Special Features
for Parshat Sho'f'tim
Elul is a gift from G-d. Make
the best of it.
ACHAT SHA'ALTI MEI'EIT HASHEM...
"One thing I want from G-d, this I ask for: that I may dwell in G-d's House all the
days of my life... and to visit His Temple." (T'hilim 27:4) David HaMelech is asking
to live in Beit HaShem all the time. Why is he also asking to visit there? Being a
resident and a visitor each has advantages. A resident of a special place, benifits from
it always, but might begin to take things for granted. The visitor feels the excitement of
his visit, although it is short (probably because it is short). L'VAKEIR, to visit, also
has the meaning of BOKER, morning. The renewed, fresh experience of a new day. David
HaMelech desired to have a relationship with G-d that was at once both long-standing and
excitingly new. This is part of our goal during Elul and Yamim No'ra'im (as we say Ps.27).
The make our Torah life as fresh as a visit and as enduring as a lifetime lease.
TTTT (Torah Tidbits This &
That)
I'd like to revisit a few pet topics concerning Torah Tidbits and its readers. Ads. Most
are on pages with only ads; some are in the body of Torah Tidbits. Is there a Shabbat
problem related to ads. The simple answer is YES. One should not read commercial ads
on Shabbat. So don't. Read them on the other six days of the week. We cannot afford to
publish TT without them. We appreciate the many sponsors who make TT viable. We hope you
patronize them, and tell them that you saw their ad in TT... on a Tuesday. The presence of
ads, by the way, does not make Torah Tidbits muktza. There is plenty to read on Shabbat;
we hope you continue getting a lot out of each issue.
There is one kind of ad that has bothered some people more than others, namely ads for
trips abroad. We've said it before, and we'll say it again - one should consult a Rav to
determine the level of permissibility of a trip out of Israel. It might be possible to
consider even a vacation abroad in the context of an educational trip, a recharging of
one's batteries, etc. IY"H and B"N, we will schedule a shiur on this topic at
the Center in the future.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
AW is the prize for the best PPP solutions; AW is the prize for the best solution to the
Radio Riddle on Torah Tidbits Audio, Thursdays 10:08-11:00pm, on Arutz-7, which just moved
to 98.7FM; AW is the source of a dvar Torah in Torah Tidbits and a different one on the
radio show; some of the songs from the AW will be played (are being played, were played -
depends upon when you are reading this) on
TTA.
This week's Album of the Week:
Kolot HaNeshama - Chupah Classics Vol. 1&2
Two CDs (sold separately) of Chupa music. Totally instrumental; no singing. Great for
playing in the background while you work or study. Great for humming and singing along.
Beautiful orchestration for well- known and some not-as-well-known pieces. You'll have a
hard time choosing your favorite tracks. Let's see. I think I'll write about Rachem
B'chasd'cha in TT and speak about Hitor'ri on TTA.
The theme of many Shabbat Z'mirot is Shabbat. Obviously. But one notable exception is Tzur
Mishelo. It does not mention Shabbat. It is based on Birkat HaMazon. The first stanza -
HaZan et olamo... He Who feeds His world... we ate His bread and drank His wine,
therefore, we must thank Him... This is the theme of the first bracha of Birkat HaMazon.
The second stanza announces that we will bless G-d with song and the sound of thanks for
the lovely Land He gave our ancestors and for the food which has satiated us... This
parallels the 2nd bracha of Birkat HaMazon. The third stanza (that's the one on the AW)
relates to part of the third bracha - Jerusalem. We ask HaShem to have mercy on His people
(us) and on Zion, the site of the Mikdash (in other words - Jerusalem), and send the
Moshi'ach. The other part of the third bracha relates to the Beit HaMikdash. This is the
fourth stanza of Tzur Mishelo - Yibaneh HaMikdash... All this over a full cup of wine, as
Birkat HaMazon is (should be, can be) recited. The refrain, is like the Birkat
HaZimun, the call to join together and bench.
Because of the theme of Tzur Mishelo, some authorities raised an interesting question
about its placement on Friday night (its usual time). If it is at the end of the meal,
when we have eaten and are satisfied, might the singing of Tzur Mishelo constitute a
fulfillment of the mitzva to bench, since it contains all the themes of Birkat HaMazon.
The answer is - probably not, because Tzur Mishelo has no brachot and one does not have
Kavana to bench when singing it.
However, some suggesst that we should
sing Tzur Mishelo during the meal, when there is not thought yet of benching. In this way,
we do not run into the possibility of a problem created by the opinion that mitzvot do not
require kavana to be considered fulfilled.
Noam Productions albums, and many, many
other CDs and cassettes spanning the range of Jewish music are available at
Noam Productions Music Stores:
6 Malchei Yisrael, Geula, Jerusalem
59 Rabbi Akiva Street, Bnei Brak
and, soon to open, Noam Productions Music and Jewish/General Computer Software Store at
the Rav Shefa Mall in Jerusalem (near T'nuva, where the old zoo was)
Semicha Program
A limited number of openings are available for qualified students. The program includes
Semicha-level Halacha shiurim from Rav Yakov Warhaftig as well as classical lomdus.
Priority in the granting of stipends is given to students with leadership and
organizational experience. For details, call Rav Chaim (02) 671-3614
or fax (02) 651-0608
Torah Tidbits Dedications
Torah Tidbits Dedications on the
occasion of a Yahrzeit or in honor of a birth, Bar or Bat Mitzva, engagement, wedding,
anniversary, birthday, graduation, someone's starting the army or Sherut Leumi can be
inserted in TT. Call us.
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