Mumps

Many of the cases in the current outbreak, have occurred in children, who had previously received 2 doses of the vaccine.

This obviously raises questions, about the effectiveness of the mumps vaccine currently in use, against the strain currently circulating.

What is mumps? Mumps is a highly contagious viral illness, spread by droplets.

(i.e. the tiny droplets of saliva, and other respiratory secretions, that are exchanged when people are close to one another).What is the incubation period for mumps?

The incubation period of mumps is a long one, extending from 2-3 weeks.
That means, that a person exposed to mumps, will not present with the illness, until 2-3 weeks later.

The infectious period of mumps begins 2-3 days prior to the onset of symptoms, and extends for at least 5 days after the onset of symptoms.What are the symptoms of mumps?

Most symptoms begin, with mild non-specific symptoms such as headache and fatigue, during which time the infected individual is contagious.

They might then progress to the clinical illness of mumps, which is often mild involving swelling of the salivary glands (the glands that make saliva), located in front of and below the ear.

Other salivary glands, under the jaw may also be involved.

The swelling may be on one or both sides, and is commonly associated with pain during eating; particularly food stuffs, that stimulate the flow of saliva such as citrus. The illness usually lasts up to a week, and gets better spontaneously.

Are there complications from mumps?About 10-15% of all those infected with mumps may, G-d forbid, develop complications such as: severe headache, inflammation of the gonads (testicles or ovaries) and less frequently damage to the hearing apparatus, and inflammation of the pancreas.

Although most of the complications do resolve without consequence, rarely, there is long-lasting damage to the affected organ(s).

Sugar

Too much sugar (and white flour) in the diet, is the biggest nutritional mistake people make. I include white flour because of its ability to change to glucose (sugar) rapidly.

1 tsp of sugar will depress the natural killer cell activity of the white blood cells by 50% for 2 days. (“Lick the Sugar Habit” by Nancay Appleton).

There are also other immune factors that sugar inhibits so this is VERY IMPORTANT!It is important to read labels on all your food.

You MUST read the fine print to look for added sugar. Many foods and drinks have naturally occurring sugar that is included in the Nutrition Facts box on labels. This sugar is not harmful.If a product has high fructose corn syrup, it is especially bad for your immune system.

This means that having a lot of sugar seems normal to most people. You may not even realize how much sugar you are eating.

I would suggest keeping a diary for one day to see what you are really eating.Many health care professionals feel this is a contributing factor to chronic diseases as well as acute illnesses such as the flu.

It is OK to have a little sugar in the diet but if you are ill, or going somewhere you are likely to be in contact with people that are ill, it is best to eat a healthy diet. A simple healthy diet is one with lots of vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, a protein with every meal; and only a few boxed, processed foods.
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Friction is the most important part of good hand washing. This makes soap and water a much better choice then antibacterial cleansers or towels.

PUSH

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin, when suddenly his room filled with light. G-d appeared and told the man, that He had work for him to do. G-d showed him a large rock in front of his cabin, and explained, that the man was to push against the rock, with all his might...

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!

Each night, the man returned to his cabin, sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
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Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture, by placing thoughts into the weary mind:
"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved."

He gave the man the impression, that the task was impossible, and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened, the man. The Yetzer Hora said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough."
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That's what the weary man planned to do; but decided to make it a matter of prayer, and to take his troubled thoughts to the One Above."G-d, I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength, to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter.

What is wrong, why am I failing?"G-d responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you, that your task was, to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done.

Never once did I mention to you, that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.

But, is that really so? Look at yourself, your arms are strong and muscled, your back brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition, you have grown much; and your abilities now surpass that, which you used to have.

True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient, and to push and to exercise your faith and trust, in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, will move the rock."
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At times, when we hear a word from G-d, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants; when actually what He wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.

Although, no one can go back, and make and change the past; anyone can start from now on, and make a brand new beginning."

The Silent Majority

The hard, quantifiable fact is, that the peaceful majority, the 'silent majority,' is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died,

because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts--the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet.

And who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving'?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason, we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points.

“Rather Cut Off My Hand, but Don't Touch My Beard"

I merited hearing the following story from the grandson of the Kapischnitzer Rebbe zt’l (R’ Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel, 1888-1967), who heard it directly from his grandfather.

[It was recently published in “Heroes of Spirit – 100 Rabbinic Tales of the Holocaust” by Rabbi Dovid Hoffman (Israel Bookshop, 2009), pg. 320].
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The Kapischnitzer Rebbe zt’l was one of the most widely respected and beloved Torah leaders of our times*. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Rebbe fled with his family to Vienna.

When Jewish life was shattered by the German occupation of Vienna, the Rebbe was seized, and forced to clean the streets, to the amusement of the jeering Germans.

On one occasion, in an attempt to humiliate the Rebbe, the Germans sent one of their offices with a scissors, to cut off his beard. The Rebbe promptly stuck out his hand and told the officer, “Rather cut off my hand, but don’t touch my beard.” The German, startled by the Rebbe’s courage, miraculously left without carrying out his evil orders.

[ The Kapischnitzer Rebbe won the respect and the esteem of all the gedolim of his era. He was a member of Moetzes Gedolei Torah of Agudas Yisroel, and founding member of Chinuch Atzmai.

The Ponovezer Rov, R’ Yosef Kahanaman zt’l, would often say, that from the day the Chofetz Chaim was niftar, he hadn't had a Rebbe, until he met the Kapischnitzer Rebbe.]
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Throughout Jewish history, Jews were moser nefesh not to cut their beards. An entire chapter in sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon (Part II, Chapter 14), features documented, amazing incidents regarding Jews of all backgrounds, who risked their lives and livelihoods, rather than cut their beards -- including under Nazi persecution during World War II, and under Communist persecution in Russia.

“Jews considered the beard, as ‘an organ, on which the soul depends’....

The possibility of living without a hand or a foot, was more acceptable, [even to a simple Jew], than the possibility of living without a beard. (Imrei Simchah, Vol. I, p. 310).
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For a comprehensive treatment, regarding the cutting and growth of the beard, in Jewish law, please see sefer Hadras Ponim - Zokon

[A third, greatly expanded edition (1,024 pages), is now available at Seforim stores].

The sefer may also be purchased on-line at:
http://store.kehotonline.com/index.php?stocknumber=HL-HADR&deptid=&parentid=&page=1&itemsperpage=10

or (for the deluxe edition) at:

http://store.kehotonline.com/index.php?stocknumber=HL-HADR.D&deptid=&parentid=&page=1&itemsperpage=10

Rabbi Moshe Wienerm.wiener@jccgci.org

Colonel Kemp and anti-Israel rhetoric

During the one-sided debate, at the United Nations Human Rights Council, regarding the Goldstone Report in Geneva, Switzerland; the anti-Israel rhetoric and condemnations of the Jewish State, were momentarily halted, during a heartfelt and honest assessment of the situation, by Colonel Richard Kemp.

Colonel Kemp, (a well-respected military personality, who is the former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan); immediately captured the attention of the people in attendance, by unequivocally stating at the outset of his remarks that:
“during Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone, that any other army in the history of warfare.”

According to Colonel Kemp, “the civilian casualties were a consequence, of Hamas’ way of fighting.”
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To view a video of Colonel Richard Kemp’s speech, to the United Nations Human Rights Council; or to read a transcript of his remarks, click here:

http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1313923&ct=7536409

Israel look up / Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael (Steinsaltz)

10-18-09

"Israel is in a difficult position. We try to move to the right, and the way is blocked. We try to move to the left, and the way is blocked. We try to go forward, but we cannot. We are surrounded and blocked on every side.

There is one direction, however, that is not closed: upward!

That route is still open, and it is the way we should try to move. We should do this, not as a statement or a slogan; but to propel us, toward a different way of life."

A G-dly Beginning/ Rabbi A. Moss

Question:
Recently my son and I, were talking about the origins of humankind.

He said, that he was offended by the belief, that man had descended from the ape family; and was adamant, that we all came from Adam and Eve.

I, on the other hand believe, Darwin's theory to be a more reasonable explanation of our evolution.

As this discussion can go round in circles, are you able to shed some light, on this age old topic?
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Answer:

An elderly Rabbi was once on an airplane to Israel, sitting next to a self-professed atheist. They were amicably chatting, the whole trip.

Every now and then, the Rabbi's grandchild, sitting in another row, would come over to him, bringing him a drink; or asking if he could get anything to make him more comfortable.

After this happened several times, the atheist sighed, "I wish my grandchildren would treat me with such respect. They hardly even say hello to me. What's your secret?"

The Rabbi replied, "Think about it. To my grandchildren, I am two generations closer to Adam and Eve, the people made by the hand of G-d. So they look up to me.

But according to the philosophy which you teach your grandchildren, you are two generations closer to being an ape. So why should they look up to you?"
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Beliefs have consequences. Why do you think children today lack respect and are unable to honor their elders? Why is tradition looked down upon, and the values of the past all but forgotten? Is it not a natural consequence of modern education?

If we teach our children, that they are merely advanced animals, then they will act that way. And they will treat their parents and teachers, like the obsolete versions of humanity, that they are.

We have to be aware, of the affects of our beliefs. If we believe that humans came about by accident, then life has no meaning. There can be no meaning to something, that happens by chance.

A random explosion or mutation, cannot give us purpose. My life, your life, and all human history, has no real significance whatsoever. Whether I live a good life, or one full of evil, makes no difference. It is all a big accident anyway.

We only have purpose, if we were created on purpose. Our lives only have meaning, if we were created by a meaningful being. If we teach our children, that they were created on purpose, with a purpose; then they will know, that more is expected from them, than from an animal.

The Adam and Eve story needs to be taught; not just because it is true, but because it is the basis of morality.
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Both creationism and Darwinism have ramifications . To accept that G-d created man and woman, has ramifications.

To accept that a single-celled organism spontaneously mutated billions, of times to form the human being, also has ramifications. But only one of these beliefs demands, that we live a moral life. That's the one I want my kids, to know about.