Halachic Times for Jerusalem Winter
(Standard) Time Candle lighting - 4:31pm (Earliest - 4:01pm) Havdala - 5:48pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 6:20pm) Earliest Shacharit 5:44-5:41am Sunrise 6:37-6:33am Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma 9:14-9:12am (8:27-8:26am) Sof Z'man Shacharit 10:06-10:06am (9:35-9:35am) Chatzot (halachic noon) 11:51-11:52½am Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) 12:22-12:23pm Plag Mincha 4:00 - 4:05½pm Sunset 5:11-5:17pm (5:06-5:12pm) It's About Time... Again Time for another look at the Halachic times on the front page. There are some slight changes. Once upon a time, we used charts and books of tables to select the times to list each week. For several years now, we've been using a computer program called HAZON SHAMAYIM that has undergone many version updates, from the old DOS versions to Windows to more an more shaping and polishing and improving. A wonderful fringe benefit of my use of this program has been the many telephone conversations (we have yet to meet face-to-face) with Rav Eitan Zakuni of Netivot. He has been very helpful in fine-tuning my understanding of different opinions as to how to compute Halachic Z'manim, as well as confusing me beyond help about the same issues. Before I continue, let me recommend that anyone serious about the study of Halachic Z'manim give Rav Eitan a call and consider buying his program and Sefer on part of Rambam's Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh. His number is 08-994-5621 and is most reachable after about 8:30pm. Based on our most recent conversations, I have decided to modify some of what is presented on the front page. A most interesting issue for Yerushalayim (which would apply in many other places in Israel and around the world, but it seems that Jerusalem is the main place of concern) is whether sunrise and/or sunset is to take into consideration Jerusalem's elevation above sea level or not. A location's latitude and longitude are major factors for determining Halachic times. What role, if any, elevation should play is another matter. In theory, the higher above sea level one is, the earlier he can see the sun rise and the later he will see it set. That is, of course, if one has a view of the horizon in question. Generally, Jerusalem's elevation causes sunset to be about 5 minutes earlier than at sea level, and a sunset of about 5 minutes later. Keep in mind that these times can be calculated mathematically (based on angles of the Sun above and below the horizon, even if direct observation is hindered.) In practice, Jerusalem's view to the east (where the Sun rises) consists of Harei Mo'av, the Jordanian Hills, which are at a similar elevation to Jerusalem itself. Therefore, the elevation vantage point is negated for Jerusalem because of its unbroken hilly eastern horizon. We are therefore including only one sunrise in the Z'manim box on the front page (a change from our long-standing practice). That time is known as Z'RICHA BAMISHOR, sunrise on a plain (with sea level). We will consider the earlier sunrise which takes elevation into account not to be relevant for Jerusalem Z'manim. This is not the case for sunset in Jerusalem. Many places in Jerusalem have a view towards the west of a sel level horizon. And therefore, many authorities hold that elevation should be taken into account. In our front-page box, sunset is given for GOVA (elevation) and then in parentheses BAMISHOR (without elevation). Times given as a range cover the 8-day period from the current Thursday (the day before the date of the TT) to the following Thursday, inclusive. Deadline for Sh'ma and Shacharit are given first according to the Vilna Gaon's opinion (day = sunrise to sunset), and then the opinion of the Magen Avraham, in parentheses, that the day is calculated from dawn to stars out. We'll have more on Halachic times in future issues of TT, IY"H. 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... If you have not said Kiddush L'vana yet this month, you still have the opportiunity to "greet the Divine Presence" for another few days. This Motza'ei Shabbat is fine, as is Sunday night, and even Monday evening, but only until 7:00pm (in Israel). This time is calculated by adding 14 days 18 hours and 22 minutes to the previous Molad. 14:18:22 is half of a lunation, the time between successive Moladot (average). The moment is called the NIGUD (opposition) and it is Full Moon (based on average, not actual, figures). And here's the point. The timing of the Moon around the Earth, through its phases, varies from month to month. At 8:00pm this coming Monday night (an hour after the deadline for saying K.L.) the moon will not yet appear to be diminishing (and it would then be inappropriate and improper to say K.L. any more this month). In fact, real full moon is not until Tuesday morning. So "really" we should be able to still say K.L. all Monday night. Except we accept the p'sak of the Rama that 14d 18h 22m after the Molad (avg.) is the deadline for the bracha, regardless of when full moon actually is. That's the way it works. Shabbat before Matan Torah We sing it at the Seder table: ILU, ILU NATAN LANU, NATAN LANU ET HASHABBAT. If You had just given us the Shabbat and had not brought us close to Har Sinai — DAYEINU — we would have sufficient cause to acknowledge and thank You. Next week's sedra finds Bnei Yisrael at the foot of Har Sinai hearing the commands of Shabbat - to remember it by sanctifying it and not to do any manner of Melacha (creative activities of various types) on the Shabbat. We stood trembling under the fiery, smoky mountain, on sensory and emotional overload. But this was not our first introduction to Shabbat. That was this week, in the context of the Manna and its special "behavior" in honor of the Shabbat. When the Manna first fell, we were taught that each day takes care of itself – under G-d's supervision. We were commanded NOT to leave over any Manna from one day to the next. Then, with the approach of Shabbat, the People are told differently. We are first introduced to the specialness of Shabbat in the context of our sustenance. This is no small matter to the People. Newly freed slaves are exceptionally concerned about their water and food. The supply of quick-baked matza-breads they brought with them from Egypt has run out, they have had water problems (and miraculous solutions) already, and they are anxious about their food. Several days into the Manna, the people were beginning to appreciate G-d's blessings and miracles. In that context, we were introduced to this special day of the week that is catered to, prepared for by its preceding day, Erev Shabbat. Our not collecting Manna on Shabbat itself teaches us additional things. Shabbat is a day of rest. One is not to be "on the go" as he is during the week. T'chum Shabbat (Shabbat boundary) is the "minor" mitzva of Shabbat, in contrast to the "major" aspects of the prohibition of Melacha. Yet, it teaches us something special about Shabbat that can sometimes get lost among the prohibitions, Av Melachot, To'ladot, rabbinic prohibitions, and myriad of Shabbat customs and practices. Shabbat is a day to stay home. To relax and recharge one's spiritual batteries, and even to get some physical rest. B'shalach also gives us our own version of Manna - our special Shabbat food. Lechem Mishna, twin loaves, symbolically protected by "layers of dew" (our Challah board and covers). The practice of having 3 Shabbat meals comes from this week's parsha, in the context of the words, "For it is Shabbat to HaShem". That's our context for our three meals - especially the third, with its traditional focus on Divrei Torah. This is our pre-Sinai introduction to Shabbat. It is part of why Shabbat is so dear to us. Sedra-Stats 16th of 54 sedras; 4th of 11 in Shmot Written on 215.33 lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 17 14 parshiot; 9 open, 5 closed 116 p'sukim - ranks 23rd (6th) 1681 words - ranks 19th (4th) 6423 letters - ranks 18th (4th) Fairly long p'sukim in words and letters, hence higher rankings in those categories MITZVOT B'SHALACH contains a single mitzva of the 613, the prohibition of leaving one's Shabbat boundary on Shabbat. Rambam and the Chinuch each count T'CHUM SHABBAT as the lone mitzva in B'shalach, Ramban's opinion is that T'CHUM is Rabbinic, and no mitzvot come from B'shalach. Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Kohen - First Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 13:17-14:8 "When Par'o sends the People...", G-d leads them along a circuitous route to prevent them from panicking and returning to Egypt. Moshe, in fulfillment of the promise made to Yosef by his brothers, takes Yosef's remains out of Egypt with the People. [SDT] The Midrash tells us that Yosef's bones had been hidden by the Egyptians in the Nile in order to prevent the Israelites from leaving the country. Yosef's coffin miraculously surfaced just at the right time, so that the People could take it with them when they left. We are taught that Yosef merited being taken out of Egypt for burial in Eretz Yisrael because he had arranged for his father's burial. Moshe, in turn, was accorded the highest honor - G-d Himself - took care of Moshe's burial, in reward for the attention he paid to Yosef's remains. [FYI] The Gemara teaches us that a dead body itself - and certainly one who is defiled to a dead body - is allowed into the "Levite Camp", and is only banned from the Mikdash area. This we learn from the fact that Moshe took Yosef's bones "with him". This halacha has significance today concerning the permissibility of ascending the Temple Mount in those areas that are outside the Mikdash area. That part of Har HaBayit has the status of the Levite camp, and one may go there following immersion in a Mikve to rid oneself of "the defilement that comes from the body". (Defilement to a dead body cannot be removed without the Para Aduma potion.) - with certain restrictions. A person careful about Halacha should consult Rabbanim with Temple Mount experience before ascending to there. If and when the government allows Jews onto Har HaBayit, it will be important for religious Jews who know how to go there "properly" to do so, in order to establish a Jewish presence on that sacred area. G-d provided an escort for the People in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. G-d tells Moshe of His plan to lead the People in such a way that Par'o will pursue them in the misguided hope of bringing them back to Egypt. When Par'o is notified (by spies whom he had sent to accompany the Israelites) of the People's whereabouts, he (with G-d's help in making his heart "heavy" and "strong") takes a tremendous force with him and chases after the People of Israel. [SDT] "And G-d did not allow them to go DERECH ERETZ P'LISHTIM. Literally, they did not take the straight route to the territory of the Philistines. One commentator suggests an interesting DRASH based on a play on words. G-d did not take the People out of Egypt in DERECH ERETZ, in the normal, natural way of things. Normally, bread comes from the ground; for the People of Israel, G-d sent them bread from above. Normally, water comes from above; for the People of Israel, G-d provided water from below, from the miraculous Well that accompanied them on their journeys, in the merit of Miriam. Not taking us out in a natural manner, leaves us with no doubt that it was indeed G-d Who took us out of Egypt. This is a crucial foundation stone of Judaism. Not only did we get out of Mitzrayim, but it was G-d Who took us out. Not only did He take us out, but the people knew it well. Levi - Second Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 14:9-14 The mighty Egyptian army pursues the People. When the People of Israel see them coming, they are greatly frightened because there is no place to flee. They complain to Moshe that it would have been better to have dies in Egypt. Moshe reassures the People, encourages them not to fear, promises them that G-d will fight on their behalf, and tells them that Egypt will soon cease to exist. [SDT] It might be suggested that what is happening is a clarification of who took the People of Israel out of Egypt. Par'o actually thought that he let the People go - that he expelled the People from Egypt. That's even what it seems to say at the beginning of this week's sedra. G-d arranged to have Par'o run after them. Then the events make it clear to him - and to us - that G-d, and only G-d took us out of Egypt. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 14:15-25 G-d "asks" Moshe why the People are screaming; let them just move on. [sdt] Our Sages teach us that there are times that prayer is called for, and other times when action is the order of the day. Sometimes we must use long prayers and petitions; sometimes a quick prayer not only suffices, but saying more can be counter-productive. G-d says: MA TITZ'AK EILAI, why call to me? MA is spelled MEM-HEI. MEM can represent the 40 days and 40 nights that Moshe was to spend in prayer on behalf of the People following the Sin of the Golden Calf. MEM represents long prayer. HEI can stand for the simple but eloquent 5-word prayer for Miriam's recovery from Tzora'at which she contracted in punishment for speaking disrepectfully of Moshe. And sometimes, neither short nor long prayer is appropriate. At this point of the Exodus, the order of the day was decisive action. Move it! There is another example later in the Torah of Moshe and Aharon springing into immediate action to stop a plague from killing the People. We must know when to say T'hilim and went to act. G-d tells Moshe to raise his hand over the Sea and split it, so the People will be able to pass through it on dry land. G-d informs Moshe that He will again harden Egypt's heart so that they will continue their pursuit. The Egyptians will finally know G-d's might. The guardian angel (pillar of cloud) that was leading the People now was repositioned between the Jews and the pursuing Egyptian army, preventing contact. Moshe raises his hand above the Sea and G-d causes a powerful eastern wind to blow all night, followed by a parting of the waters. The People of Israel enter the Sea on dry land, between walls of water. Egypt boldly follows, but the arrogant attitude of the Egyptians abruptly changes to fear and panic as their chariots lose their wheels and bog down in the seabed. (This is in sharp contrast with the perfectly dry land that Israel found beneath its feet.) Egypt finally (too late) acknowledges G-d, not only now, but retroactively, as the One Who had fought for Israel in Egypt. [sdt] Why the strong wind blowing all night? Could not G-d have split the Sea with the snap of a finger? The answer is: Of course. But the night's preparation for the miracles of the day serve several purposes. The Egyptians are lulled into a false sense of security when something is happening that they can explain. They don't want to accept that the G-d of Israel is performing miracles for His people. No doubt, their wizards explained the desert winds and the effects it can have. Among the Jews, there are always individuals who would like not to admit to G-d's awesome powers. They too will have their "excuse" in the natural components of the miracle. Perhaps, most importantly, this wind (and the like) allows us to relate to and appreciate more, the miracles themselves. A snap of the finger brings results too quickly for us to think about what is happening. A night to ponder what was going on, further enhanced the appreciation of the Children of Israel for what had happened, was happening, and was to happen. R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 32 p'sukim - 14:26-15:26 Moshe is now instructed by G-d to raise his hand once more over the Sea so that the waters may return. He does so and the Egyptians are drowned. The People, however, have succeeded in passing through the Sea and are ecstatic in their salvation. They attain true belief and trust in G-d and in Moshe His servant. (Rambam states that complete, solid, lasting faith in G-d was attained at Sinai. Here we must say that the belief was great, but not yet permanent.) Next comes the Song of the Sea. What makes the Song of the Sea so special is that it is a direct quote of the People of Israel that G-d put into His Torah verbatim. In other words, the rest of the Torah is written by G-d; we composed this part. It is an inspiring passage that has been incorporated into the daily davening. [SDT] It is written in Sefer HaChareidim that "he who says the Song of the Sea aloud and with joy, it is as if he was leaving Egypt at that moment - and his sins will be forgiven." In the merit of the Song of the Sea, G-d split the Sea for the People and forgave their transgressions. The People continue their journey and fail to find water for three days. When they do find some, they complain bitterly (pun intended) of the inability to drink it. G-d directs Moshe to perform a miracle whereby the water becomes sweet. [SDT] Aside from the literal meaning of the text, this episode is considered an allusion to the primacy of Torah in the life of a Jew. Both Torah and water sustain life - spiritual and physical. In the same vein, "three days without water" resulted in our reading the Torah on Monday and Thursday, so that in our wandering in the spiritual desert of life, we will not go 3 days without spiritual water. This is but one "use" of the well-known analogy between Torah and water. Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 15:27-16:10 The People next travel to Eilim and from there to Midbar Tsin, en route to Sinai. This time, they complain about the lack of food. G-d tells Moshe about the Manna which He will soon provide for the People. Moshe tells the People that they will soon see how G-d hears and listens to their complaints. Manna is not just the food that sustains the people throughout their wandering, it is also a crucial test of the faith that the people should have in G-d. The Manna was to fall daily except for Shabbat, and was not allowed to be left over night (except for what fell on Friday). This facilitated a constant strengthening of our faith in G-d - the need to "trust" him every single day. Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 26 p'sukim - 16:11-36 The account of the mahn continues... Quail miraculously appear in the evening. On the next morning, the Manna - protected by a layer of dew above and below it - appears. The People are fascinated by it and when they question Moshe, he explains the rules & procedures set down by G-d. Despite being told that the Manna will NOT fall on Shabbat, there were individuals who went out to search for Manna. G-d "takes note" of this display of lack of faith. Included in the instructions about the Manna is the command not to "leave our PLACE on the seventh day (to collect the Manna)". This was not just a rule for that generation; it is a mitzva among the 613 - the mitzva of T'chum Shabbat [24]. Briefly, the point of T'CHUM is not about how far we may walk on Shabbat. It is about how far AWAY FROM HOME we may go. This is obvious from the halachic details of T'chum. The weekdays are for going. Shabbat is for staying put (as defined by halacha) and being able to "relax" and ponder G-d's Creation and Mastery.over all. The episode of the Manna is the context in which the Shabbat was first introduced to the People of Israel. A sample of the Manna was stored as a remembrance for future generations. Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 16 p'sukim - 17:1-16 The People journey to Refidim and once again complain about the lack of water. (It is not the complaint itself that "angers" G-d - if you're thirsty, you're thirsty. It is the apparent lack of faith and the doubt in the value of the Exodus that casts a negative light on the People.) In response, G-d tells Moshe to gather the Elders and People and strike a rock in their presence with his miraculous staff. The result is water for the People. The final nine p'sukim (which constitute the Torah reading of Purim morning) tell of the attack by Amalek on the fledgling nation of Israel. It is the archtypical fight against those who would seek to destroy us. This battle repeats itself - differently - throughout Jewish History. Haftara - 52 p'sukim -Sho'f'tim 4:4-5:31 During the period of the Judges, Bnei Yisrael found themselves cruelly oppressed. When delivered from that oppression, Devorah sang a song of praise and thanks to G-d, similar in nature to that of Moshe and Bnei Yisrael in the parsha. Similarly, the People's faith in G-d had similar "ups and downs" to those we find in the sedra. Devorah was instrumental in restoring a high level of faith in G-d among the People and in leading the People to great victories. The format of the Song of Devorah is the same as the Song of the Sea. Some read a shorter version of the haftara. THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 121 (part one) • Levying Taxes on a Community In the synagogue on Purim, whenever the reader of the Megillah mentions the name Haman, the congregants make noise with noisemakers or stamp their feet or just hiss. There is another word in the Megillah that elicits a similar response of hissing and stamping of feet. When the reader, near the end of the Megillah, reads “And the king Ahasuerus placed a tax (mas) upon the land,” there is usually a sustained hissing and stamping of feet. Needless to say, taxes are very seldom popular. In fact a great deal of white collar crimes deal with illegal tax evasion. High priced tax attorneys find loopholes for their clients to legally avoid paying certain taxes. But even since the earliest times, taxes are a way of life in most civilizations. There are many types of taxes, many often overlapping. The Jewish community is no different than other communities; taxes have to be collected to support the workings of government, to provide the usual expected services to the citizenry, including security of the citizens. Before I commence the next paragraph I think a few words are in order. Throughout the lessons I write about the Shulhan Aruch, Hoshen haMishpat. A few weeks ago my wife and I were invited to some friends, for dinner. After dinner our host showed me a small volume and proudly displayed his “Shulhan Aruch”. He wanted to know where in th e Shulhan Aruch he could find the part that in my lessons I label as Hoshen haMishpat. I explained to him the volume that he showed to me was not a “Shulhan Aruch” but rather a “Kitzur Shulhan Aruch” a condensed version of some, but certainly not many, of the sections of Shulhan Aruch. The next day in the synagogue library I showed him the Shulhan Aruch, consisting of ten tall, thick volumes. These volumes are divided into sections, the first three volumes are known as Orach Chaim, the next three volumes known as Yoreh De’ah, one volume known as Eben haEzer, and three final volumes known as Hoshen haMishpat. If you have not seen the Shulhan Aruch, please go to your synagogue library and ask the rabbi to show it to you. With this introduction, I can begin this lesson speaking about the Shulhan Aruch. (More about the authorship in some future lesson.) In Shulhan Aruch Hoshen haMishpat, Rabbi Karo, in those chapters that contain the laws of joint ownership of real estate has a chapter, 163, that he calls “Those Matters Which the Inhabitants of a Community may Compel the Others [to do]." This chapter relates to taxes, since obviously the inhabitants of a community can compel the payment of taxes to the community. In this lesson and the next two lessons, I shall discuss taxes as levied according to halachah (Jewish law) in the Jewish community. For the purposes of this lesson and the next lesson, whether the community be a small town or a large city, the laws are usually similar. Many of the laws that were codified in Shulhan Aruch, Hoshen haMishpat, and the commentaries on the Shulhan Aruch, reflect the fact that for the last 2,600, except for 153 years including the present State of Israel, and about 100 years under the Hasmoneans, the Jews did not at any time have sovereignty in their own homeland. They were subject to the whims of secular rulers where they resided, including in the Land of Israel, which until 1948 was ruled by foreign secular rulers. Very often these rulers foisted extraordinarily exorbitant taxes on the Jewish community, and left it for the Jews to raise the taxes within the community in any manner they saw fit and then remit the moneys to the ruler. The Western democracies generally do not “at this time” have tax laws that discriminate against Jews living in their country. I say, “at this time” since Jewish history is replete with comfortable living in foreign countries and then a sudden shock and rude awakening of pogroms and expulsions. In this lesson and the next two lessons, the secular ruler is designated as "the ruler." The ruler may be a king, dictator, or a democratically elected government such as in some western democracies. Many Jewish communities developed a system of representative government based on the local council, usually consisting of seven members. In this lesson such council is designated as "the Jewish council," and local Jewish government is designated as "the Jewish government." Taxes are differentiated in this lesson between the taxes foisted on the Jewish community living under the secular rulers and the taxes that the Jews imposed on their own residents for the normal operations of their internal governmental functions. The former are designated herein as "external taxes" and the latter as "internal taxes" and are used for internal matters. The topics of this lesson and the next lessons are arranged as follows: external taxes; internal matters for which taxes may be levied; who may vote in the election of the Jewish council; who may be taxed; certain exemptions from taxation; graduated taxes; establishing the taxpayer's worth; and collection of the taxes. Every inhabitant of the community is obligated to pay the external taxes imposed on the Jewish inhabitants of the community, whether or not the inhabitant is a permanent resident or has some other exemption, described below, from internal taxes. The reason for this is, that the ruler in imposing the taxes looks to see how many people are in the Jewish community and does not take into account that many of the persons in town are not permanent residents. He deems all of the persons that he finds present to be part of the tax base. If the ruler imposes a head tax, everyone must pay such tax, including Torah scholars. Because of the special role that Torah scholars play in Jewish life, they are exempt from some internal taxes, the theory being that it is because of their scholarship that the city is safe. Rabbi Moshe Isserles (Ramo) in his glosses to Shulhan Aruch, Hoshen haMishpat, chapter 163, writes the following law: A [Jewish] community loaned money to the [secular] ruler, who told the [Jewish] community to repay itself from taxes collected for this purpose. Thereafter, the [secular] ruler changed his mind and insisted that the loan be cancelled and that taxes collected be sent to him without the offset for the money loaned to him, which the [secular] ruler had in essence expropriated for himself. The [Jewish] community reconciled itself to the fact that the money raised by these taxes was lost and that the other taxes would have to be paid, and the townspeople did actually pay the additional taxes. The [secular] ruler died and his son ascended the throne and agreed to the original arrangement made by his father, that is, that the citizens would not have to pay twice. It was held that under such circumstances, the money recovered by the [Jewish] town council from the ruler may be held by them and need not be refunded to compensate the taxpayers. The reason is that when the ruler stated that he would not repay the loan, there was a universal acceptance that the Jews had given up any hope of recovering the moneys. Once hope has been given up the moneys are deemed abandoned. (To be continued in the next lesson, IYH) The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in Vol. V, Ch.163 of A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law by E. Quint, published by Jason Aronson, Inc. and on sale at local Judaica bookstores. 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. SHABBAT BOUNDARIES Although the primary commandment to keep Shabbat is part of the Ten Commandments, the first Shabbat commandments are in our parsha: the double portion of manna on the sixth day which kept until Shabbat, which is the precedent for oneg Shabbat, and the commandment “no man shall go out of his place” (Shemot 16:29), establishing Shabbat boundaries which are the original kind of Shabbat rest. Many authorities rule according to the Talmud Yerushalmi (Eiruvin 3:4), that this verse teaches a Torah prohibition for any Jew to go twelve Hebrew miles beyond the place of his Shabbat station; all agree that the Sages imposed a more stringent boundary of two thousand amot, which is one Hebrew mile - about a kilometer. The Talmud explains the source of the two-thousand amot “city limit” based on a most cryptic inference: “We learn place from place, and place from fleeing; fleeing from fleeing, and fleeing from border; border from border, and border from beyond”. (Eiruvin 51a) Rashi explains: The word “place” in the verse “No man shall go beyond his place” is clarified by the word “place” in the verse “And I have established a place whither he may flee” (Shemot 21:13), referring to the cities of refuge which provide sanctuary for an unintentional manslaughter. And the word “fleeing” in this verse is clarified by the word “fleeing” in the verse “from the border of his city of refuge, whither he may flee” (Bamidbar 35:26). And the key to the meaning of this fleeing is the word “border” - there is a specific boundary in which the inadvertent killer is protected. The word “border” in this verse is clarified by the the word “border” in the next verse, “And the blood avenger will find him beyond the border”. The key to the meaning of this border is the word “beyond” - a border demarcates an area within and an area without. Finally, the word “beyond” is clarified by the word “beyond” in the verse “And you shall measure beyond the city” two thousand amot in each direction (Bamidbar 35:5). This measurement refers to the environs of the special Levite cities, which may not be built up for two thousand amot around. We conclude that the Shabbat boundary is two thousand amot. SHABBAT AS A CITY OF REFUGE City of refuge (ir miklat)Shabbat:City of refugeThis passage suggests that our Shabbat location can be likened to a city of refuge – the ir miklat where the negligent but unintentional killer is protected from the blood avenger. When the period of exile is through, he is free forever from the threat of vengeance. Shabbat is a place of refuge for the Jewish people, a time when we are safe from the worries and concerns which pursue us relentlessly during the week. Like the unintentional killer, most of the worries which stalk us are of our own making, the results of our own careless actions. Even so, the Torah provides us a refuge in the form of the Shabbat. Ultimately, the killer is released from his time of exile, and the avenger may no longer pursue him; after Shabbat, we start our week anew, with an inner peace which protects us from the weekday worries which seemed so daunting on Friday afternoon. We further learn “fleeing” from “border”. The inadvertent killer is not automatically granted protection from reprisal; he must flee to the specific boundary of the city of refuge. Outside of this boundary he may be accosted. Shabbat also has a border. Like the case of the cities of refuge which don’t protect us until we enter their boundaries, Shabbat doesn’t protect us unless we keep it. The arrival of sunset on Friday doesn’t automatically free us of worries, it merely provides a city of refuge. We then have to hie ourselves to this sanctuary, by observing the Shabbat. (As we explained in parshat Bo in 5760, referring to the idea of a “sukkat shalom”. In a later column we will explain G-d willing the profound likeness of Shabbat to a city of Levites.) 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... Question: After baking a challah for Shabbat, I like to wrap it in aluminum foil so it stays warm. Is that okay? Could I leave it in an oven which is turned off but still warm, where the process would be even more effective? Answer: The problem of wrapping, which you refer to, is called hatmana (insulation). We cannot get into all the details (most of which are found in Orach Chayim 257), but we will touch on some major points, especially as they affect your cases. The gemara (Shabbat 34a-b) forbids two basic types of hatmana. One may not wrap food on Shabbat to keep in its heat. This is a rabbinic prohibition out of fear that one who is so concerned about keeping the food hot might actually come to heat up the food before he wraps it. A second rabbinic prohibition is not to do hatmana in a situation where heat is being added to the insulated food (mosif hevel) even if this is done before Shabbat. This ruling is out of fear that the heat-adding insulation might be done with remetz, a mixture of sand and coal, in which case one might come to stoke the coals at some later point. However, in your case, you have the best of both worlds. You do the hatmana before Shabbat in a simple insulation of aluminum foil, which does not add heat. Thus, it is permitted. Your further suggestion (about leaving the wrapped challah in the oven that is turned off, but still warm) is much more complicated. The gemara, referring to hatmana which is mosif hevel (adds heat), discusses insulating materials which themselves add heat. Aluminum foil does not add heat itself, but it serves as a conduit for the heat of the oven. There is a machloket (dispute) among the rishonim (early halachic authorities) as to whether such a situation is considered mosif hevel and hence, forbidden, or not. The Shulchan Aruch (257:5) is stringent on the matter, while the Magen Avraham (257:18) and Mishna Berura (ibid.:43) report a minhag to be lenient. Logic suggests that in a case where one shuts the oven so that no new heat is added to the system, and one is showing that he is not so concerned that it stay hot over a long period of time (like in classic mosif hevel), it might be more lenient. It would seem that if the oven will not even be yad soledet bo (approximately 113° F) when Shabbat begins, and it is continuously cooling off further, then it is permitted. However, if you would leave your oven on, even on a very low setting, then you should not wrap the challah for the purpose of insulation, as the system is designed to continuously add new heat, similar to remetz. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Hasidic Wisdom from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins) When we open our eyes each morning and
recite MODEH ANI, I acknowledge before You... - it is good to reflect for
a while: Who am "I" and Who are "You"? One can snuff out a candle's flame, but the
essence of that light cannot be extinguished. When suffering, one should not say, "It is bad". Because nothing that G-d does is bad. Rather one should say, "It is
bitter". Because bitter pills are among the best cures. Rite and Reason by by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard Some have the custom of distributing sprigs of fragrant plants and bushes in shul after Kabbalat Shabbat services. (Common among Sfaradim and Eidot Mizrach) REASON On Shabbat, one receives an Adittional Soul (Neshama Y'teira) which derives pleasure from fragrant smells. (This is similar to the reason that B'samim are part of the Havdala cermony). Specifically, two different branches are used, each with its own bracha, to increase brachot on Shabbat. ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd. WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT • by Shmuel Himelstein Two prominent rebbes once met at a resort in Eastern Europe. As they began talking, one complained that he had very few followers. The other one, however, had a very large following. “I understand”, said the first, “that people believe you capable of all types of wondrous actions: healing the sick, aiding those in distress, and even reading people's minds. I wonder if you can really do any of these. Can you, for example, tell me what I am thinking right now?” “Of course”, said the second, “You are reflecting on the pasuk in T'hilim, ‘I have placed HaShem before me always.’” “You're wrong”, said the first rebbe. “That's not what I was thinking about.” “That”, stated the second, “explains why you don't have people flocking to you.” Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder G'matriya Match V'Y'HE B'SHALACH PARO ET H'AM...KI KAROV HU... They opening words of this week's sedra show us that G-d did not just take us out of Egypt and leave us to fend for ourselves, but He orchestrated our every step. This is confirmed in Bamidbar 9:23 with AL PI HASHEM YACHANU V'AL PI HASHEM YISU...AL PI HASHEM B'YAD MOSHE. Right out of Egypt and all the way through the Midbar – and ever since – we (should) travel and rest according to G-d's instructions. The partial pasuk from B'shalach and the whole pasuk in Bamidbar share the same G'matriya (3188). From the Desk of the Director Parshat Beshalach describes the first steps of Bnei Yisra’el en route to the Promised Land. However, in the minds of the freed captives, probably nothing seemed further away. At the first signs of danger, they were likely to run back into the hands of their taskmasters. No wonder Hashem took the people on a more circuitous path through the wilderness in order to prevent such an ignominious event. To assist the fleeing slaves, He led the way by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire. And then the passuk repeats, “so that they could travel by day and by night.” Why take the people through the treacherous desert and why reiterate “day” and “night”? It seems that the answers go beyond the forestalling of Bnei Yisra’el’s retreat to Egypt. Rabbi Chananel noted that Hashem wanted the people to see constant miracles so that they would develop Emunah. Through manna, water, and perpetual protection they would eventually understand - unlike their Egyptian rulers - that Hashem is omnipresent and all-powerful. According to Rashbam, Bnei Yisra’el traveled initially by day and night in order to alarm and trap Pharaoh. During the day, they might feel confident; at night, however, uncertainty and gloom would dominate. As desperate as events appeared, however, the people would learn to express their faith. Likewise, generations later, we too would hopefully internalize the words of the psalmist, “Lehagid baboker chasdecha ve’emunatcha baleilot” - “To declare Your loving kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness at night.” Shabbat Shaolm, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center Towards better Davening and Torah reading Column #13. The 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. Okay, let's try to summarize SH'VA NA and NACH so that we can move on to other topics next week. Just know, that even it there is a fair amount of agreement among BAALEI DIKDUK (Hebrew grammarians) for almost all SH'VAs, there will be some that will "forever" remain points of debate. 5 rules for SH'VA NA (the one that gives its letter a very short vowel sound - in this column, shown as an apostrophe following the letter). The rules are ALEF, BET, GIMMEL, DALET, and HEI. [ALEF] The first letter of a word, if it has a SH'VA, the SH'VA is NA. Books, children, names – S'FARIM, Y'LADIM, SH'MOT. (Maybe the words SHTEI, SHTAYIM, two, is an exception.) [BET] The second SH'VA of two consecutive letters with SH'VAs (in the middle of a word) is NA (the first one is NACH). TISH-M'RU, the SHIN's SH'VA is NACH, the MEM's is NA. (When there are two SH'VAs at the end of a word, they are both NACH (unvoweled). [GIMMEL] stands for G'DOLA. The SH'VA following an UNACCENTED long vowel (T'NU'A G'DOLA) is NA. SHO-F'TIM V'SHO-T'RIM. The SH'VAs under the FEI and the TET are NA because they follow SHINs with CHOLAM, a long vowel. In this week's sedra - the Egyptians said, oy, what did we do that we sent Israel out from our service. VA-YO-M'RU (not VA-YOM-RU). Horse and rider, SUS V'RO-CH'VO (not ROCH). G-d's "right hand", Y'MI-N'CHA - the NUN with the SH'VA follows a Full CHIRIK (the MEM with the CHIRIK is followed by a YUD), not Y'MIN-CHA. Also in AZ YASHIR we find YA-R'DU. KAMATZ GADOL is a long vowel under the YUD, therefore the SH'VA under the REISH is NA. R'DU. And let's not forget the king of them all (because of the change in meaning), VA-YI-R'U, and they feared HaShem (not VA-YIR-U, and they saw). We can include in this rule SH'VA that follows a short vowel that is strengthened (lengthened) by a METEG. With a CHIRIK and a KUBUTZ there seems to be agreement. With PATACH there seems to be debate. Also remember that a connective VAV that became an U at the beginning of a word, the SHURUK (which usually is a long vowel) is considered a short vowel and is not (usually) followed by a SH'VA NA, but rather a NACH. UV-RU'ACH, not U'V'... (This rule has a few more complications, but let's leave it for now.) [DALET] D'GUSHA, a letter with a dot in it (except at the end of a word), its SH'VA is NA. And the water was to them a wall, on their right and on their left. U'MIS'MOLAM. The SIN has a dot in it and a SH'VA under it (and a different dot above it to the left). The SH'VA then is NA and has a short vowel sound. But the letter also belongs together with the MI because of its DAGESH. It isn't a clean differentiation of syllables U'MI-S'MO-LAM, but more like U'MISS'MO-LAM. TUBB'U, not TUB-U. The BET has a DAGESH and a SH'VA. The SH'VA is NA and the BET is emphasized and shared by the first and second syllables. Also in AZ YASHIR - NITZ'VU, with the TZ being stressed and shared by NITZ and TZ'VU. [HEI] This one is forced for the purpose of the mnemonic. HADOMOT, two letters the same and a SH'VA under the first, the SH'VA becomes NA even if it would ordinarily have been NACH. U'L'-LEI-VI (in contrast to UL-GAD, UL-DAN, UL-YOSEF). The SH'VA under the first LAMED became a NA because of the LAMED that follows it. Y'VA-RE-CH'CHA. (This rule too is disputed in certain circumstances.) [VAV] can be the VAV that became a SHURUK exception to the [GIMMEL] rule as mentioned above. Practical suggestion for fellow chronic mispronounces. Take things slowly. Be inconsistent as you correct SH'VAs one at a time. M'TZAVV'CHA. PARSHA-PIX Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire. Flat tire is for the wheels of the Egyptian chariots which fell off when bogged down in the mud of the seabed Of course, there is the Davka graphic of Moshe raising his hand (with the MATEH) over the Sea and its splitting. The brick pattern is how AZ YASHIR is written in the Torah. Water coming from the rock that Moshe hit (as instructed). Quail, as in S'LAV. (Do you think he was from the tribe of DAN? Just kidding) Two challot represent the double portion of Manna that fell on Friday, in honor of Shabbat. Three facets of the battle against Amalek: Moshe's upraised hands, Yehoshua's sword, and the pen with which the account of the battle was written down. Lower right is the representations of the Haftara. The singing bee is Dvora. Thunderbolt = BARAK, Devorah's associate. Milk that Yael gave to Sisra, and the tent peg with which she killed him. 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 (BO) TTriddles: [1] 1, 2, and 3 are 12 or 13, 14, and 15 respectively [2] A wind, a sound, and an illness [3] Avraham,Yishmael, Yosef, Moshe, David, Shaul, ?,?,? Plus 3 PPP-style elements in the ParshaPix (p.3) Plus a TTA (radio) riddle... And the envelope please... [1] The first mitzva in Parshat BO is about Kiddush HaChodesh, sanctifying the months. The mitzva happens, therefore, 12 or 13 times a year (in the time of Sanhedrin, and maybe even now). That's 1 is 12 or 13. The second mitzva is the bringing of Korban Pesach, which happens on the 14th of Nissan. 2 is 14. The third mitzva is the eating of the aforementioned K.P. 3 is on 15. [2] This kind of TTriddle comes from a curiosity about certain phrases in the Torah. For example, When the wind that blew the ARBEH (locust) out of Egypt is referred to as CHAZAK M'OD, very strong, the TTriddle-antennae immediately emerge. How many times does this word-pair appear in Tanach – and is there a TTriddle in it? Computer search program gets called up and finds that the term appears only thrice. The wind that took away the ARBEH, the sound of the Shofar at Har Sinai (next week's sedra), and the illness of the son of the woman who gave Eliyahu HaNavi lodgings (Melachim Alef 17). The child died and was brought back to life by G-d at Eliyahu's "request". [3] Similarly (to TTriddle [2]), VAI-MAHEIR, and he hurried, was a potential TTriddle. Who hurried in the Torah, in the rest of Tanach? Avraham, to where Sara was, to ask her to bake cakes for the angels. Yishma'el, to prepare the meat (tongue with mustard) for the angels. Yosef, out of the room to be able to cry over what he was putting his brothers through, without yet giving away his true identity to them. Par'o (he's the first question mark, and the connection to Parshat Bo), to get Moshe and Aharon back so that they can get rid of the locust plague. Moshe, to bow before HaShem after hearing the 13 Divine Attributes. That's it in Chumash. David (future) HaMelech, in his fight against Golyat (a.k.a. Goliath). Sha'ul HaMelech, fell to the ground quickly upon hearing Shmu'el's terrible prophecy. Shim'i b. Geira (Shmu'el Bet 19). And in Melachim Alef 20. In the ParshaPix, there was a bull in a circle - that's PAR-O. The can of food above the dog could have been the reward for the dog's part in accentuating the miraculous nature of the Night. But that's not TTriddly enough. It is canned food, known in Hebrew as SHIMURIM, so it does point to the same night. Then we have a sneaky PPP. The BO at the upper right is NOT for the sedra. Since when do we put the name of the sedra in the PP? It is part of the word BONE - the NE are on the face of the compass - the BONE is broken, which is a prohibition from the sedra. Here's a TTriddle that missed getting into last week's printed version of TT, but was asked on Arutz-7's Torah Tidbits Audio. The plague was also a preview. It was kind of simple, because there were only three plagues in Parshat Bo, and the Makat B'chorot was the last, so it couldn't be a preview of another plague (although it could have been a preview of something else). Anyway, the answer is ARBEH, the locust. The Torah tells us in 10:15 that the ARBEH were so numerous that they covered the "eye of the earth", and DARKENED the land... Thus, this plague was also a preview of the follwing one, CHOSHECH, Darkness. The explanations of the TTriddles are occasionally long... on purpose. It is our intention to encourage some of the readers to use the TTriddles - or better still, to make up their own - in order to give fun, challenge, and education to their children (and Shabbat guests). For example, take the idea just mentioned and backtrack with it. If there is a link from ARBEH to CHOSHECH (the darkening of the land), is there a link from BARAD to ARBEH? Of course. That one is spelled out. There were some plants that survived the Hail because they were pliable. They did not survive the Locust. Can you find similar links from plague to plague within each 3-plague set? And how about links from set to set? Worth a try. This week's TTriddles: Not a TTriddle, really, but an actual, interesting halachic question, which we did not attempt to answer in this issue. Give it a try and let us know if you've got an idea. [1] Here's a favorite Bracha-Dilemma in honor of TU BiShvat. Dried fruit: Raisins, apricots, pineapple. Apricots are your favorite. Then pineapple. Last, raisins. Three fruit, two different brachot. What goes first? Raisins, you say, because they are of the 7 Species. Good guess, but pineapple would have priority because you like it better (CHAVIV) and the brachot are different. Okay, pineapple then. Problem. Apricots have priority for the first bracha because you like them best. So start with the apricot. No can do. Raisins have priority as Shiv'at HaMinim (with the same bracha). Raisins beats apricots. Apricots beat pineapple. Pineapple beats raisins. A Bracha-Dilemma. No regular TTriddles this week. Israel Center Notes: The Israel Center's Beth Din to adjudicate and arbitrate monetary disputes, according to Jewish law There is a registration fee of 200nis per case No other charges for this service Please call 566-7787 ext. 204 for further information We have forms for two types of cases: Those where both parties agree to submit their dispute to the Beth Din, and those where a complainant wants the Beth Din to summon the second party. If you have already contacted us, we will be in touch with you shortly. Please be patient. We are still ironing out some technical difficulties. Thank you. Yitzhak Fund, Esq. • Rabbi Emanuel Quint Chairpersons Kashrut Questions If you find a discrepancy between the Hebrew labeling and the original packaging... or if you have any other OU kashrut questions, call this toll-free number (from Israel to NY) 1-800-949-0123 From 4:00pm - midnight, you get a human; other times, leave a voice- message OU Kashrut in Israel office at the Center: 5667787 Israel Center Cafe After nourishing the soul, come nourish the body serving coffee, sandwiches, toasts, pizza, french fries, salads, eggs, stuffed potatoes, lasagna, soups... and more Located on the lower level of the Israel Center Hours: Sun.-Thu. - 9:00am - 2:30pm Ask about our catering services on or off the Center premises Thirsty? We now have a hot drinks machine with coffee, tea, & hot chocolate located on the ground floor, anda cold drinks (cans) machine on the first floor near the library. NESTO - Native English-Speaking Teen Olim This past Tuesday NESTO planned on hosting a wild surprise party for our Bat Sherut, Naomi who turned 19 last week. We had games planned, cakes baked and clowns ready to blow up balloons. A great time was to be had by all. One problem: the birthday girl didn’t show up. Unfortunately, Naomi was sick and stuck in Haifa and so, much to the disappointment of all fellow NESTOites, the party was canceled. Instead, NESTO held a movie night. We watched the classic, Dead Poet’s Society, starring Robin Williams. The movie and pizza was enjoyed by all and sparked some serious discussions later that night. Issues such as Individuality vs Conformity, the role of teachers & parents in the education of a child, and the difficulties in finding ones role in life were discussed at length. All in all, the night was redeemed and turned out to be both fun and educational. Maybe next year, Naomi! NESTO is pleased to announce that we have started a joint project with the Arts Department of the Jerusalem Municipality. For the next 3 months a select group of NESTOites will be participating in this unique and wonderful activity. Under the guidance of the very talented Tracy Amar, NESTOites will be given the opportunity to express their creativity and imagination through various arts projects. This past week the activity consisted of designing and painting special memory boxes. Each participant had to explain to the group why he or she chose to design and paint their box in a particular fashion. Needless to say, the kids had a great time and were happy to be able to take home a piece of their own creative artwork. For more information about this project feel free to call us (see box below). In other news, NESTO would like to invite all interested parties to attend our Tu’ Bi’Shevat Seder which will take place Sunday January 27th in the TYC (a.k.a. Zula) at 7:30pm. There will be plenty of good fruits and wine (OK, maybe just grape juice) and lots of fun to be had. You don’t want to miss out. That’s all for now, Shabbat Shalom, Josh, Chave & Naomi The Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis • tel. 566-7787 ext. 245 • fax: 561-7432 • spodek@netvision.net.il • Josh Spodek, Director • Chave Abrahams, Asst.Dir. Naomi Skorecki, Bat Sherut • Jr. NESTO Staff: Natalie Rubinstein, Rafi Poch NESTO is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel 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 willbe ready for you when you board the bus. Israel Center In-House Shabbaton • Shabbat Parshat Mishpatim - Sh'kalim • M'vorchim Choedesh Adar • Friday-Shabbat, February 8-9, '02 with Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, Academic Coordinator & Director of the Business Response Forum & author of The Jewish Ethicist, Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, Machon Lev (Jerusalem College of Technology); and Torah Tidbits columnist “If you want to be pious, observe the laws of damages” (Bava Kama 30a) We will take a good look at the nezikin laws of Mishpatim and their primacy in being mentioned right after Matan Torah. We will also look at the two other opinions: the importance of character and spirituality • Mini shiurim & oral TT's by Phil Chernofsky • Sumptuous meals by Schoketino Catering • An exciting program is planned - Don't miss this special Shabbaton price: 200NIS for Israel Center members who register by January 24 (non-mem +20 • Price goes up 20NIS after that date — call NOW to reserve your place HOUSING: If you live in the neighborhood OR have made your own arrangements to stay nearby, please let us know. If you want us to arrange your housing, there are 4 possibilities: [1] Stay at a nearby home [2] Windmill Hotel (300 per couple, sleeping only) [3] Eldan Hotel (300 per couple, sleeping only) [4] Inbal Hotel (450 per couple, sleeping only) Tuesday, Feb. 19 (7 Adar, birthday & yahrzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu) • A Very Special Tiyul for Women Only • An inspirational and informative full day of travel and prayer at the resting places of our matriarchs in the Galil • Yocheved bat Levi, Mother of Moshe Rabbeinu • Tzipora, wife of Moshe Rabbeinu • Elisheva, wife of Aharon HaKohen (sister-in-law of Moshe Rabeinu) • Bilha & Zilpa, wives of Yaakov Avinu • Rachel, wife of Rabbi Akiva • Guided and led by Basha Zussman and Esther Linder • 8:00 am to 8:00pm • Route via Mediterranean Coastal Road • Bring food & water for the day) • Price: 100NIS members110NIS non members SUN to WED, February 10-13 A Heavenly Vacation in the Lowest Place on Earth Ein GediGuestHouse • We invite you to vacation in the dreamy, serene atmosphere of the beautiful guest house of Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea, lovely air-conditioned rooms set in an abundantly green, tree-filled botanical garden. Each cottage contains a kitchenette with coffee & cookies free all day, refrigerator, vault, video and more in a pleasant ambiance • Kashrut is L'mehadrin - Mashgiach T'midi, Badatz Eida Chareidis, Scholar-in-Residence, Torah lectures, evening entertainment, exercise, tour of Botanical Gardens, tour of Nachal David • 3 nights - 717NIS (239NIS per night) per person, double occupancy (3 payments possible), 2 nights - 510NIS (255NIS per night) per person, double occupancy (2 payments possible), 1 night - 269NIS per person, double occupancy, includes Israeli buffet breakfast, festive evening meals, health club facilities, sulfur pool (70NIS Value), mud treatment (100NIS value), shuttle buses to Dead Sea (very close by) , Transportation (in bulletproof buses): Sunday morning (10:00) to the Guest House (no additional charge) and Wednesday afternoon return to Jerusalem (no additional charge) • Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You'll also enjoy her delicious sweets. From the Philistine's Conquerors to the Returning Heirs Ashdod & Environs with Ace guide Hughie Auman will show us the vivid colors beneath the seemingly drab surface of the area •Wed. Feb. 6, 8:00am-6:30pm • View of Ashdod from Jonah's Hill •Ashdod Yam Fortress •Ashdod Museum of Phillistine Culture • Ad Halom Battleground and Bridge, site of Halt of Egyptian Advance in 1948 • Egyptian War Memorial • Lunch break at Bnei Darom, Bring your own (or order from IC Cafe - p.17) •Visit their Olive Oil Visitors Center and production plant • Mincha in the Bnei Darom Shul ,see the only Torah Scroll retreived from Lebanon during the Operation Sh'lom HaGalil • Nir Galim "Bet Eidut", Museum & Center of Holocaust Studies, The only one dedicated to Pre-Holocaust religious Zionist European Jewry • 125NIS per person (135NIS non-members) • If you wish you will be able to dress up in costumes at the museum so be sure to bring your camera • Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You'll also 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 not listed here, please call Sarah directly at the Travel Desk 566 7787, ext. 249. She'll be happy to accommodate you with any of your requests. Dan Pearl - Jerusalem • thru March 31 Midweek special package: 2 nights, B/B, 840NIS per couple Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem • Shabbatot thru February 1150NIS per couple F/B Sheraton-Plaza, Jerusalem • Shabbatot thru February • 1150NIS per couple f/b, child 2-12 in parents room, 150NIS Novotel Thalasa, Dead Sea • midweek thru January 510NIS per couple H/B (no min. stay) Grand Beach, Tel Aviv • valid all week - thru January 31 269NIS per couple per night B/B; child to 12 FREE in same room Kibbutz Lavi Winter Special • midweek, for tourists Double room in new wing, 3-night package, B/B, $225 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, dit it" visit into an unforgettable, special one! The Back Page of TT504 "Regular" Israel Center classes & lectures - 15NIS for members, 20NIS for non-mem. Life members, free 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 SHABBAT DAY 3:30pm • Shabbat afternoon shiur on Parshat HaShavua with special guest speaker: Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union • Men & women invited • Drinks available • Mincha follows shiur MOTZA'EI SHABBAT Motza"Sh JAN 26 8:00pm Kedma in conjunction with the Israel Center • 20NIS in advance 25NIS at the door Sing & Dance with the kids at a Benefit Concert for Zichron Menachem The Israeli Association for the Support of Children with Cancer and their Families with Naftalie Abramson & his Band and the Solomon Brothers for more info. call Kedma at 02 6253005 or Hindy 058 318649 or Yael 053 473900 SUNDAY 9:30am (women) •Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year • Golda Warhaftig 10:30am (women)Let's really Learn Chumash with Tonia Frohwein N'shei Library - 10:30am - 12:45pm 11:30am (men & women) Parshat HaShavua • Shprintee Herskovits 12:30pm Flame of the Soul, Philosophical and Chassidic insights into Jewish Life • Rabbi David Zitter Men who are looking to do some serious learning... Shiur in Arvei P'sachim by Rabbi David Zitter, 10:00am, SUN-THU Daf Yomi in English with Rabbi Shmuel Halpern, 3:00pm, SUN-THU Shiur in Kiddushin by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel, 4:30pm, SUN-THU (Maariv follows) All shiurim take place in the Israel Center's Ganchrow Beit Midrash one flight up 7:30pm • Jewish Values Education Institute • Do you have questions? • Do you have doubts? Are you seeking the truth? Open to all topics, feelings, questions, doubts, beliefs, and needs from a loving, open, Torah perspective No lecture or criticism - Only acceptances, respect & response • Dr. Daniel Stolper , A psychologist, a rabbi, but mostly a person 8:00pm • new series , Born to Win - An exciting adventure in Torah & Psychology towards Happiness and Personal Wellbeing with Rabbi Yosef Rubenstein, MA Psych, Columbia, 30 years experience SUN, Jan 27 8:00pm • Special TU BiShvat presentation...• TREES HAVE IT - WE CAN LEARN FROM IT • TU BiShvat refreshments will be served • Akiva Woolf ,Dir. Center for Judaism and the Environment MONDAY 9:15am • Excursions into the World of Nevi'im (the Prophets) First topic: The 7 Prophetesses Mrs. Pearl Borow N'shei Library open on Mondays, 10:00am - 12:30pm 10:30am (men & women) • Rambam's 13 Principles • Rabbi Zev Leff 11:36am (men & women) • After 67 BCE - Progidy! • Dr. henry Goldblum jan. 28, 8:00pm (men & women) • Tricky Brachot Situation How & Why • Phil Chernofsky TUESDAY 9:00-9:50am TORAH TOPICS, The World to Come in Jewish Sources Dr. Hayim Abramson 9:55-10:45am SIDDUR TOPICS, In-depth study of the AMIDA Dr. Hayim Abramson N'shei Library open on Tuesdays, 11:15am - 12:45pm 10:50-11:40am Parshat HaShavua R. Mordechai Spiegelman 11:45am (women) Chabad insights into Parshat HaShavua and the Actualia of Our Time Rachel Zisk 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 TUESDAYS 4:00pm • Writing Your Personal Memoirs Everybody has a story to tell. No matter who you are and what you have done, your story is one that should be told. If you have been thinking about writing your personal memoirs and are not sure how to begin, you are invited to join a new writing workshop with Miriam Lock. We will be meeting on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00pm for a series of writing sessions and discussions of our work. The workshop will consist of eight meetings THIS SERIES IS CLOSED. THOSE INTERESTED MAY SIGN UP FOR THE NEXT SERIES. CALL 5667787 X204. Tuesday, January 29, 4:00-10:00pm • THIRD ROOT & BRANCH ASSOCIATION JERUSALEM CONFERENCE ON TORAH & ECOLOGY • Sponsored by the Ecology Fellowship of Root & Branch Association • Conference co-chair: Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld and Professor Richard Schwartz • Light refreshments will be provided • NIS25 per person (flat fee for entire program) 4:00pm.• Ki HaAdam Eitz haSadeh: Man, Trees and Environmental Protection in the Torah , Mr. Akiva Wolff Director, Center for Judaism and the Environment 4:45pm • To Care, To Know and To Do: The Concepts of Nature in the Teachings of Rav Kook , Prof. Benyamin Ish-Shalom Rector, Bet Morasha Jerusalem; Author, "Rav Kook: Between Rationalism and Mysticism" 5:30pm • The Centrality of the Environment from a Torah Viewpoint , Rabbi Prof. Yehuda (Leo) Levi Rector Emeritus, Jerusalem College of Technology 6:15pm • To Care, To Know, and To Do: The Environmental Teachings of Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik, Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik Rav, Cong. Ohr Shalom and Cong. Ahava v'Simcha, Ramat Beit Shemesh; Rebbe, Yeshivat Reishit Yerushaliyim 7:00pm • What Judaism Has to Say to the World about the Environment, Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld Chemist and Economist, Ph.D. in Environmental Studies; Author, "Judaism, Environmentalism and the Environment", "Environment and Confusion" 7:45pm • Man and His Environment, Prof. Nahum Rakover Founder & President, Jewish Legal Heritage Society 8:30pm • Responding Jewishly to Israeli and Global Environmental Crises, Prof. Richard H. Schwartz Author, "Judaism and Vegetarianism", "Judaism and Global Survival", "Mathematics and Global Survival" 9:15pm • And Your Camp Shall be Sacred, Rabbi Ze'ev Chaim Lifshitz Founder & Director, Sadnat Enosh Torah Guidance Center www.geocities.com/eproceeding/rbtorahecology20020129 • email:rb@rb.org.il • website: www.rb.org.il WEDNESDAY 9:30am Towards a More Meaningful Davening Experience Dr. Joel Luber 10:30am Break the Fear Habit... And Live! withAlan Romm P.C. 3:00pm Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow 7:45-8:45pm Jewish Philosophy Road map to the Prophets - Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed Now studying: Rambam's Approach to Korbanot Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and its Wellsprings Now studying: G-d's Ongoing Melacha & the Celestial Shabbat with Rabbi Chaim Eisen This week: Ramban Wednesday, January 30th, 8:00pm • Meet the author series: Judy Balint author of Jerusalem Diaries in Times of Stress (Gefen, 2001) will provide unique insights into the life of an activist writer in Jerusalem 8:00-10:00pm Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass THURSDAY in the morning Shiurum while you fold; Parshat HaShavua and/or the Calendar various presenters 10:30am SLIM FOR LIFE, Libby 651-8061 Elisheva 999-6479 No obligation for the first session Male Choir Rehearsal Thursdays at 7:30pm Led by Yisrael Shwarzstein (for more information, 02 583 3389) Songs by Rosenblatt, Lewandowski, N. Shemer, Carlebach 8:00pm The Book of Yehoshua with Reb Yosef Schreiber Torah Tidbits Audio with Phil Chernofsky on Israel National Radio (Arutz-7), 98.7FM and 1539AM, Thursdays, 10:07-11:00pm, or anytime on www.israelnationalnews.com FRIDAY 9:00am In-Depth Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults Fall Program 5762 (2001 - 2002) At the Israel Center Tuesdays 9:00am A Study of the 613 Mitzvot with Rabbi Aharon Adler 10:15am, Parshat Hashavua with Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold TUE Jan. 29 Feb 5 Feb 12 Feb 19 • 10:15am Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults in cooperation with the David Cardozo Academy announces a series of 4 lectures by noted scholar and author Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes-Cardozo “REVELATI0N & HALACHA” 11:30am, A Study of the Haftarot with Esther Kitov Wednesdays 9:00am (resumes on Feb. 6), Studies in Maimonides: The Jewish State and the Messianic Era with Rabbi Macy Gordon 10:30am, Tehillim: The Book of Psalms with Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold Jan. 30, Feb. 6,13,20 • T'hilim - P'sukei D'zimra The Daily Prayers • Rabbi David J. Derovan And at KEHILAT ZICHRON YOSEPH, 10 Agassi, Har Nof, Thursdays, 9:30am, Timeless Topics with Rabbi Zev Leff All JCA classes - 20NIS per class (payment is separate from Israel Center classes) RESUMES AFTER PURIM: 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 The Journey of the Soul in Biblical Stories Rabbi Yosef Leibowitz 10:30-11:30am Rambam's Shmoneh P'rakim (8 chapters) Rabbi Yosef Leibowitz Upcoming at the Israel Center Motzaei Shabbat, February 2nd, 8:30pm Erev Shira featuring Jewish Music from the 60's & 70's with Ruach Uno starring Howie Kahn (Ruach Revival, producer/composer/keyboards/vocals) Sing along to the songs and hear the stories behind the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Pirchei, Rabbi's Sons, Noam Singers, Or Chadash, Ruach Revival, Kol Salonika, Neginah Orchestra and more Join us for a most special evening of nostalgia! • Members: 30NIS , Non-members: 35NIS "A splendid time is guaranteed for all." SUN. FEB 3 , 8:30pm • Living with Teens - Setting limits • Rachel Frumin M.S.• David Kaufman CSW • Maor Aynayim Therapy Center 054-799-441 MON FEB 4, 10:00am , 25/30NIS • Tsipporah Wizansky (Cognitive Therapist) talks about "How Cognitive therapy helps in Anxiety States" • Riva Schertzman presents "Music as Therapy" • Dr. Vivienne Damelin (psychiatrist) presents "After the Shock: Post Traumatice treatment and Recovery" MON FEB 4, 7:45pm • Memorial Lecture on the 7th yahrzeit of Etta Ehrman Kossowsky z"l • Yael Ziegler on "Israel and the Nations - the models of Yitro & Rachav" • Divrei Torah: Eli Ehrman, Michi Kossowsky • Light refreshments • Details: Esther (02) 991-9003 Monday, February 4th, 6:45-10:00pm • Special workshop for parents, friends and relatives of singles, matchmakers and members of shidduch committees • The Art of being a Dating Advisor with Rosie Einhorn L.C.S.W. and Sherry Zimmerman Esq., authors, "Talking Tachlis", "In The Beginning", "Navigating the Dating Maze"• Learn the "psychology" of single adults as your are trained to guide a friend through courtship and engagement.• 70NIS (includes materials, certificate and ongoing "technical support" by Sasson V'Simcha, the Center for Jewish Marriage. Call to reserve: 5667787 x 204 KIDS-4-KIDS Conference at the Israel Center February 10, 2002 from 4:00-9:30pm • KIDS FOR KIDS Youth Organization for the Recovery of Young Victims of Terrorism • kids4kids@actcom.co.il • 628-1874 • 628-1987 fax: 6283194 One year after... we are here to talk, to listen, to learn, to create healthy vistas for the future... What Can You Possibly Say? Bereavement counselors Adina Rakoff & Thea GIvati • Taming the Trauma - Dr. Batya Ludman, Clinical Psychologist and Debriefing Counselor Our Kids in this War, Dr. Michael Tobin (PhD family therapist) and Rabbi Eitan Eckstein (Director of Retorno), Tools in Our Pocket, Sorrow in Our Hearts, Rachel Frumin (Clinical Psychologist) The manipulation of their children, creation of the suicide bombers , Itamar Marcus The Big Picture, Rabbi Pincus Winston KIDS FOR KIDS speak their heart - Youth Advisory Board members will give you their honest views of life in this War of No Name EXCLUSIVE TEEN TALK SESSIONS 7:00-9:30pm with Rabbi Ekstein; Rabbi Pincus Winston, Adina Rakoff and Thea GIvati Topics include...• “What do I do when my friend's been killed?” • The Big Picture; • Tools in My Pocket, Sorrow in My Heart For Adults, Kids and the Entire Community Friday - Sunday, March 1-2 • In the Footsteps of the Sanhedrin, A study seminar led by Barnea Selavan • Details to follow Pesach Week Rental • Dates Flexible Spacious 3 bedroom, fully furnished apartment in San Simon. Strictly Kosher, Cable TV 02-6798708 • 058-464249 • sdtarag@actcom.co.il Perfect hotel-alternative for visiting relatives or friends OU ISRAEL CENTER Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center Yitzhak Fund, President Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President This publication and many of the programs
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