Halachic Times for Jerusalem Winter (Standard) Time Correct for TT #490 • For sunrise and sunset, first time takes into account the elevation above sea level of Jerusalem, 825m (the times in parentheses do not take elevation into account). For the deadlines of Shma and Shacharit, the first times are according to the GR"A, the day being reckoned from sunrise to sunset. (The times in parentheses are according to the Magen Avraham, the day being reckoned from dawn to stars-out.) Candle lighting - 4:27pm (Earliest - 3:56pm) Havdala - 5:40pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 6:18pm) Earliest Shacharit • 4:40-4:45¼am Sunrise • 5:40-5:45¼am (5:45-5:50am) Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma • 8:31-8:34am (7:47-7:49am) Sof Z'man Shacharit • 9:29-9:30am (8:59-9:00am) Chatzot (halachic noon) • 11:24-11:23am Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) • 11:54-11:53am Plag Mincha • 3:56½ - 3:50½pm Sunset • 5:08-5:01pm (5:03½-4:56pm) 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. First (and best) opportunity for Kiddush L'vana for this month (according to Minhag Yerushalayim, which is 3 full days - 72 hours - from the announced Molad) is this Motza'ei Shabbat, October 20th. 7-day people will first say K.L. on WED, Oct. 24. If you looked at the chart of the Moladot of 5762's months, you will notice that they coincide with Rosh Chodesh, or just about. This is not always the case, but it does allow for the following comment: G-d's "original" plan (so to speak) was to have us begin the months on the day of the Molad (which is the instant that the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, known as conjunction). When G-d told this to Moshe Rabeinu, he told G-d that he could not see what G-d was referring to. (In fact, the Moon is invisible to us at the Molad and for many hours before and after it.) G-d then showed Moshe the form of the Moon at the time of the first visibility of the lunar crescent, and said, When you see it like this - Sanctify it. KAZEH R'EI V'KADEISH. That means that G-d "postponed" the beginning of each month of the calendar so that human beings would be able to see the moon and testify before the Sanhedrin, thereby actively participating in the setting of the Calendar – just as G-d wants. And when there is no Sanhedrin? Then we use Plan B, the calculations that are based on the average time it takes the Moon to go around the Earth, and several rules and patterns. But no "hands-on" participation on our part. That can only happen when we have a Sanhedrin. The result of using the mathematical calculations of Plan B is that we often have Rosh Chodesh on the day of the Molad. Although that is closer to what G-d "originally" wanted (so to speak), it isn't what G-d "really" wants. Because we are temporarily without the Sanhedrin, we cannot use Plan A for the Calendar. We end up (for the time being) with a technically more accurate and efficient calendar, but a cold one. We long (we should long) for the more active partnership with G-d, even with its potential for human error, on the part of witnesses, and even on the part of Sanhedrin. Not one Rosh Chodesh this year would fall on the same day as it does now, if we had a Sanhedrin. Which is more correct? Within their context – yes Sanhedrin, no Sanhedrin – each system is correct. And we cannot opt for the "other" method. Each Plan has its time. May we merit the restoration of Sanhedrin and the return to Kiddush HaChodesh as G-d really wants us to have. And this Week, it's Two Zebras... True enough, there were two zebras on the Teiva. But, no, this week's "lead tidbit" is not about zebras at all — I just decided to catch your attention by mentioning that striped animal again. Hopefully, you will find what is written about the one who was commanded to bring the two zebras into the TEIVA of interest. In the ZICHRONOT (Remembrances) section of the Rosh HaShana Musaf, there seems to be a disproportionate amount of text — both the prayer's text as well as Biblical quotes — dealing with No'ach. And No'ach too You remembered... with LOVE. Very unusual reference. Love is not mentioned in connection to the Avot or Bnei Yisrael in Egypt. Just with No'ach. (Avraham IS called G-d's beloved, in the Tanach, but not in this central bracha of the RH Musaf.) We rarely go further back than Avraham Avinu. And when the Pesach Hagada is describing our "shameful" origins, we mention Terach, Avraham's idol-worshiping father. But the reference to No'ach in the Zichronot bracha is beautiful. G-d remembered him with love. Very unusual. Someone I mentioned the B'AHAVA to suggested that based on the less-favorable explanation of No'ach's being a Tzadik Tamim in HIS GENERATION, that perhaps he needed the extra measure of mercy that "with love" implies, in order to be saved. The Avot, on the other hand, had sufficient merit on their own. I'm not convinced in that direction. I see it more as a reminder of who No'ach was. No'ach was the single bright spot in a world that was so corrupt that G-d actually regretted (so to speak) having created it at all. No'ach made it worth G-d's while (so to speak) not to destroy everything. It wasn't just himself that he saved; he saved his wife, sons, their wives — the human race. And the animal kingdom. Although the implication from Pirkei Avot is that Avraham's accomplishment was greater — having the whole world spared and receiving the reward of it all — No'ach's achievement was no small thing. And in his generation, no less! No'ach truly believed in G-d and followed Him. No'ach was Avraham's teacher for many years. (How many depends on the disputed age that Avraham came to belief in One G-d.) Avraham was 58 years old when No'ach died. But here's the point. Even with an Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov and the Jewish Nation they fathered, we still recognize and remember (as did G-d) the contribution of No'ach to this world. We are human beings, in addition to being Jews. And No'ach is our father. Sedra-Stats 2nd of 54 sedra (2nd of 12 in B'reishit) Written on 230 lines in a Sefer Torah, rank: 15th 18 Parshiyot; 5 open, 13 closed; rank 12th 153 p'sukim - ranks 4th Largest in B'reishit - tied with Vayishlach 1861 words - ranks 11th (6th) 6907 letters - ranks 13th (6th) The noticeable drop in ranking for words and letters in both the whole Torah as well as in B'reishit, is due to No'ach's very short p'sukim. No'ach ranks 49th and 51st in words/pasuk and letters/pasuk respectively.No sedra in B'reishit has shorter p'sukim MITZVA WATCH Although no mitzvot are counted in this sedra among the 613, there are mitzvot in Parshat No'ach. For example, Be Fruitful & Multiply is repeated to No'ach, having been previously said to Adam. We count this mitzva at its first occurrence, from Parshat B'reishit. On the other hand, the prohibition of eating limb & meat from a living animal appears in No'ach, but is not counted among the 613 until it reappears in Parshat Re'eh. In this case, the first occurrence is considered to be directed at the people of the world; the second time it is a command to the People of Israel - therefore it is counted later. There's more; these were just samples. Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Kohen - First Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 6:9-22 The sedra of B'reishit began with the glorious account of creation and "went downhill" from there: The exile of Adam and Chava from Gan Eden, Kayin and Hevel, the continuous degeneration (PI) through successive generations until G-d's "regret" for having created the world and his "decision" to destroy it. The only high note of this universal downslide comes at the end of the sedra: "But No'ach found favor in G-d's eyes". The sedra of No'ach continues this thread and tells us that No'ach was "completely righteous IN HIS TIME". [SDT] Rashi presents the divergent opinions as to whether "in his time" is complimentary or derogatory. Was No'ach great EVEN in his very wicked generation, or was he great only by comparison to the generation in which he lived. Although Rashi does not seem to favor one possibility over the other, it seems obvious that No'ach was not as great as Avraham Avinu. A look at the fifth chapter of Pirkei Avot will reveal a significant difference between No'ach and Avraham. Ten generations between Adam and No'ach and between No'ach and Avraham, both to teach us about G-d's long patience. Same. Yet when the first full run of ten generations was up, the Flood came. When the second one was up, the Mishna tells us, that Avraham's merit sustained the whole world. No'ach's merit seems to have been only enough only to save his own family. On the other hand (same one as the first view), there was a significant difference between the generations of No'ach and Avraham that cannot be ignored. No'ach is informed by G-d of His plans to destroy the world and is commanded to build an ark, bring into it two of every kind of animal and sufficient food for his family and the animals. Commentaries point out that No'ach was given ample time to try to influence his generation to mend its ways. He either didn't succeed or didn't try too hard. He did exactly as he was told (and not more?). Think about this... G-d could have destroyed the world and saved No'ach and family and the pairs of animals with a miraculous snap of His finger. In no time. With no human involvement. He could have; He didn't. He could have left No'ach on his own, to do the whole job of saving his family and sample pairs of all the animals. He didn't do that either. (It probably would have been humanly impossible for No'ach to have done the whole job.) What G-d did do is command No'ach to build an ark of 300x50x30 cubits three-tiered floating structure and to gather all the food necessary to feed many, many animals and his family for a year. Cannot be done without a heavy dose of miracle, of suspension of the laws of nature. But No'ach was part of it. And that is what G-d usually wants when it comes to miracles. We, as humans, relate so much better to that kind of miracle. Nachshon b. Aminadav needed to jump into the Sea before it would split. We need to see some familiar nature inside a miracle... and we also need to see the miracle inside nature. Levi - Second Aliya - 16 p'sukim - 7:1-16 G-d tells No'ach and his family to go into the ark and to take with him seven pairs of each kind of kosher animal and bird. Noa'ch is told that in seven more days it will rain for 40 days and nights during which time all life on earth will be wiped out. No'ach was 600 years old at the time of the Flood. And so it was. G-d's commands to No'ach to take pairs of animals and 7 pairs of kosher animals and birds are two separate matters. The pairs of animals were for the continuation of the species. These animals, we are taught, came on their own by instinct of self- preservation. On the other hand, No'ach had to bring into the Teiva the other animals, whose destiny, so to speak, was the Altar and the dinner table. Another question comes to mind. How many deer were in the Ark? Seven pairs because the deer is a kosher animal, or only two (one pair) because the deer is never brought as a Korban? Since some say that the reason for the seven pairs was because of sacrifices, and others say it was to provide kosher food, what's the answer for deer? Similarly, how many chickens? Sacrifices? No. Food? Yes. So which was it? Rabbi Zev Leff explains that B'nei No'ach are permitted to offer sacrifices from ANY kosher animal or bird; No'ach was not restricted to cow, goat, sheep, and two types of doves. Hence, for either reason, it would seem that there were seven pairs of deer, chickens, etc. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 7:17-8:14 The rains fell and the waters of the deep surged for 40 days and nights, but the Flood remained at its highest for an additional 150 days. G-d 'remembered" No'ach and all with him in the ark, and the waters began to recede. The ark settled on Mt. Ararat and 40 days later (Remember the first 40 days? This time the 40 represents the rebirth of those who survived the Mabul), No'ach opened the" window" of the ark and sent out a raven. Then he sent out a dove, and again, and finally after a full (365 day) year, the earth was ready to receive its new inhabitants. The Torah tells us that every living thing was destroyed by the Mabul except No'ach and those with him in the Teiva. ACH NO'ACH, just No'ach was left... numerically equals to 1+20+50+8 =79. There is a Midrashic tradition that OG, an antediluvian giant survived the Flood by holding on to the Teiva. OG = 70+6+3 = 79. Who survived the Flood? (1) Just No'ach... (2) OG. Rashi later tells us that the "PALIT" (refugee) who told Avraham of Lot's capture was none other than OG, a refugee from pre-Flood times. The last pasuk of this Aliya (9:14) states: And in the second month (many say it is Cheshvan, rather than Iyar, as it would be in a post-Exodus period) on the 27th of the month, the Earth dried out. This pasuk ends the first era of the world. In the next pasuk, G-d essentially says to No'ach, Okay, here we go again. Let's do a better job of living properly this time. Leave the ark, you and your family and all the animals. Be fruitful and multiply. (Same thing was said the first time.) The stories of the First Era are contained between "B'reishit Bara..." and 9:14. Remarkably, both 1:1 and 9:14 have the same G'matriya — 2701. R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 15 p'sukim - 8:15-9:7 G-d tells No'ach to leave the ark with his wife, his sons and their wives, and all the animals and birds. No'ach builds an altar and sacrifices upon it from all the kosher species. G-d's "reaction" to No'ach's offerings is that in spite of the basic evil potential of human nature, He will "take things in stride" and not destroy in the "wholesale fashion" of the Flood (but rather punish on a more restricted basis). The laws of nature are altered to provide the world with a never-ceasing cycle of seasons and climactic conditions. HERE'S A THOUGHT... We can see in the account of the Flood and its aftermath, a continuation of creation. It is as if stage 1 of creation was recorded in Breishit and here we have stage 2. In other words, the world as we know it came into existence during the 6 days of creation AND during the Flood which took place 10 generations later. It's like a rough draft and a final (?) revision. The point is that we learn about the world from all that the Torah tells us. We would not have full benefit of the lessons of the Torah without the account of the early generations. G-d blessed and commanded No'ach and his family (and all of mankind) to be fruitful and multiply". No'ach receives permission to eat meat (this was denied to the previous generations), but was warned not to eat from a live animal. Murder and the other Noahide Laws are referred to at this point. Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 10 p'sukim - 9:8-17 G-d makes a promise to mankind that He will never again destroy the world as He did with the Flood. The rainbow will serve as sign and reminder of this promise. We acknowledge the significance of a rainbow by reciting a bracha when we see one "...He Who remembers the Covenant, is faithful to it, and keeps His word. Note that of the 10 items mentioned in Avot as having been created at the instant between the Six Days of Creation and the first Shabbat, all but the rainbow are supernatural. The rainbow, then, can be seen as a bridge between the natural and the supernatural. Put differently, we should see G-d's handiwork in all the elements of nature, not just in obvious miracles. "The mouth of the Earth" was a one-time creation to dispose of Korach and his gang. But regular rocks and hills, crags and clefts are no less part of G-d's handiwork. Some say that a rainbow is a sign that G-d is angry with the world and would want to destroy it - except He promised not to. On the other hand, Yechezkel describes the Heavenly Throne as like a rainbow, and the radiance of the Kohen Gadol upon leaving the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur is likened to a rainbow in the sky. And it's beautiful, too. Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 44 p'sukim - 9:18-10:32 Second longest Shishi in the Torah. Some time after leaving the ark, No'ach becomes a tiller of the soil and a grape grower. He produces wine and becomes drunk. One of his sons, Cham, behaves immorally with his father in his drunken state; Shem and Yefet behave admirably in the situation. When No'ach realizes what has happened, he curses Cham and his son Canaan, and blesses Shem and Yafet. No'ach lives 350 years after the Flood, and dies at the age of 950. The arithmetic of No'ach's years (600 before + 350 after = 950) seems not to take into account the year of the Flood. There is a good case to be made for not considering the duration of the Flood in calculations of the chronology of the world. We might look at the Flood as a period of "suspended animation" - laws of nature were not in effect; perhaps time as we know it cannot apply to that interval. The animals in the ark did not function in their normal ways. No'ach had no sleep during the whole period (if we take statements made as literal). There are at least five different periods during which nature did not behave as we know it today. (1) The "time" before this world - previous worlds, assuming they existed, did not necessarily have the same laws of nature; (2) the indeterminable time of B'reishit - G-d's act of Creation of something from nothing; (3) the Six Days of Creation, during which G-d commanded things to happen, no doubt in very different ways from the nature He also created; (4) the first 1656 years of this world, for the ten generations from Adam to No'ach, when nature also seems to have differed from what we experience today, (5) the "year" of the Flood. These "lapses" in the Rule of Nature can explain a variety of scientific issues related to time and the age of the earth... and everything in it. The Torah next outlines the generations that followed No'ach including mention of Nimrod, the mighty rebel against G-d, and the nations that came from Shem, Cham and Yefet. Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 32 p'sukim - 11:1-32 This is the longest Sh'vi'i in the Torah The Torah tells us of the attempt to build the "Tower of Babel", the symbol of rebellion against G-d. (This happened, by the way, 40 years after the Mabul - that's another 40.) G-d thwarted the plans, confused the languages of mankind and scattered the people far and wide. Commentaries contrast the two sinful generations in this sedra. Dor HaMabul was destroyed because their sins included the destruction of society by total disregard of a person for his fellow. Dor HaPlaga sinned against G-d alone, not against each other. Society (albeit altered) can survive; G-d can permit it to continue under these circumstances. The sedra returns to the lineage of No'ach, this time tracing only through Shem, straight down to Terach and his son Avram (with wife Sarai). The sedra thus ends with the stage set for the next major phase of world development - the return to belief in one G-d and the "birth of Judaism". Haftara - 22 p'sukim -Yeshayahu 54:1-55:5 Yeshayahu draws a comparison between the covenant that G-d made with all mankind via No'ach and the promises to the People of Israel concerning their future. Just as G-d promised never to flood the whole Earth again, so too does He promise not to rebuke and punish Israel (in the future). THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 107 • Easements over a neighbor’s land With this lesson we begin a discussion of a common situation in areas where homes are built fairly close one to the other. Most people in purchasing a home have a survey made to see that there are no projections from the neighbor’s property which the neighbor can maintain forever. If there is such a right by the neighbor to maintain such projection it may prevent the purchaser from fully utilizing the property he wishes to purchase whether at the present time or some time in the future. The purchaser may be prevented b the neighbor from building an extension to his house. Reuven and Shimon are neighbors, their lands being contiguous and separated by an invisible boundary line. Reuven's house may be built up to the boundary line of Shimon's land or may be a few inches or meters back on Reuven's own land. Shimon's house is set back from the boundary line, or may, extend up to the boundary line. I have designated Reuven as the party who wishes to extend his projection over the airspace of the land of Shimon. Shimon is designated as the party over whose space or land Reuven wishes to project his projection. The term spar shall mean any projection such as a pipe or a beam or a spar or a board or a flagpole or clothesline or similar object. Or Reuven places leaders and gutterpipes on his roof that may project over Shimon's land and/or conduct rainwaters from his roof onto Shimon's land or house. Or Reuven may want to place a ladder against his building to make repairs on his house, which is built right up to or close to his boundary line with Shimon. May Reuven stand his ladder on Shimon's land, and can Reuven obtain a presumption for such ladder? If Reuven obtains a right for his projections over Shimon's land it is designated a presumption to maintain such projection over Shimon's land. There may be times when it is felt that there can hardly be any harm to Shimon, or perhaps even no harm in permitting his neighbor, Reuven to extend his spar or other projection onto his land. There is another aspect of this that is unique to halachah. The right of a landowner, in this case Shimon, not to have anyone, including his neighbors, looking onto his land. This is the right of privacy. Interference with a person's privacy by looking onto his land is a tort, a private wrong. This tort is herein designated as the tort of overviewing. A homeowner (Reuven) is required to build a parapet around his roof that faces his neighbor's (Shimon's) land so that he, Reuven, may not stand on his roof and overview the neighbor's, Shimon’s, land. This is independent of the parapet, which every Jew is required to build around his roof for safety reasons as required by the Torah. In essence there are two major reasons for not permitting Reuven the right to project a spar onto Shimon's airspace: (1) the tort of overviewing, and (2) the deprivation of Shimon to use his airspace when he wants to build thereon. In each situation the test will be whether Shimon is being put into a position where either one or perhaps both of the above reasons prevent Reuven from projecting over Shimon's land exist. If either or both reasons are present, Shimon can bring a timely lawsuit to prevent Reuven from continuing his actions. The failure to act timely may deprive Shimon of his rights and grant to Reuven a presumption that he can continue to maintain his projection over Shimon's land. Shimon may, by order of the Beth Din. prevent Reuven from extending his spar even minutely over the airspace of Shimon's land. Shimon may so prevent him because it interferes with Shimon's privacy when Reuven uses the spar. It is assumed that Reuven will use the spar extending over Shimon’s airspace to hang things thereon, and hen he does so he will almost instinctively gaze onto Shimon’s land to prevent from falling and there is thus an invasion of Shimon’s privacy. Shimon may prevent Reuven from extending the spar even over Reuven's own land even if Reuven states that he will not look over Shimon's land when he uses the spar. Even before the spar is removed Reuven may not use it, but Shimon may use it. Furthermore, if Reuven's spar is permitted to remain over Shimon's airspace, Shimon may be prevented from building on his own land in the place where Reuven's spar intrudes. Thus, Reuven has violated Shimon's rights under both reasons stated above. Just as Shimon can prevent Reuven from extending Reuven's spar over Shimon's airspace, Shimon can prevent Reuven from inserting a spar or even a small nail into Shimon's wall, which is at the edge of Shimon's boundary line. Reuven can, however, extend a spar just short of Shimon's wall as long as it is on his own property and there is no danger of overviewing. Since one of the reasons for enjoining Reuven from overhanging his spar over Shimon's airspace is that Reuven may overview Shimon's activities on his land, if Reuven has already been overviewing Shimon's land this tort and this reason would not be applicable. Thus, if Reuven already legally has windows opening toward Shimon's land and Reuven is already legally overviewing Shimon's land, then Reuven may extend his spar out of his building on his own land within his boundary even if its use would enable Reuven to overview Shimon's land. Since the spar is within Reuven's own land it cannot prevent Shimon from using his own airspace. Thus neither of the two reasons is being violated by Reuven. If Reuven sets his spar near his own window even if it is close to Shimon's land, Shimon could not object, since he could not use his land near the spar for to do so would be blocking Reuven's window, which he may not do. Reuven has a tile roof that requires spars to be extended beyond the roof to keep the tiles in place and the spars and perhaps the eaves extend somewhat onto Shimon's airspace. Reuven has these eaves so that when the rainwater or snow falls from the sloped roof it will not fall against the wall of his own house and damage it. Reuven may keep his spars and eaves there without obtaining a presumption to continually maintain these spars and eaves. Whenever Shimon wants to build in the space occupied by these spars and eaves he may demand that Reuven remove the spars and eaves. Thus, in this situation neither reason is violated by Reuven. Neither eaves nor gutters nor leaders are used by the owner and thus there is no overviewing. And since Shimon can at any time demand that Reuven remove the eaves extending over Shimon's land, Shimon is not prevented from building where the eaves extend. Currently in most communities there are laws requirtng a person Who builds a house to build it far enough from me boundary so that his spars and eaves do not extend beyond his boundary line onto his neighbor's land. The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in Vol. V, Ch.153 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 commentary Meaning in Mitzvot on Kitzur Shulchan Arukh. DRINKING WINE Our parsha relates that Noach began to work the land and planted a vineyard, and made wine. His subsequent drunkenness had tragic consequences (Bereshit 9:20-21, see Rashi). Drunkenness also led people to act against their better judgment in the case of Lot (Bereshit 19:30-38) and of Yitzchak’s blessing (Bereshit 27:25. Of course in all of these cases the drunkenness served the plan of HaShem; our point is that it had a negative effect on people’s moral judgment.) On the other hand, drinking seems to be a positive influence in the case of Eliezer’s stay in the house of Betuel (Bereshit 24:54), where it helped create a sense of fellowship between Rivka’s family and Eliezer. And the Yosef and his brothers did not drink wine until the day when they all feasted together; then they became drunk (Bereshit 43:34 and Rashi). Here also the drinking seems to have created a joyful relationship among the brothers. One evident difference between the negative and positive instances of drunkenness is that in all of the negative cases the drunk person drank alone, while in the positive cases people drink together. Various halakhot also seem to bear the message that wine can have a positive influence specifically when people drink together. The clearest example is that of “hatov vehametiv”. This is a special blessing made on a change of wine. There is a special joy in drinking one wine and then having another, different or better variety brought in, and our Sages established a special blessing for such an occasion, praising HaShem “Who is good and does good” or alternatively “Who is good and then does more good”. While this seems to be an ordinary blessing of praise, most Rishonim concluded that this blessing, like the other “tov umetiv” blessing on good tidings, is said only if the enjoyment is shared with others (SA YD 175:4) Another example is that of saying Birkat HaMazon after meals on a cup of wine. While this seems to be an ordinary kos shel berakha (cup of blessing) like those of kiddush and of havdala, custom is according to the Zohar, which states that "benching" is said over wine only if there is a zimun of three men (MB 182:4). Drinking has the effect of lowering our inhibitions. This has the ability to break down the barriers of alienation among people, which is near the very essence of joy. But it also has the potential to lower our watchful guard against sin. When we drink together, especially in the framework of a mitzva, then the positive aspects of drinking are augmented and the negative ones relatively minimized. The opposite occurs when a person drinks alone. A halakha with a similar message is that it is forbidden to drink intoxicating drinks in a tavern together with non-Jews (YD 114). While we are commanded to maintain positive friendly relations with our non-Jewish neighbors (YD 251:1, 335:9, 367:1), we still maintain a respectful psychological distance. We seek to completely break down the barriers between men only with our fellow Jews; in appropriate circumstances, moderate drinking can contribute to this goal. It goes without saying that a person should never get so intoxicated that he is prevented from serving HaShem with all of his faculties, including saying blessings, prayers and so on (MB 695:4). Rabbi Meir has recently completed writing a monumental companion to Kitzur Shulchan Aruch which beautifully presents the meanings in our mitzvot and halacha. 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 questions, at www.jewishethicist.com or at www. aish.com. KOL MAKON SHE'ANI HOLECH, ANI HOLECH L'ERETZ YISRAEL (Rebbe Nachman of Breslov) In the generation of the redemption of Eretz Yisrael, there are Tzadikim of E. Yisrael, people who dedicate their lives, their thoughts and dreams to the People of Israel who return to their Land. One such person was Rechavam Ze'evi HY"D, who was murdered in cold blood. He was a fierce advocate for the Land of Israel and for the honor of the Jewish People. His passion for the missing soldiers and all of the People of Israel will be lacking. TNZB"H From the Virtual Desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in the areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of the questions 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. The Ask the Rabbi project 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: (last week's, inadvertently omitted) May a woman drink water, tea or coffee before kiddush on Shabbat morning? Answer: First we need to understand the halacha for men, and then we can apply the logic to the case of women. Although prior to kiddush, one can usually not eat or drink anything, a man, upon awaking on Shabbat morning, can drink the same light drinks that he can any day before davening (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 289:1). This includes water, tea or coffee without sugar (one can put a sugar cube in his mouth – B’Mareh Habazak III, 49) and, according to the custom of many, one may put sugar or milk in the tea or coffee (Mishna Berura 89:22). The reason that kiddush is not a problem is that before davening, there is no obligation to make kiddush. That is because kiddush must be accompanied by a meal of some sort, which is forbidden before Shacharit. If a woman always davens Shacharit before eating (and doesn’t rely on a short request from Hashem after netilat yadayim, as was once customary), then her situation is identical to that of a man regarding kiddush. However, if she doesn’t daven Shacharit regularly or if she eats before davening, then she is immediately obligated in kiddush and should not drink before making it (Pri Megadim, Eshel Avraham 209:4). If a woman feels somewhat weak when she gets up or as the morning wears on (not to mention if she is actually sick), and she cannot make kiddush at the time, then she can eat as needed before kiddush (Minchat Yitzchak IV, 28.3). The rationale for the leniency includes the fact that there is an opinion that women are not obligated to participate in kiddush on Shabbat morning. It would seem that a woman who can make her own kiddush but, on the one hand, feels uncomfortable doing so before her husband comes home and, on the other hand, not drinking anything affects her oneg Shabbat, can also rely on that opinion and eat. Question: (this week's) If someone under the age of bar/bat mitzvah inspects grains or vegetables for infestation, etc., is that inspection sufficient? Answer: Your question is a very important and broad one. The applications are too many and complex to exhaust and so, we will address mainly the principles. The gemara (Pesachim 4a) says that minors are believed to attest that a house was checked for chametz. The gemara explains that this is so, because, assuming bitul chametz was done, the problem of possessing chametz is only d’rabbanan (rabbinic). Thus, we have our first distinction, between cases where we need to trust a child regarding a Torah law or a rabbinic one. However, the case in Pesachim may be lenient for two additional reasons: 1) there is no known pre-existing prohibition which needs to be rectified (lo itchazeik isura) – Rama, Yoreh Deah 127:3); 2) the child who is doing the attesting has the ability to rectify the situation himself (b’yado) – tosafot, ad loc. The Rama (ibid.) rules that only when these three lenient factors coincide, namely: a rabbinic law where the prohibition is not known to have pre-existed and the child can rectify the situation himself, is a minor believed. Many take issue on the Rama (including Shach, ad loc.:31) and say that when it is b’yado, a minor is believed even by itchazeik isura. A specific case where poskim hammer out the issues is on the question whether a minor is believed that he performed tevilat keilim (immersing utensils). The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 120:14) rules that a minor is not believed. The Shach (ad loc.:16) explains that this is because tevilat keilim is a Torah law. A major machloket acharonim exists regarding tevilat keilim of a glass utensil, which only has a rabbinic obligation of tevilah (see R. Akiva Eiger and Pitchei Teshuva, ad loc. and a summary in “Tevillat Keilim” (Cohen), 8: (2*)). Regarding checking food for problems, it really depends on several factors. Since there is no knowledge that a problem did exist, there is no problem of itchazeik isura. On the other hand, there is a factor that it requires concentration and toil to properly check (many foods). We would say as follows. In cases where there is not a very high likelihood of problem, a child can be believed because there is only a rabbinic requirement to check. Tosafot (Eruvin 31b) requires that the child himself will be relying upon his own testimony (e.g. eating the food), and some poskim prefer that we rely on their checking only in such a case (see “Bedikat Hamazon Kahalacha 6:2). In certain cases, where there is a Torah requirement to check, a child is not believed. Of course, any leniency must assume that the specific child is fully capable of doing a proper job. “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. If you would like to receive Hemdat Yamim by email, on a weekly basis, please send an email to lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. Hasidic Wisdom, from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins) I can tell you what should not be done - but as for what should be done... that is something we all must figure out for ourselves. - Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk The golden rule: Give and Take. That is the way the world was created. So that everyone should influence others and be influenced in kind. Anyone who does not embody both of these qualities is nothing but a fruitless tree. - Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik of Ziditzov Sinners are better than misers. When sinners sin, they regret it. But misers sin and enjoy it - because they get to keep their money. - Rabbi Yitzchak Meir of Ger Someone who does not reserve one hour every day for oneself, is not human. - Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav Rite and Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard Why do we not say V'HU RACHUM at the beginning of the Shabbat Maariv? REASON The p'sukim V'hu Rachum – And He Who is merciful shall atone for transgression... were introduced to correspond to the burning of the afternoon TAMID (daily burnt offering) which atoned for any transgressions that were committed during the day, and was burned on the Mizbei'ach at night (our davening Maariv corresponds to this "burning of the fats and parts"). On Shabbat, the weekday TAMID was not burned at night. So V'hu Rachum is also not said on Shabbat (Beit Yosef). Some follow the practice that the woman of the house brings the salt to the table. REASON HaShem punished the wife of Lot by transforming her into a pillar of salt (B'reishit 19:26). Our Sages comment that she received this punishment because she refused to bring salt to her guests (Kaf HaChayim). The Midrash identifies Lot's wife as either IRIT or IDIT (Iris or Edith?) G'MATRIYA MATCH V'TIHE SARA AKARA EIL LAH V'LAD (BREISHIT 11:30) Sarai was barren, she had no children. Obviously, this is sometimes an irreversible medical condition. But often it is not. In the case of the Avot and Imahot, that which brought about a positive change in the situation was PRAYER. That it worked for our Avot & Imahot is a model and lesson for us. Prayer is a powerful and important tool within our grasp. Y'HIYU L'RATZON IMREI VI V'HIGAYON LIBI HASHEM TZURI V'GOALI (TEHILLIM 19:15) • G'matriya Match Rain Check IN ISRAEL, we begin to ask for rain in the weekday Amida, this coming Tuesday night, the eve of 7 Cheshvan, with the words V'TEIN TAL U'MATAR LiVRACHA (T&M) in the BAREICH ALEINU bracha (a.k.a. Birkat HaShanim). We continue to ask for T&M until, and including, Mincha on Erev Pesach. During T&M season, an Amida w/o T&M is "fatally flawed" and must be repeated. (Conversely, when we don't say T&M, if one says it, he repeats the the Amida)If you realize your omission during BAREICH ALEINU, just go back and say it. If you realize right after the bracha, but you have not continued with T'KA, then say the words V.T.U.L. between BAREICH ALEINU and T'KA B'SHOFAR. If you started T'KA, but are still within the "request brachot", DO NOT GO BACK, but rather say V.T.U.L. as part of SH'MA KOLEINU — specifically towards the end, right before KI ATA SHOMEI'A. If you have just finished Shma Koleinu but have not yet said the word R'TZEI, then say V.T.U.L. by itself, between the two brachot. If you already began R'TZEI, as long as your feet are still together and you have not "closed off" your Amida with Y'H'YU L'RATZON IMREI FI... then go back to BAREICH ALEINU and daven straight from there. Finally, if you finished the Amida, and then realize the omission, you go back to the beginning and say the WHOLE Amida over again. And even if you remember your omission at the next davening, you daven Tashlumin. Not sure? Then it depends. Within the first month of T&M (some say 90 times, which is more than a month), a doubt usually means that you did not say it and you must behave accordingly. After a habit is formed, you may assume that you said it correctly, even if you aren't sure. From the Desk of the Director Dear Torah Tidbits Reader, Parshat Noach describes the discovery of a brave new world. One of the surprising elements of this rebirth is the role played by a raven and a dove in the search for dry land. Each of these birds, it appears, portrays its own important message for an emerging mankind. The raven is quite comfortable flying “to and fro until the waters dried up from the earth.” And a few twists of its Hebrew name “orev” give us notice of its ubiquitous nature. Always ravenous (ra’ev), the raven is continuously dependent on the surety (arev) of Hashem for its food. Like a Jew in the Galut she flies restlessly from place to place in search of sustenance. The dove also searches for a resting-place, and twice she returns to the ark. The Be’er Mayim Chayim suggests, however, that the dove previously alighted in Eretz Yisrael, which had escaped the flood. On the second journey, she returns with a bitter olive branch in her bill which, according to legend, is meant to induce her helpmate to accompany her back to Israel. The olive branch, of course, represents light, peace, and all things holy, while the olive itself is bitter. The dove thus reminds us of the succinct description of Eretz Yisra’el as “Eretz zeit shemen udevash” – ‘a land of olive oil and honey’ (Devarim, 8:8). It seems that we cannot build our sweet model Jewish society without a modicum of hardship. However, although the fruit is bitter, we know that the final product, the oil, is pure. It is to that end that we thus strive. Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center Parsha Pix It's a fun ParshaPix - share it with your children and Shabbat guests. Top row, old joke - the animals came to No'ach in PEARS (pairs). YONA with the olive branch. Rainbow in the cloud. A rain cloud. Fish survived the MABUL by staying in the water under the TEIVA. Grapes and wine are for No'ach's post-flood activity. The people's proliferation is represented by the figures increasing line by line (generation by generation). The Tower of Babel has the numbers 1 thru 10 next to it... in 10 different languages. 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 presented for call-in solution on Torah Tidbits Audio (Arutz-7, Thursday night). The best solution set submitted each week (there isn’t 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 (B'reishit) TTriddles: [1] Which of her great (x11) grandsons had a metallic connection to her brother? [2] The last two make up the third [3] Father is 3, but this TLW scores the highest possible score on the psychometric exam [4] Not only great-great-great-grandfather, but son too! [5] Good source for traditional gifts for the 50th; 15th; 40th, 45th, 55th, 60th anniversary. [6] Relationship of the cleavee and the cleavee [7] Adam would never harm any animal or bird [8] Kaddish D'Rabbanan or 3 Brachot And the envelope please... [1] Naama'a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandsons were the Sh'vatim. Her brother was Tuval-Kayin, son of Lemech and Tzila. Tuval-Kayin is idendified as a maker of all copper and iron implements. This gives him a metallic connection to Asher, whose blessing in V'zot HaBracha includes, "iron and copper are your locks (or treasuries)". [2] The last two letters of the ALEF-BET make up the name of the thrird son of Adam and Chava, SHEIT (Seth). [3] This TTriddle is also a play with two-letter words (TLW). Father, AV (ALEF-VET) is equal to 3 (G'matriya). The TLW with the highest possible G'matriya appears in the sedra, TEIT (TAV-TAV) = 800, which is a perfect score on the psychometric exam. [4] LEMECH killed his great-great-great-grandfather, KAYIN. (One great- was left out of the TTriddle.) Rashi tells us that Lemech was blind. But he still hunted with the help of his son. When he discovered that his son inadvertently pointed him in the direction of Kayin and Lemech's arrow found its mark, Lemech was grief stricken and swung his hands wildly and killed Tuval Kayin, his son. [5] The traditional gift for a 50th anniversary is gold. The 15th is crystal; 40th, 45th, 55th, 60th are rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds respectively. The land of CHAVILA, surrounded by the Pishon River is described as being the place where there is "good" gold, B'DOLACH and EVEN SHOHAM. B'DOLACH in modern Hebrew is crystal (in Biblical Hebrew it is a precious stone of some type). SHOHAM is usually defined as ONYX, but in B'reishit, it is rendered by Rav Aryeh Kaplan z"l in the Living Torah as precious stones. [6] This TTriddle takes advantage of the interesting word-phenomenon CLEAVE, that has two opposite meanings. Cleave means to cause something to separate or divide. But cleave to means to stick to. Applying both meanings of cleave to Breishit 2:24, we find that a man should cleave from his parents and cleave to his wife. The relationship, then, between cleavee and cleavee is daughter-in-law to mother-in-law and father-in-law. [7] This was sort of a silly TTriddle (but a bona fide TTriddle, nonetheless), based on the well-known (to those who know it well) ditty: Sticks and stones may break my bones but NAMES WILL NEVER HARM me. Since Adam called all the creatures of the world names, it follows that he would never harm any animal or bird. [8] This TTriddle is from the haftara and is based on the S'faradi stopping place - after the pasuk HaShem Oz L'Amo Yitein... which is followed, as the last pasuk in the haftara by the three brachot following the haftara. When the pasuk is quoted in the oft-quoted Mishna of Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya, it is followed by a Kaddish D'Rabbanan. [PPP] Veteran PPP solvers, the Havdala Haratis, came out of retirement for this one. (I wish that the oldtime PPP solvers would take the TTriddle-challenges as nicely as that of the PPPs.) Across the top of the PPP are three coats and two doors, giving KOTZ V'DARDAR. The helicopter is there for its rotating "sword-like" blades, as in 3:24, which protected the way to the Tree of Life. The there is a CANE and A BELL, as in Kayin and Hevel (in their English translations). RHM also did a good job on the PPP as well as on several of the TTriddles. This week's TTriddles: [1] Jim Nabors, Zorba, Sweet Pop... [2] In what country did buttons originate? [3] Go out and see what's read [4] Children of Rakeffet, Chernofsky, Schoffman, Gispan, Tzadok... Israel Center Notes: The Israel Center is pleased to announce the opening of a Beth Din to adjudicate and arbitrate monetary disputes, according to Jewish law With the Chagim behind us, the Beth Din is ready to function Apart from a registration fee of 200NIS (per case), there will no charge for this service Please call 566-7787 ext. 204 for further information Yitzhak Fund, Esq. • Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Chairpersons NESTO • Native English-Speaking Teen Olim I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Director of NESTO. My name is Josh Spodek. I am orginally from Toronto, Canada and have been in Israel for eight years now. I have been married for three years and we have a two year old son, with another, G-d willing, on the way. We live in Yeshivat Shaalvim where I work as the assistant Mashgiach Ruchani for the Overseas First Year Students. I am very excited to be working with NESTO and with a great group of kids. Over the course of the year, we hope to instill in the NESTOers a sense of pride in who they are and help them recognize their unlimited potential and abilities. I believe that NESTO’s purpose is not only to help English-speaking teens integrate into Israeli society. I also see NESTO as a framework to develop leadership skills, communication skills, religious identity, and identification with the Land of Israel as well as provide a forum for creative self-expression. Together with NESTO’s dedicated Board Members, as well as Naomi, our Bat Sherut, we have come up with many new and innovative ideas for our weekly Tuesday night programs as well as Shabbatonim, Special Events and Tiyulim. Our calendar is already full with interesting, educational and fun activities and we are all looking foreward to a great year together. With that introduction, I can now let you know all the fun stuff that we have been up to over the past two weeks. For those of you that did have a chance to see, eat, drink or sleep in the Israel Center’s Sukka, you should know that the great decorations were put up by a group of committed NESTOites. While these kids were busy decorating the Sukka, I was busy interviewing possible candidates for the Assistant Director position. Hopefully by next week the position will be filled. On Thursday Oct. 4th, NESTO set out on our annual Chol Hamoed Sukkot Tiyul. The day began with a breakfast of bagels and cream cheese, cakes and drinks in the Israel Center Sukka. From there, 20 of us set out to the Ramat Gan Safari to spend a fun-filled day with the Lions, and Tigers and Bears (oh, my)! For the first hour or so, we drove around the safari checking out the wild animals in their natural habitats. We all had a good laugh when a few ostriches decided to take on our bus. Needless to say we were victorious. After lunch in the Safari Sukka and Mincha, we spent the rest of the day walking around the zoo, sharing our food with the animals and having a great time. All in all it was a great tiyul and plans are already underway for the Chanuka tiyul. Our first SHABBATON of the year has been scheduled for November 9th and 10th, Parshat Chayei Sara. Please mark this date in your calendar. Details will follow. That’s all for now. Our regular weekly Tuesday night programs will begin Tuesday Oct. 16th at 7:00pm at the TYC (Teichman Youth Center) of the Israel Center. Looking foreward to seeing you all there. Shabbat Shalom, Josh Spodek The Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis tel. 566-7787 ext. 245 • fax: 561-7432 spodek@netvision.net.il • www.zyworld.com/nesto Josh Spodek, Director • Naomi Skorecki, Bat Sherut TIYULIM 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 pressing2 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. Israel Center In-House Shabbaton Shabbat Parshat Vayeira November 2-3, '01 Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Emanuel Quint 180NIS per person (non-members add 20NIS) • Three Shabbat meals (Kiddush on Shabbat day will be with HaMotzi & will be the second Shabbat Seuda. The main day meal will follow Mincha and be our Seuda Shlishit.) Oneg Shabbat, tea & cake, Shiurim, mini-shiurim, Divrei Torah, oral Torah Tidbits, singing... and... the Quintessential Players The Center will be open from 3:30pm to welcome you. Refreshments. Candle lighting for this Shabbat is 4:14pm. Mincha will be at 4:25pm. Shabbat morning davening at 8:00am, preceded by a mini-shiur at 7:30am Housing options: [1] You live in the neighborhood (let us know when you sign up), [2] You are making your own arrangements to stay with friends who live in the neighborhood (just tell us please), [3] You want us to house you with someone who lives in the neighborhood, [4] You would like to stay at the Windmill Hotel (sleeping only, 300NIS per couple extra). Registration will continue until we reach our optimum number of participants. Registration will continue until we reach our optimum number of participants. We're getting close FULL, so register NOW - Don't be disappointed Travel Desk Specials Sheraton Moriah - Tel Aviv mid week and weekends thru October 31st 499NIS per couple per night B/B 1 child (2-12) in parents room free of charge Sheraton Moriah Eilat Oct. 18-21 and Nov. 1-11 (min. 2 nights) 550NIS per couple, double room, per night, B/B 1 child (2-12) in parents room, 90NIS/night Golden Tulip Privilege Dead Sea Oct. 25-27 950NIS per couple per night, H/B Princess Hotel Eilat Midweek in October, 555NIS per couple per night plus free entrance to health club Herod's Palace Eilat Midweek Oct. 11-31, 550NIS B/B per couple per night (min. 2 nights) Novotel Thalassa Dead Sea Oct. 10-31 - H/B at the price of B/B Midweek 510NIS per couple per night Weekend 650NIS per couple per night Nirvana Dead Sea Midweek in October 399NIS per couple per night B/B B/B = Bed & Breakfast • H/B = Half Board (breakfast and one other meal) Attention Students from Abroad: Are your parents planning on visiting you this year? If so, you want to speak to us (see box above this one for number) We have many attractive deals for them... and you Let us turn an ordinary visit into a special one! Destination: NETANYA • Spend a unique day in a unique city • Wednesday, October 31st 8:00am to 7:00pm (approx.) • Meet Netanya Mayor Miriam Feierberg • Tour famous Laniado Hospital and Sanz Medical Center and hear about its newest facilities • Find out about the one & only "Gemach on Wheels" • Fascinating tour of MASSUAH a museum in the midst of an institution for the study of the Holocaust • Have lunch (extra cost) at Apropos Dairy Restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean, special ambiance, mehadrin, Only 80NIS (non-members add 10NIS) - lunch extra, Register immediately • Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You'll also enjoy her delicious sweets. Artzeinu Tours in conjunction with the Israel Center presents... 3 different Dead Sea & Ein Gedi Area Experiences • One-day tiyulim - Take one, two, or all three (Dates & prices to be announced in next TT) • Judean Desert or the Jerusalem Corridor and the Judean Sh'feila •Ein Gedi with visit to the ancient synagogue and the botanical gardens •Dead Sea incl. visit to the museum at Shefech Zohar and the Flour Caves Educational Seminars on Wheels with outstanding tour guide HAIM SIDOR Caesaria • Acco • Haifa •Meggido & Beit She'arim • Tzipori • Zichron Yaakov • Beit She'an • Tiveriya Watch for details in upcoming Torah Tidbits Daily Artzeinu Tours - General Schedule Sundays •Jeep Excursion - or - City of David Mondays •1-day Galil-Golan Tuesdays • Massada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea- or -2 day to Galil-Golan Wednesdays • Amatzia underground city Thursdays • Negev Fridays •Kotel tunnels, Old City, South Wall excavations - or - Jerusalem neighborhoods Reservations: call the Travel Desk (ext.249) or ARTZEINU 02-5871718 • fax: (02) 587-1719 • email: artzeinu@netvision.net.il • www.artzeinu.co.il ISRAEL CENTER SCHEDULE "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. SHABBAT 3:15pm • Parshat HaShavua Shiur • Men and Women are invited • This week: Rabbi Shaul Goldman • Cold drinks will be served • Mincha follows Shiur Motza'ei Shabbat Parshat No'ach, Eve of 4 Cheshvan, October 20th, 8:30pm Special Shiur on the First Yahrzeit of Helen Kirshenbaum A"H Ahavat Yisrael: The People & the Land Guest speaker: Rabbi Eliezer Grunbaum DAF YOMI in English 3:00-4:00pm • Sunday-Thursday SUNDAY 9:30am (women) • Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year • Golda Warhaftig N'shei Library • 10:30-12:45pm Oct. 21, 10:30am (men & women invited) • The 8th Mitzva and the 4th • Phil Chernofsky 11:30am • (men & women) • Parshat HaShavua • Shprintzee Herskovits 12:30pm • Great Jewish Stories • Rabbi David Zitter Oct. 21, 8:00pm •De-Stressing in Distressing Times Practical Tips and Techniques for Coping with "The Situation" •Joan Berger licensed acupuncture physician and primary care provider MONDAY 9:15am • NEW • 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 •Rambam's 13 Principles •Rabbi Zev Leff 11:36am, Oct. 22 •The Hasmoenian Revolution, Part I; Countdown to 167 B.C.E. •Mr. Henry Goldblum Oct. 22, 7:30pm • NLP workshop: The Art of Story Telling Creating and narrating parables, and bedtime stories that really work! •Rabbi Shlomo Kory TUESDAY RESUMES OCT. 30 9:00-9:50am •TORAH TOPICS, Speaking Favorably of the Jewish People •Dr. Hayim Abramson RESUMES OCT. 30 9:55-10:45am •SIDDUR TOPICS, In-depth study of ALEINU •Dr. Hayim Abramson 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, October 23rd & 30th, 8:00pm • Mini-Series on Judaism & Psychology • Freud and Torah: Clash or Mesh? with Dr. Naphtali Fish, Clinical Psychologist, Director, Nachat Ruach Institute WEDNESDAY 8:30am (women) •T'HILIM WORKSHOP Eshet Chayil Foundation with Sara Wurtzel 9:30am •Towards a More Meaningful Davening Experience •Dr. Joel Luber Wednesdays October 24, 31, November 7 - 9:30-11:30am • Pre-registration REQUIRED - will not take place without sufficient registration Memory Enhancement Workshop with Esta Jacobs Call 64-2222-7 for fee and registration information 10:30am •Break the Fear Habit... And Live! withAlan Romm P.C. 3:00pm • Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow Wednesdays at 8:00pm - pre-registration required • Call 08-926-5247, Starting date to be determined by participants ANGER: The Inner Teacher Ongoing workshops with Rachel Trugman, MA 8:00-10:00pm •Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass 7:45-8:45pm •Jewish Philosophy One week: Road map to the Prophets - Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed One week: Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and its Wellsprings with Rabbi Chaim Eisen •This week: Ramban THURSDAY 9:30 and 10:30am • 2 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 Thursday, October 25th, 7:00pm (Maariv promptly at 6:45pm) • The Judith Yellin Memorial Shiur • Is a Torah State Religious Coercion? Guest speaker: Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Aliya LaKever (visit to gravesite) Friday morning, 11:00am in the Har HaMenuchot parking lot 8:00pm •Shir HaShirim with Reb Yosef Schreiber 8:00pm • TRUTH - an open forum sponsored by the Jewish Values Education Institute with Dr. Daniel Stolper Torah Tidbits Audio 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) Beginning Tuesday, October 16 at the Israel Center (Program in-formation) Tuesdays 9:00am A Study of the 613 Mitzvot with Rabbi Aharon Adler 10:15am, Parshat Hashavua with Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold Wednesdays 9:00am, 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 And at KEHILAT ZICHRON YOSEPH, 10 Agassi, Har Nof, beginning Tue. Oct 23 Tuesdays, 8:00pm: Parshat HaShavua - Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold All JCA classes - 20NIS per class (payment is separate from Israel Center classes) 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 Wednesday, October 24, 2001, 4:00-9:00pm at the Israel Center, 22 Keren HaYesod 4th Root & Branch Association Jerusalem Conference on the Noahide Covenant and Laws "And G-d spoke to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying: 'As for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth'". [B'reshit 9:8-11] 4:00-4:30 •The Coming Reconciliation of Ishmael (the Muslim Middle East) and Israel by Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Bohrer, Yeshivat Bet El , "And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him (together) in the cave of Machpelah". [Gen 25:9] 4:30-5:00 •The Coming Reconciliation of Esau (the Christian West) and Israel by Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko. Yeshivat Knesset Bet Eliezer, "And Esau and Jacob his (Isaac's) sons buried him (together)". [Gen 35:29] 5:00-5:15 •BREAK 5:15-5:45 •Is the Current Conflict between Ishmael & Esau the War of Gog and Magog? by Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, Yeshivat Dvar Yerushaliyim, Author, A Light to the Nations, "And I will plead against him (Gog) with pestilence and with blood; and I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone". [Yehekzel 38:22] 5:45-6:15 •The Impact of Amalek on World History, by Rabbi Zalman Cohen , And he (Bilaam) looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction". [Bamidbar 24:20] 6:15-6:30 •BREAK 6:30-7:00 • Problems of Marriage and Divorce for B'nei No'ach by Mr. Yehoshua Friedman, Founder and Chairman, Noahide Fellowship, Root & Branch "Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh". [Gen 2:24] 7:00-7:30 • My Life as a Bat No'ach, by Ms. Melissa Humenick, "And Ruth said: 'Entreat me not to leave you... for wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your G-d my G-d". [Ruth 1:16] 7:30-7:45 •BREAK 7:45-8:15 • Report of a Former Pentecostal Minister by Mr. Rhea Roasa, practicing Ben Noah; Former Pastor, Mount Zion Temple Fellowship, Philippines; Former Mayor, Luciana Laguna Philippinos, Former Chairman, Mayor's League, Philippines "Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying: 'We will go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you'. [Zechariah 8:23] 8:15-8:45 •Idolatry in Today's World, by Rabbi Yirmiyahu Bindman,"O Lord, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge, in the day of affliction, unto You shall the nations come from the ends of the Earth, and shall say: 'Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, vanity and things wherein there is no profit'. Shall a man make for himself gods, and they are no gods?". [Jer 16:19-20] 8:45-9:00 •OPEN DISCUSSION In English • 25NIS p.p. • Conference Chairman: Samson Krupnick • Tel: 566-7787 • rb@rb.org.il • www.rb.org.il Sponsored by the Noahide Fellowship, Root & Branch Association, Ltd. Conf. Chair: Samson Krupnick UPCOMING Sunday, October 28th, 8:00 THE MATZAV: Practical body-based tools and exercises to handle stress, panic, depression and other unwanted and feared responses by Immanuel Yosef Legomsky MA Neurotherapist Director:Menucha V'Simcha Neurofeedback Clinic Sunday, November 4th, 8:00pm Tzvi Fishman will read short stories from his new book "Days of Moshiach" (author of Tevye in the Promised Land) Thursday, November 8th, 2001 from 8:00-10:00pm Breakthrough to Success This is important to everybody because we all want to be successful, but not everybody is willing to pay the price! Yet it only takes small changes in our performance to get big changes in our results. This topic will be presented by Dale Carnegie Training, an international organization operating in over 120 different countries with more than 6 million graduates world wide." For additional information, call 055-777-684 Day of the week, time of day, starting date - all to be determined by participants New in this country! • For Parents, Therapists, Teachers Philosophical Counseling workshop on Parent Effectiveness training Interested? Call: (02) 671 6059 and/or 056-302-216 for details OU ISRAEL CENTER Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union •
Jerusalem World Center 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 [The
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