Paraha Ki Tavo continues along a common theme track with last week's Parsha Ki Teitzei, namely discussion of Mitzvot which teach kindness, compassion and attentiveness to others and to other living creatures.

Ki Tavo begins with the Halachot of Bikkurim -- the first fruits which were brought to the Kohen as both thanksgiving and rememberance of Pharaoh's cruelty and Hashem's deliverance of B'nai Yisrael from Mitzrayim to a land flowing with milk and honey.  Our Parsha then enunciates the laws concerning Ma'aser and it's declaration regarding the required tithes.

The Parsha also relates Hashem's command regarding the Mitzvot of writing Torah on 12 huge stones, in all 70 languages, to be placed on the East Side of the Jordon River, in what was Mo'av and bringing another 12 huge stones to Mt Aival where they are to be built as a Mizbeiyach upon which B'nai Yisrael will offer Korbonot.  This Mizbeiyach would later be disassembled and the second set of stones were subsequently used for a second inscription of Torah in the 70 languages.  We are told about the assembly to take place on Mts. Gerizim and Aival,  and in the valley in between, where the Brachot and K'lalot are to be pronounced upon B'Nai Yisrael's entrance into Eretz Yisrael.
 
In enunciating these Mitzvot, our Parsha teaches the importance of doing Mitzvot quickly, as epitomized by bring the Bikkurim, striking while the irons are hot, eagerly and B'Simcha -- with happiness.

And suddenly, as I write this Parsha HaShevua, The temporary haitus, the "hudna" is over. Today the the one plot amongst the daily 50 which the IDF foils, got through; 16 KILLED, OVER 100 WOUNDED IN TWIN BUS BOMBINGS IN BE'ER SHEVA (at latest count).  And the hard-hearted Sharon, while claiming to vow a "war on terror" harsher than before, just keeps bulldozing forward in attempt to impose his will, to impose change in the rules agreed to in the cabinet, to impose an even faster expulsion of Jews from their homes in Eretz Yisrael.  It's a battle the "old general" can't win, hard as he tries, because he's up against the Ultimate Commander in Shemayim. 

 
How do we mortals respond, to counter-act the government's gezeira-rah against the Jews which provides a source of encouragement for Islam's continued, insatiable hunger for Jewish blood?  Our communities have undertaken enhanced tefillah (prayer), learning, Chessed (kindnesses)and increased Tzedakah (material and financial donations).

A few months ago, when talk of dismantlement of Gush Katif first came to the fore, a donor of a Sefer Torah stepped forward, as did a number of financial donors, both substantial and small.

And some people from Gush Katif spoke to me on Yom Hatsma'ot about Yishuv
Shi-rat HaYam needing it's own Sefer Torah.  The result was, that on 4 July, a beautiful  Hachnasat Sefer Torah celebration took place stretching from Neve Dekalim to Shi-rat HaYam.  The event, as well as the placement of a Sefer Torah there, gave and continues to give great chizuk to all who live in Gush Katif and is a source of pride, heart-felt feelings and warm memories to all who travelled to Gush Katif to take part in the event.

And so, against the background of sadness and grief for all of these victims of the renewal of Islamikazi bombing attacks, The Sefer Torah Recycling Network offers this counter-action of placing Sifrei Torah in numerous needy locations to help to insure the continuation of the Jewish people, the Jewish nation living in it's divine inheritance, Eretz Yisrael.

In Beitar Illit, there is a Russian Community whose Beit Knesset, Ohel Avraham is in need of a Sefer Torah. It's Minyan numbers 50-80 regular, active members (mostly aged 25 -35), including four Ba'alei Batim who are over 70 years old. The Beit Knesset also doubles as a Yeshiva. Some of the Shul members have sons who are av'reichim learning in Yeshiva Ohel Avraham. The community was established 5-6 years ago and, at present, there is no official Rav of the Kehilla.  This Kehilla is in dire need of a Sefer Torah.

In Gush Katif, Yishuv Kerem Atzmona was established nearly 3 1/2 years ago by people from the town of Atzmona.  The Atzmona residents have, over time, left Kerem Atzmona and the Yishuv is now made up of 17 young families.  The men are mostly Yeshiva Bocherim learning at Yeshiva Torat HaChaim in Neve Dekalim. They have a Beit Knesset and need an Ashkenaz Sefer Torah.

Also in Gush Katif, the nearly completed Chasdei Shimrit Community Center in Neve Dekalim needs an Ashkenaz Sefer Torah.

And at Kever Rachel, "The Rachel's Children Reclamation Foundation", led by it's President, Evelyn Haies who has seen to building a complex next to the Kever, including a Beis Medrash and living quarters, seeks a Sefer Torah as part of it's ongoing efforts to educate Israel's youth about Rachel Imeinu.

These four locations as well as many scores of others, seek and cannot afford to acquire their own Sifrei Torah.

So, what is the relationship between the importance of doing Mitzvot quickly and the Mitzvot Bein Adom L'Chaveiro listed throughout both Parshiyot Ki Teitzei and Ki Tavo and the writing of Torah in 70 languages?

Shem Mishmuel writes on Parsha Shoftim that when Klal Yisrael is fighting Holy Wars, "they must set aside their private concerns for their own well-being and survival in the war ...   They must feel that the battle is not for themselves, but for Hashem and his glory.   ...This level of control is no easy matter; it involves nullifying one's private concerns before the will of Hashem. "  (Shem Mishmuel, page 404)  That is, it seems, to act quickly and decisively and not equivocate.

It seems also that only when we are selfless and subvert our own personal agenda when doing Mitzvot, we will merit National Yahdut and thus collectively merit to "blot out the rememberance of Amalek from under the heaven..."

The Midrash Says asks what the purpose was for placing huge rocks with the Torah inscribed in 70 languages on the East Side of the Jordon River and in Gilgul, at the entrance to Eretz Yisrael.  It offers an explanation;  that they served as a warning to the Gentiles to accept upon themselves the Noachide Laws. (The Midrash Says, Parsha Ki Tavo, pages 294-295)

But I want to suggest that since we don't have those two sets of 12 huge, Torah-inscribed stones, maybe we have another way to achieve the goal -- purification of the outer part of the heart through stimulation of the inner, Divine soul.  We have it in our power to provide every needy location in Eretz Yisrael with it's very own Sefer Torah.

Could there be a more appropriate time than now to be a part this Mitzvah, to strike while the irons are hot, to bring the first fruits eagerly and B'Simcha just before the Chaggim?

"And Schilling's in the stretch with the bases jammed in the 9th with two out and a full count on  Shawn Green.   Will Shawn do it 'in the clutch' when the chips are down and the game on the line? Or will Schilling get out of the jam and win yet another game?  The pitch...."

Will we set aside, subjugate or nullify our private concerns before the will of Hashem and his glory??

As one lover of Eretz Yisrael to another, I'm sure that you share my wish that the needy locations listed above, as well as many other needy locations, become Mokomot Torah through the possession of their own Sifrei Torah.   And imagine the level of Kedusha when all of the neshamot who have lained from, touched and kissed with donated Sifrei Torah in the past, back in their previous venues, unite with all of the neshamot yet to lain from, touch and kiss these Sifrei Torah here a new mokom in Eretz Yisroel.

My hope is acquire donations of Sifrei Torah, to raise funds to defray their repair when necessary, in order that many of the scores of needy locations receive their own Sifrei Torah.  In addition, I seek the financial backing, start-up funding via "Entreprenurial Angels" in order to establish "The Sefer Torah Recycling Network" an ongoing, serious project.

Donors in the US, Canada and Israel can contribute by following the directions shown on the sponsorship donations page of The Sefer Torah Recyling Network website.
 
In the Z'chut of our Kindness, our Tzedakah, of our just and honest dealings with our fellow Jews -- with each other, on an individual basis as well as collectively on a National, Governmental and Judicial basis, and of our Mitzvot done selflessly, with an open heart for our Jewish brethren, may we be Zocha to have our Tefillah reach Shemayim, unimpeded, ungarbled. May we know the end of Jewish bleeding, dying and poverty, and the day when a Jew can live unencumbered in his land and when Jonathan Pollard is free to join his brethren in Eretz Yisrael.  May we be zocha to fulfill Hashem's blueprint of B'nai Yisrael as a Unique people -- an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with "the nations."
 
May we be zocha the Moshiach, the Ge'ula Shlaima, "Yom Hashem V'Kol HaGoyim", the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v'yameinu -- speedily, in our time", -- Immediately; Achshav, Chik Chuk, Meiyad, Etmol!!!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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