeli political discourse. While this description can be traced back the early years of the Israeli state, It was first the Koenig Memorandum in 1976 and then Benjamin Netanyahu in 2003 who mainstreamed the use of the term in reference to the Palestinian citizens of Israel. www.ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/israelis-teach-children-hate/

“We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly,”

Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, 2023. [Israel is fighting people who they have terrorized into becoming so radical. Palestinians have a right to fight for their freedom and liberation from Israel’s nonstop provocations. Palestine has a right to defend itself. Moreover, they reveal more of their garments impurity, for we learn from Bilam that a wicked man is liable to abuse animals, and also that prophecy is not limited to human Israelite seers, and so on.]

“Peled-Elhanan’s book was a major study of 17 Israeli school textbooks on history, geography and civic studies. As you can see from what she says in the interview above, she came to some stark conclusions. “She explained that not a single one of the schoolbooks included “any positive cultural or social aspect of Palestinian life-world: neither literature nor poetry, neither history nor agriculture, neither art nor architecture, neither customs nor traditions are ever mentioned.” “Of the rare times that Palestinians are mentioned, it is in an overwhelmingly negative and stereotypical fashion: “all [the books] represent [Palestinians] in racist icons or demeaning classificatory images such as terrorists, refugees and primitive farmers — the three ‘problems’ they constitute for [Apartheid and European-Colonizing-outpost-in-the-East] Israel.” www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190726-how-israel-teaches-its-children-to-hate/ [The Palestinians literally obey the agricultural law of the land, as described in Bereishis/Genesis, whereas Apartheid Israel does not, bringing in European and American crops. Native to the land are Olives, Figs, Grapes, and so on. And the first Holy Man in the Bible is Noah, who cultivated a vineyard, as HaShem cultivated Eden, and so on.]

בְּשֵׁם הַהִתְיַישְּׁבוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל

בַּחֳדָשִׁים שְׁלוֹשָׁה הָאַחֲרוֹנִים חֵטְא עָצוּם וּמְזִיד בָּגַד בְּתוֹרַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, פִּיקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ

בְּמוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף נְפָשׁוֹת אֱנוֹשׁ בְּתֵקוּפָה זוֹ, טֻמְאָה תַּחֵל עַל כָּל הָאֱמוּנָה וְעַל הַנְּקִיִּים

מַחֲצִית מֵהֲרוּגֵי עַזָּה הֵם יְלָדִים. לֹא זוֹ בִּלְבָד, אֶלָּא סַנְהֶדְרִין רָשָׁע

וּמֹנֶה גָּזַר דִּין הַשְׁמָדַת עַמִּים בְּמִשְׁפָּט שֶׁלֹּא כְּדִין בְּכָל עֲשֹׂר, וְצִוָּה עַל הוֹצָאוֹת לַהוֹרֵג

הַבַּיִת חוֹלִים הָאַחֲרוֹן בְּעַזָּה נֶחֱרַב לַחֲלוּטִין. מֵאוֹת מִשְׁפָּחוֹת נִכְחְדוּ לְגַמְרֵי.

הַפָּלֵסְטִינִים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לִשְׂנֹא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאַפַּרְטְהֵייד יוֹתֵר מֵאֲשֶׁר עַצְמָם.

הַהִתְעַלְלוּיוֹת הַבִּלְתִּי פּוֹסְקוֹת וְהָעִינּוּיִים הַחוֹלִים שֶׁמִּתְרַחֲשִׁים לַפָּלֵסְטִינִים שֶׁנִּתְפָּסוּ

עוֹדָם מְכַסִּים וּמְטַמְּאִים כָּל עָווֹן שֶׁבִּיצְעוּ הַפָּלֵסְטִינִים, בְּכָל קְבוּצָה פּוֹלִיטִית

כְּמוּת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַחַיִּים בְּעִינּוּיִים

וּמֵתִים מֵעִינּוּיִים בְּמַעֲצָר יִשְׂרָאֵלִי הָיָה הַגּוֹרֵם הַמֶּרְכָּזִי בְּרַדִּיקָלִיזַצְיָה

שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם נֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי ה־21 בְּתִשְׁרֵי תַּשְׁפְּ״ד, וְגַם מוֹתָם יֵחָשֵׁב לְרֶצַח בְּמֵזִיד

שֶׁכֵּן הִיא מְצַדִּיקָה אֶת אֲמִצְעֵי הָעִינּוּי שֶׁלָּהּ בְּמַחְלֶקֶת רוֹפְאִים, מַדָּע מְכֻעָּר שֶׁל הָאֻמּוֹת, חֶרְפָּה וְהַפִּיכַת הַמַּדַּע לְרַע, וְלֹא לְקְדֻשָּׁה. הָעוֹבְדָה הִיא שֶׁבְּכָל עֲשׂוֹר בְּתוֹלְדוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ תִּיקִים הַמְּרָאִים שֶׁזֶּה לֹא תוֹפָעָה חֲדָשָׁה

"In the name of the Israel Settlement, these last three months have been a profound and intentional sin against our fathers' teaching, the Preservation of Life. With thirty thousand human souls perishing in this period, impurity will spread upon the entire faith and upon the innocent. Over half of the slain in Gaza are children.

Not only this, but a Wicked and Tyrannical Sanhedrin that decrees the mass extermination of peoples without just trial in every decade, and commands their execution. The last hospital in Gaza has been completely destroyed. Entire families have been utterly obliterated.

Palestinians cannot breed within themselves a hatred for apartheid Israel more than apartheid Israel itself does. The continuous abuses and sickening tortures inflicted upon the Palestinians they capture still overshadow and defile any transgressions the Palestinians have committed, in any political group. The number of people living in torture and dying from torture in Israeli detention was the central factor in the world's radicalization against Israel before October 7th, and these deaths too must be counted as willful murder. For it justifies its torture methods with a department of physicians, an ugly science of the nations, a disgrace and a perversion of science that is being further driven into evil rather than Holiness. The fact is that in every single decade of the history of Israel, there are cases, showing that this is not a new phenomenon.

The TORTURE of Palestinian CHILDREN Under ISRAELI Occupation: www.miftah.org/PrinterF.cfm?DocId=1797

TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT https://www.hrw.org/reports/pdfs/i/israel/israel946.pdf

The longstanding complicity of the Israeli Medical Association with torture in Israel: www.mondoweiss.net/2021/09/the-longstanding-complicity-of-the-israeli-medical-association-with-torture-in-israel/

Palestinian CHILD TORTURED horrifically: https://imemc.org/article/58997/

Question of torture and detention/Israel (excerpts): www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-188957/

Torture Convention/Israel special report - CAT meeting - Summary record: https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-176301/

Sexual torture of Palestinian men by Israeli authorities: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0968808015000968

Israel/OPT: Horrifying cases of torture and degrading treatment of Palestinian Hostages: www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/11/israel-opt-horrifying-cases-of-torture-and-degrading-treatment-of-palestinian-detainees-amid-spike-in-arbitrary-arrests/

How Israeli doctors enable the Shin Bet's torture industry: www.972mag.com/shin-bet-torture-israel-doctors/

Israel and Torture - Institute for Palestine Studies: www.palestine-studies.org/sites/default/files/attachments/jps-articles/2535792.pdf

Tortured Into Confession: Two Palestinians Recount Hellish Interrogation: www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-05-23/ty-article/.premium/tortured-into-confession-two-palestinians-recount-hellish-interrogation/00000180-f6c5-d469-a5b4-f6fdd5cc0000

עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, גִּילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם: חֲטָאֵיהֶם מַשְׂכִּים לְמֶרְחָקִים

אַף יִגְרְעוּ מִזְּכוּת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִרְאוֹת יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְיִדְחוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגָלוּת רְחוֹקָה

וְיֵלֵךְ גַּם שְׁכִינָה לְתוֹךְ הַגָּלוּת בְּעִקְּבוֹתֵיהֶם. יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים בַּיְּהוּדִים וְכָל יִרְאֵי אֵל

חַיָּבִים לְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת הַצִּיּוֹנִים, וּלְשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה מֵרֵאשִׁית תְּמִיכָתָם וּמֵחֻסְרָן תוֹכַחְתָּם

כְּכָתוּב בַּמִּקְרָא

Idolatry, Illicit Sexual Relations, Bloodshed, and Baseless Hate: their sins have long reaching consequences that will even demerit the Children of Israel from deserving the Messianic Age, driving the Children of Israel further into exile, and with it, the Divine Presence into Exile as well. G-d fearing Jews as well as all G-d fearing people must condemn the $ionists, and repent of ever having supported it and not rebuked it, as it written,

"לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֨יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא"

“You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account.”

(Vayikra/Leviticus 19:17)

אַךְ אֶחָד דֶּרֶךְ לְפָנִים, כִּי תַכְרִיחֶנָּה רָאוֹת,וכְּתַלָּאִים נִפְסְלוּ, נֶפֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּזוֹהָמָה תִכְסֶה

כִּי בְרָצוֹן ה' בְּחָכְמָה וּבִינָה וּבְדַעַת,תִּקְיַם קְצוֹתֵינוּ אֱלוֹהִים

שְׁנֵי תְשׁוּבוֹת, כְּמֹשֶׁה בְלִקּוּטֵי אָמָרִים, וּבְהַארְכָּה בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה נִתְבָּאֵר

בָּרוּר זֹאת: צִיּוֹנוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם לִשׁוּב מֵרָע, כִּי הֵן

There is ever only one possible way forward, no matter how ugly things may seem to be, no matter how defiled and impure the garments of the soul of Israel may become. For through G-d’s Will, Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, will G-d’s ends be fulfilled. The Two kinds of Repentance, as explained in Likkutei Amarim and elaborated in Iggaret HaTeshuvah. This much is clear: $ionists must repent of the wicked intrinsic in $ionism, for behold-

וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת,

אַכְרִית אֶת-שְׁמוֹת הָעֲצַבִּים מִן-הָאָרֶץ,וְלֹא יִזָּכְרוּ, עוֹד

וְגַם אֶת-הַנְּבִיאִים וְאֶת-רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה, אַעֲבִיר מִן-הָאָרֶץ

“And it shall come to pass in that day, said HaShem of hosts,

that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land,

and they shall no more be remembered;

and also I will cause the prophets

[those who protest against Edom: the Intermediates/Beinonim and the Righteous/Tzadikim]

and the unclean spirit [bound together with the Edom-obsessed Fully Wicked/Rashaim]

to pass out of the land.” (Zechariah 13:2)

אָמְנָם, הַתְחָלַת מִצְוַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה וְעִיקָּרָהּ,לָשׁוּב עַד ה' בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם

“Indeed, the beginning of the mitzvah of Teshuvah (Return/Repentance) and its core is a true and wholehearted return to G-d”. (Iggaret HaTeshuvah ch. 4)

וְאוּלָם, דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת וְהַיָּשָׁר לִבְחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה תַּתָּאָה,

הֵ"א תַּתָּאָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת לְעֵיל – הֵם ב' דְּבָרִים דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל.

“However, the true and direct path to the lower level of teshuvah (return or repentance), …, involves two general elements.

הָאֶחָד, הוּא לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים מִמְּקוֹר הָרַחֲמִים עַל נִשְׁמָתוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ הָאֱלֹקִית

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְיָשׁוֹב אֶל הַוָיָ' וִירַחֲמֵהוּ

“The first is to awaken supreme compassion from the Source of mercy for one’s Divine spirit and soul, ... “As the verse states: ‘He shall return to G-d, and He will have compassion for him’

(Isaiah 55:7) …

וְהַב', לְבַטֵּשׁ וּלְהַכְנִיעַ הַקְּלִיפָּה וְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא

“The second element [in one’s preparation for a true and direct path to repentance] is to crush and subdue the kelipah and sitra achara [the otherside, evil]” (Iggaret HaTeshuvah Ch.7)

וְהַמּוֹחַ – שַׁלִּיט בְּטִבְעוֹ וְתוֹלַדְתּוֹ עַל חָלָל הַשְּׂמָאלִי שֶׁבַּלֵּב

וְעַל פִּיו, וְעַל כָּל הָאֵבָרִים שֶׁהֵם כְּלֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה

“The mind, by virtue of its inherent nature, is master over the left part of the heart [the center of passion], the seat of the animal soul, whence come one’s mundane desires and evil thoughts, and over the mouth and the other bodily organs, which are the instruments of action.

אִם לֹא מִי שֶׁהוּא רָשָׁע בֶּאֱמֶת

“This is true of everyone except he who is truly wicked [that is, not the beinoni/intermediate who is considered “like a rasha/wicked person” but one who is truly a rasha; in his case, it cannot be said that his mind is master over his heart].

כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה שֶׁ"הָרְשָׁעִים הֵם בִּרְשׁוּת לִבָּם

וְאֵין לִבָּם בִּרְשׁוּתָם כְּלָל וְזֶה עוֹנֶשׁ עַל גּוֹדֶל וְעוֹצֶם עֲוֹנָם

“Like our Sages state that “the wicked are under the control of their heart” (Bereishit Rabbah /Genesis Lot 34:11, 67:7), but their heart is not under their control at all—they are unable to master the desires of their heart, for their mind has no active control over it. This is a punishment for the enormity and potency of their sinfulness.

וְלֹא דִבְּרָה תוֹרָה בְּמֵתִים אֵלּוּ, שֶׁבְּחַיֵּיהֶם קְרוּיִם מֵתִים כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת,

אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָרְשָׁעִים לְהַתְחִיל לַעֲבוֹד ה' בְּלִי שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה עַל הֶעָבָר תְּחִלָּה

“The Torah does not speak of the dead, that is, those wicked ones who are considered dead even during their lifetime. Indeed, it is impossible for the wicked to begin to serve G‑d, that is, to observe the mitzvot out of a feeling of love and fear of G-d, without first repenting for their past.

לְשַׁבֵּר הַקְּלִיפּוֹת שֶׁהֵם מָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל וּמְחִיצָה

שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל הַמַּפְסֶקֶת בֵּינָם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם

עַל יְדֵי שְׁבִירַת לִבּוֹ וּמְרִירַת נַפְשׁוֹ עַל חֲטָאָיו

“In order to shatter the kelipot that were made by their sins, which form a sundering curtain and an “iron wall” that interposes between them and their Father in Heaven, By means of contriteness of heart and bitterness of soul over one’s sins,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר עַל פָּסוּק: "זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, לֵב נִשְׁבָּר וְגוֹ'",

שֶׁעַל יְדֵי לֵב נִשְׁבָּר – נִשְׁבָּרָה רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה דְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא

“As the Zohar interprets the verse “The sacrifices to G-d are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart…” (Tehilim/Psalms 51:18) For through one’s breaking his heart, the unclean spirit of the sitra achara is broken,

עַיֵּין שָׁם פָּרָשַׁת פִּינְחָס דַּף ר"מ וּפָרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא דַּף ח' וְדַף ה' עַמּוּד א' וּבְפֵירוּשׁ הָרַב מֹשֶׁה זַכּוּת שָׁם

“(See Zohar on Parshat Pinchas, p. 240, and on Parashat Vayikra, p. 8 and p. 5a, and the commentary of Rabbi Moshe Zacuto thereon).

וְהִיא בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה תַּתָּאָה, לְהַעֲלוֹת הֵ"א תַּתָּאָה,

לַהֲקִימָהּ מִנְּפִילָתָהּ שֶׁנָפְלָה אֶל הַחִיצוֹנִים

“This is the lower category of repentance, whereby the lower letter hey [the final letter of the name 4 letter name of G-d ‘Havaya’, representing the Divine Presence,] is raised up from its fall into the forces of evil [the kelipot],

שֶׁהוּא סוֹד גָּלוּת הַשְּׁכִינָה, כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: "גָּלוּ לֶאֱדוֹם – שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם

“Which is the mystery of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence and Revelation of The Holy One in our World) in exile, as our Sages have said: “When the Jews were exiled to Edom, the Shechinah went into exile with thsem.”

דְּהַיְינוּ, כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה אֱדוֹם מוֹרִיד

וּמַמְשִׁיךְ לְשָׁם בְּחִינַת וְנִיצוֹץ אֱלֹהוּת הַמְחַיֶּה אֶת נֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה שֶׁלּוֹ

“In a spiritual sense, in terms of one’s service to G‑d, this statement means that when one acts like “Edom,” the embodiment of evil, when he sins, he degrades and draws down to Edom, [to the kelipot,] the Divine spark which vitalizes his nefesh, ruach, and neshamah [with G‑dly, holy life. In this way, the Shechinah] within him [is drawn into exile.]

הַמְלוּבָּשִׁים בּוֹ בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית מֵהַקְּלִיפָּה, שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁבֶּחָלָל הַשְּׂמָאלִי

הַמּוֹלֶכֶת בּוֹ בְּעוֹדוֹ רָשָׁע וּמוֹשֶׁלֶת בָּעִיר קְטַנָּה שֶׁלּוֹ

וְנֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה כְּבוּשִׁים בַּגּוֹלָה אֶצְלָהּ

“What constitutes “exile” in this case is the fact that the Divine spark gives life to his G‑dly soul, which is clothed in the animal soul of kelipah situated in the left part of his heart, and as long as he remains wicked, the animal soul reigns over him, dominating his “small city,” [his body]. Thus, the Divine spark within his G‑dly soul is in exile in the kelipah of his animal soul, and nefesh, ruach, and neshamah are thus held captive in exile under it.

וּכְשֶׁנִּשְׁבָּר לִבּוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ, וְנִשְׁבְּרָה רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה וְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא

וְיִתְפָּרְדוּ כוּהִיא קָמָה מִנְּפִילָתָהּ וְגַם נִצָּבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר

“When the heart of the rasha is broken within him and thereby, the spirit of uncleanliness and of the sitra achara are broken [and the forces of evil] dispersed,

then [the lower hey of the Divine Name, the Shechinah]—rises from its fall and stands firm, as discussed elsewhere [such as Zohar, Iggaret HaTeshuvah, Reishit Chokmah, etc].

(Likkutei Amarim ch.17)

#philosophy #kabbalah #judaism #anti zionisim #traditions #history #religions #palestine #ifnotnow #talmud #zohar #hasidim #orthodox judaism #free palestine #free gaza #rabbinic

6 notes · View notes

echo-of-amos · 2 months

Text

Jewish Tradition vs $ionism

הֵן יִרְאַת אֲדֹנָי, הִיא חָכְמָה; וְסוּר מֵרָע בִּינָה

“Behold- to fear he Master is Wisdom, And to depart from evil is Understanding” (Iyyov/Job 28:28)

בְּתוֹרָה וְתַלְמוּד וְרִאשׁוֹנִים וְקַבָּלָה אֲבוֹתֵינו, הַקֵץ אֵין מְצִיאִים אֶת־הַתָּכְלִית

אֶלָּא בְּהַדֶּרֶךְ מִצְוָה יִהְיֶה הַתָּכְלִית, וְהָרְבִיעִי מִן הַכָּתוּבִים הַרְבֵּה

"כִּי אִם-תַּעֲלוּ-לִי עֹלוֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶם, לֹא אֶרְצֶה; וְשֶׁלֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶם, לֹא אַבִּיט"

“Yea, though you offer me burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.” (Amos 5:22)

לֹא תוֹסִיפוּ, הָבִיא מִנְחַת-שָׁוְא-קְטֹרֶת תּוֹעֵבָה הִיא, לִי

חֹדֶשׁ וְשַׁבָּת קְרֹא מִקְרָא, לֹא-אוּכַל אָוֶן וַעֲצָרָה

“Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations--I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.”

(Isaiah 1:13)

וַהֲבֵאתֶם גָּזוּל וְאֶת-הַפִּסֵּחַ וְאֶת-הַחוֹלֶה, וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת-הַמִּנְחָה

הַאֶרְצֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיֶּדְכֶם, אָמַר יְהוָה

“And you have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering; should I accept this of your hand? says HaShem” (Malachi 1:13)

וְזֹאת הַמִּשְׁפָט מְכִיר בְּרַבִּים גְּמָרוֹת דִּבְרֵיהֶם

כְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יָהוֹי, עַל הַלּוּלָב הַגָּנָב

And this principle underlies many Talmudic discussions, such as what R. Yohanon said in the name of R. Shimon Ben Yahoi on waving a stolen lulav.

מִשּׁוּם דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ מִצְוָה הַבָּאָה בַּעֲבֵירָה

“[It is unfit] because it is a mitzvah that comes [fulfilled] by means of a transgression.”

(Sukka 30a)

" וְכֵן אֶתְרוֹג שֶׁאֵינוֹ עָרְלָה, וּמָעוֹת הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁאֵינָן גֶּזֶל, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם

שֶׁהָﬠָרְלָה הִיא מִשָּׁלֹשׁ קְלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת לְגַמְרֵי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם ﬠֲלִיָּה לְעוֹלָם

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּﬠֵץ חַיִּים. וְכֵן כָּל מִצְוָה הַבָּאָה בַּﬠֲבֵירָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם

"וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה

'לֹא הוּכְשַׁר לִמְלֶאכֶת שָׁמַיִם אֶלָּא טְהוֹרִים וּמוּתָּרִים בְּפִיךָ':"

“As our Sages state: ‘For the ‘work of heaven’ [i.e., mitzvah objects] only that which is pure and permissible to eat may be used.” (Likutei Amarim ch.37, Shabbat 28b)

וְגַם זֹאת הַמִּשְׁפָט מְכִיר בְּמִשְׁנַת הַגְּאֻלָּה וְהַשְּׁכָרָה

Furthermore, this principle also is critical to the discussions of redemption and reward discussed in the Mishnah,

בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי רָץ לְמִצְוָה קַלָּה כְבַחֲמוּרָה, וּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה

וְהַוִּיכוּחִים עַל טָהֳרַת בִּגְדֵי הַנֶּשָׁמָה כְּהוֹגֶן

כְּגוֹן כַּוָּנָה בְּרוּרָה בְּמִצְוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת

וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת נָכוֹנָה, וְכֵן הַלְאָה

וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ

“And thou shalt love HaShem your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:5)

כִּי-קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר, מְאֹד: בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ, לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ

“But the word is very nigh unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it”. (Devarim/Deuteronomy 30:14)

“Yet, nevertheless, it has been said that prayer or any other blessing, said without kavanah, is like a body without a soul.”

(Likkutei Amarim ch.38; see Yeshuot Meshicho, p12a; Shnei Luchot Habrit, vol.1 p. 249b.)

מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּחָכְמַת הָאוּמּוֹת, הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ וּמְטַמֵּא בְּחִינוֹת חָכְמָה־בִּינָה־דַּעַת

אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן קַרְדּוֹם לַחְתּוֹךְ בָּהֶן

דְּהַיְינוּ כְּדֵי לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס מֵהֶן בְּרֶיוַח לַעֲבוֹד ה

אוֹ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן לַעֲבוֹדַת ה' אוֹ לְתוֹרָתוֹ

וְזֶהוּ טַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל הָרַמְבַּ"ם וְרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה וְסִיעָתָן שֶׁעָסְקוּ בָּהֶן

"הֵם אֲסוּרִים וּקְשׁוּרִים בִּידֵי הַחִיצוֹנִים לְעוֹלָם"

“These are tied and bound by the ‘extraneous forces’ [the kelipot] forever.” (Likutei Amarim ch.8)

וְאִם כֵּן, הָאָדָם הָעוֹבֵר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ

הוּא גָּרוּעַ וּפָחוּת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מֵהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא וּקְלִיפָּה

הַנִּקְרֵאת "עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה" וֵ"אלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים

“It follows, then, that the person who does violate G-d’s will is greatly inferior to and more debased than the sitra achara and kelipah, which are called avodah zarah and “other gods”.

" וְהוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַפֵּירוּד מִיִּחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנָּה