Special Features
Old new thoughts as we approach Yom Yerushalayim 5760 3675 years ago, Avraham Avinu was commanded by G-d to bring Yitzchak up as an Olah on one of the mountains which G-d will tell him. The Jewish claim of Avraham and Yitzchak to that special place (to THIS special place) was reconfirmed by Yaakov Avinu and his experiences in the same special location. About 800 years after the Akeida, David HaMelech established Jerusalem as the Jewish capital of Israel. Our hold on Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael has had its ups and downs. If we are marking 33 years since the Reunification of Jerusalem, following 19 years during which we were denied access to the Old City and Temple Mount, which followed years of British rule, which followed years of Turkish rule, etc. etc. etc., then we must see something and understand it well. Jerusalem is ours. This is our belief and our knowledge. Whether we retain possession over it, is G-d's decision. His decision depends to a large extent on our faithfulness in Him and our observance of the spirit and the letter of Jewish Law. This is the message of B'chukotai, the sedra that we read before Yom Yerushalayim. The sedra that reminds us not to be overly proud of military prowess. Our military superiority and the Arabs blessed lack of military skill combined to serve G-d's plan. Our hold on this City and this Land does not depend upon America or the U.N., not the P.A. nor the Arabs, but on us, and whether we deserve to be here. The world seems to think that we should share Yerushalayim with the Arabs. After all, this is their city too. Moslems believe that Avraham took Yishma'el to the Akeida. Isn't it time that we compromise? Interesting question. The Arabs don't talk about compromise. They don't even talk about peace with Israel. Not to their own people anyway. The latest Palestinian Authority map of Palestine, available at Orient House, reprinted just a few weeks ago, does not show Israel. It just doesn't exist. Does that tell you something about the attitude of the Arabs towards us? So why are we expected to compromise.
From the desk of the Director To Torah Tidbits Readers, Rambam, among others, addresses the question as to why this week's parsha "Bechukotai" stresses the material, rather than the spiritual, rewards for the observance of mitzvot. In response, Rambam suggests that there is no need for the Torah to emphasize the obvious and natural spiritual benefits of serving Hashem. Rather, he adds, it is appropriate that we become aware of the miraculous aspects of the material rewards. Take, for example, that the observance of Shmita can enable a hundred Jews to pursue 10,000 enemies. Additionally, Rambam observes that the benefits and enjoyment pertaining to wordly blessings enable us to more easily fulfill our holy mission on earth. It seems that the Israel Center family is soon to be blessed with a material blessing of great significance: The OU World Center in Jerusalem (see next column). Perhaps the endowment of such a building is a reflection of the numerous mitzvot and acts of chessed that the Center's staff have had the zechut to fulfill through the years of intensive activities for Klal Yisrael. Perhaps this is an opportunity being offered us to achieve yet more for you, our readers, members, and friends in Jerusalem and beyond. As Shmita approaches, let us all be strengthed in our "bitachon", so that all of Beit Yisrael will reap both the material and spiritual rewards. Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff Director, Israel Center
Announcing the New OU/NCSY World Center Finally, the time has come to announce the upcoming establishment of the OU/NCSY World Center in Jerusalem. G-d willing, the Center will open its doors this coming fall. It is with great pleasure that we write of this upcoming event in the annals of the Orthodox Union and the Israel Center. In fact, the new 5-story building at Keren Hayesod 22 will be much more than a replica of the current facility on Rechov Straus. Dedicated by old and new friends of the Orthodox Union (of this, more to come), the World Center will incorporate a Bet-Knesset and lecture hall, an expanded Education Wing with Bet Midrash, library and lecture rooms, a "Drop-In" center and cafeteria for informal programming, a Public-Affairs Institute, a large Sukka porch, and gardens. Also, you will find the headquarters of the OU-Kashruth Division and NCSY-in-Israel alongside the offices of the "old" Israel Center that we have all come to admire over the years. For those who have dedicated rooms in the past and who have made contributions to the air-conditioning campaign, we want to assure you that your dedications will be honored and that your contributions will enable us to provide air-conditioning throughout the new building. We will be keeping you informed of progress as the weeks go by. For more information and dedication opportunities, please do not hesitate to call the Director, Menachem Persoff at the Israel Center: 02-500-3333.
B'chukotai's 3992 letters add up to a G'matriya of 292,596. One of these days, we'll trip over a number that is significant. It won't prove anything, but g'matriyas can be "nice", if you like that kind of thing.
NESTO Last Thursday night a lively group of ice cream-starved teens met at the Israel Center for an ice cream feast. In addition to the social eating of four different flavors of ice-cream, three syrups, two types of sprinkles, nuts, marshmallows, candy toppings and wafers, there was to be the end-all ice cream eating contest. Size being deceptive, the group was in awe as they watched Rabbi Silverman down bowl full after bowl full of all the flavors of ice cream as he socialized around the room. When it came time to take Rabbi Silverman on for the contest, all cowered in their seats- none would take the challenge. And so Rabbi Silverman is the self proclaimed NESTO ice cream eating champion. (Such a claim is one of the liberties that comes with writing this piece!) The big announcement of the evening, was the reopening of a NESTO office, outside of Menachem Persoff's office!!! Complete with a desk and carpeted floor for lounging and doing homework, the phone extension for the office is #203. For the remainder of the year, the office will be open Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:30pm. Students will be able to shmooz, do homework, or just "veg out". The office will officially open this Thursday night, May 31st. Many thanks to Menachem for making this happen. Due to scheduling complications, the Shemeshton (Shabbaton in Beit Shemesh) is being postponed. A new date will be selected shortly. We look forward to seeing all new and old NESTO kids and advisors in our new headquarters this Thursday night. Food and drinks on the house! Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Avi For more information about programs, contact Rabbi Avi, Director of NESTO at 999-1175
NITZOTZ student volunteering project This past Monday, in celebration of Lag BaOmer, the girls of the fabulous MMY choir hit high notes at the Herzog Psychiatric Hospital, where they fascinated the women with their beautiful singing. We would like to thank all the MMY girls who participated and especially Rahel Bayar - for without her, this great act of chesed could not have taken place. Shabbat Shalom, Nava & Luba
NCSY-in-ISRAEL
FEEDBACK Two items related to S'firat Ha'Omer, mentioned in recently past TTs, that readers have asked about their sources. (Both are presented in Mitzvat S'firat HaOmer by Rabbi Pinchas Daniel Witman, Bnei Braq.) [1] If a person forgot to count a whole night and day, then he/she continues to count without a bracha. However, one can still count with a bracha on the whole-number-of-weeks days (i.e. 7,14,21,28,35,42,49). This is not the only opinion on this issue, but it is the p'sak of the Beit HaLevi and Rabbi Chaim Berlin. This is based on the opinion that there are two mitzvot of counting - the days of the Omer, AND the weeks of the Omer. The person in question might not have T'MIMUT (completeness) of days, but he still has "completeness" of weeks. Permission to say a bracha is bolstered by the fact that there are many authorities who posit that each night stands on its own and a bracha can be said each night regardless of how many previous nights (and days) were missed. If you are not counting with a bracha anymore, AND you have not missed counting 7,14,21,28,35 - check with your Rav about saying a bracha for 42 and 49. [2] The Rav usually counts aloud each night for his congregation. He skips one day (completely). Responsa Shevet HaLevi says that he may continue to count with a bracha on future nights. This is based on considerations of Kavod HaTorah and Kavod HaBriyot (because it might be embarrassing to the rav to have to delegate the counting to someone else in shul) AND the opinion mentioned in [1] that each night stands on its own. Several readers commented and reacted to the SH'MA with the instructions as to how to read Sh'ma properly. (And not just Sh'ma.) One reader pointed out that I had too many words in the "if you mispronounce this word you change its meaning" category. IY"H, there will be a revised, corrected, perfected Sh'ma in a future issue. In the meantime, let me emphasize the seriousness of the issue. V'A'HAV-TA ET HASHEM ELOKEICHA, means, "And you shall love G-d...". This is one of the 613 mitzvot. And a very special one at that - The Chinuch says that it is one of 6 mitzvot that are 24-hour a day, 7-days a week mitzvot. It is a mitzva that has many facets to it. The point is, if you pronounce it in a way very typical of American daveners - namely V'AHAVTA, you distort the meaning of this important pasuk. Pronounced with the accent on the next to the last syllable instead of the last syllable, the pasuk would mean, "And you loved G-d..." - Past tense. Not a command. One reader pointed out an omission in the reminders, namely to prolong the pronunciation of the word ECHAD by stretching the CHET and the DALET, some say only the DALET. The word should not be swallowed. Nor should the CHET be overdone. The interesting thing for Ashkenazim (and most Sfardim) is how one goes about stretching a DALET. The way we pronounce a DALET you cannot really stretch it much, without it sounding like an additional syllable. E-CHA-DE. Not good. Actually, however, only a DALET with a dagesh is pronounced as a D. The dalet without the dagesh is properly pronounce like the TH in THIS. Say ECHATHE and emphasize and stretch the TH sound. It works. (Remember, it's TH as in THOSE, not the TH in WITH.) To repeat - usually, a switch in accent from last syllable to next to the last one "simply" results in being sloppy and imprecise. We are supposed to say the Sh'ma with proper kavana and proper pronunciation. But the few words whose mispronunciation changes their meanings should be the first targets of The Improvement in the Reciting of the Shma program. Then there was the business of the SHVAs. It seems I mixed pure SHVA NA with what some people call SHVA M'RACHEIF. HI-SHA-M'RU, not HI-SHAM-RU. The MEM has a SHVA NA and it belongs to the following syllable - M'RU, not the previous one. L'VAV-CHEM, on the other hand, is a different story. By the patach under the first VET is a "small" vowel, which usually is accompanied by a second closing consonant sound. Not L'VA, but L'VOV. However, if the second VAV has a regular SHVA NACH, then the word should by L'VAV-KEM. A KAF afer a SHVA NACH should have a dot (dagesh) in it. Some people consider this to be a SHVA with an identity crisis. It seems that many people favor the view that even without the dot in the KAF, the SHVA is pronounced as a NACH. L'VAV-CHEM, not L'VA-V'CHEM.Some favor pronouncing it as a SHVA NACH. As I mentioned earlier, I hope to reissue the annotated SH'MA with more accurate markings. People who enjoy DIKDUK can get carried away. One thing that we all must remember is the proper kavana - intention. And that includes, The acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, the commandment to love G-d, the acceptance of Mitzvot, Remembering the Exodus, and several other items. More on this in the future, IY"H.
The Evil Impulse (Yeitzer HaRa) must be viewed as a murderer, standing before you with an ax, ready at any moment to cut off your head. If it is hard to envision him thus, it is a sign that he has already cut off your head! - Rabbi Simcha Bunam of Pshis'cha from Hasidic Wisdom by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins)
OU on Hebrew stick-on label but not on original package? Dairy in Hebrew but Parve in English? Have a question about an OU product in Israel? Call the OU Kashrut Hotline 1-800-949-0123 (toll free call from Israel to the New York office) M-Th 4:00pm to midnight, Fri. 4:00pm to Shabbat; other times leave message
[The B'chukotai Homepage]
|
