#reb-RAN-d if you will

[colapopppart]

R800 fanart for the rebrand!!!!

[organicbabybattles]

Round 1, Side A, Poll 8

Rebekah Jakobs-Hammerlock ( @wainwrightjakobshammerlock ) VS. Sawyer Hale ( @thewikiplayer )

-------

( art by wainwrightjakobshammerlock )

What is your baby's name? Pronouns?: Rebekah Jakobs-Hammerlock, she/her

Is your baby from a fandom or original?: Fandom - the Borderlands game series

How old is your baby?: 5 in my post canon alternate universe (7-8 years after Borderlands 3)

Tell us about your baby!: She's the testtube biological baby of Sir Hammerlock & Wainwright Jakobs (which basically means she could aim and shoot a pistol at the age of 4) and has 4 siblings (one of which is also an oc, but is an adoptive kid, and the rest are canon characters who got adopted). She has a big plushie collection (some knitted or sewn by Wainwright, some crocheted by Hammerlock, some being gifts from extended family or the Crimson raiders) and also fucked up eldritch powers beyond human comprehension bc her parents are abominations from beyond the veil (my Borderlands rewrite AU is a mess haha) which she primarily uses to teleport all over the house, causing an understandable amount of problems. Clay is her weird uncle and she loves him. She's kinda based off Wednesday Addams because autism. Also she is autistic, the nicest weirdgirl on Eden-6, swears an unusual amount for a 5 year old (being around Wainwright del Frisco Jakobs-Hammerlock will do that to you) and often swaps between her Edenian (space southern) and her Hermesian (space british) accents bc yknow. Just listen to her dads speak and you'll see.

Anything else you want to add?: (1) Most people call her Reb for short but Wainwright calls her Rebby because yes. (2) She eventually grows to inherit the Jakobs corporation and generally sorta girlbossify but that's extreme future timeskip stuff I don't talk abt often because I feel cringe about it. (3) Her name continues on the general theme of Jakobs related things having biblical symbolism - Rebekah is Jacob's mother in the book of Genesis (if i remember correctly). (3) Her voiceclaim is Lili Zanotto from Psychonauts :D (4) She calls Hammerlock "Papa" and Wainwright "Daddy"

----

( art by thewikiplayer )

What is your baby's name? Pronouns?: sawyer hale, he/they/xe

Is your baby from a fandom or original?: completely original!! the universe name is "turnabout tech"

How old is your baby?: 16!!

Tell us about your baby!: [MOD NOTE: TW for father death]

sawyer hale is a kid who had a pretty hard knock life in a cyberpunk dystopia city. after deciding his dad kinda sucked, sawyer ran away and emancipated himself at 16 and moved into a different, nicer city and became a hermit for a while. afterwards, he proceeded to save the world twice; once he saved a cyberworld from the big bad capitalists and second he saved the universe from collapsing via terrible creature. as he goes through these adventures he learns how to be comfortable and happy with himself again.

also he destroyed his dad when he possessed a robot body. go kid!!

sawyer super loves tech but he gave it up for a while because Shitty Dad Ruining It For Him, but he eventually finds his passion again and makes phenomenal inventions. also he is the embodiment of Baby because all the adults around him want to scoop him up and carry him around for being a little issues boy with issues. they love singing and the arts in general, and they're very open-minded, which makes them a pretty good friend.

oh yeah all his adventures kinda messed up his biology so he's partially made of code now. and also has wings made of code. he can design them however he wants like retexturing game assets. YIPPIE!

Anything else you want to add?: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE PARAGRAPH. GODSPEED

[the-columbine-reports-blog]

Library Witness - Rebecca Parker

Masterpost

First of all let me remind you that this summarizes a testimony. The victim was going through an horrific situation and her memory and perception may have been altered by fear. However, if there is a mistake I made or an important point I forgot to mention, please tell me.

Rebecca was interviewed the day after the shooting.

She was a junior at Columbine High School.

She did not hear anything unusual during the announcement the day the incident occurred.

She did not know Eric Harris or Dylan Klebold personally or by name.

She was aware of the Trenchcoat Mafia, they were quiet students who never talked to anybody and sat in the corner of the cafeteria. They were only recognizable due to their Trenchcoats.

She would usually go to the library to finish some work and then get lunch.

Mrs. Nielson came in, yelling about gunmen, and kids to get under the tables. She was looking for the phone.

Rebecca thought it was a senior prank because it was the end of the school year.

She saw two suspects enter the library; they wore black shoes & black jeans. She could not see their face.

They would tell “now I get my revenge,” “everyone’s afraid,” and “look at the scared people under the tables.”

One of the two suspects wearing a dark ski mask looked under the table and put his gun to her head. They stared at each other, and the shooter walked away.

One gunman called out the name of “Red” or “Reb.” The other’s name started with a D or a V.

They screamed “all the jocks stand up,” one made a racial comment.

One suspect asked the other where the backpack was as they were reloading.

They talked to a male and said “who’s under there? Hey John, what are you doing? Get out of here, we’re going to blow up the library.

Rebecca heard one state something of the effect of “here’s something I have always wanted to use a knife, it makes them bleed more.”

They were shooting at bookcases.

The library became silent, and people started getting up as they could only hear gunshots far away.

Rebecca exited by the back door and ran up the hill to a police car behind which she concealed.

The injured students were taken first to a safe area.

She was dropped off near Clement Park.

[eretzyisrael]

Tshuva

by Reb Gutman Locks This two-year old boy ran up to the Kotel to kiss it. He was showing his love for Hashem by loving what G-d tells us is holy. This is what a baal tshuva (master of return) does.   But why is it called tshuva when a Jew becomes observant of the Torah’s precepts? Tshuva means to return. This fits fine for a Jew who was once religious, fell away, and then returned, but what about the majority of us who were never religious at all? Why should we be called “returnees”?   Because, we are not returning to Torah observance. We are returning to the purity that was born within us. When we treasure G-d’s commandments we remember; “The soul that You have given within me is pure.”[i]   Have a wonderful New Year, a year filled with joy, love, health, prosperity, and holiness.[i] Early morning prayer

[the-estate-sell]

Trump Tower Is The Least-Known Luxury Building In New York

Trump Tower Is The Least-Known Luxury Building In New York

Trump Tower, once the crown jewel in Donald Trump’s property empire, currently ranks united of the smallest amount of fascinating luxury properties in Manhattan.

The 36-year-old building has been was a fort since Trump won the presidency, ringed with concrete barriers and therefore the 2 main entrances part blocked off. It hasn’t been well updated in years. And Trump’s name has been an enormous turnoff in liberal big apple town.

For anyone UN agency owns a unit within the tower, the past 2 years are brutal. Most home sales have semiconductor diode to a loss once adjusting for inflation, property records show. many oversubscribed at quite a two hundredth loss. in contrast, across Manhattan, just 0.23% of homes over the past 2 years oversubscribed at a loss, in keeping with PropertyShark, a real-estate information supplier.

It’s all a way cry from the times once the big apple landmark attracted the likes of vocalizer, Johnny Reb Carson and filmmaker. These days, it’s higher known for a Trump campaign meeting with a Russian professional documented in Henry Martyn Robert Mueller’s Russia report.

While some corners of Trump’s business empire have thrived, like his Washington D.C. hotel, others have suffered from his high quality. Rounds of golf square measure down at his public course in the big apple, a clutch of once Trump-branded buildings have torn his name off their fronts, ANd a bold decision to launch a replacement mid-tier edifice chain across the country fizzled.

Trump is scheduled to supply AN updated photograph of his web value in the week, along with his annual money disclosures due Wednesday. The documents won’t come in detail concerning the Trump Organization’s revenues, however, it’s clear that Trump Tower is suffering, supported securities filings, property records, real estate listings, and interviews with trade insiders.

The industrial portion of the building has been troubled for months to search out tenants for quite forty-two,000 sq. feet of vacant workplace house, despite advertising rents well below the area’s average, listings and information from real estate brokers show.

On any given midweekly afternoon, the quantity of presidency and Trump Organization security personnel rivaled the number of others within the building’s atrium.

Occupancy Rate Plunged

Trump Tower’s percent has plunged over the last seven years to eighty-three from ninety-nine, giving it a percent that’s concerning doubly Manhattan’s average.

"If I were searching for workplace house, that will be a building I’d need to avoid," aforesaid Edward Son, till recently an analyst for CoStar cluster Iraqi National Congress.

Net income slightly rose last year, boosted by the residence of his 2020 campaign committee, that has spent quite $890,000 over the last 2 years to rent a house in Trump Tower, in keeping with Federal commission records.

The building’s lucre remains concerning twenty-sixth not up to what bankers expected after they evaluated Trump’s fitness for a $100 million loan in 2012. Even so, Trump Tower often produces AN annual profit for its somebody. Last year, the building generated $10 million in web income, once taking into consideration its annual $4.3 million interest payment on the loan, in keeping with Trump Organization disclosures.

The Trump Organization didn’t answer requests for comment.

Condo house owners hoping to run into the president infrequently are discomfited. whereas Trump ran his presidential campaign out of the high-rise, he’s solely visited thirteen times since his inauguration, in keeping with a count from NBC News.

The name ‘Became a Problem’

Michael Sklar oversubscribed his parents’ 57th-floor unit for $1.83 million in October once they spent $400,000 to transform the property. His family purchased it for $1.4 million in 2004, which comes resolute $1.84 million once adjusting for inflation.

“No one needs in this building,” Sklar aforesaid.

After Trump’s election, living in his tower became trouble, Sklar said. His mother, UN agency was battling cancer, took cabs to the building from the flying field, and she or he wont to be born off right ahead of the doorway. once the election, security would force her cab driver to drop her off a couple of hundred feet from the front entrance, requiring an extended and painful walk home.

“The name on the building became a drag,” Sklar aforesaid.

At least thirteen condos within the tower have oversubscribed since Trump’s 2016 election, property records show. For the 9 transactions wherever big apple town records show what the vendor originally purchased the property, eight oversubscribed at AN inflation-adjusted loss.

By distinction, simply fifty-seven homes in Manhattan oversubscribed over the past 2 years at a loss, out of 24,871 third-party sales, in keeping with PropertyShark, though the firm doesn’t change for inflation.

“The luxury market is softening,” aforesaid Matthew D. Hughes, a Manhattan-based broker at Brown Harris Stevens. “But it’s rare that somebody owns AN housing here for ten years and takes a loss.”

One big apple real estate agent, UN agency didn’t need to be known to discuss Trump, aforesaid that shoppers have repeatedly told him to not show them units in Trump buildings.

These days, gawkers typically amount the purchasers of the building’s remaining retail stores.

60-Footfalls

"It’s all a tourer entice," aforesaid Barbara Res, a former Trump Organization govt UN agency oversaw the building’s construction.

Res remembers the building lovingly and aforesaid that once it had been engineered Trump recruited celebrities to buy its condos and distinguished brands to fill its retail house. "It’s dated however it’s a building warrant respect," Res said.

Located simply 2 blocks from Central Park, Trump engineered his somebody tower in 1983, complete with 60-foot falls and lumps of pink Italian marble.

Advertised as having sixty-eight stories -- it’s truly fifty-eight, town records show -- the building was prior to its time, Trump’s professional, martyr Ross, wrote in his 2005 book, Trump ways for real estate. "He single-handed created the marketplace for high-end luxury residences in big apple town," Ross wrote.

The Apprentice, Trump’s reality show on NBC, was recorded in Trump Tower. Its launch in 2004 gave the building a replacement prominence and helped Trump revive his personal and company brands. In 2013 Trump pegged the worth of his whole at $4 billion, in keeping with unaudited statements of monetary condition provided by his former personal professional, Michael Cohen on the basis that it trump town.

By most measures, trump world tower ought to be doing well recently. It’s in a very a part of Manhattan referred to as the Plaza District, named once the Plaza edifice right off Central Park, that a lot of real estate specialists concede to be the nation’s premier workplace space. Offices with views of Central Park simply fetch quite $100 per sq ft, aforesaid Craig Leibowitz, big apple director of research for JLL.

The workplace portion of Trump Tower is advertising 5 vacancies unfold across 5 floors. In January, costs for the open house ranged from $72 to $85 per sq ft annually. A month earlier, the Trump Organization denote to its YouTube channel a glossy marketing video that stated the tower as “one of the latest York’s most painting trophy buildings.”

Now the costs square measure listed as negotiable.

A commercial real estate broker is aforesaid that his firm’s surveys show that prospective tenants won’t take into account a Trump building till he’s out of the workplace.

One of the building’s different issues is that Trump hasn’t spent a lot of cash change the tower in recent years, in keeping with disclosures to investors.

“I don’t suppose I might need AN workplace in Trump Tower,” Res said. “Why would you go there? It’s a marvel he doesn’t have five hundredth vacancy.”

Source from: here

from Blogger http://bit.ly/2HjyQko via IFTTT

[thebeautyoftorah]

BEMIDBAR

bs'd

Shalom.

Help yourselves and your families with the tremendous challenge to be stuck at home. Read my book 'Healing Anger' with practical and spiritual advice on how we can overcome anger and stressful situations at home because of the Corona virus.

The thought this week of my book is:

"We become angered more easily at home. We lose control and hurt others. We become the root of suffering instead of the source of happiness. This is especially common at home because there are no inhibitions; our defenses are down, and our self-control is relaxed. At home, we get hungry and tired. At home, we don’t have a public image to maintain. At home, we reveal ourselves as who we really are."

Buy my book at http://www.feldheim.com/healing-anger.html

If you want to buy it from me in Israel let me know.

As part of my commitment to helping during this troublesome time, I will try to give over a series of weekly videos and zoom classes to support you emotionally with practical advice.

Have a healthy Shabbat Shalom.

Bemidbar-"l Have to Change Myself"

In this week’s parsha the Midrash gives us a parable: A King wanted to build a palace and scouted around for a suitable site. He went from one city into another and in each city the people ran away from him, indicating they did not want the palace in their town. Finally he came to a deserted ghost town and the few people there graciously and gratefully accepted the King’s offer to build his palace there. The King said, “This is the town where I will build my palace.”

The explanation for this parable is as follows: When Hashem wanted to give the Torah, he went to the sea and it ran away, as it is written “The sea saw and fled” [1]. G-d then went to the mountains and they ran away, as it is written “The mountains skipped like rams” [2]. Hashem then came to a desolate desert (Sinai), which accepted Him with open arms and G-d gave the Torah in a desert.

Chazal ask, how do we understand this parable? Why didn’t those cities want the King’s palace? Because they knew that building the palace in their cities would impact on their lifestyle. They had certain ways of doing things and customs. They knew that building a palace in their city would mean changes for them. The ghost town knew that it had nothing. They were saying, as it were, “Remake us. We have nothing anyway. We want to embrace you. We will take with your palace all the changes that accompany it.”

If we really want to accept Torah, we must be like a desert; ready and open with no baggage. Torah only takes root in a person who says, “Change me.”

Many of us have had the experience of dealing with apparently “religious” Jews and have sometimes come away disappointed. Our reaction invariably is “This is Torah? This is all that Torah can do for a person? I thought Torah was supposed to change a person! Here is this guy with ‘long beard and peot’ and he is ripping me off!”

There is a saying that stresses this very important point: “Never judge Judaism by Jews.” Judaism and the Torah are bigger than most any Jew that one will find. If one wants to judge Judaism by a particular Jew, he must look at the Chafetz Chaim or Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski or Rav Moshe Feinstein. Why? Because they made themselves a desert and said, as it were, to G-d, “I want to change, help me.” They let themselves become desolate and open for the Torah to permeate them.

The rest of us are like those cities. We are not really ready to fully change. If we accept it, we want to accept it on our terms. Therefore the Torah cannot change us, because we are not willing to be changed.

This is what our Sages are hinting at when they tell us that Torah was given in a desert. Torah can only really change someone who is willing to be changed. When a person makes himself like a desert in his acceptance of Torah, that is when he can be changed to the extent that G-d can say, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I can be glorified.” [3] A beautiful example to illustrate this point comes from Moshe Rabbenu[4]. A king at the time the Jews left Egypt who was intrigued by the countless wonders that were done through Moshe wanted to know about his natural tendencies and personal characteristics. The king sent an expert artist to draw Moshe’s face and conscripted professionals to interpret his features, which would reveal the personal tendencies of the aged leader. When the artist returned from painting Moshe’s face, the professional interpreters said that this was a person of evil deeds; haughty, a money-lover, an unreasonable individual and someone who suffers from every other deficiency of character imaginable. Surprised, the king could not understand this information because it contradicted everything he had heard about this great man. He understood that there must have been a mistake, either by the artist, who did not properly portray the leader of the Jewish people or by the interpreters. The king traveled to the camp of the Jews to clarify the matter himself. Seeing Moshe Rabbenu in a distance, he realized that the painting was excellent and decided to come to his tent. He told Moshe what had happened and that his expert interpreters had betrayed him. Then Moshe replied, “Actually both are correct. The drawing shows my face, and I’m not sad to say that all the deficiencies they told you — and even more — are really my nature. But with all my heart and with the help of the Torah, I have fought to overcome my natural tendencies to acquire a different nature.”

I'd like to quote the ending paragraph of my book 'Healing Anger': "A person who succeeds in the goal of changing himself will not only transform his own life, but will also affect his family, friends and community". With the guidance of the Torah we can do it, but unfortunately, if we are not willing to make themselves into a desert, the Torah can not make us over. The result is that sometimes we find ourselves to be less than we would expect.               _______________________________________ [1] Tehillim 114:3 [2] Idem 114:4 [3] Yeshaya 49:3 [4] Tiferet Yisrael on the last Mishnah in Kiddushin.

Le Iluy nishmat Eliahu ben Simcha, Mordechai ben Shlomo, Perla bat Simcha, Abraham Meir ben Leah, Moshe ben Gila,Yaakov ben Gila, Sara bat Gila, Yitzchak ben Perla, Leah bat Chavah, Abraham Meir ben Leah,Itamar Ben Reb Yehuda, Yehuda Ben Shmuel Tzvi, Tova Chaya bat Dovid. Refua Shelema to all the people sick with the Corona virus, Akiva Shushan Ben Natalie Penina, Mazal Tov bat Freja, Hadassa bat Sara, Elisheva bat Miriam, Chana bat Ester Beyla, Mattitiahu Yered ben Miriam, Yaacov ben Miriam, Yehuda ben Simcha, Naftali Dovid ben Naomi Tzipora, Nechemia Efraim ben Beyla Mina, Dvir ben Leah, Sender ben Sara, Eliezer Chaim ben Chaya Batya, Shlomo Yoel ben Chaya Leah, Dovid Yehoshua ben Leba, Shmuel ben Mazal Tov, Yosef Yitzchak ben Bracha.

Atzlacha and parnasa tova to Daniel ben Mazal Tov, Debora Leah Bat Henshe Rachel, Shmuel ben Mazal tov, Yitzchak ben Mazal Tov, Yehuda ben Mazal Sara and Zivug agun to Gila bat Mazal Tov, Naftali Dovid ben Naomi Tzipora, Elisheva bat Malka. Besorot Tovot for Shmuel Dovid Ben Raizel.                        

[hottytoddynews]

UM’s James Storey scores a TD in the Rebels’ historic win over Notre Dame. Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Back in April, I had the privilege of meeting with Hoppy Langley and his 1977 Ole Miss football teammates, who were in Oxford to honor their great coach, Jack Mason Carlisle. It was déjà vu all over again.

This group of determined Rebels accomplished the impossible in 1977 by defeating the eventual national champion, Notre Dame, in Jackson 20-13. Hoppy was one of the heroes that afternoon, kicking for 8 points in the major upset.

This game got me thinking about the most significant victories in Ole Miss history. Here’s my list, and I should add that I was fortunate enough to have attended three of them!

  1. 1969: Ole Miss 38, Tennessee 0

Some refer to this game as the Vols’ worst 20th-century defeat, while it was one of the biggest wins on Coach John Vaught’s resume. Tennessee was ranked No. 3 in the nation with the Orange Bowl just about locked up. On the other hand, the Rebels, led by Archie Manning, had three losses and were just looking for respect, which they certainly earned that memorable afternoon in Jackson. As a result of the blowout, Tennessee limped into the Gator Bowl while the victors made plans for another trip to New Orleans and a Sugar Bowl pairing with Arkansas.

2. 1952: Ole Miss 21, Maryland 14

Although this game was before my time, I have read about it on numerous occasions. Ranked No. 7 nationally, Maryland rolled into Oxford expecting a big win. It didn’t happen as Ole Miss quarterback Jimmy Lear directed his team to a stunning upset, which propelled the Rebels into their first Sugar Bowl. This victory established Ole Miss as a national power.

3. Sugar Bowl 2016: Ole Miss 48, Oklahoma State 20

What a great day to be in New Orleans as a Rebel! After a 46-year absence, I never thought I would live long enough to experience another Sugar Bowl championship. Thanks to Chad Kelly and company, I did. Coach Freeze pushed all the right buttons as the Rebels dominated this game in every aspect.

4. Sugar Bowl 1960: Ole Miss 21, LSU 0

The famous “rematch” of the 1959 season featured the No. 2-ranked Rebs versus the No. 3 Tigers. Ole Miss’ defense controlled the game from start to finish, with quarterbacks Jake Gibbs and Bobby Franklin steering the offense to three TDs. The victory catapulted the Rebs into a national championship contest – and the shutout eased the pains of Billy Cannon’s Halloween heroics in Baton Rouge.

5. 2015: Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37

Played in front of 101,821 football fans in Tuscaloosa, No. 15 Ole Miss shell-shocked the Crimson Tide, thanks in part to Chad Kelly’s superb play at QB. Bama came into the game ranked No. 2, expecting a ho-hum SEC victory over the upstart Rebs. However, on that evening, Ole Miss was anything but another Tide washout victim. No greater birthday celebration have I ever experienced thanks to the Rebels’ HUGE win!

6. Sugar Bowl 1970: Ole Miss 27, Arkansas 22

This “shocking” upset delivered a Top 10 national ranking to the Rebels in one of the most exciting Sugar Bowls in history. On a freezing-cold winter’s day – the game was played outdoors – Archie Manning starred on offense and Glen Cannon starred on defense. And they were too much for the favored Hogs to handle. It came down to the final play before we knew we had the trophy secured.

7. 1977: Ole Miss 20, Notre Dame 13

In explaining the Irish loss, some sportswriters blamed it on the humidity and the 91-degree heat that September afternoon. Ole Miss quarterback Tim Ellis threw the winning TD pass to James Storey after tight end L.Q. Smith set the Rebels up with a 48-yard reception, the ONLY pass he ever caught! This was one of those days when David defeated Goliath, who was wearing a white jersey and sporting a gold helmet. Even with the loss, Notre Dame would go on to win the national title, trying to forget about the Jackson, Miss. ambush.

I ran my list by close friend and confidant Jim “The General” Stephens, who trumped mine by several decades. The General’s grandfather played guard on the 1894 team (8-1 record) that defeated Alabama (for the first time) 6-0 in Jackson. That same year, Ole Miss also knocked off LSU 26-6 for their first win ever against the Tigers, this victory coming in Baton Rouge. Hubert D. Stephens was certainly a factor in both wins. The General concurred with my assessment above in numbers 1, 4, 5 and 7. The General also added the 17-14 defeat of Florida (in Oxford, October 5, 2002) that witnessed the goal post coming down. The Gators were ranked No. 6 coming into the contest.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.

The post Steve Vassallo: Ole Miss’ 7 Greatest Football Victories of All Time appeared first on HottyToddy.com.

[thebeautyoftorah]

LECH LECHA

bs'd

Shalom.

The thought of this week of my book Healing Anger is

"The vast majority of angry bouts are originated from negative thoughts and self-talk about particular incidents that lead our conduct to turn to aggression, dragging ourselves into long periods of anger and resentment.”

Buy my book at http://www.feldheim.com/healing-anger.html

If you want to buy it from me in Israel let me know.

This article is  based on the teachings of R' Yissachar Frand

You have the opportunity to share in the mitzvah to honor a loved one by sponsoring my weekly review, or refua shelema (healing), shiduch, Atzlacha (success).

To join the over 4,000 recipients in English and Spanish and receive these insights free on a weekly email, feedback, comments, which has been all around the world, or if you know any other Jew who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, contact me. Shabbat Shalom.

LECH LECHA-The Most Difficult Test The Mishna says [1] that Avraham Avinu was tested ten times and passed them all. There are several opinions as to exactly what the ten tests were. However, most commentaries enumerate the command to leave his land, his birthplace, and his father’s home to go off to the Land he would be shown by G-d (“Lech lecha meartzecha…”) as one of the ten tests.  According to most commentaries, this was not the first test.

Some say that the first test Avram faced was the test of “Ur Kasdim”. Rashi points out that the name Ur Kasdim alludes to the miraculous salvation of Avram when thrown into a fiery furnace for refusal to worship the prevailing idols of his society. Despite the deep-seated beliefs in those days, Avram broke their idols and even broke his father’s idols. Everyone in Ur Kasdim shunted. They gave him the choice of worshiping their idols or being thrown into a fire together with his monotheistic beliefs. He chose the latter and miraculously emerged unharmed. The Torah alludes to this by saying, “And He said to him: I am the L-rd who took you out from Ur Kasdim…” [2]

The question is then, why does the Torah not explicitly mention the miracle of Ur Kasdim?

Rav Weinberg zt”l answers; 'Ur Kasdim was not a response to a Divine Command. Leaving his home was a Divine Command and hence the fact that Avram obeyed this Command was of greater significance than the fact that he was prepared to act under his own convictions'. This means that obeying G-d is really the greatest test. As our Rabbis say, “Greater is one who is commanded and does, more so than one who is not commanded and does”[3]. Doing something that we have to do is greater than doing something that we want to do. Thus, the test of Ur Kasdim is not as great as the test of Lech Lecha.

Rav Simcha Zissel Brody in Sam Derech, presents a different answer to this question. He says that people face two types of tests in their lifetimes. One type is those things that may be categorized as “glamorous tests”; defining moments in a person’s lifetime. At such times, when a person is well aware that he is at a junction in his lifetime when he must make a crucial decision — even one involving great self-sacrifice and heroism — he may be able to muster the courage and determination to make the proper decision.

However, there are other tests in life; the daily type of challenges that come our way, day in, day out, that each and every one of us face. These tests are not glamorous, are not exciting, not special, but still they are challenges.

The test of “Ur Kasdim” was one of those glamorous defining-moment types of tests.“Lech Lecha” was typical of the “daily grind” type of test. People sometimes have a capacity to rise above what they really are and to achieve higher levels above their normal capacities, but that is not who they really are.

Several years ago in Eretz Yisrael a terrorist attempted to board a bus filled with soldiers and other Israeli citizens. The terrorist tripped while getting onto the bus, fell backwards and banged his head on the sidewalk, temporarily dazing himself. The bus driver and a doctor who happened to be on board ran out to help him. In order to resuscitate him they opened his shirt and they saw he had a bomb strapped to his body. The bus driver and the medic held the fellow down to the ground and yelled to everyone to get out of the bus and run for their lives. Everyone except an elderly lady who could not move fast enough and another person trying to help her escaped injury. The elderly lady was killed and her aid was injured when the bomb went off a few moments later, however, miraculously all the other passengers were saved.

In an interview with the bus driver, the journalist told the bus driver, “You are a hero!” and asked him how he had the bravery to do what he did. The bus driver responded, “I am a cowardly type of person. If I would have been asked ahead of time whether I would do such a thing, I definitely would have responded in the negative. I do not know what it was, but something overcame me at the moment and I held the guy down to save the other people.”

This is a test of the “Ur Kasdim type”. Maybe it is the adrenaline or it is some latent power in people that makes them rise to the occasion. Many other stories like this prove that we all can have such moments of heroism and self-sacrifice. Moments when we escape our natural emotions of fear or cowardice or selfishness. For a moment, we all may become selfless heroes.

Ur Kasdim episodes are fleeting. They do not necessarily represent the real person who emerges heroically from such situations. Lech Lecha is the ordinary test of “do I go to learn Torah today?” Lech Lecha is do I come home from work at night and learn with my child and help him do his homework or do I say “do it yourself and let me go to sleep.” Nobody thinks about the challenge of “should I learn with my child right now or not?” as being a defining moment in life! No one considers such actions to be the essence of heroism. Lech Lecha moments are facing all the trials and tribulations that life sends us; health issues, financial issues, children issues and we do not question G-d’s Providence. They are same old daily grind issues.

This is what Avram did. He went to Eretz Yisrael. Hashem promised him things would be great, but they were tough. There was a famine in the land. Where is the greatness? This is life. Avram Avinu did not lose faith.There's nothing glamorous or exciting here, just the day in day out routine of life.

Rav Simcha Zissel explains that the Torah only alludes to Ur Kasdim. Such heroism is admirable, but everyone can rise to the occasion occasionally. However, in the eyes of the Torah, to do the 'little things' what we are supposed to do with consistency and perseverance day in, day out, are what really count. These  tests are represented by “Lech Lecha", and only great people can pass them. The Sfat Emet asks why G-d only told Avram lej leja and not the rest of the world and he responds by quoting the Zohar, who says that everyone heard the call of lej lejá, but only Avram responded to Him. Our task is to strive to emulate Avram and hear that personal call. The Rambam writes concerning Chazal’s statement, “Everything depends on the abundance of good deeds,”[4] that a person does not achieve greatness because of one great deed, but by the repetition of good deeds. For example, it is preferable to give many small gifts of charity to many individuals, than to give one large gift to one person[5].

Books are not written about such tests and people are not honored at banquets or receiving medals for being such heroes, but this is life and in the eyes of Hashem, this is where heroism really emerges. That is why the test of Lech Lecha “rates” as the greater of the two tests. __________________________________ [1] Avot 5:3 [2] Bereshit 15:7 [3] Kidushin 31a. [4] Avot 3:19. [5] Alternatively, Rav and Rabbenu Yonah say that the more good deeds a person does, indicating his desire for good, the greater degree of Divine mercy he is shown.

Le Iluy nishmat Eliahu ben Simcha, Mordechai ben Shlomo, Perla bat Simcha, Abraham Meir ben Leah, Moshe ben Gila,Yaakov ben Gila, Sara bat Gila, Yitzchak ben Perla, Leah bat Chavah, Abraham Meir ben Leah,Itamar Ben Reb Yehuda, Yehuda Ben Shmuel Tzvi, Tova Chaya bat Dovid.

Refua Shelema of Mazal Tov bat Gila, Zahav Reuben ben Keyla, Yitzchak ben Mazal Tov, Chana bat Ester Beyla, Mattitiahu Yered ben Miriam, Yaacov ben Miriam, Yehuda ben Simcha, Menachem Chaim ben Malka, Naftali Dovid ben Naomi Tzipora, Nechemia Efraim ben Beyla Mina, Mazal Tov Rifka bat Yitzchak, Rachel Simcha bat Yitzchak, Dvir ben Leah, Sender ben Sara, Eliezer Chaim ben Chaya Batya, Shlomo Yoel ben Chaya Leah and Dovid Yehoshua ben Leba Malka, Yosef Yitzchack ben Bracha. Atzlacha and parnasa tova to Daniel ben Mazal Tov, Debora Leah Bat Henshe Rachel, Shmuel ben Mazal tov, Yitzchak ben Mazal Tov, Yehuda ben Mazal Sara and Zivug agun to Gila bat Mazal Tov, Naftali Dovid ben Naomi Tzipora, Yehudit bat Malka, Elisheva bat Malka. For pidyon hanefesh & yeshua of Yosef Itai ben Eliana Shufra.

[hottytoddynews]

UM’s James Storey scores a TD in the Rebels’ historic win over Notre Dame. Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Back in April, I had the privilege of meeting with Hoppy Langley and his 1977 Ole Miss football teammates, who were in Oxford to honor their great coach, Jack Mason Carlisle. It was déjà vu all over again.

This group of determined Rebels accomplished the impossible in 1977 by defeating the eventual national champion, Notre Dame, in Jackson 20-13. Hoppy was one of the heroes that afternoon, kicking for 8 points in the major upset.

This game got me thinking about the most significant victories in Ole Miss history. Here’s my list, and I should add that I was fortunate enough to have attended three of them!

  1. 1969: Ole Miss 38, Tennessee 0

Some refer to this game as the Vols’ worst 20th-century defeat, while it was one of the biggest wins on Coach John Vaught’s resume. Tennessee was ranked No. 3 in the nation with the Orange Bowl just about locked up. On the other hand, the Rebels, led by Archie Manning, had three losses and were just looking for respect, which they certainly earned that memorable afternoon in Jackson. As a result of the blowout, Tennessee limped into the Gator Bowl while the victors made plans for another trip to New Orleans and a Sugar Bowl pairing with Arkansas.

2. 1952: Ole Miss 21, Maryland 14

Although this game was before my time, I have read about it on numerous occasions. Ranked No. 7 nationally, Maryland rolled into Oxford expecting a big win. It didn’t happen as Ole Miss quarterback Jimmy Lear directed his team to a stunning upset, which propelled the Rebels into their first Sugar Bowl. This victory established Ole Miss as a national power.

3. Sugar Bowl 2016: Ole Miss 48, Oklahoma State 20

What a great day to be in New Orleans as a Rebel! After a 46-year absence, I never thought I would live long enough to experience another Sugar Bowl championship. Thanks to Chad Kelly and company, I did. Coach Freeze pushed all the right buttons as the Rebels dominated this game in every aspect.

4. Sugar Bowl 1960: Ole Miss 21, LSU 0

The famous “rematch” of the 1959 season featured the No. 2-ranked Rebs versus the No. 3 Tigers. Ole Miss’ defense controlled the game from start to finish, with quarterbacks Jake Gibbs and Bobby Franklin steering the offense to three TDs. The victory catapulted the Rebs into a national championship contest – and the shutout eased the pains of Billy Cannon’s Halloween heroics in Baton Rouge.

5. 2015: Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37

Played in front of 101,821 football fans in Tuscaloosa, No. 15 Ole Miss shell-shocked the Crimson Tide, thanks in part to Chad Kelly’s superb play at QB. Bama came into the game ranked No. 2, expecting a ho-hum SEC victory over the upstart Rebs. However, on that evening, Ole Miss was anything but another Tide washout victim. No greater birthday celebration have I ever experienced thanks to the Rebels’ HUGE win!

6. Sugar Bowl 1970: Ole Miss 27, Arkansas 22

This “shocking” upset delivered a Top 10 national ranking to the Rebels in one of the most exciting Sugar Bowls in history. On a freezing-cold winter’s day – the game was played outdoors – Archie Manning starred on offense and Glen Cannon starred on defense. And they were too much for the favored Hogs to handle. It came down to the final play before we knew we had the trophy secured.

7. 1977: Ole Miss 20, Notre Dame 13

In explaining the Irish loss, some sportswriters blamed it on the humidity and the 91-degree heat that September afternoon. Ole Miss quarterback Tim Ellis threw the winning TD pass to James Storey after tight end L.Q. Smith set the Rebels up with a 48-yard reception, the ONLY pass he ever caught! This was one of those days when David defeated Goliath, who was wearing a white jersey and sporting a gold helmet. Even with the loss, Notre Dame would go on to win the national title, trying to forget about the Jackson, Miss. ambush.

I ran my list by close friend and confidant Jim “The General” Stephens, who trumped mine by several decades. The General’s grandfather played guard on the 1894 team (8-1 record) that defeated Alabama (for the first time) 6-0 in Jackson. That same year, Ole Miss also knocked off LSU 26-6 for their first win ever against the Tigers, this victory coming in Baton Rouge. Hubert D. Stephens was certainly a factor in both wins. The General concurred with my assessment above in numbers 1, 4, 5 and 7. The General also added the 17-14 defeat of Florida (in Oxford, October 5, 2002) that witnessed the goal post coming down. The Gators were ranked No. 6 coming into the contest.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.

The post Steve Vassallo: Ole Miss’ 7 Greatest Football Victories of All Time appeared first on HottyToddy.com.

[hottytoddynews]

Goalpost memorial from Jim Stephens’ collection

By Steve Vassallo

Visiting Friday night with Hoppy Langley and his 1977 teammates who were in Oxford to honor their great coach, Jack Mason Carlisle, was déjà vu all over again.

This group of determined Ole Miss Rebels accomplished the impossible in 1977 by defeating the eventual national champion, Notre Dame, in Jackson 20-13. Hoppy was one of the heroes that afternoon by kicking for 8 points in the major upset.

This game got me thinking about the most significant victories in Ole Miss history of which this win should be on anyone’s list. Here’s my list, which I was fortunate to have attended three of these:

1. November 15, 1969, Ole Miss 38, Tennessee 0

What some refer to as the Vols’ worst 20th century defeat, this Ole Miss team led by Archie was without a doubt one of the biggest wins on Coach Vaught’s résumé. Tennessee was ranked third in the nation with the Orange Bowl just about locked up. On the other hand, the Rebels with three losses were just looking for respect, which they certainly achieved on that afternoon in Jackson. As a result of the blowout, Tennessee limped into the Gator Bowl while the victors made plans for another trip to New Orleans and a Sugar Bowl pairing with Arkansas.

2. Oxford 1952, Ole Miss 21, Maryland 14

Although before my time, I have read about this contest on numerous occasions. Ranked seventh nationally, Maryland rolled into Oxford expecting a big win. It didn’t happen as Ole Miss quarterback Jimmy Lear directed his team to a stunning upset, which propelled the Rebels into their first Sugar Bowl. This victory established Ole Miss as a national power.

3. Sugar Bowl 2016, Ole Miss 48, Oklahoma State 20

What a great day to be in New Orleans as a Rebel! After a 46-year absence, I never thought I would live long enough to experience another Sugar Bowl championship. Thanks to Chad Kelly and company, I did. Coach Freeze pushed all the right buttons as the Rebels dominated this game in every aspect.

4. Sugar Bowl 1960, Ole Miss 21, LSU 0

The famous “rematch” of the 1959 season featured the second ranked Rebs versus the third ranked Tigers. Ole Miss’ defense controlled the outing from start to finish with quarterbacks Jake Gibbs and Bobby Franklin steering the offense to three TDs. The victory catapulted the Rebs into a national championship as the shutout eased the pains of Billy Cannon’s Halloween heroics in Baton Rouge.

5. September 19, 2015, Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37

Played in front of 101,821 football fans in Tuscaloosa, 15th ranked Ole Miss shell-shocked the Crimson Tide led by Chad Kelly’s superb play at QB. Bama came into the game second nationally, expecting a Ho Hum SEC victory over the upstart Rebs. However, on that evening, Ole Miss was anything but another Tide washout victim. No greater birthday celebration have I ever experienced thanks to Hugh Freeze’s HUGE win!

6. Sugar Bowl 1970, Ole Miss 27, Arkansas 22

This “shocking” upset delivered a Top Ten national ranking to the Rebels in one of the most exciting Sugar Bowls in history. A freezing day as the game was played outdoors, Archie Manning starring on offense and Glen Cannon starring on defense were too much for the favored Hogs to handle. It came down to the final play before we knew we had the trophy secured.

7. Jackson 1977, Ole Miss 20, Notre Dame 13

In explaining the Irish loss, some sportswriters blamed it on the humidity and the 91-degree heat that September afternoon. Ole Miss quarterback Tim Ellis threw the winning TD to James Storey, although Rebel TE L.Q. Smith set the TD pass up with a 48-yard reception, the ONLY pass he ever caught! A day when David defeated Goliath, who was wearing a white jersey and sporting a gold helmet. Even with the loss, Notre Dame would go on to win the national title, trying to forget about the Jackson ambush.

I ran my list by close friend and confidant, Jim “The General” Stephens, who trumped mine by several decades. The General’s grandfather was a Guard on the 1894 team (8-1 record) that defeated Alabama (for the first time) 6-0 in Jackson. That same year, Ole Miss won over LSU 26-6 for, also, the first win ever against the Tigers, this victory coming in Baton Rouge. Hubert D. Stephens was certainly a factor in both wins. The General concurred with my assessment above in numbers 1, 4, 5 and 7. The General also added the 17-14 defeat of Florida (in Oxford, October 5, 2002) that witnessed the goal post coming down. The Gators were ranked 6th coming into the contest.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.

Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…

The post The Greatest 7 Ole Miss Football Victories Of All Time appeared first on HottyToddy.com.