IDF Northern Command will begin an all-inclusive exercise codenamed Or Hadgan, which last took place 19 years ago, during which tens of thousands of soldiers will be trained in all aspects of the northern theater. "The goal is to train all the forces," says a senior officer, explaining that "the next war will be different from anything we have known so far and therefore we must prepare for it properly. The exercise integrates all arenas: sea, land, air, and telecommunications, and will be performed in three phases." "In the first phase, during the defensive stage, forces will simulate a terrorist infiltration and the takeover of a northern settlement, while at the same time the IDF will deliver massive fire while rounding up forces. " In the second phase, an attack will be simulated, integrating all relevant forces and shifting command assignments deriving from the need to practice scenarios that are not prepared in advance." The senior officer said the preparations for the exercise lasted more than six months, feature full combat posture, and were approved at chief-of-staff level. A number of brigades and reservists will participate in the exercise, including infantry, armored corps, artillery, regional brigades, reconnaissance battalions, and other units. היערכות לתרגיל צילום: דובר צה"ל The naval side of the corps exercise will include a flotilla of missile boats, a submarine squadron, naval commandos, regular security forces, coordinatted through the new Naval Command operational headquarters . The Haifa naval base will be the main fighting arena for field forces, and at operational headquarters forces will be deployed in the Naval Command's control center. All air force bases will participate - Ramat David, Basis haTechni , Tel Nof, Palmachim, Sde Dov, Hatzor, Hatzerim, Nevatim, Ramon, and Ovda. They will operate a combination of the various weapons systems: Iron Dome, Patriot (" Yahalom "), "Arrow", and "David's slingshot". The intelligence branch comprises a significant part of the corps exercise, as this marks the division's biggest exercise in the past 20 years. H eadquarters and field units from the entire division will take part in the exercise from the General Staff level to the battalion level. The exercise will include reconnaissance unit representatives who will be attached to divisions in the field and will join various missions within the framework of Intelligence Corps-based warfare. The Technology and Logistics Division will participate extensively a s part of the exercise, with all its various corps and divisions. This represents the division's largest training exercise in the past 20 years, with the participation of thousands of reservists and division fighters who will deploy in various places. תרגיל הגיס הצפוני צילום: דו"צ An important element of the exercise already being practiced is explanation and combat awareness among IDF soldiers and civilians. In recent years, the army has witnessed an increase in enemy activity on social networks. "The enemy's efforts on the Internet are concentrated mainly on active recruitment, and 'social vaccination' is a pro-active explanatory activity aimed at raising security awareness among IDF servicemen," notes a senior officer. The officer relates that in the framework of this exercise, IDF soldiers and commanders were contacted by figures with characteristics and profiles similar to those used by Hamas (as in the "Hunters' Battle"). In fact, accepting a "friend request" from such figures, direct communication with them, and clicking on the simulated malicious link leads to a security information page and a conversation with an information security officer, in order to impress the severity of the threat into the victim's awareness. In recent weeks, a number of malicious messages have been circulated on the Internet, causing mobile phones or computers to be hacked by the enemy even while the device is turned off. As an example, there were reports of a chemical weapons transfer to Hezbollah, and another about Hamas' willingness to relinquish military rule. The messages were s eemingly innocuous but contained malicious code. The exercise, which will continue for ten days, will take place in the Galilee and southern regions, taking into account all sector's circumstances, including civilian flights.
Kashering utensils The basic rule in the laws of kashering utensils is “ke-bole’o kakh polto” (a forbidden taste is released from the utensil in the same manner that it was absorbed). That is, the utensil should be kashered in the way it was used b’issur (in a forbidden manner) or with chametz. There are three forms of use: 1) with fire, whose kashering is done by heavy libun (heating the vessel by fire until it gives off sparks or becomes red hot). 2) With hot liquids – whose kashering is done by hagala in boiling water. This, too, has different levels: the use of a kli rishon (the vessel in which the food is cooked) on a flame, a kli rishon removed from the flame, liquid poured (irui) from a kli rishon, kli sheni (hot food that was first cooked in a vessel over fire and then transferred to a different one), and ke-bole’o kakh polto. 3) With liquids that are not hot, in which case it is enough to clean them in cold water to kasher them. A Utensil Used on Two Levels A spoon that sometimes absorbed chametz in a kli rishon on a flame and sometimes in a kli sheni is kashered according to its most intense absorption, namely, in boiling water on a flame. However, when this is difficult or can cause damage, we go according to its usual use. For example, a fork that is usually used in a kli rishon or sheni whose kashering is done in boiling water, but sometimes the fork is stuck in a baked good while in the oven where its absorption is with fire – since libun is liable to damage the fork, we go according to ikar ha’din (strict law), and the fork is kashered according to it predominant use, in boiling water (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 10:7). Cleaning the Kitchen and the House There is a huge difference between cleaning the house for Pesach and cleaning the kitchen for Pesach. In cleaning the house, the goal is not to leave a crumb of chametz the size of a ke’zayit (olive), in order not to transgress the prohibition bal yera’eh (“no chametz of yours shall be seen”) and bal yimatzei (“no se’or of yours shall be seen within all your borders”) , whereas in the cleaning of the kitchen and its utensils, the goal is not to leave even kol she’hu (the slightest amount) of chametz, lest it get mixed into Pesach foods. And as known, chametz on Pesach is forbidden even kol she’hu. And when it comes to utensils used to cook with, one must make sure there are no remains of the taste of chametz absorbed in utensils, or any residual chametz stuck to them. Countertop and Sink Thoroughly clean the marble countertop and the sink, and then pour boiling water on them. It is convenient to do this with a kumkum (kettle). Before pouring boiling water on a sink or countertop, it must be dried well, so that the boiling water touches it directly and is not cooled by any cold water on its surface. For this reason, one must first pour the boiling water on the sink and then on the countertop, starting with the areas closest to the sink and moving further away, so that the water will flow to the sink rather than the places that have not yet been kashered. Instead of pouring boiling water on them, the marble countertop can be covered with linoleum or aluminum foil and a plastic basin placed in the sink, or covered with thick aluminum foil. Those who are stringent do both – they pour boiling water on the countertop and sink, and then cover them with linoleum or thick aluminum foil (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 11: 1). Fragile marble countertops, on which boiling pots are never placed, le’chatchila (from the outset) can be kashered by merely cleaning and pouring boiling water on them, and even the mehadrim (those who go a step further) need not cover it with linoleum or aluminum foil. Kashering Grates, Burners, and Stovetops Throughout the year, people usually use the same stovetop grates for both meat and milk, because even if some meat or dairy food spills onto them, the flame incinerates and befouls whatever has spilled. However, people customarily perform light libun on such grates for Pesach, because of the severity of the chametz prohibition. In ordinary years, many people are mehadrim, and do this by means of burners supplied at public kashering stations, but this year the kashering may be done by cleaning the grate, returning it to its place, and turning on all the flames for about fifteen minutes. Those who wish to go a step further, wrap aluminum foil around the bars on which pots sit. Be’di’avad (a level of performance that ex post facto satisfies an obligation in a less-than-ideal manner), if the grates did not undergo libun, the food cooked on them on Pesach are kosher (as is customary all year round for meat and milk). The areas of the grates that do not come into contact with the pots, the enamel cook top beneath the grates, and the burners must be cleaned well of all residual food (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 11: 2). Electric Ranges and Ceramic Burners Electric ranges and ceramic burners should be thoroughly cleaned, and run on the highest setting for about fifteen minutes. Kashering a Baking Oven To kasher an oven, clean it thoroughly and run it at its highest setting for half an hour. Le’chatchila, we go according to the machmirim (stringent poskim) and do not kasher baking trays, because in their opinion, libun must be done at a temperature of about 400 degrees Celsius, and in such heat, the trays are liable to warp and have their appearance damaged. Therefore, those who do not have special Pesach trays may use disposable oven trays, and kasher the racks along with the oven, in order to place upon them the disposable oven trays (ibid. 11:3). In extenuating circumstances the oven trays can be kashered for Pesach by heating the oven for half an hour, relying on those poskim who are of the opinion that utensils do not need to undergo libun at 400 degrees Celsius, rather, it is enough to do libun with the heat they have been used with (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 11:5). Self-Cleaning Ovens Ovens that self-clean at a temperature of 500ºC need not be cleaned before kashering because such intense heat is considered heavy libun and is sufficient to kasher the oven for Pesach. Barbeque The body of the barbecue and its rack should be kashered as it is used, which is a level of heavy libun. If it is a gas barbeque – do so on the highest level of heat, or if used with coals – the largest amount of coals normally used. Microwave There are three steps to kasher a microwave oven: 1) cleaning it thoroughly of any residual food resulting from spillage or vaporization; 2) in order to kasher it from vapors and moisture of chametz in a manner of ke-bole’o kakh polto – heat a container of water in the microwave for approximately ten minutes (since microwave ovens absorb chametz via vapor that rises from food as it is heated); 3) Since chametz may have spilled onto the plate of the microwave, the plate should be cleaned and immersed in boiling water, or by placing something as a separation betwthe microwave on Pesach. (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 11: 5). Dishwashereen the plate and the food that will be heated in The filter, where residual food often gets stuck, must be cleaned thoroughly. Then the dishwasher should be run at its hottest setting, so that any absorbed chametz is released, ke-bole’o kakhpolto, and in this way, it is kashered (Peninei Halakha: Pesach 11: 5). The Dining Table Our tables are sensitive and people usually don’t place hot pastries or boiling pots on them, therefore kashering is done by thoroughly cleaning them with a damp cloth, according to its predominant use. Since occasionally a hot chametz sauce splashes on a table, and sometimes a hot pastry is placed on it, it is correct to be careful not to eat it on a table without a tablecloth that will separate between the table and the food. There are mehadrim who tape a nylon or paper covering on the table, fearing that the tablecloth placed on the table will slip off, and by taping them create a permanent buffer upon which the tablecloth is spread. If this is a table on which dough is occasionally kneaded, a permanent separation must be taped or placed on it. When it is a table on which no hot chametz foods were placed throughout the year and dough was not kneaded upon it, it is enough to clean it well, and there is no need to cover it (ibid. 11:6). Refrigerator Since refrigerators are used with cold food, the only concern is that some chametz crumbs might remain there. Therefore, their kashering is done by cleaning. In hard to reach places where chametz crumbs may have gotten stuck, one must pour soapy water or some other substance that will befoul the crumbs and render them unfit for animal consumption. Kitchen Cabinets When kitchen cupboards were made of natural wood, they often had cracks and crevices that were difficult to clean completely of chametz that got stuck there, thus, the custom was to line them with paper. However, in smooth shelves like those used today, there is no concern that chametz remains. Therefore, once they have been cleaned properly, they need not be covered. Kashering Cutlery In these days when pots and cutlery cannot be kashered in public hagalat kelim, which are needed to kasher chametz utensils for Pesach that have been used with a kli rishon on the fire, the kashering must be done at home. To do this, take a large clean pot, whether it be a chametz pot, or a Pesach pot. Boil water in it, place in the water a bit of liquid soap to damage its taste, and any utensil one wishes to kasher – is placed in the boiling water for about three seconds. Le’chatchila, the custom is to rinse the utensils in cold water immediately after hagala, but if for some reason it is difficult to rinse a utensil with cold water, one need not make an effort to do so. If a utensil cannot be immersed in its entirety into the water, it can be immersed one half at a time (ibid. 10: 11). Kashering Pots The hagala of a pot should be done in a large vessel in which all of the pot can be inserted. It is not enough to boil water in the pot, because most likely during the year food over-flowed or splashed on the rim of the pot, and consequently, the taste of chametz is absorbed and stuck to the upper lip of the pot, and the pot rim is not kashered by the boiling water inside the pot. When the handles of the pots can be disassembled, there are mehadrim who take them apart and clean them. Instead of this, one can clean around them with a lot of soap, until it is clear the taste that may be in the grooves is nifgam (fouled), and then, immerse the pot. Pots with metal folding edges do not need special care. If one cannot find a vat large enough to immerse the pot, boil water in a small vessel, and when the water in the large vessel begins to boil, insert the small vessel into the center of the larger vessel. This will cause the water in the larger vessel to overflow and kasher its rim and outer walls. It is also possible to boil water in a kumkum at the same time, and when the water inside the pot starts to boil, pour the boiling water from the kumkum into the pot, so that the boiling water in the pot will spill over and kasher its rim. The lid of the pot should be rotated in the boiling water, forward and back, until each portion of it is in the boiling water. In addition, the pot handles should be cleaned thoroughly with soap, and boiling water poured on them (ibid. 11: 12; 10: 9). Frying Pan Clean well and kasher it with light libun, by heating it on the gas fire in the same heat as it is used when frying (ibid. 10: 4-5). Glassware Many Sephardim follow the lenient opinion that glass utensils may be kashered simply by rinsing them thoroughly, whereas many Ashkenazic Jews do not kasher glass utensils for Pesach. In practice, however, the ikar seems to be the middle opinion, which maintains that glass utensils have the same status as metal utensils, whose kashering is done by immersing them in boiling water. Those whose families’ minhag is to be lenient, are permitted to continue in their minhag. And those whose families’ minhag is to be stringent, it is appropriate for them to continue in their minhag (ibid. 11:12). Various Utensils Warming Tray (Shabbat Plata): Clean thoroughly, heat on highest setting for one hour, and those who act stringently, also cover it with aluminum foil to separate between it and Pesach pots (ibid. 11: 4). Electric Water Heaters for Shabbat and Kumkum: The custom is to do hagala because chametz crumbs may have fallen into them. Hagala in this case means filling the device to the top with water, boiling it, and then pouring it out through the faucet or opening used to dispense the water. Before hagala, it is good to clean out the stone deposits that accumulated inside. If one puts challah loaves on the lid of the urn to warm them before the Shabbat meal, the lid should be immersed in boiling water. Coffee Machine: Clean and heat the machine as usual with hot water on the highest heat. Silver Goblets: It is customary to perform hagala on silver goblets used for kiddush wine and other hard drinks, because crumbs sometimes fall into the goblet along with these strong drinks, which, according to some poskim, causes their taste to be absorbed into the goblet. Since this is a remote concern, when necessary, it is enough to wash them according their predominant use. Plastic Baby Bottle and Pacifier: It is better to replace them, but when necessary, they may be kashered by cleaning and pouring boiling water on them. False Teeth: These should be cleaned thoroughly before the onset of the chametz prohibition. They need not undergo hagala, because people do not normally put boiling foods or liquids in their mouths; just as they are used for both meat and dairy when cleaned in between, they may also be used on Pesach. [This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper four years ago and was translated from Hebrew]
כבר שנים שקיימת אפליה במדינת ישראל בה יתומים מעל גיל 18 הלומדים בישיבות אינם מקבלים קצבת שארים מביטוח לאומי לעומת יתר המגזרים, בתוכם גם ערבים שאינם משרתים בצה"ל ובכל זאת מקבלים קצבה עד גיל 20. עפ"י החוק הנוכחי יתום זכאי לקצבה רק עד גיל 18, לאחר גיל 18 זכאי לקצבה רק מי שמשרת בצבא או בשירות לאומי עד גיל 24 וערבים הזכאים עד גיל 20 ובתנאי שלא יעבדו. כ-240 יתומים הלומדים בישיבות אינם יכולים לעבוד עד גיל 21 מכוח החוק, וכעת הם מבקשים משר הרווחה להמשיך את קצבתם עד גיל 21, כאשר מגיל זה ואילך יכלו לעבוד ולהתפרנס בכבוד. נזכיר, כי בכנסת הקודמת יזמו חברי כנסת הצעת חוק שתתקן את החוק הקיים ותוסיף, כי כל המנועים על פי החוק מלעבוד לפרנסתם יקבלו קצבת שארים בגילאים אלו. המוסד לביטוח לאומי ומשרד האוצר מתנגדים לבקשתם של אותם כ-240 יתומים בטענה שעלות השינוי תהיה 25 מיליון ש"ח בשנה וכי יש לכך השלכות תקציביות. היתומים מקבלים גיבוי מלא מכלל הקשת הפוליטית במדינת ישראל ובקרוב צפוי שר הרווחה להחליט האם בקשתם של היתומים תעוגן בחוק או בתקנות. אמש התקיימה פגישה בין משפחות היתומים לשר הרווחה, מאיר כהן, בנושא מתן קצבת שארים ליתומים עד גיל 21 הלומדים בישיבה. במהלך הפגישה גילה שר הרווחה נכונות לעזור יחד עם חברי כנסת נוספים, "אני מבין את הצורך לעזור לאותם בחורי ישיבה שאין להם פת לחם לאכול".