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31 December 2009
Religion of Peace
This year, the Muslim holiday of Ashura fell on December 27. Ashura (عاشوراء (ʻĀshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.
It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). According to Sunni Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.; Sunni Muslims also celebrate the day claiming that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
In some Shia countries and regions such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in Sunni dominated Muslim community of India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday.
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس
Ashura rituals and observances consist primarily of public expressions of mourning and grief by flagellating themselves on the back with chains, beating their head or cutting themselves. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of Judgment.
Islam, now that's what I call the Religion of Peace!
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It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). According to Sunni Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.; Sunni Muslims also celebrate the day claiming that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
In some Shia countries and regions such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in Sunni dominated Muslim community of India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday.
So how do peace loving Muslims celebrate this holiday?
Ashura rituals and observances consist primarily of public expressions of mourning and grief by flagellating themselves on the back with chains, beating their head or cutting themselves. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of Judgment.
It's a family holiday, you take a big knife...
...and cut your head, then show your neighbors how much you bleed
Fathers and Sons
Brotherhood
Mothers and Children
As Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said,
"Peace will come to the Middle East when they love their children more than they hate us!".
Islam, now that's what I call the Religion of Peace!
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Rock of Strength Translation Explained מעוז צור
Sung By Sofina, a nice Jewish girl from the great state of Alaska
I've received lots of requests for the translation and explanation of the traditional song sung during Chanuka Candle Lighting "Rock of Strength" מעוז צור .I've provided the original Hebrew, the singable translation in English and a brief explanation of each of the 6 stanzas.
This translation is taken from an Orthodox Jewish Prayer Book (Siddur).
This is the tune
מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ.
תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ.
לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ.
אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:
Rock of strength! Great Aid of yore! ‘Tis sweet due praise to sing thee;
Rear our House of Prayer once more! Thank-off’rings there we’ll bring thee;
When dread immolation,Checks the foe’s elation,
I’ll complete with paeans meet, the altar’s consecration.
Rear our House of Prayer once more! Thank-off’rings there we’ll bring thee;
When dread immolation,Checks the foe’s elation,
I’ll complete with paeans meet, the altar’s consecration.
This stanza pleads for the reestablishment of the Temple Worship. It praises G-d as the "Rock of Strength," Who has always come to our aid. He will take vengeance on His enemies, and restore the Temple as a House of Prayer for all nations.
רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כָּלָה
חַיַּי מֵרְרוּ בְקֹשִׁי בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה
וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה
חֵיל פַּרְעֹה וְכָל זַרְעוֹ יָרְדוּ כְּאֶבֶן בִּמְצוּלָה:
Evils sore my soul oppressed, Grief consumed my vigor;
Bitter bondage life distressed, Thro’ proud Egypt’s rigor;
But, whilst Heaven’s devotion, Led us forth from Goshen,
Pharaoh’s race, Sank apace, Like pebbles in the ocean.
Bitter bondage life distressed, Thro’ proud Egypt’s rigor;
But, whilst Heaven’s devotion, Led us forth from Goshen,
Pharaoh’s race, Sank apace, Like pebbles in the ocean.
This stanza praises G-d for our liberation from the Egyptian bondage. Maharal explains that Israel's destiny as a nation is not dependent on the general natural, physical, social or economic laws that govern the destinies of the other nations. Israel as a nation is placed directly under G-d's protection. It was this nation that was brought forth from Egypt, in order that they "obey faithfully and keep his covenant."
דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי
וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי
וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי
קֵץ בָּבֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשַׁעְתִּי:
Scarce led unto Hashem’s holy fane, From duty’s path I swerved there,
By harsh oppressor captive ta’en, Because strange gods I served there.
The madd’ning cup I tasted, Till, seventy sad years wasted
In Babylon spent, Zerubabbel, sent, To my deliv’rance, hasted.
This stanza recalls the period of time when we lived in peace in the Land of Israel, when the First Temple, built by Solomon, was with us. Yet somehow, we fell prey to the blandishments of idol worship, and, for that sin, the Kingdom of Babylon, under the leadership of Nevuchadnezzar, besieJerusalem, and destroyed the Temple. But after a brief (historically speaking) time of seventy years, Babylon fell to the Persians, and under the leadership of Zerubavel (identified with the Prophet Nechemiah) we once again obtained permission to rebuild the Temple.
כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת בְּרוֹשׁ בִּקֵּשׁ אֲגָגִי בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא
וְנִהְיָתָה לוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ נִשְׁבָּתָה
רֹאשׁ יְמִינִי נִשֵּׂאתָ וְאוֹיֵב שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ
רֹב בָּנָיו וְקִנְיָנָיו עַל הָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ:
To check our growth when Haman sought, Our pine-like stature felling,
In self-laid snare himself was caught, Soon ceased his proud heart’s swelling:
Whilst Israel’s power extended, The foeman’s race was ended,
When kith and kin, Were, for his sin, On gallows-tree suspended,
In self-laid snare himself was caught, Soon ceased his proud heart’s swelling:
Whilst Israel’s power extended, The foeman’s race was ended,
When kith and kin, Were, for his sin, On gallows-tree suspended,
This stanza recalls the potential disaster, due to our sins, and our miraculous salvation, due to our repentance, from the fiendish plan of Haman, at the time of Purim. Haman wished to destroy Mordechai and, with him, all the Jews, male and female, young and old. But G-d, by a hidden miracle, using apparent coincidence, plus the bravery of Queen Esther, saved the Jews. Haman's plan was overturned, and he, together with his ten sons, were hung on the very same gallows which he'd prepared for Mordechai.
יְוָנִים נִקְבְּצוּ עָלַי אֲזַי בִּימֵי חַשְׁמַנִּים
וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִגְדָּלַי וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים
וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים
בְּנֵי בִינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים:
When Maccabees with Syrian foe,The mastery disputed,
My forts were crushed, my walls laid low,My Temple-oil polluted;
One cruse, to Heaven’s pure nation,Sufficed for dedication;
Whence sages mine Eight days assign, To song and jubilation.
My forts were crushed, my walls laid low,My Temple-oil polluted;
One cruse, to Heaven’s pure nation,Sufficed for dedication;
Whence sages mine Eight days assign, To song and jubilation.
This stanza takes us back to Chanukah and describes the spiritual (not to mention physical) attack of the Greeks, under Antioches IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid monarch of Syria, who was the central foe in the Chanukah story. He advocated an intense campaign of Hellenization; that is, the spreading of Greek culture and ideas and secularization amongst the Jewish People, and the Jews in The Land of Israel who remained loyal to the Torah, became his main targets.
The Greeks breached the walls of the Temple and defiled all the oils prepared for use in the daily lighting of the Menorah in the Temple. But one cruse of oil was found, and the Miracle of Chanukah was performed in behalf of the "roses," a reference to Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs), in which the mutual love between G-d and the Jewish People is the main theme. The Chashmonaim (Maccabis) also achieved a miraculous military victory, with the help of G-d, and they eventually gained independence for Israel.
חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָדְשֶׁךָ וְקָרֵב קֵץ הַיְשׁוּעָה
נְקֹם נִקְמַת עֲבָדֶיךָ מֵאֻמָּה הָרְשָׁעָה
כִּי אָרְכָה הַשָּׁעָה וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה
דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעִים שִׁבְעָה:
Bare Your holy arm once more, and hasten the End for salvation.
Avenge the vengeance of servants Your, from the wicked nation.
Our salvation’s too long delayed, and there is no end to the evil days
Repel Edom in the shadow deep, and bring seven shepherds without delays.
This stanza asks the G-d to bare His holy arm and end our longest exile, the exile of Edom, the Red One, and usher in the Epoch of the Messiah. The final phrase, “Raise up seven shepherds”, is a reference to Micah 5:4 which indicates that in messianic times seven shepherds (seven denotes completeness or perfection) will overcome any adversary who attacks the Nation of Israel.
Now you can print this out and sing it for yourself
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30 December 2009
Friday Fun at the Range
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس
I just got the word that my Counter Terrorism Team will be shooting on Friday! This should be a good chance for me to take the FAB Defense case from Zahal.org with me to the range and get some feedback from the Team.
That's Mrs. DoubleTapper's Glock 26 in the picture with my Glock 17.
I'll post the details after we get back from the Range.
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I just got the word that my Counter Terrorism Team will be shooting on Friday! This should be a good chance for me to take the FAB Defense case from Zahal.org with me to the range and get some feedback from the Team.
That's Mrs. DoubleTapper's Glock 26 in the picture with my Glock 17.
I'll post the details after we get back from the Range.
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29 December 2009
How should Israel deal with Terrorists?
تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس
I'd like your opinions on this, please post a comment.
The Obama administration yesterday demanded the Israeli government explain why its military eliminated three terrorists in an operation this past Saturday.
Over the weekend, three terrorists, all members of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ U.S.-trained and funded "Fatah security forces" were killed in an Israeli raid intended to arrest the suspects upon information that they killed an Israeli civilian last Thursday. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the three Fatah terrorists were heavily armed and refused to surrender to the Israeli soldiers.
Israel had information that all three were responsible for the terrorist shooting of Rabbi Meir Hai, a 40-year-old Jewish teacher and father of seven, who was murdered on a road near his home in an area where Israel giving in to pressure from the Obama administration, had recently lifted a roadblock restricting Arab movement.
Ballistic tests carried out on a weapon found inside the terrorists’ apartment later confirmed the gun was used in the shooting of Rabbi Hai.
According to the IDF, the three terrorists killed in the raid Saturday refused to surrender. They were carrying weapons and ammunition. One of the terrorists, identified as Fatah member Adnan Subuh, had on his body a handgun, two American M-16’s and a large amount of ammunition. The other two terrorists were Fatah members Raad Sarkaji and Ghassan Abu Shreikh.
According to Israeli diplomatic sources, senior Obama administration officials yesterday demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser, Uzi Arad, explain to them how the Fatah terrorists were killed on Saturday.
Any thoughts?
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I'd like your opinions on this, please post a comment.
The Obama administration yesterday demanded the Israeli government explain why its military eliminated three terrorists in an operation this past Saturday.
Over the weekend, three terrorists, all members of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ U.S.-trained and funded "Fatah security forces" were killed in an Israeli raid intended to arrest the suspects upon information that they killed an Israeli civilian last Thursday. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the three Fatah terrorists were heavily armed and refused to surrender to the Israeli soldiers.
Israel had information that all three were responsible for the terrorist shooting of Rabbi Meir Hai, a 40-year-old Jewish teacher and father of seven, who was murdered on a road near his home in an area where Israel giving in to pressure from the Obama administration, had recently lifted a roadblock restricting Arab movement.
Ballistic tests carried out on a weapon found inside the terrorists’ apartment later confirmed the gun was used in the shooting of Rabbi Hai.
According to the IDF, the three terrorists killed in the raid Saturday refused to surrender. They were carrying weapons and ammunition. One of the terrorists, identified as Fatah member Adnan Subuh, had on his body a handgun, two American M-16’s and a large amount of ammunition. The other two terrorists were Fatah members Raad Sarkaji and Ghassan Abu Shreikh.
According to Israeli diplomatic sources, senior Obama administration officials yesterday demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser, Uzi Arad, explain to them how the Fatah terrorists were killed on Saturday.
Any thoughts?
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25 December 2009
23 December 2009
IDF Shooters
IDF Marksman training is a 1-2 week course that teaches the basics of range-determination, fast-fire cover, and shooting (day and night, prone and kneeling for the most part).
IDF Sniping is a 3-4 week course. The weapon used is the M24 with a Leupold Mark 4 10x40mm LR/T M3 scope. This course tries to apply some understanding of the greater role of a sniper (camouflage, tactics, independent/small unit action). It includes recon basics, long range fire support, range-determination, target mapping, target determination, and an understanding of the sniping system (including tripods, bipods, no-pod, prone, sitting, kneeling, day and night shooting).
Battle Prepped IDF M24 Sniper Rifles
Sniper Badge
Worn by IDF Certified Snipers
The CT/HRT course uses the Mauser SR 86 rifle. These snipers have already taken the basic course. The course deals with house to house sniping, hostage rescue, and sniping in crowded (civilian) areas.
IDF 50 Caliber long range Barrett Sniper training is another story entirely. The basic use of the Barrett M82A1 is against light armor vehicles, jeeps, etc. . .
It has also become commonplace to use is against terrorists taking cover. The training for this weapon is not unlike the sniper training, but it requires more attention to distance, as the effective fire can be up to 2 kilometers. In one IDF live fire event we took down a Bell 212 chopper.
M82A1 rifle, early version
In 2001, the IDF introduced the SR 25 rifle. It is supposed to take over the long range fire support that was once the role of the M24. The semi-automatic nature of the rifle makes this weapon better as a fast-fire support weapons for the mid-range, but less accurate than the M24. The 7.62 bullet makes for greater stopping power than the M4, M16 and Tavor at the 300-600 range.
Traditionally, the role of the IDF Sniper has been one of fire support embedded within the infantry companies.
Lately, with the creation of sniper platoons, the IDF snipers function as independent units that can be divided into 3 man teams that operate as an additional unit within the infantry company.
In addition, the IDF uses the M89 SR. It was mainly used by as a mid-range system (similar to the SR 25). It is used by IDF Special Forces for tight urban warfare as a "dirty" sniper weapons (it is easy to conceal).
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IDF Sniping is a 3-4 week course. The weapon used is the M24 with a Leupold Mark 4 10x40mm LR/T M3 scope. This course tries to apply some understanding of the greater role of a sniper (camouflage, tactics, independent/small unit action). It includes recon basics, long range fire support, range-determination, target mapping, target determination, and an understanding of the sniping system (including tripods, bipods, no-pod, prone, sitting, kneeling, day and night shooting).
Battle Prepped IDF M24 Sniper Rifles
Worn by IDF Certified Snipers
The CT/HRT course uses the Mauser SR 86 rifle. These snipers have already taken the basic course. The course deals with house to house sniping, hostage rescue, and sniping in crowded (civilian) areas.
IDF 50 Caliber long range Barrett Sniper training is another story entirely. The basic use of the Barrett M82A1 is against light armor vehicles, jeeps, etc. . .
It has also become commonplace to use is against terrorists taking cover. The training for this weapon is not unlike the sniper training, but it requires more attention to distance, as the effective fire can be up to 2 kilometers. In one IDF live fire event we took down a Bell 212 chopper.
M82A1 rifle, early version
M82A1 rifle, current version
In 2001, the IDF introduced the SR 25 rifle. It is supposed to take over the long range fire support that was once the role of the M24. The semi-automatic nature of the rifle makes this weapon better as a fast-fire support weapons for the mid-range, but less accurate than the M24. The 7.62 bullet makes for greater stopping power than the M4, M16 and Tavor at the 300-600 range.
Traditionally, the role of the IDF Sniper has been one of fire support embedded within the infantry companies.
Lately, with the creation of sniper platoons, the IDF snipers function as independent units that can be divided into 3 man teams that operate as an additional unit within the infantry company.
In addition, the IDF uses the M89 SR. It was mainly used by as a mid-range system (similar to the SR 25). It is used by IDF Special Forces for tight urban warfare as a "dirty" sniper weapons (it is easy to conceal).
T.C.I. M89-SR
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