Special Features The 17th of Tammuz The Mishna in Taanit lists five calamities that occurred on the 17th of Tammuz. The first Luchot were smashed. Jerusalem was breached in the time of the second Beit HaMikdash. The Korban Tamid ceased. An idol was erected in the Mikdash. And Apustimus burned a Sefer Torah. The 17th of Tammuz begins the Three Week mourning period for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash,the period also known as Bein HaM'tzarim. The smashing of the Luchot is, of course, associated with the Sin of the Golden Calf, an event that came so soon after the great experience at Sinai and Matan Torah, that there is a sense of dispair mixed with the tragedy. How could we have done that so soon after Ma'amad Har Sinai?! From that very early period of the life of the Jewish People, we've always had ups and downs, highs and lows. The generation of Yehoshua kept faith with G-d; there was terrible sliding into idolatry in the time of the Judges. We are taught reasons for the destruction of each Beit HaMikdash. This kind of train of thought requires us to take serious advantage of each Fast Day on the calendar. We don't just muddle through the fast, we must use it for serious introspection, for resolving to do things as individuals and as members of Klal Yisrael that will change things for the better. Fast days are not just historylessons. They are challenges to do something about our condition. If Moshe came down the mountain today, would he smash the Luchot with what he would see? If the Beit HaMikdash were standing, would we be bringing destruction closer to it? Would we be like the Levi'im who rallied to Moshe's call to defend G-d's honor? Wouldwe be a Hur who risks his life, who gave his life, defending HaShem's honor. Do not let a fast day go by without self-improvement in mitzvot of both Bein Adam LaMakom and interper sonal types. Do not let a fast day go by without resolve to spread Torah values and practice to others. Do not let a fast day go by without praying for, hoping for, waiting for, and working for the conditions that willresult in the Mashiach delaying no longer. 17th of Tammuz & Fast Day Details At Shacharit and Mincha of every fast day, we read VA'Y'CHAL MOSHE, the portion from Parshat Ki Tisa that tells about Moshe's prayers on behalf of the People in the aftermath of the Sin of the Golden Calf. The second and third part of the reading deals with the second Luchot and the 13 Divine Attributes. What is noteworthyfor us here and now, is that the most appropriate setting for the Torah reading of a fast day is the 17th of Tammuz, the actual anniversary of the Sin of the Golden Calf. Keep in mind though, that 17 Tammuz is also the anniversary of our being forgiven and our receiving of the Secrets of the 13 Midot. Avinu Malkeinu is said at Shacharit and at Mincha on Shiv'a Asar b'Tammuz. Slichot is said at Shacharit. The Chazan says Aneinu as a separate bracha in Shacharit and Mincha. The Kahal says it only at Mincha, and as an addition to the Shma Koleinu bracha of the Amida. This is the Ashkenazi practice. S'faradim say it at Shacharit as well (everyone, not just the Chazan). One who is not fasting does not say Aneinu. One who will break his fast after Mincha does say Aneinu since he has fasted past noontime and is still fasting. Birchat Kohanim... Kohanim generally bless the people at Shacharit and Musaf, but not at Mincha. Since a kohen may not perform any of his special tasks while under the influence of wine, etc., the practice developed to do Birchat Kohanim before one eats (i.e. Shacharit and Mussaf), but not at Mincha - since that is usually after one has eatenand drunk (second definition not necessarily intended). So why do we not have Birchat Kohanim on Yom Kippur at Mincha? Lo Ploog. We do not make a distinction (between a day when we can eat and one on which we don't eat). But at N'ila the custom is to have Birchat Kohanim (if we get there before sunset). Lo Ploog does not apply here, since there is only one day a year we sayN'ila. So how come we DO have Birchat Kohanim at Mincha on a fast day? Because Mincha on a fast day is like N'ila - not like a regular Mincha. And this was the long way around to introduce another idea: Ideally, Mincha on a Fast Day should be said late in the day, close to sunset. Even if one usually davens Mincha Gedola,on a fast day, when MIncha wants the emotional and Kabbalistic N'ila time lot, one davens late. Not too late, because Birchat Kohanim, Avinu Malkeinu, and Tachanun all should be completed before sunset. For practical reasons, many people daven Mincha early on a fast day. People who are affected by the fast feel that theyhave better concentration at an early minyan. Do I have to fast? To reiterate, the answer is YES. A healthy person must fast. Men and women, boys and girls from the age of mitzvot. Do not dismiss the 17th of Tammuz with a casual wave of the hand - like many do. It is too often that one hears "No, Yom Kippur and Tish'a b'Av are enough." Not so. And the "reward" for properly "doing" 17Tammuz is well worth it. He who mourns the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash with be privileged to rejoice in its rebuilding. BB"A. KOSHER KOLUMN This column is produced by Torah Tidbits from information culled from the responses by the OU's Webbe Rebbe to email kashrut questions and in consultation with OU kashrut rabbis here and in the States. Kashrut questions may be submitted by phone to 500-3333 or by email to tt@ou.org. In addition to questions, we appreciatereports about inconsistent or irregular labeling of OU products. Earlier this week, we received a phone-query about Smucker's products. The whole range of flavors had an OU on the importer's Hebrew sticker, and most flavors had an OU on the original label as well. All except for the grape jelly and a mixed flavors product with grape juice in it. According to the OU rabbi in NewYork in charge of these products, all flavors of Smucker's are kosher, including the grape which is made with kosher grape juice. The exception is the Smucker's line called Simply Fruit, which is not under the OU, nor is it kosher because it contains non-kosher grape juice. There is a run of grape jelly that was made primarily to export to Arab countries. The product is kosher, which is something that Moslems want, but doesn't have an OU on the label (which is also something that Moslems want). All of the above notwithstanding, people involved with OU kashrut repeatedly "recommend" that consumers avoid products with only an OU on the importer's sticker. Not only should they avoid them, but they should make that fact known to the store managers, who will pass on the message to the importers (if enough people refuseto by the product), who will make sure the company knows that people care. OU spokesmen have also said that the OU does not stand behind the kashrut of any product without an OU as part of the integral packaging. A bit confusing. Is Smucker's grape jelly OU kosher? Yes. Should you buy it? It is my (Phil Ch.) strong recommendation that you do not and that you make a point that you are not buying it and why, to your supermarket manager. If we all make this our policy, then we stand a chance of "cleaning up" the situation to our advantage. Honey Nut Cheerios Made in the USA by General Mills, exported from the US by Nestle & General Mills, imported by Osem, now correctly has OU parve designation in both Hebrew and English. Mini-Cinis, on the other hand, are OU-D, even if the package says parve in one of the languages (this problem might already have been corrected). FYI - In general (pun intended), General Mills cereals become Nestle-General Mills when they leave the States. Look for the OU on a particular cereal; it must be there to be considered kosher. Also make sure it is manufactured in the States. If not, the OU has nothing to do with it. Another Kashrut Mess (not about the OU, but...) Poult brand, a packaged cookie from France, has a small Hebrew sticker declaring it to be Kosher under siKs, parve, Jewish baking, Yoshon. Impressive. The cookie's package, on the other hand, announces in 7 other languages that the product contains animal fat and milk protein. That would make it neither kosher nor parve.The Hebrew sticker is correct. The company didn't want to make a special packaging for a small run of the kosher product, so they used what they had around. This, in our opinion, is totally inappropriate. The kashrut certifiers agree. They have already informed the importer and the manufacturer, that this situation willnot be tolerated again. For this time, there will be signs in the stores that carry the cookie informing the customer of the story. siKs, to their credit, is actually embarrassed by what happened this time. They assured me that they will take steps to avoid a situation like this in the future. The key is to be an alert kosher consumer and not to by shy. Ask questions in the supermarket and elsewhere. Be firm, when called for. If we settle for less than we should get as consumers, the companies will get lazy. Sometime soon, IY"H, we'll be launching our "Better Kosher Labeling Campaign" for next Pesach. Take the guesswork and frustration out of food shopping in general and Pesach shopping in particular.
Know the Enemy Not only do we learn much from Torah passages about the Patriarchs, Matriarchs, Yosef and his brothers, Moshe and Aharon, etc., but we must also learn a great deal about our enemies from other portions of the Torah. Jewish History has been and continues to be filled with different styles of enemies who have risen againstus to do us harm. Each one can be matched against one of the models from the Torah. We must never underestimate our enemies, and the passages in the Torah help us understand them better. This week's sedra is unusual in that it is, in essence, an intelligence report on the alliance of Bil'am and Balak and the character of each. If you think about it, it is a rare part of the Torah that didn't involve us. Parshat Balak (except for the end) is not about us. Unknown to Bnei Yisrael, there were people lookingdown upon us from various vantage points, people building altars and sacrificing animals in the hope that they would be able to vanquish us. And we didn't know about it at all. G-d thwarted the plans of Balak and Bil'am and we didn't know what was going on until we read about it in the Torah. These biographical sketches are culled from Talmud, Midrashim, and Commentaries, mostly from ISHEI HATANACH - 565 Biblical Personalities as seen by the Sages, the Davka database, and HaRav Yaakov Moshe Poupko. BALAK b. TZIPOR • When Sichon was killed, Balak ascended the throne. • Balak was a descendant of Lot and grandfather of Ruth. He merited being an ancestor of Ruth because of the 42 sacrifices he offered to G-d at the command of Bil'am. • Balak was an accomplished wizard, superior to Bil'am. • Although vastly superior to Bil'am, Balak lacked the gift of eloquent speech that was Bil'am's strong point. BIL'AM b. B'OR • The Midrash says that Bil'am was the pre eminent philosopher of the world. • Bil'am was the last of the prophets among the nations. His knowledge of the occult surpassed that of Moshe Rabeinu. Each was superior to the other in certain traits. • Bil'am spoke with Ru'ach HaKodesh • Bil'am was jealous of Moshe; Bil'am thought that he would be the one to take the People of Israel out of Egypt and give them the Torah. • Bil'am was lame in 1 leg and blind in 1 eye. • Some identify Bil'am with Lavan. Targum Yonatan says that they were one and the same. Others see remarkable similarities in their personalities and actions. G-d appeared to each of them in a dream and warned them in similar terms not to harm Yaakov (the person and the nation). Both were "Torah giants" who misused Torah,attempting to wield it as a weapon. Consequently, both were doomed to failure. Both contributed to Judaism. Bil'am "gave us" MA TOVU OHALECHA, what it stands for. Lavan gave us the practices of not marrying off a younger daughter before an older one, consulting a girl and receiving her agreement before marrying her off,the concept of not mixing S'machot, and the blessing with which we send all Jewish brides to the Chupa. • Bil'am was one of the senior advisors to Par'o, together with Iyov and Yitro. Some of the harshest decrees of Par'o are attributed to Bil'am. • G-d was never needed at Israel's side, so to speak, as much as when Bil'am was against us. • In a certain way, the brachot we received from Bil'am were greater than those of Yaakov and Moshe, since those were accompanied by harsh reproach; Bil'am's were straight, pure blessings. • G-d did not get angry with the People of Israel during the time Bil'am was pitted against us. The combination of G-d's anger and Bil'am's cursing would have been devastating to us. • Bil'am taught us to value the quality of modesty that we demonstrated, and he recognized, concerning the orientation of our tents. He said that it made us worthy of the Divine Presence within our midst. • Bil'am has no share in the World to Come.
A beautiful STD of a different flavor... The Apta Ruv, R. Meir Apta, 18th-19th century Polish Chassidic rabbi, wrote a sefer called, and was known as, the OHEIV YISRAEL. He reputedly could derive a lesson of love of one's fellow from any sedra, from any mitzva. In an attempt to see if this reputation was earned, someone once challenged him to say something aboutAhavat Yisrael from Parshat Balak. Balak, he said. That's one of the easiest. ...Vayidabru eilav divrei VALAK (and they, the delegation from Moav and Midyan, spoke to him - Bil'am - the words of Balak). VALAK, said the Apta Ruv, is the initials of V'ahavta L'rei'acha Kamocha. Excuse me, said the questioner, but you interchangeda VAV and a VET, and a KAF and a KUF. That's the point, answered the Apta. If you are meticulous and exacting between VAV & VET and KAF & KUF, you'll never reach the level of Love thy Neighbor... [The Balak Homepage]
|
