How can one not believe in the fact that the G-d of Israel is protecting His people, when 99% of the over one thousand rockets fired by Hizbollah into Israel have caused no harm? To have such a limited effect, one cannot simply rationalize that the Hizbollah command and control systems are backward, faulty and operated by under-trained personnell. Just like G-d has kept our enemies from hurting us on a massive scale in previous wars, so again He is protecting His chosen people. Believe in random luck all you want, but that doesn't stand up to simple mathematical calculation.

The G-8, in a bizarre moment of moral clarity, have decided to side with Israel by way of the statements they have made during their current summit near St. Petersburg. This gives the IDF time to keep striking Hizbollah. The IDF is saying they have destroyed about half of the enemy's combat capacity. However, it's still clear that more operations are being planned, as the reserves continue to be called up. Many of the guys in my yeshiva have gotten their call-up notice. The daily prayers have also taken on a whole new level of intensity as we are now praying with regard to very pertinent events. There's a special prayer for the success of the IDF and for the safety of Israeli soldiers that is being added as well. The call-up of reserves hits the religious zionist community harder than other sectors because virtually every able-bodied male is in a combat unit.

Meanwhile, left-wing retards are planning ever larger demonstrations in Tel-Aviv. The anti-war demonstration they had today drew 400 people. They are opposed to "Israeli aggression." These are the scared Jewish sheep. They'll be holding those anti-Israel signs all the way to the gas chambers.

In personal news, after taking nearly three months off from running, I am back in my little running shoes. I needed the time off to heal some painful shin splints and do a tremendous amount of walking in order to build up the various tendons and ligaments and prevent further injuries. Hopefully, I'll have the patience to take it easy and to build up slowly. Once you start getting results, it's very easy to let your ego take over and push yourself too hard. That may be ok if you're planning on peaking at the end of a 3-month track season. But if you're planning on running continuously for years to come, you must be patient.

Also, I am still addicted to felafel, shawarma, hummus and t'china. It's not a good plan for a six-pack, but it's so delicious that I don't care. From the Torah perspective, as elucidated by one of the greatest commentators, the Rambam, I am failing by caving in to a sinful pleasure that hurts my body and by extension my spirit. The Maharal and Rav Cook (and many others I am sure) also wrote well-referenced opinions against gluttony, comparing it to the same level of spiritual voidness as sexual deviance. Which makes sense, as both of these activities catapult one away from the values necessary to connect to higher planes of being. That makes it that much harder to re-connect and make spiritual progress.

But have you seen a fully-loaded shawarma?!? I would kill a million Arabs for a bite of the good stuff.