SHABBAT PARSHAT BALAK
TT 524 - 12 TAMMUZ 5762 - June 21-22, '02
Pirkei Avot - Sixth Perek

Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel Summer Time - a.k.a. Daylight Savings Time
Correct for TT #524
Ranges are for THU-THU, 10 - 17 Tammuz, June 20-June 27
Candle lighting - 7:13pm
(Earliest (Plag) - 6:19pm)
Havdala - 8:32pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 9:16pm)
Earliest Shacharit 4:35-4:36am
Sunrise - 5:34-5:35½
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma 9:07-9:08am (8:11-8:13am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:18-10:19am (9:41-9:42am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) • 12:40½-12:42pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) 1:17-1:18pm
Plag Mincha 6:18½-6:20pm
Sunset 7:53-7:54pm (7:47½-7:48½pm)

WORD OF THE MONTH
A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem...
The Molad of Tammuz 5762 was MON June 10, 5:21pm(Israel Summer Time)
By now, everyone should have said Kiddush L’vana for Tammuz. In case you haven’t, may we encourage you to say this special bracha and participate in Kabbalat P’nei HaSh’china, greeting the Divine Presence.
Deadline each month for K.L. is halfway between one Molad and the next. A lunation (the scientific term for the time it takes the Moon to go through its cycle of phases, as seen from Earth) is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 1 “cheilek” (part, which is 3 1/3 seconds).
Half of that time is 14d 18h 22m (approx.)
Add that to Monday 17h 21m and you get 11:43 on Tuesday morning, June 25th. That means that the last opportunity for K.L. this month is all night Monday, June 24th. K.L. really is a very precious mitzva. Do it... with enthusiasm.

Special Insider Information
Some of the following points are made inside the Sedra Summary and in SDTs, but it is worth it to put them together and ponder the following...

From the beginning of the book of Sh’mot until the end of the Torah, we (some of Bnei Yisrael) were witness to the events that are recorded in the Chumash. In most cases, there were hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of witnesses to what happened to us from enslavement in Egypt until we stood on the threshold of Eretz Yisrael (and beyond).

A conspicuous exception to the above is the bulk of Parshat Balak, the first 95 of the sedra’s 104 p’sukim. There were few witnesses to what happens in the sedra, and none of them were Jews. Balak and Bil’am stood on various hilltops, built altars, sacrificed animals, meditated, prophesied, and attempted to curse the People of Israel. All along, we were completely oblivious to what was happening. G-d was watching us, and G-d prevented bad things to happen to us. It wasn’t the first time, nor was it the last time that G-d protected His people. But this time, we were unaware of what was taking place.

In Pirkei Avot there is an idea expessed that there is one level of love that G-d displays towards us, and a greater level of love in that He tells us about that Love and its manifestations.

Parshat Balak is a special prophecy to Moshe Rabbeinu, one that is trans- mitted to us in the Chumash. We should sense the special Divine protection that led G-d, so to speak, to thwart the Balak and Bil’am plan, rather than allow it to succeed.

In past weeks, I have written about Pigu’im that G-d “allowed” to occur, and about those that He “thwarted” - via an alert security guard, or by the bungling of a terrorist who blew himself prematurely. And many times in ways that we can only guess at, and in ways that we are totally unaware of. Without saying more on this, it feels right that it goes together with the main idea of this tidbit. May we be worthy of G-d’s continued protection and may He not “need” to satisfy the desires of our enemies.

Sedra-Stats
40th of 54 sedras; 7th of 10 in Bamidbar
Written on 177.8 lines in a Sefer Torah (ranks 35)
2 Parshiyot; 1 open, 1 closed
104 p'sukim - ranks 34th (8th Bamidbar)
1455 words - ranks 33rd (8th Bamidbar)
5357 letters - ranks 35th (8th Bamidbar)
Balak is close to average for the Torah's sedras but is on the small side for Bamidbar

Mitzvot
Contains none of the Taryag mitzvotTied for 38th (last) place with 16 other sedras More than 31% of the sedras have no mitzvot

Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 22:2-12
Balak was a weaker king than his neighbors in the region. The defeat of the others (OG and SICHON) instilled fear in Balak's heart, and he realized that waging a conventional war against Israel would be futile. His plan (following research of the matter) was to enlist Bil'am to curse the People of Israel. To this end, Balak sends a delegation to Bil'am in Midyan. Bil'am invites the envoys to spend the night so that he (Bil'am) can be spoken to by G-d. G-d does "appear" to Bil'am and asks him who these people are. Bil'am tells G-d and He warns Bil'am not to go with the delegation, nor to curse the people, because "they are blessed".

[sdt] How come Balak, a sworn enemy of Israel, rates having a sedra named after him? Commentaries suggest that Balak was an "honest enemy" of Israel. His antagonism was based on his fear of Israel; his intentions and actions were clear-cut. We have been plagued by many enemies throughout history who have hidden behind a smile, a mask of friendship, or a hand- shake on the White House lawn only to try to stab us in the back (or worse). Dear uncle-grandfather Lavan, is perhaps the prime model of the "sneaky" enemy. Balak's straight-forward hatred is something we can appreciate. (Interesting side point: Bil'am - not exactly Balak, but his partner in crime - is associated with Lavan. In fact, Targum Yonatan states that they were the same person.)

[sdt] Commentaries point out that Moav and Midyan were bitter enemies. None- theless, they put their differences aside and united to fight against Israel. This shows the power of anti-Semitism in this world. See what our enemies are ready to do because they hate us so much.

But it also must teach us another lesson. We too must be prepared to set aside that which divides the Jewish People into fragments, so that we can fight our common enemy with greater strength. This is not to suggest that we must ignore, overlook, or forgive these differences. But we have to know when we should put our religious- secular battles "on hold", in order to be united against the enemies of the Jewish People. We must all work together - Ashkenazim & S'faradim, National Religious and Haredi, left and right, religious and secular, to strengthen our position against those who would harm us, take parts of Eretz Yisrael from us, and divide our capital.

[SDT] Rashi says that when G-d told Bil’am not to go with Balak’s emissaries, Bil’am asked if he could curse the People from home. G-d said no. So Bil’am offered to bless them (us). G-d said, keep your honey and your sting.

Levi - Second Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 22:13-20
In the morning, Bil'am (reluctantly) dispatches Balak's messengers with his message of refusal. Balak sends a larger and more prestigious delegation to Bil'am, with offers of great honor and wealth if Bil'am would only agree to Balak's request. Bil'am again refuses, but does invite the new delegation to spend the night. This time G-d permits Bil'am to accompany the Moabites, but warns him not to do anything other than what G-d tells him. (Com- mentaries draw from this the notion: "In the direction a person is inclined, there he is lead".)

[SDT] Why was Bil'am to be punished for going with Balak's delegation, when G-d permitted him to go? Sort of, told him to go. Certainly, a person is held accountable for violations of G-d's prohibitions, but are we also responsible for things which are not specifically prohibited, although it is reasonable to assume that G-d does not want us to do them? The answer is YES. This is one of the concepts we actually derive from the episode of Bil'am. The Torah gives us a very good idea of what HaShem wants of us. Many sins are spelled out very clearly - in fact, there is a notion of "one will not be punished unless expressly warned"; yet we are warned that G-d will be angry, so to speak, if we do things that we (should) know are contrary to His wishes. This is something that exists in human relationships too. Parents, for example, expect children to behave a certain way, even without being specifically told. We are not programmed robots; we are human beings with the ability to reason. And G-d wants us to make the right decision in areas He left “open”, so to speak.

In the straight reading of the Chumash, it seems that Bil'am is truly a man of G-d who only wants to do what G-d wants him to do. Tradition describes him differently, as one who knows that he is totally in G-d's control but tries to fight it at every step of the way. What a blow to Bil'am's ego to be thought of so highly among people, yet to know that G-d calls every shot.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 22:21-38
Bil'am arises in the morning, saddles his donkey (by himself), and goes with the Moav officers. (The implication in the pasuk is that Bil'am went with a great deal of enthusiasm to "hopefully" curse the People of Israel. Contrast this with Avraham's enthusiasm on his way to fulfill G-d’s command with the Akeida.) G-d is "angry" with Bil'am for going (even though He permitted it) and sends an angel in an attempt to dissuade him from continuing. The Torah recounts that on three separate occasions - symbolically, in happened in increasingly narrower passages - the donkey sees the angel blocking the way, but Bil'am does not. Bil'am strikes the donkey each time, until G-d gives the power of speech to the donkey, who admonishes Bil'am for his deeds. Then G-d permits Bil'am to see the angel and Bil'am acknowledges his sin. He offers to return, but the angel allows him to proceed, with the warning not to say anything "unauthorized".
(In Pirkei Avot it says that the "mouth of the donkey" was one of 10 special items that G-d created in the instant before He rested from further creation on the first very first Shabbat. One of the lessons from this concept is SOF MA'ASEH B'MACHSHAVA T'CHILA, what happens in the end was in G-d's thought at the beginning.)
Balak goes out to greet Bil'am, who tells Balak that he is powerless to act on his own and must say only what G-d "puts in his mouth". (This is the significance of the "mouth of the donkey" - viz. that it is G-d Who grants the gift of speech; one should not be arrogant about his ability to speak well. In the words of the beautiful prayer of the Shali’ach Tzibur on Rosh HaShana, OCHILA LAKEIL, the human being thinks thoughts in his heart, but from G-d comes the ability to express them.)
[SDT] The favored weapon of the nations of the world is the sword. The "weapon" of the Jewish People is "the power of speech" (prayer, divrei Torah, kind words, etc.). Bil'am arrogantly lays "his weapon" aside and attempted to harm the People of Israel with their (our) own weapon. G-d, so to speak, went against Bil'am with his abandoned weapon - the angel's drawn sword. And ultimately, the Torah tells us, Bil'am fell by the sword. - Rashi

R'vi’i - Fourth Aliya - 15 p'sukim - 22:39-23:12
Balak makes sacrifices on the occasion, and Bil'am orders seven altars to be built for special offerings.

(All that is done is highly significant - e.g. the Torah records that our three Patriarchs offered seven korbanot at various times. Bil'am hoped to "neutralize" the effect of those sacrifices in G-d's eyes by repeatedly offering seven sacrifices of his own.)

[SDT] The Baal HaTurim points out that Iyov also offered seven bulls and seven rams, just as Bil'am did. He says that this was a epitome
practice of Bnei No'ach in acknowledgment of the Seven Mitzvot they have.

After meditation, Bil'am "speaks" about the People of Israel. He does not curse them, but rather beautifully describes the uniqueness of Israel. Balak is upset, but Bil'am reminds him that he (Bil'am) can only transmit that which G-d wants him to.

If we are unique among the nations of the world, it is because of the Torah and our commitment to it, not some- thing genetic, nor a mere accident of birth. We must preserve that unique- ness by remaining true to Torah, faithful to HaShem, and distinct from the other nations. And, as Bil’am pointed out, our uniqueness depends upon being differ- ent from the other nations (not wanting to be just like everyone else.)

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 23:13-26
Balak takes Bil'am to a different vantage point, in the hopes that he will be able to curse the People this time. Once again, seven altars are built and sacrifices offered. Once again, Bil'am meditates and then utters magnificent descriptions of the Nation of Israel. Balak says his piece and Bil'am again explains his restrictions. (Difficult for someone who is considered the quintessence of arrogance.)

Rashi says that Balak chose Rosh HaPisga as a place from where Bil'am might succeed in cursing the people, because he foresaw that Moshe would die there. Rashi makes the point that Balak knew this about the place but Bil'am did not - that Balak was a more gifted prophet.

Further on, Rashi points out that the ministers of Moav were losing confidence in the Bil'am-Balak plan and they left the scene. Earlier, the Torah used the phrase ALL THE MINISTERS OF MOAV. In pasuk 23:17, it only says SAREI MOAV, without KOL, the implication is that some left.

Twice we find, And Bil'am said to Balak, build for me "with this" seven altars and prepare for me "with this" seven bulls and seven rams (23:1 and 29). With this, BA'ZEH. We are taught that all the prophets of Israel, prophesy with KOH (AMAR HASHEM), except Moshe, who prophesies with ZEH.

Bil'am felt that he was on Moshe's level and kept throwing around the ZEH. G-d says to Bil'am, go back to Balak, and thus - KOH - you shall speak. Meaning, enough with the pretension to ZEH; you say KOH. Bil'am subsequently gets the message and switches to KOH when he speaks to Balak.

One of the things that Bil’am said about the People of Israel is that their (our) communication with G-d is so strong on a prophecy level that we have no need for the muddled attempts of diviners and fortune tellers. We don’t have to take Bil’am’s word for it; this is exactly what G-d commands us under the heading: TAMIM T’H’YEH... be straightforward with G-d.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 23:27-24:13
Balak suggests yet a different vantage point from which to observe Israel; maybe G-d will permit them to be cursed. Bil'am again asks for seven altars to be built, and a bull and a ram to be offered on each. This time, Bil'am does not meditate in his usual manner, expecting similar results, namely that blessings will emerge from him - and he really wants to curse Israel.

[SDT] Balak takes Bil'am to Rosh HaP'or. Having seen in a vision that Israel will soon fall at P'or, Balak mistakingly assumes that the cursing from there would be successful (Rashi).

Targum Onkeles indicates that Bil'am was "reminding" G-d of the Golden Calf, so that He would allow the People to be cursed. However, when he saw the multitude encamped in such a special manner, he was endowed with "Ruach HaKodesh" and he blessed the People of Israel a third time. Balak had "had enough", spoke harshly to Bil'am, and "sent him packing".

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 24:14-25:9
Before Bil'am takes leave of Balak, Bil'am prophesies about the other nations in the region... which was, in different words, a prophecy that each nation shall eventually perish, as will those who will bring about the earlier nations’ destruction.

Bil'am's final advice, his attempts to curse the People having failed, is to entice the People to idolatry and immoral behavior which will turn G-d Himself against them. This plan works, as 24,000 perish in a plague following the orgiastic worship of Baal Pe'or. Only the bold action of Pinchas b. Elazar b. Aharon HaKohen in defending G-d's honor, stops the devastating plague.

[sdt] This final lesson of the sedra must be learned well by us today. What Balak and Bil'am discovered is that if Israel is in G-d's favor, it will be invincible from outside attack. No nation can succeed against Israel, when we are "on good terms" with G-d. If we, however, incur G-d's anger, by being unfaithful to Him, by disregarding Torah and mitzvot, then we are extremely vulnerable to our enemies. And they might not even have to actually fight against us - we can, G-d forbid, destroy ourselves. This was true more than 3000 years ago; it is no less true today.

On a certain level, Parshat Balak is extremely simple and straightforward, with an extremely powerful message - because of that simplicity. For 95 p'sukim, we feel the protection of G-d as Balak and Bil'am fail time and again in what almost looks like a comical farce. The Gemara says that Bil'am was in some ways superior to Moshe Rabeinu, that when he was around, G-d Himself was extra vigilant in protecting us. For those 95 p'sukim, we beam with pride at the grudging admiration of a unique nation as expressed by Bil'am.

And then comes the last 9 p'sukim of the sedra. Bil'am went back home. So did Balak. No danger anymore. WHAM! We did it to ourselves. G-d protected us from Bil'am by giving him his words. By not letting him speak on his own. And then we turned around and betrayed G-d. 24,000 fatalities. And the toll would have been greater, except for the bold action of Pinchas. The sedra is shouting its message to us. All we have to do is listen to it.

Last 3 p'sukim are reread for Maftir.

Note where the Pinchas episode stops between sedras. Zimri and Kozbi are not identified yet, G-d's reaction comes next week. Just, for now - the plague stopped!

Haftara - 17 p'sukim -Micha 5:6-6:8
Micha's prophecies include the state- of-affairs that finds Israel dispersed among the nations of the world, the promise of the end of war and restoration of Israel to its Land, and the "settling of accounts" between G-d and the other nations, and G-d and Israel. This portion contains a reference to the advice of Balak and Bil'am's response to it - thus the appropriate choice of this portion as the haftara for Parshat Balak. Note the "credit" to Balak for the advice that caused the failing of Israel as opposed to the implication from the Torah that it was Bil'am's idea.

Interesting note: The prophet refers to the leaders of the People of the Exodus as Moshe, Aharon, and MIRIAM.

The haftara ends with the famous encapsulation of our responsibilities to G-d: "What does G-d demand of us, ONLY to behave justly, love chesed, and walk modestly (humbly) before G-d." This is the formula for the greatest protection we can have from the Balaks and Bil'ams of the world. And its disregard makes us terribly vulnerable.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW
Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean

Lesson # 141 (part five) • Lifnim Mishurath HaDin
At the outset, I once again want to thank those of my readers who have written to me and have spoken to me in person, thanking me for trying to make these lessons as simple as possible. The lessons regarding lifnim mishurath hadin may seem more complicated because I have included the names of the authorities and the text citations of the Talmudic references and the codes and responsa literature. Actually if you block out the names, the lessons are written in a simple manner. After this lesson we will be getting back to simple Rabbinic civil law, with very little, if any, citations. (I thank Mr. Mark Lesnick of Beth Shemesh for his helpful remarks.)

The other morning, Emil Dere, one of the men in our kollel raised the following philosophical question? Whether Hashem wants Beth Din to compel a person to act beyond the requirements of the law, to act lifnim mishurath hadin. Too often some individuals want to know what is the least possible action that they may take and still comply with the law. However, in discussions in our kollel and lecturing and teaching, especially younger people, I find that people are searching for higher standards of conduct. Most often, those who have returned to God's Torah also seek a higher standard of conduct. Many of us seek these higher standards not only in our ritual lives, but we seek the requirement for higher standards in our business lives.

In the last lesson we began the discussion whether a Beth Din can compel the litigants to comply with the standard of lifnim mishurath hadin. There was discussed the divergent views of two of the greatest codifiers, Rabbi Asher, who holds that they cannot compel compliance with lifnim mishurath hadin, and Rabbi Mordecai ben Hillel, who holds that there can be coercion to comply. Most of the classical commentators on the Shulhan Aruch and its forerunner Arba Turim discuss this question.
I mention just a few, because their names may be familiar from yeshivah days. A classical commentator on the Arba Turim, Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, (Bach) has a most quoted discussion and cites many of the prior codes and commentaries. He concludes that based on his reading of the prior sources, that the Beth Din may compel a person to act according to this principle.

In the Shulhan Aruch Hoshen haMishpat, chapter 12, Rabbi Karo does not mention the principle. However, Rabbi Moses Isserles (Ramo) writes: "The Beth Din may not compel a person to act lifnim mishurath hadin, even if they think it would be proper to do so; and there are those who disagree." It is to be noted that Ramo does not indicate his preference.) Rabbi Mordecahi Jaffe (Levush) parallels the language of Ramo. Rabbi Shabtai Cohen (Schach) cites Rabbi Sirkis with approval.
Two interesting cases follow:

1. Rabbi Jacob Reischer (Prague, 1670- 1733) was asked to decide the following case. A woman on her death bed called all her children together and each with a handshake assured her that if there were any disputes among them they would be adjudicated by a person she had named. After her death one of the sons stated that the person she had named was unlearned and not qualified to adjudicate a dispute which had arisen. The question presented to Rabbi Reischer was if the children were bound to follow their promises made to their mother before she died. He discusses many aspects of promises made to a dying person and also discusses the question that assuming arguendo that they were not bound to fulfil their promise could they be compelled to act in furtherance of the principle oflijnim mishurath hadin. Reischer concludes that one cannot be physically compelled to follow the principle nor can one be placed under a ban or excommunicated for failing to adhere to the decree of the Beth Din to follow the principle. Combining several principles of law, he concludes that the son has to abide by the promise he had made to his mother on her death bed.

2. In 1802 a fire broke out in the ghetto of a small town in Germany and many of the homes were destroyed. Contributions came in from many Jewish communities to repair the damage and there were some disputes as to how to divide the repair funds. Moshe Sofer (Germany and Hungary, 1762-1839) (known as Hatam Sofer, a leading European halachic authority) was asked to adjudicate and in a lengthy responsum he takes up each claim. The final claim he discusses involved a widow whose house was contiguous to the synagogue. The firefighters ordered the roof to be torn from her house so that if the fire would spread to her house it would be easier to contain. Since the fire never reached her house the question was raised if the funds to repair fire damage should be given to her. Sofer found many reasons why she should be compensated out of the fund. In passing he concludes that if the fund would not be sufficient to restore her roof then under the principle of doing that which is upright and just in the eyes of the Lord the community may be compelled to pay for completing the roof. He thus seems to follow that school of thought that compulsion may be used to further the principle of lifnim mishurath hadin.

Rabbi Yehiel Epstein (Russia, 1829-1908) wrote a scholarly digest of the Shulhan Aruch. In chapter 12 he writes "Regarding lifnim mishurath hadin, one may not be compelled to do so, although it may appear to the Beth Din that it would be proper to do so; and there are those who differ. It appears to me that one may be coerced to act lifnim mishurath hadin. The dispute is only in those situations where real coercion is used. But if words only are used, all agree that one maybe coerced, for example to say to him that you are obligated to act lifnim mishurath hadin, and similarly words of rebuke and words which awaken thoughts of mercy."

IN CONCLUSION: The foregoing presents a very brief overview of the subject of lifnim mishurath hadin, from its earliest mention in the Talmud to contemporary halachic literature. I have intentionally failed to translate the term lifnim mishurath hadin. I thought that the reader after reviewing the cases which I have presented, whether they appear in the Talmud or in post Talmudic responsa, could form his own conclusions as to what the term means. I do not believe that lifnim mishurath hadin necessarily implies a higher ethical standard. The Torah is ethical and to imply a so called higher ethical standard would mean that there may be something lacking in the ethics of Torah. Rather, I think, the term lifnim mishurath hadin demands that we strive to be more saintly in our actions. There are times when we feel that we are halachically "absolutely right." It is in such times that we have to overlook our "absolute right" and be compassionate to those who we feel are at that juncture "absolutely wrong".

Lifnim mishurath hadin to a great extent is the dictum of Hillel when he said "What is hateful to you do not do unto your neighbor".
Questions to quint@inter.net.il

MEANING IN MITZVOT by Rabbi Asher Meir
Each week we discuss one familiar halakhic practice and try to show its beauty and meaning. The columns are based on Rabbi Meir's Meaning in Mitzvot on Kitzur Shulchan Arukh.

Blessings & Curses

Balak certainly takes very seriously Bilaam’s power to bless or curse. And the Torah seems to acknowledge this power; after all, it was very important to HaShem to dramatically change Bilaam's curses to blessings.

However, not only prophets, whether righteous ones like the prophets of Israel or wicked ones like Bilaam, have the power of blessing and curse. Our Sages tell us that ordinary people also have this power: “Never make light of the blessing of an ordinary person”; “Don’t make light of the curse of an ordinary person” (Megilla 15a).
Of course our power to bless and curse is not some magical force but merely a consequence of the fact that HaShem hears and considers our prayers and requests. This is part of His continuing concern and involvement with human experience. “Don’t oppress any widow or orphan. If you should oppress them, and they should cry to Me, I will surely hear their cry” (Shemot 22:21-22.)

However, this is a power that needs to be used very carefully indeed. “Rav Chanan said, anyone who submits his fellow’s judgment [to the Heavenly Court], he is punished first... This applies as long as he has access to earthly [human] justice.

Rebbe Yitzchak said, woe to the crier even more than to the one he cries about” (Bava Kamma 93a).

This consideration is so compelling that we find that even the most righteous of the holy Tannaim refrained from praying for judgment against the very wicked of Israel (See Berakhot 10a, Megilla 28a, Gittin 7a).

The Rema turns this insight into a ruling: “It is forbidden to request Heavenly judgment on someone who has done us wrong – assuming there is access to earthly justice. And anyone who cries out on his fellow, he is punished first. And there are those who say that even if there is no access to earthly justice, it is forbidden to cry unless the wrongdoer is notified first” (Choshen Mishpat 422:1).

We might think that the problem here is vindictiveness. Unnecessarily invoking Divine judgment seems to show a desire for revenge, rather than justice. The commensurate response is to punish the wronged individual.

However, Rashi gives a different explanation. The gemara in Berakhot states, “Three things call attention to a person’s sins. They are: a collapsing wall, assuming prayers will be fulfilled, and invoking Heavenly judgment on one’s fellow man” (Berakhot 55a). Rashi explains that as a result of these, “They begin on high to carefully examine his acts, saying, This person seems very confident of his merits; let’s see what they are” (See also Divrei Shalom).

In other words, this principle is not a deviation from the principles of strict justice but rather a fulfillment of it. HaShem listens to the cry of the wronged individual, and He carefully considers the petitions on its merits. At the same time, “Heaven doesn’t grant halves” (Yoma 69b). If HaShem agrees to sit in judgment, then it is only fair that the petitioner too be subject to scrutiny.

The phenomenon of prayer, of the Almighty listening and weighing the desires of each individual human who turns to Him, is a mighty testimony to the greatness of man. It is not pre- sumptuous to ask G-d for our needs; on the contrary, He wants us to view Him as father and king.

Endangering ourselves, as in the case of the crumbling wall, is altogether different; it shows that we are sure we are worthy of being answered. This surely invites Divine scrutiny, and we find only isolated instances of righteous people who relied on miraculous intervention.

And asking HaShem for judgment is an entirely different level. Not only does the petitioner think he is worthy; he is sure he is even worthier than the one who has wronged him! Since we can never completely know the circumstances of another individual, even the most righteous are forbidden to request Divine judgment in such cases unless it is absolutely a last resort.

Rabbi Meir has completed writing a monumental companion to Kitzur Shulchan Aruch which beautifully presents the meanings in our mitzvot and halacha. It will hopefully be published in the near future.

Rabbi Meir authors a popular weekly on-line Q&A column, "The Jewish Ethicist", which gives Jewish guidance on everyday ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The column is a joint project of the JCT Center for Business Ethics, Jerusalem College of Technology - Machon Lev; and Aish HaTorah. You can see the Jewish Ethicist, and submit your own Qs — www.jewishethicist.com or www. aish.com

From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah...

Q I have moved to a community, where the people pronounce Hebrew differently from the minhag I was brought up on. How should I act privately and publicly?
A The great majority of poskim agree that it is preferable to maintain the form of pronunciation which one "inherited" from his father (see Rav Kook's Orach Mishpat 16-18; Har Tzvi OC I, 4; Igrot Moshe OC III, 5). This is based on the concept, "do not forsake the Torah of your mother" (Mishlei 1:8; see Chulin 93b). One should maintain his family minhag in this matter even if he prays regularly in a beit k'nesset where people use a different pronunciation from his, and even if one already switched, it is best to switch back.

An exception to the rule is regarding specific pronunciations where all experts are in agreement, in which case it is proper to use the accurate pronunciation. This applies at least to the letters "ayin" and "chet" and the vowel "cholam," which are all properly pronounced by the Sephardic community. One should exercise caution before making such changes, as it is better to use one's previous pronunciation than to be inconsistent and inaccurate in the new, improved one. Regarding other changes, not always are the opinions of "so-called experts" unanimously agreed upon. Accenting of syllables, especially in Kri'at Shema, should be done according to the rules of dikduk, as found in accurate sidddurim and sifrei Tanach.

It is widely brought in the name of the Chazon Ish that an Ashkenazi who pronounces Hebrew like a Sepharadi should pronounce at least Hashem's name like an Ashkenazi. However, it appears preferable to pronounce the entire tefilla in a uniform manner (Har Tzvi, ibid.), and there is not even unanimity on what the Chazon Ish's opinion was.

The above applies to a person's private pronunciation, including his quiet davening in a group setting. However, if he is serving as a chazan or ba'al kri'a, it is proper, if he can, to read according to the local minhag (Igrot Moshe, OC IV, 23). This ruling takes on even greater weight if one's failure to conform to the local minhag is apt to confuse the tzibur or, Heaven forbid, cause arguments. The need to preserve communal peace pushes aside the aforementioned concept of "the Torah of your mother" (Orach Mishpat 18).

This response is for one to know for himself. In regard to displeasure with someone else's lack of compliance with this or other related rulings, one should realize that one fulfills the mitzvot post facto with any discernable pronunciation

(Orach Mishpat, ibid.), as "one who reads and is not exact in his pronunciation fulfills the mitzva" (Berachot 15b). Certainly, one should not actively create machloket in the name of preventing possible machloket, unless his position (rabbi, or possibly, gabbai) justifies his sensitive intervention.
This response is based on Bemareh Habazak III, 1

Hasidic Wisdom from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins)
One who prays without feeling is like one who piles up heaps of sand, plaster, and bricks, but has no water.
How does one expect to cement them together?
— Rabbi Aryeh Leib, the Grandfather of Shpoli

A teacher of the young is greater even than his master, because his master teaches things that he interprets one way — and then others come along and contradict him, interpreting them another way.
But the teacher of the young says nothing but the plain and simple truth.
After all, everyone agrees that an ALEF is an ALEF and a BET is a BET.
— Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

Rite & Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
It is customary to read the first passage of the SH’MA before Shacharit (TUR).

Reason: Sometimes lengthy piyutim are recited in the blessings of Yotzer Or, which might cause the worshippers to miss the appointed time for reading the Shema.
[Ed. notes: Or, more commonly, in our time, Shacharit might begin too late to reach the Sh’ma within the deadline of Sof Z’man Kri’at Sh’ma. It is possible that the original practice was to read the full Sh’ma at this earlier time, and later, the first passage remained as a token.]

Reason: This reading was enacted because of a government decree prohibiting the reading of Shema publicily. The sages ruled that it should be read privately at home. Although the decree was ultimately anulled, the Sages’ ruling remained in force. An introductory passage was inserted before the earlier reading: “A person should always fear G-d both privately and publicily.” After the introductory passage, the first section of Shema was then read, followed by a concluding passage: “Blessed is He Who causes His Name to be sanctified publicily.” This prayer was an expression of thanksgiving to Hashem for annulling the evil decree, and an acknowledge- ment that we were once again permitted to sanctify His Name publicly in the shul (Levush).

ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
As R’ Yonasan Eybeschuetz lay dying, the community leaders of Altona-Hamburg, where he was the Rav, gathered around his bedside and asked him who should replace him. R’ Yonasan whispered, Maybe R’ Meir?”

After R’; Yonasan’s funeral, the community leaders began looking for a new Rav. Many distinguished rabbanim were interested in the post, but none by the name of R’ Meir. The community leaders decided, at last, that the position would be filled by the candidate who was able to explain R' Yonasan’s dying words. A number of suggestions were advanced, but none satisfied the communal leaders.

Finally, R’ Yitzchak Horowitz of Brody was invited to meet the communal leaders and asked to explain R’ Yonasan’s last words. “It is really quite simple”, he said. “R. Yonasan was not referring to any individual named R’ Meir. He was telling you that your presumption that he would not recover was premature, and thus your question about his successor was improper. It was R’ Meir in the Gemara who always required that one take into account even a slight possibility and not just rely on the principle of majority. R’ Yonasan meant that the halacha might be in accord with R’ Meir, and you should take into account the slight possibility that he would recover.”
R’ Yitzchak was thereupon appointed to succeed R’ Yonasan.

G'matriya Match
In our sedra, Bil’am tells Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and seven rams to sacrifice on them (23:1). G’matriya of the whole pasuk is 2823. (In 23:29 in which Bil’am asks again for the altars and sacrifices, the word EILIM (rams) is spelled without a second YUD, dropping the G’matriya to 2813.)

Twice in Parshat Pinchas (29: 16,25), in the portion describing the Korbanot Musaf, the pasuk reads, And one goat (as a) CHATAT, besides the daily Tamid its Mincha and Nesech. G’matriya of each is 2823.

Our "antidote" to the altars and sacrifices of Bil'am and Balak are the communal CHATAT and the daily T'midim.
Numerically, we can say that our korbanot and Bil’am’s are an even match. Yet, we come out 10 more because of that missing YUD. The team of Bil’am & Balak was a formidable adversary, but we “beat” them by 10. The significance of that “extra” is left for the reader to comment on at Seuda Shlishit (or whatever).

MA RABU MA'ASECH HASHEM KULAM B'CHOCHMA ASITA MAL'AH HA'ARETZ KINYANECHA
The echidna, a.k.a. spiny anteater, is the only other mammal besides the platypus that lays eggs.The most primitive of mammals are the monotrems, which consist of the platypus and several species of echidna (pronounced AKIDNA). They are the only oviparous (egg-laying) mammals. Echidna are native to New Guinea, Australia, Tasmania.

G-d first told Bil’am NOT to go with the messengers of Balak. Subsequently, He told Bil’am to “Arise and go with them”. From here, says the Gemara, we learn that “In the direction that a person wants to go (even bad), he will be led in that direction.” This idea is expressed by the English expression, “Giving a person enough rope to hang himself.”

The greatest difficulty in the breaking of habits lies in their having come to seem the natural way of reacting, so that even though we TELL our- selves that we should break the habit, we do not essentially BELIEVE that we should. From A Candle by Day by Shraga Silverstein

A TRUE STORY
When, several weeks back, we first wrote about Parshat HaShavua being out-of-sync between here and Chutz LaAretz, we raised the hypothetical situation of the hapless Bar Mitzva boy who prepared the wrong sedra. Hypothetical no more, nor is it a far-fetched possibility.

Last week, Salvatori Janek O’Malley (not his real name) came to Israel with his family to celebrate his Bar Mitzva in the Holy Land and in the Holy City.
To this end, he had spent months preparing to read Parshat Korach, the parsha that his calendar told him would be read on his Bar Mitzva Shabbat. It wasn’t until this past Friday afternoon that the O’Malleys (not their real name) discovered to their collective and individual chagrin, that we in Israel had read Korach on the previous Shabbat.

A panicked call to the rabbi of the shul in which the Bar Mitzva was to take place started the ball rolling on finding a proper and accommodating solution to the “Case of the Out-of-Sync Bar Mitzva Boy”.

In consultation with leaders of the congregation, the following solution took shape:
When the Kohen was called to the Torah for the first Aliya this past Shabbat, he would make his opening bracha and Salvatori (not his real name - but you know that already) would read the entire Parshat Korach. Then the regular Baal Korei of the shul would take over and read the first portion of Chukat and the Kohen would say the concluding bracha on a record-setting 112-pasuk Aliya. The rest of Chukat would follow as usual.

This solution is halachically sound because Korach is directly followed by Chukat in the Torah and no skipping is involved in the reading.
There is, however, another halachic consideration to take into accont — TIRCHA D’TZIBURA, a burden to the congregation. It is much to the credit of the members of the congregation that they graciously accepted the rabbi’s explanation of the situation and enhanced the family’s celebration of the Bar Mitzva with their positive attitude under the circumstances.

It is heartwarming to see a constructive interplay between BEIN ADAM LA- MAKOM and BEIN ADAM L’CHAVEIRO issues.
Mazal Tov to Salvatori (nhrn) and family and Kol HaKavod to the congregation.
[Side points: The same kind of reading of Korach and Chukat was done at the Jerusalem Renaissance Hotel, where many delegates to the World Mizrachi Conference and the 34th World Zionist Congress were spending Shabbat. They all would have missed Korach, having arrived in Israel between Chutz LaAretz’s Parshat Shlach and our Chukat. For them, the read-Korach-as- part-of-the-first-Aliya solution did not even have the Tircha d’Tzibura complication.]

From the Desk of the Director
Parshat Balak describes the story of Bilam, that evil "prophet of the nations," hired by the King of Edom to curse Bnei Yisrael. This episode is always timely, since in every period of Jewish history there are those who plot against us - and today is no exception.

Ironically, whatever we say of Bilam, we cannot claim that he was master of the curse. For Bilam exclaims, "How can I curse [when] G-d has not cursed!" Moreover, Ibn Ezra notes that the expression "Vayissa M'shallo" - which refers to Bilam's utterance of his parable - indicates, if anything, that Bilam invoked the power of prophecy!
The Bechor Shor confirms that despite Bilam's reputation, he was powerless to deliver a curse or even invoke words to that effect. He observes that Bilam's declarations reflected Hashem's will: Just as Hashem never pronounced a curse upon Bnei Yisrael when they were culpable, so Bilam could not do so.
Thankfully, we learn this lesson from our own forebears. When Shimeon and Levi were rebuked for wiping out Shechem, Ya'akov proclaimed, "accursed is their rage" - but not the sons. Similarly, King David declares, "Let the sins cease on earth" (Psalm 104), rather than the sinners themselves. Our challenge, then, is not so much how to remove the wicked as it is to educate and plot against wickedness wherever it is found.
Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

Towards better Davening and Torah reading
Column #32. Contents of this weekly column are based on the sefer: EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIM, by R' Nissan Sharoni, Ashdod, a guide to correct pronunciation of Hebrew, specifically in davening and Torah reading.

Over the many weeks that this column has appeared in Torah Tidbits, we have touched on most (but no all) of the first section of the book (see above), the part that the author callsEIN LA- MIKRA. The chapters on TROP are still being kept on hold for sometime in the (near) future. And there are a couple of chapters that are so complex and detailed that it gives you a headache - we’ll try for those also sometime in the future.

For now, let’s take a look at the next section of the book, which the author calls IMREI FI, in which he points out many common pitfalls in davening and gives brief notes towards proper pronunciation. This will be a good way to review many of the topics covered over the run of this column, and to allow us to put the learning into practice.
There is a beautiful introduction to this section borrowed from KAD HAKEMACH of Rabbeinu Bachyei, which we will also explore in the next couple of weeks.
So, remembering that this column is “towards better davening...”, let’s get to it.

The word B’CHEMLA, with compassion, modifies G-d’s return of our souls. The word that follows it - RABBA, does not go with it, in other words, we don’t say B’CHEMLA RABBA (with great compassion), but rather MODEH ANI... B’CHEMLA (pause), RABBA EMUNATECHA, great is Your faithfulness. The point is that one should pause between B’CHEMLA and RABBA.

For BRACHOT of all types, there is a reminder to be careful to slightly separate the words BARUCH and ATA so that they don’t merge to sound like BARUCHATA.
After BARUCH ATA, one should pause before saying G-d’s name.

Each letter and vowel in G-d’s name should be distinct, to avoid swallowing the ALEF at the beginning or the YUD at the end.

The accent in G-d’s name is on the last syllable (MILRA). That means it is NOT a-DO-noi (common mispronunciation in some circles), but ad-do-NOI.

[When one says G-d’s name, a “minimum” KAVANA (intention) to have in mind is that G-d is the ADON, the master and ruler of ALL. This is the basic meaning of the ALEF-DALET-NUN-YUD name of G-d. When the name is written with YUD and HEI and VAV and HEI, then (although it is pronounced as ALEF-DALET...) it should have an additional KAVANA, that of belief that G-d IS, always HAS BEEN and always WILL BE. The letters of the name as written indicate that by spelling out HAYA (was), HOVEH (is, at present), Y’H-YEH (will be).]

MELECH HA’OLAM come with the same warning as BARUCH ATA, namely, to be careful not to merge them into MELECHA-OLAM.

Here’s one that a lot of people probably don’t get right. ASHER KIDD’SHANU. There is a CHIRIK under the KUF. There is a DAGESH CHAZAK in the DALET and a SHVA NA under it. The word should sound something like this: first syllable KID, the D’, then SHA (with the accent), then NU. Linger on the DALET because of its DAGESH CHAZAK. Ask people, just for your curiosity, what vowels are under the first two letters. I think that many people would say KUF-SHVA and DALET-CHIRIK.

Because Mitzva-Brachot have a formula text, people tend to join the word V’TZIVANU with the ASHER KIDD’SHANU B’MIZTVOTAV and then they pause and say the ending phrase, whatever it is - e.g. AL N’TILAT YADAYIM, L’HADLIK NER... The correct phrasing is V’TZIVANU AL... V’TZIVANU L’HADLIK NER... V’TZIVANU LEISHEIV BASUKKA, etc.

Parsha Pix
Somethings old, somethings, new. Somethings explained, something a challenge for you.
Upper left is from one of the first ParshaPixPuzzles. There is a BLOCK (sounds like BALAK) in a nest, which makes it BLOCK BEN TZIPOR.
The messengers from Moav came to Bil'am with K'SAMIM B'YADAM, represented by the magic trick in the hand, upper-right.
Between these two elements is a globe (not a melon) with a patch covering one of its eyes. Balak said that Israel was so numerous that we covered EIN HAARETZ, the eye of the Earth.
Bil'am's donkey saw the sword drawn in the angel's hand; Bil'am did not see it at first (or second or third).
When the donkey talks to Bil'am, she asks him why he has hit her these three REGALIM, times. Using the word that refers to our cycle of holidays and to the People who observe them. The angel repeats the reference to SHALOSH REGALIM. The speech-bubble for the donkey contains the question (mark) about the three festivals, represented by the Lulav, Matza, and Torah.
The lion cub was one of the ways that Bil'am described the Jewish People. The Xed out snake is also from Bil'am's words, that there is no NACHASH in Yaakov. His meaning is that we do not rely on omens.
The Chicago basketball player represents the BULLS. The football player from St. Louis (formerly from L.A.) stands for the RAMS. Bulls and rams , 7 of each, were repeatedly offered as sacrifices to G-d by ParshaPix cont. from previous page
Bil’am and Balak. We suggest that you try to get this out of your kids rather than giving it away to them. (That is, if they follow American sports. If not, you’ve got your work cut out for you.)
Lower-left is a representation of Balak striking his hands together in disgust at Bil’am’s repeated failure to do as requested. VAYISPOK. A unique word in Tanach, appearing no where else.
Two elements left in the ParshaPix. There is a ROMACH (spear) that Pinchas took into his hand to act in protection of G-d's honor. Zev Frank of Arutz-7’s Torah Riddle show - SHEVA MI YODEI’A, discovered an amazing fact. ROMACH, spelled in the Torah REISH-MEM-CHET (no VAV) is numerically equivalent to 248, which immediately brings to mind the number of positive mitzvot in the Torah. Pinchas armed himself with the RAMACH (248) mitzvot in his righteous defense of G-d's honor. But Zev did not stop there. Too easy. What about the prohibitions in the Torah? There are 365 of them. Do we just forget about them? No. If we count just the prohibitions, starting from GID HANASHE and follow the count of the Sefer HaChinuch through the sedras, we come to an amazing discovery. The 248th prohibition in the Torah is at the end of Va'etchanan, and it is the prohibition of intermarriage and of taking a woman from the other nations. Exactly the sin that Zimri was guilty of. So Pinchas not only armed himself with a physical weapon, and not only did he have the 248 mitzvot guiding him, but he also had a numeric match to the one major prohibition in question.
This leaves us with the not so clear photo of a famous building in the United States. That’s all we’re saying for now. Take it as a PPP, in addition to the TTriddles that are scattered thoughout each issue of TT, and in addition to the collection of pictures on page 22. Have fun.

TTRIDDLES...
are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found all together at the end of the ParshaPix-TTriddles section. Some TTriddles are also presentedfor call-in solution on Torah Tidbits Audio (Arutz-7, Thursday night). The best solution set submitted each week (there isnt always a best) wins a double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal

Last week’s (CHUKAT) TTriddles:
[1] The other use of yoke-free cows
[2] Prophetic mention is a preview
[3] They match the Mizmors...sort of
[4] The water song trilogy
[5] Never inside, but in this sedra - above
[6] Para Aduma's appropriately looks likewhat Baama's is called

And the envelope please...
[1] Several TTriddles solvers answered EGLA ARUFA — which we are not going to accept as a correct answer. And here’s why: Whereas D’varim 21:3 insists that the calf be truly YOKE-LESS, we are talking about a calf (EGLA) and not a cow (PARA). In fact, the first Mishna in Para makes a point of giving the ages for a calf and a cow. Bottom line, they are halachically like two different animals. That’s not the real reason we’re not accepting EGLA ARUFA as the asnwer. The real reason is that it was too simple. Our real answer is more obscure. That’s good for TTriddles. Obscure is good. The only solver that gets partial credit for EGLA ARUFA is DM, who suspected (falsely) that we were looking for the pun of the EGG- la arufa being YOLK-less. Groan. The “real” answer is found in Shmuel Alef 6, where two yoke-less cows were tied to the new wagon made to carry the ARON.
[2] Balak is mentioned in the Haftara of Chukat, thereby being a prophetic mention which serves as a preview of the following week’s sedra.
[3] No one got this one. Too bad - it’s a good one. On the seven days of the week, we say the SHIR SHEL HAYOM. Two of the seven begin with the word MIZMOR, namely Tuesday and Shabbat. This sort of matches the third and seventh day sprinkling of the Para Aduma potion.
[4] Three things are called HASHIRA HAZOT, this song, in the Torah: the Song of the Sea, the Song of the Well (from Chukat), and the Torah. Since Torah is compared to water, we have a water song trilogy.
[5] The letter REISH never gets a DAGESH in it. But in Chukat, we find a dot above a REISH, in the word ASHER (Bamidbar 21:30).
[6] This was a nice TTriddle, well solved by a couple of solvers. The TROP on the words PARA ADUMA are KADMA V’AZLA, which look like a pair of horns. On the word BA’AMA (Bamidbar 35:5) is the rare TROP known as KARNEI PARA, lit. COW’S HORNS.
Winners report elsewhere.

This week's TTriddles:
[1] 502-633-6807, 770-920-3963, 850-626-0331...
[2] Bil’am said, “A barrel of lion”?
[3] Donald O'Connor, Alan Young, and...
[4] What Bil'am and the Shunamit did in common

Israel Center Notes: -
Re: The Israel Center and Torah Tidbits
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An Appreciation to the Torah Tidbits Team
This week we celebrate ten years of Torah Tidbits. It seems that never has the expression; "Ki Mitzion Teitzei Torah" been more apt. For 8,000 copies of Torah Tidbits are distributed around the country each and every week… and the email list with addresses worldwide is growing… and, of course, thou- sands of people access TT on the OU website www.ou.org/torah/tt/

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We acknowledge the hours of writing & creativity, the computer work and time in the “Print Room”; we appreciate the words of wisdom and advice. The additional supplements, features, announce- ments and advertisements, all contribute to making TT the most popular Torah publication for English speakers in Israel.
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[When we are asked if one is allowed to read TT in shul, we answer that people of type (1) may not; people of type (2) may. It depends where you are coming from and where you’d like to go]

It is a wonderful world when the accolades flow in from all in appreciation of Torah Tidbits. "It wouldn't be Shabbat without it", many have declared. One very sick patient in hospital, when asked what would make his Shabbat, answered weakly but without hesitation: "Torah Tidbits".

Keeping in touch, letting people know, educating about the Parsha and the special holy days as they come around, offering words of inspiration, giving people the strength to get through the difficult days, strengthening the bond to Israel - these are just some of the functions of Torah Tidbits.

The OU Israel Center is here for you. And the Torah Tidbits team is there for Torah Tidbits. 10 years and what a growth in quantity and quality, from a one-page flier to a full-fledged "home-grown" publi- cation, every week!

We cannot say thank you enough to Phil and Toni Chernofsky, Ita Rochel Russek, and Michael Rubinoff, to Karen Singer (winner of the Torah Tidbits Volunteer of the Year) and all of the tens of volunteers and distributors who fold, pack, schlep; fold, pack and schlep… to ensure that you receive your next edition on time, without fail.

We also take the opportunity to thank you, our readers, our advertisers, and our sponsors (including the Orthodox Union and the Allocations Committee of the Jewish Agency), who have been so encouraging. Thank you too to the Editorial Committee, under the chairmanship of Rabbi Emanuel Quint, which will help guide TT into its next exciting decade.

If you would like to promote Torah Tidbits in any way, please contact Phil Chernofsky, Editor-in-Chief of Torah Tidbits, by emailing him at TT@ou.org
With Torah Greetings - MP

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NCSY CAMP
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear fellow NESTOites (and TT readers),
It's hard to imagine that a year has gone by already. Time really flies when you are having a good time.
There is so much that I want to say, so many memories that I will cherish forever.
Over the course of the year I have grown to respect, love and admire each and every one of you. You are all so precious, so unique and so special.
We've laughed together, cried together, jumped around, crawled through caves, ran with ostriches, learned, grown and experienced together.
And now the year has come to an end and we are all moving on. Some of us will be going to the army, some to sherut leumi, while others will be going to university. And there are those who will still be in high school and staying on in NESTO, and some who will be going on shlichut to Florida. But the truth is that, even as we all go in different directions in life, the bonds and relationships that were created this past year will remain with us forever.
My job, as Director of NESTO, is to leave you with a message that you will hopefully take with you wherever you go.
The Mishna in Avot 4:3 states: AL T'HI BAZ L'KOL ADAM, V'AL T'HI MAFLIG L'KOL DAVAR, SH'EIN L'CHA ADAM, SH'EIN LO SHA'AH, V'EIN L'CHA DAVAR SH'EIN LO MAKOM
The powerful and crucial message that this Mishna is teaching us is that we all have our time to shine; we all have our moment of greatness. Each and every one of us has had or will have an opportunity to contribute to the world, to help mankind, to give to someone else. To become an ost.
Over the course of the year, you have proven to me, and I hope that you have proven to yourselves, that you all have within you tremendous abilities and talents. Your job, your mission in life is to tap into all those abilities, use all your talents, and actualize all your potential. To become an ost.
In the words of Robin Williams, "The powerful play of life continues, and you can contribute a verse. WHAT WILL YOUR VERSE BE??"
Remember that your verse will be unique and special. Your verse is and will be essential and crucial to our nation, to our country, and to our world. Never doubt yourself, always believe in yourself.

Remember: WHAT WE DO IN OUR LIVES ECHOES IN ETERNITY.
Please keep in touch. I would really love to hear from all of you. Our email address is tjspodek@yahoo.ca (Yes, the ca stands for Canada!). B'HATZLACHA RABBA
Josh Spodek

TIYULIM and SHABBATONIM
Call the TIYUL HOTLINE Dial the Israel Center's number 5-66-77-87, then press 211. You'll hear "thank you, one moment please", and then the phone system's music for 15 seconds. Then the Tiyul Hotline message begins. You can listen to the whole message and then press 2 to leave your message, or you can interrupt by pressing 2 right away and then leaving your message.

THE TRAVEL DESK The TRAVEL DESK of the Israel Center exists... to make registration and detail-receiving for Israel Center tiyulim more efficient and less head- achy for you. To help you - whether you live in Israel or are visiting - plan private tiyulim and make in-Israel travel arrangements Sarah will be happy to assist you on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Call Sarah at the Center, 566-7787 ext. 249.

Note: When a tiyul says "Bring your own lunch", you can do that... or this: Call the TRAVEL DESK or the TIYUL HOTLINE up to the day before the TIYUL and order a box lunch from the Israel Center Cafe. 18 shekel will get you a delicious sandwich, a refreshing drink (specify regular or diet) and a dessert. Your box lunch will be ready for you when you board the bus.

The XXX Tiyul
Please note: Although we previosly announced this tiyul as being conducted in Hebrew, this is no longer the case. This tiyul - for its third time - will be conducted in English - By popular demand.
Moadon Sanhedria and the Israel Center invite you to join us in celebrating a special 30th Anniversary on the 30th of June • Sunday, 20 Tammuz 5762
Tour with us to 30 important places in Jerusalem; Guided tour of our new Municipality as Safra Square; Eat a Mehadrin Surprise Lunch while viewing the breathtaking panoramic view of our eternal Jerusalem from the top of the Municipality; Divrei Torah will enlighten you all about the 30th anniversary; Bus leaves the Israel Center at 8:30am; tiyul concludes approx. 1:00pm; Bring your cameras! Surprise cost: 30NIS, (non-members add ½ of 30NIS); You MUST register in advance for this tiyul
Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats - Come! you'll surely enjoy her delicious sweets!

KASHRUT POLICY: Food for Israel Center In-House programs is supervised by OU-in-Israel - Mehadrin. Israel Center sponsored trips and programs are under Mehadrin Hashgacha. Hotels, restaurants, and tiyulim advertised by the Travel Desk or by outside parties are not necessarily Mehadrin and are not endorsed by the OU or the Israel Center.

Travel Desk Specials For reservations at the hotels listed below or any other Israeli hotels, please call Sarah directly at the Travel Desk 566 7787, ext. 249. She'll be happy to accommodate you with any of your requests.
Sheraton-Plaza, Jerusalem • Valid thru June , 1000NIS per couple for Shabbat F/B
Inbal, Jerusalem • Valid thru June , SHABBAT: 1150NIS per couple F/B
Dan Pearl, Jerusalem • thru June , SHABBAT: 920NIS per couple F/B ; Midweek special: 880NIS per couple, b/b for 2 nights (thru June)
Sheraton Moriah Eilat, midweek, 435NIS per couple b/b no min. thru June
For period of July 21-25, the Sheraton Moriah/Dead Sea will be Kosher L’mehadrin
Separate swimming hours in the hotel’s indoor and outdoor pools; Separate swimming hours at the Dead Sea Shore; Large Synagogue available; Appropriate entertainment for the Dati/Charedi public; 799NIS H/B per couple/per night, minimum: 4 nights
For additional information regarding children’s rates etc.please contact Sarah at 5667787 ext. 249

B/B = Bed & Breakfast • H/B = Half Board (breakfast + one meal) • F/B (3 meals a day)
Midweek = SUN, MON, TUE, WED nights • Weekends = THU, FRI, Motza"sh nights
Attention Students from Abroad: Are your parents planning on visiting you this year? If so, you want to speak to us (02-566-7787 ext. 249).We have many attractive deals for them... and you. Let us turn an ordinary “been there, did it” visit into an unforgettable, special one!

The Back Page of TT524
"Regular" Israel Center classes & lectures - 20NIS for members, 25NISfor non-mem. Life members, 5NIS (except for programs of/with other organizations). No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. (Membership is 225NIS per year)
Many Israel Center programs are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

Friday
6:00pm - New “Early Shabbat” minyan with Mincha before Plag and Kabbalat Shabbat afterin the Wolinetz Family Shul - OHEL SHMUEL (at the Israel Center)

Shabbat Day
Shabbat afternoon (Balak), June 22nd, 5:00pm • Shiur in Pirkei Avot by Rabbi Chanoch Yeres • Refreshments • Mincha follows the shiur

Motza’ei Shabbat, June 22nd, 9:45pm • Pinchas' Action" Precedent or Exception? Pinchas (Phil) Chernofsky on KALA'IM POGIN BO

SUNDAY
9:30am (women) •Mystical Insights into theMonths of the Year • Golda Warhaftig
10:30am (women) Let's Really Learn Some Chumash • Tonia Frohwein
N'SHEI LIBRARY 10:30-12:45
11:30am (men & women) Parshat HaShavua • Shprintee Herskovits
Men who are looking to do some serious learning...
Shiur in Gemara by Rabbi David Zitter, 10:00am, SUN-THU
NOT THIS WEEK • Daf Yomi in English with Rabbi Shmuel Halpern, 3:00pm, SUN-THU
Shiur in Makot 2nd Perek by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel, 4:30pm, SUN-THU
All shiurim take place in the Israel Center's Ganchrow Beit Midrash one flight up
1:00pm • GALA LUNCHEON Advance Reservations REQUIRED
Sunday, June 23, 7:30pm, Root & Branch Lecture, in cooperation with the Israel Center; "SEMIOTICS: THE WORLD AS A SYMBOL OF A THOUGHT"; Special Guest Speaker:Professor Gerald L. Schroeder, noted physicist, author, and lecturer • nis25 per person • Information: rb@rb.org.il, All proceeds to benefit Wounded Soldiers and Terror Victims

MONDAY
9:15am • Excursions into the World of Nevi'im (the Prophets) Mrs. Pearl Borow
N'SHEI LIBRARY 10:00-12:30
10:30am (men & women) • Rabbi Leff resumes IY”H July 1 • G-d's Blessing' Bil'am's Curse • Rabbi David J. Derovan
11:36am (men & women) • Jewish History - Bayit Sheni period: Caesaria not Jerusalem?! • Dr. Henry Goldblum
Women's Beit Midrash Program • Mondays 3:00-4:00pm: Guided Chevruta Study in Tanach and Jewish Thought
4:00-5:00pm: Learning an Independent Chumash Study Method with Rabbi David Derovan
Monday, June 24, 8:00pm • in cooperation with (and at) the Israel Center
Second of four Workshops for Singles; Easch session will cover a different topic, as follows: Matchmaker, Matchmaker. Tips on Interviewing with the Shadchan,and Enjoying Yourself on Blind Dates; Striking Gold in the City of Gold: Insider’s Tips on the Singles’ Scene in Jerusalem; Good-Bye to Boredom, Hopelessness and Shyness (or Longing): Hello to Confidence on Dates and at Singles’ Events • Conducted by Ezer Kenegdo Matchmaking - Andy & Ayala Haas

8:00pm • Curing the Jewish Heart; Lecture series by AM SEGULA on Lessons from History & Zionism
AT YESHURUN SYNAGOGUE: The OU Israel CenterThe Israel Council of Yisrael Hatzair • The Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel • The Israel Region of the Rabbinical Council of America invite interested English speakers to an informative evening with Brig. Gen. (res.) Effie Eitam, M.K.Chairman, MAFDA”L, the National Religious Party; M.K. Eitam will be speaking in English and fielding questions onWhere to from Here? The program will take place on Monday, June 24th, 8:30pm at Yeshurun Synagogue (King George and Shmuel HaNagid Streets) • Open to men & women (separate seating at the insistence of Yeshurun) • Token admission charge of 5NIS to cover added security expenses

TUESDAY
9:00-9:50am Four Who Entered the Pardes (the deepest levels of Torah secrets) • Dr. Hayim Abramson
9:55-10:45am Jewish Concepts, How to Say them in Hebrew; kASHRUT • Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50-11:40am • Building on a Child's Strength - New approach in Education by Prof. Gertrude Webb Curry College, Boston, Phil resumes with Parshat HaShavua next week, Rabbi Spiegelman will be back IY”H July 30
The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association Gemach - Free Loan Society to provide interest-free loans for people in financial distress. Interviews at the Center on Tuesdays from 10:00-12:00 Please bring ID
N'SHEI LIBRARY 11:15-12:45
11:45am • Chabad insights into Parshat HaShavua and the Actualia of Our Time (women only) • Raizel Zisk
Writing Your Personal Memoirs • Call 993-1205 or 566-7787 x204 if you'd be interested in joining a future series
Tuesday June 25 • 8:00pm, Miriam Levi will speak on her new book: When Children Fight:A Torah Approach to Resolving Differences Peacefully • Big advice in this little book of children from toddlers to teens

WEDNESDAY
9:30am Towards a More Meaningful Davening Experience Dr. Joel Luber
10:30am Break the Fear Habit... And Live! with Alan Romm P.C.
Women's Beit Midrash Program
Wednesdays: 3:00-4:00pm • Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow (men & women)
4:00-5:00pm • Guided Chevruta Study in Tanach and Jewish Thought
It takes courage to face issues at Middle Agefamily reations, health, leisure, finances, etc. • ISRAEL CENTER & "OPTIONS" OFFER PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING • Wednesdays between 5 and 6 pm • No charge for first visit in June; Call Leah or Ester: 053-231951, 02-6271584
8:00-10:00pm • Aliya Counselling with Miriam Bass
7:45-8:45pm Jewish Philosophy Road map to the Prophets - Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed Now studying: "Oredering their Mitzvot and their "reasons""; Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and its Wellsprings: Now studying: "The Tree of Knowing Good and Evil and the Yetzer HaRa" with Rabbi Chaim Eisen • alternating topics

THURSDAY • Fast Day - 17th of Tammuz
Sometime in the morning • Shiurim while you fold, Parshat HaShavua and/or the Calendar • Various presenters
10:15am • SLIM FOR LIFE Group weight-loss program for women • No obligation for the first session • Qualified nutritional advisor on hand • Elisheva 999-6479
Thursday, June 27th • The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz
5:30pmLecture/shiur by Rabbi Moshe Pinchuk, Director Doresh Zion Institute
Introduction to Talmud Yerushalmi
70 C.E. Destruction of Second temple
220 C.E. Redaction of the Mishnah
350 C.E. Redaction of Talmud Yerushalmi
525 C.E. Redaction Talmud Bavli
On the day we commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem, join us for an introductory lecture about the “other” Talmud, the one that developed in Eretz Yisrael, while its younger, but more popular brother was in its infancy in Exile. This porgram is not just for “yeshiva people”. Men and women of all backgrounds are invited to this illuminating talk by the director of an institute dedicated to researching Talmud Yerushalmi and raising awareness within the whole Jewish community of its significance to our Torah Heritage.
7:00pmMincha • Mini-shiur on the Three WeeksMaariv (8:08pm) • Refreshments (after 8:15pm)

FRIDAY
9:00am • In-Depth Pirkei Avot • Rabbi Chaim Eisen
NEW - Mincha-KabbalatShabbat-Maariv - 6:00pm • Mincha before PLAG (time will adjust in mid-August)

Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults Fall Program 5762 (2001 - 2002) At the Israel Center
10:15am, • Parshat Hashavua with Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold
10:20am • The Book of T'hilim • Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold
All JCA classes - 20NIS per class (payment is separate from Israel Center classes)

ON SUMMER RECESS Also on TUESDAYS at the CENTER Two Tuesday morning classes at the Israel Center by the Yad Yaakov Center for Jewish Education Separate fees. Call (02) 652-4601 for further information 9:00-10:30am

Upcoming at the Israel Center
Motza”Sh, June 29th • in honor of Irwin Goldenberg on his 77th birthday, No charge • Does the Torah Foretell the Current Wave of Terror and Its Solution?; (Fence, nail-bombs... and more) • Rabbi Efraim Sprecher

Sundays June 30, July 7 & 14 • Torah, Psychology and Self Control with Dr. Baruch Shulem, Internationally known lecturer on religion and psycotherapy

Monday, July 1 • 11:30am; Beit Sarah Rosa presents: Start your week with PSP:; Psalms, Song, Cermaic Workshop, Silk Screen Painting etc. and Dance of the Alef Bet letters. Call to reserve: 052 633733

Tuesday, July 2nd • 8:00pm; Torah Spirituality and the Treatment of Cancer by Yaakov Gerlitz (new Oleh!) former director of the Center of Interactive Medicine, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital

Tuesday, July 9, 8:00pm, Explaining the New Israeli Tax Law and explaining the Halachic Basis for paying taxed to the State of Israel with Eli Clark, Tax Attorney & Rabbi

FOR SALE: Sauter oven; Siemens dish washer; washing machine/dryer; microwave; refrigerator... BARGAINS; Must go by Monday • call: 053-851-663

OU ISRAEL CENTER Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center
Yitzhak Fund, President
Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President
Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President
Harvey Tannenbaum, Secretary/Treasurer
Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member
Rabbi Eddie Abramson, Vaad member
Rabbi David Cohen, Director General, OU in Israel
Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center
Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor
22 Keren Ha'Yesod POB 37015 Jerusalem 91370
Phone: (02) 566 7787 Fax: (02) 561-7432
email: tt@ou.org - website: www.ou.org/torah/tt
Orthodox Union • National Conference of Synagogue Youth
This publication and many of the programs of the Israel Center and NCSY b'Yisrael are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel
TT is published and printed "in house" at the Israel Center

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