SHABBAT PARSHAT
BALAK
Parshat HaShavua for Chu"l is
CHUKAT - BALAK
Pirkei Avot: Israel - Sixth perek • Chu”l - Fifth Perek
TT #576 - 12 Sivan 5763 - July 11-12, '03
Halachic Times for Jerusalem
Israel Summer Time
Correct for TT #576 • Ranges are for THU-THU, 10 - 17 Av/July
Candle lighting - 7:13pm (earliest - 6:20pm)
Havdala - 8:31pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 9:04pm)
Earliest Shacharit 4:43-4:47am
Sunrise - 5:41-5:45pm
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:12-9:15am (8:18-8:21am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:23-10:25am (9:46-9:49am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:44½-12:45pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:20-1:21pm
Plag Mincha - 6:19 - 6:18pm
Sunset - 7:53 - 7:50½pm (7:47½-7:45pm)
Shabbat times for other cities:
Candles (earliest) city Shabbat out
7:30pm (6:22) Raanana 8:29pm
7:28pm (6:20) Beit Shemesh 8:30pm
7:30pm (6:22) Netanya 8:28pm
7:29pm (6:21) Rehovot 8:31pm
7:09pm (6:21) Petach Tikva 8:28pm
7:28pm (6:21) Modi'in area 8:30pm
7:28pm (6:20) Be'er Sheva 8:29pm
7:25pm (6:19) Gush Etzion 8:31pm
7:29pm (6:21) Ginot Shomron 8:28pm
7:12pm (6:19) Maale Adumim 8:29pm
7:24pm (6:21) Tzfat 8:33pm
7:27pm (6:20) K4 & Hevron 8:30pm
Jerusalem lights candles 40 minutes before sunset. (Except for those
who don’t follow that custom.) Which sunset? Important question. The
standard practice is to count 40 minutes before “sunset of
elevation”. Jerusalem is a little over 800m above sea level. If one
could see the sun set over a horizon at sea level (which can be done
from some parts of J’lem), it would set about 5 minutes later than
someone watching from sea level, or seeing the sun set beyond
mountains that are approx. the same height as Jerusalem is. Since
the sunset on the same plane is 5 minutes earlier, and for Shabbat
purposes is the sunset we would have to consider because of the
strictness of Shabbat, then J’lem candle lighting time is really
only 35 minutes before “the other” sunset.
All other places at some height
above sea level have similar problems.
Tzfat lights candles 30 minutes
before sunset. Official candle lighting for Petach Tikva is 40
minutes before sunset, just like Jerusalem. Not everybody holds by
that timing.
Some communities calculate
Shabbat out at 33 minutes after sunset. Some use the angle of the
sun below the horizon to “end Shabbat” (8.5 deg).
Bottom line for now: until we get the chart running smoothly, don’t
rely on it exclusively. Cross-check times with calendars and charts.
Please report discrepancies to us, so that we can improve our time
table.
Also realize that Sfardim and
Ashkenazim often has differences in minhag.
Explanation of the Z'manim
Sunrise for Jerusalem does not take into account elevation, since
the eastern horizon (where the sun rises) consists of the Hills of
Moav across the Jordan River, which are approx. at the same
elevation as Jerusalem
Sunset, on the other hand, is
given for an elevation of 825m and, in parentheses, as if at sea
level. There are different opinions as to which sunset time should
be used for halachic purposes. We present both times.
The deadlines for the SH'MA and
the Shacharit Amida can be calculated in two ways. Either
considering the day to be from sunrise to sunset or from dawn to
stars out. The first way of reckoning is known as the opinion of the
GR"A, and is the first time given in each case. The second method is
known as the Magen Avraham, and is presented in parentheses.
Aside from candle lighting and
havdala, the times are presented as a range, from the current
Thursday of the issue of Torah Tidbits until the coming Thursday, a
span of 8 days. Days between the two Thursdays can be determined by
interpolation (which means: a method by which to estimate a value of
between two known values - this is something that people above a
certain age might remember from high school trigonometry and
logarithms, but younger people who went to school during the
calculator era might not be familiar with).
It is usually wise to "pad" the
times with a minute or two in the "play it safe" direction. E.g.
Plag Mincha. Better to finish Mincha a minute or two before the
given time. But, better to not light candles until a minute or two
after the given time.
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...
With the Molad of Tammuz
occurring on Sunday, June 29, at 2:54pm, the Nigud (opposition, full
moon - based on average, last op for Kiddush L’vana) is 14 days, 18
hours and 22 minutes later. That translates to Monday morning, July
14th at 9:16am. That means that Motza’ei Shabbat Balak is good for
those who haven’t said K.L. yet this month, and Sunday night is the
final opportunity.
The 14:18:22 timing is based on
the Rama, and should be kept to because after that time one has a
SAFEK bracha. Shulchan Aruch says that one can say K.L. for 15 full
days after the Molad. And there are other opinions.
The reason there are different
opinions is that the moon appears to our eyes to be full for a time
after it actually starts to diminish. Is appearance what counts or
calculation?
LEAD TIDBIT:
The CNN Sedra
Parshat Balak is made up of 104 p’sukim, divided into only two
parshiyot. The first parsha is 95 p’sukim long, making it the third
largest parsha in the Torah and the largest out of B’reishit. What
makes this parsha unusual is more than its great length. This parsha
is unique in how we know about it.
I had a rebbi in high school who
was fond of quoting an oldtime radio show character named Baron
Manchausen. It seems he would make a statement, someone (Charlie
perhaps) would challenge it, and the Baron would say, “Waz you dere,
Charlie?” How do you know, you weren’t there?
The point is, that everything
that is reported in the Torah was witnessed by someone - or many
someones - and past down through the generations as eye-witness
accounts. The Chatam Sofer puts it something like this: Adam
HaRishon spoke to No’ach. No’ach spoke to Avraham. He to Yitzchak.
He to Yaakov. He to his sons. They to their children. And then to
the multitude of B’nei Yisra’el. Was you there, Charlie? Maybe not
this specific Charlie, but some Charlie. The Splitting of the Sea,
Matan Torah, the Manna, and countless other events, were
well-witnessed. As such, they are hardly matters of belief. The only
parsha in the Torah that is subject to belief is this major portion
of Parshat Balak. The people of Israel were totally unaware of what
was being plotted, attempted, and thank G-d, thwarted by G-d
Himself, Who was watching over His people - this time - without our
knowledge. This is why a reader of TT dubbed Balak the CNN sedra,
since it is reported to us by the prophecy of Moshe Rabeinu (a.k.a.
the Torah).
Try to imagine a couple of
million Jews camped in the Midbar, going about their daily routines,
totally oblivious to the drama unfolding on a hill-top overlooking
them. Bil’am and Balak. That’s it. No one else would know except the
two of them (and their entourages). Except that G-d told Moshe and
told him to write it into the Torah and to teach it to the people of
Israel. This, and only this, allowed us to be privy to that which
would have been unknown to us. This parsha allows us to know about
Bil’am and his ilk. It hopefully arms us to fight against the
special kind of enemy that Bil’am was.
The fact that there are no
mitzvot in Balak strengthens the point made in this lead tidbit that
this sedra exists, so to speak, only because G-d wanted us to know
about the unique threat of Balak-Bil’am and how He continually
confounded their plans.
In contrast, the second parsha of
the sedra, the last 14 p’sukim, are all the more devastating for us.
After learning how well protected we were by G-d, we then see what
happens when we do something that cause G-d, not only to withhold
His protection, but to send destruction our way.
The contrast spins one’s head.
And the end of the haftara drives the point home. Keep Torah and
mitzvot, behave justly and kindly with each other - that’s all G-d
wants of us. Then Sichon with his sword and Balak with his attempted
curses can do us no harm. Turn our backs to G-d (G-d forbid), and we
drop like flies. The official Tochacha portions of the Torah are in
B’chukotai and Ki Tavo. Balak (and other parshiyot as well) are no
less admonitions that we must heed if we are to survive and thrive
and achieve our lofty goals as a nation and as individuals.
Addendum (The following did not
make it into the hard copy; it will probably be there next week):
All of the Torah is the prophecy of Moshe Rabeinu. The point made
above is that the Bil'am-Balak episode would be totally unknown to
us except for its inclusion in the Torah. Of course, the account of
Creation also had no witnesses, but we can see G-d's Creation in
everything we see. And, aside from "stories", there are the mitzvot
that also consitute prophecy. And this also was G-d to Moshe and him
to us. But, I hope the point above is well-taken in any event. - PC
Sedra-Stats
40th of 54 sedras; 7th of 10 in Bamidbar
Written on 177.8 lines in a Sefer Torah (ranks 35)
2 Parshiyot; 1 closed, 1 open
104 p'sukim - ranks 34th (8th Bamidbar)
1455 words - ranks 33rd (8th Bamidbar)
5357 letters - ranks 35th (8th Bamidbar)
Balak is close to average for the Torah's sedras but is on the small
side for Bamidbar
MITZVOT
Contains none of the Taryag mitzvot17 sedras (31½% of the Torah’s
54) have no mitzvot counted among the 613.
Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 22:2-12
[S>] Balak was a weaker king than his neighbors in the region. The
defeat of the others (OG and SICHON) instilled fear in Balak's
heart, and he realized that waging a “conventional” war against
Israel would be futile. His plan (following research of the matter)
was to enlist Bil'am to curse the People of Israel. To this end,
Balak sends a delegation to Bil'am in Midyan. Bil'am invites the
envoys to spend the night so that he (Bil'am) can be spoken to by
G-d. G-d does "appear" to Bil'am and asks him who these people are.
Bil'am tells G-d and He warns Bil'am not to go with the delegation,
nor to curse the people, because "they are blessed".
SDT How come Balak, a sworn enemy
of Israel, rates having a sedra named after him? Commentaries
suggest that Balak was an "honest enemy" of Israel. His antagonism
was based on his fear of Israel; his intentions and actions were
clear-cut. We have been plagued by many enemies throughout history
who have hidden behind a smile, a mask of friendship, or a hand-
shake and photo-op only to try to stab us in the back (or worse).
Dear uncle- grandfather Lavan, is perhaps the prime model of the
"sneaky" enemy. Balak's straight-forward hatred is something we can
appreciate. (Interesting side point: Bil'am - not exactly Balak, but
his partner in crime - is associated with Lavan. In fact, Targum
Yonatan states that they were the same person.)
SDT Commentaries point out that
Moav and Midyan were bitter enemies. Nonetheless, they put their
differences aside and united to fight against Israel. This shows the
power of anti-Semitism in this world. See what our enemies are ready
to do because they hate us so much.
But it also must teach us another
lesson. We too must be prepared to set aside that which divides the
Jewish People into fragments, so that we can fight our common enemy
with greater strength. This is not to suggest that we must ignore,
overlook, or forgive these differences. But we have to know when we
should put our religious- secular battles "on hold", in order to be
united against the enemies of the Jewish People. We must all work
together - Ashkenazim & S'faradim, National Religious and Haredi,
left and right, religious and secular, to strengthen our position
against those who would harm us, take parts of Eretz Yisrael from
us, and divide our capital.
SDT Rashi says that when G-d told
Bil’am not to go with Balak’s emissaries, Bil’am asked if he could
curse the People from home. G-d said no. So Bil’am offered to bless
them (us). G-d said, keep your honey and your sting.
Levi - Second Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 22:13-20
In the morning, Bil'am (reluctantly) dispatches Balak's messengers
with his message of refusal. Balak sends a larger and more
prestigious delegation to Bil'am, with offers of great honor and
wealth if Bil'am would only agree to Balak's request. Bil'am again
refuses, but does invite the new delegation to spend the night. This
time G-d permits Bil'am to accompany the Moabites, but warns him not
to do anything other than what G-d tells him. (Com- mentaries draw
from this the notion: "In the direction a person is inclined, there
he is lead".)
SDT Why was Bil'am to be punished
for going with Balak's delegation, when G-d permitted him to go?
Sort of, told him to go. Certainly, a person is held account- able
for violations of G-d's prohibitions, but are we also responsible
for things which are not specifically prohibited, although it is
reasonable to assume that G-d does not want us to do them? The
answer is YES. This is one of the concepts we actually derive from
the episode of Bil'am. The Torah gives us a very good idea of what
HaShem wants of us. Many sins are spelled out very clearly - in
fact, there is a notion of "one will not be punished unless
expressly warned"; yet we are warned that G-d will be angry, so to
speak, if we do things that we (should) know are contrary to His
wishes. This is something that exists in human relationships too.
Parents, for example, expect children to behave a certain way, even
without being specifically told. We are not programmed robots; we
are human beings with the ability to reason. And G-d wants us to
make the right decision in areas He left “open”, so to speak.
In the straight reading of the
Chumash, it seems that Bil'am is truly a man of G-d who only wants
to do what G-d wants him to do. Tradition describes him differently,
as one who knows that he is totally in G-d's control but tries to
fight it at every step of the way. What a blow to Bil'am's ego to be
thought of so highly among people, yet to know that G-d calls every
shot.
Shlishi - Third Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 22:21-38
Bil'am arises in the morning, saddles his donkey (by himself), and
goes with the Moav officers. (The implication in the pasuk is that
Bil'am went with a great deal of enthusiasm to "hopefully" curse the
People of Israel. Contrast this with Avraham's enthusiasm on his way
to fulfill G-d’s command with the Akeida.) G-d is "angry" with
Bil'am for going (even though He permitted it) and sends an angel in
an attempt to dissuade him from continuing. The Torah recounts that
on three separate occasions - symbolically, it happened in
increasingly narrower passages - the donkey sees the angel blocking
the way, but Bil'am does not. Bil'am strikes the donkey each time,
until G-d gives the power of speech to the donkey, who admonishes
Bil'am for his deeds. Then G-d permits Bil'am to see the angel and
Bil'am acknowledges his sin. He offers to return, but the angel
allows him to proceed, with the warning not to say anything
"unauthorized".
(In Pirkei Avot it says that the
"mouth of the donkey" was one of 10 special items that G-d created
in the instant before He rested from further creation on the very
first Shabbat. One of the lessons from this concept is SOF MA'ASEH
B'MACHSHAVA T'CHILA, what happens in the end was in G-d's thought
and plan at the beginning.)
Balak goes out to greet Bil'am,
who tells Balak that he is powerless to act on his own and must say
only what G-d "puts in his mouth". (This is the significance of the
"mouth of the donkey" - viz. that it is G-d Who grants the gift of
speech; one should not be arrogant about his ability to speak well.
In the words of the beautiful prayer of the Shali’ach Tzibur on Rosh
HaShana, OCHILA LAKEIL, the human being thinks thoughts in his
heart, but from G-d comes the ability to express them... or the lack
of the ability.)
SDT The favored weapon of the
nations of the world is the sword. The "weapon" of the Jewish People
is "the power of speech" (prayer, divrei Torah, kind words, etc.).
Bil'am arrogantly lays "his weapon" aside and attempted to harm the
People of Israel with their (our) own weapon. G-d, so to speak, went
against Bil'am with his abandoned weapon - the angel's drawn sword.
And ultimately, the Torah tells us, Bil'am fell by the sword. -
Rashi
R'vi’i - Fourth Aliya - 15 p'sukim - 22:39-23:12
Balak makes sacrifices on the occasion, and Bil'am orders seven
altars to be built for special offerings.
(All that is done is highly
significant - e.g. the Torah records that our three Patriarchs
offered seven korbanot at various times. Bil'am hoped to
"neutralize" the effect of those sacrifices in G-d's eyes by
repeatedly offering seven sacrifices of his own.)
After meditation, Bil'am "speaks"
about the People of Israel. He does not curse them, but rather
beautifully describes the uniqueness of Israel. Balak is upset, but
Bil'am reminds him that he (Bil'am) can only transmit that which G-d
wants him to.
If we are unique among the
nations of the world, it is because of the Torah and our commitment
to it, not something genetic, nor a mere accident of birth. We must
preserve that uniqueness by remaining true to Torah, faithful to
HaShem, and distinct from the other nations. And, as Bil’am pointed
out, our uniqueness depends upon being different from the other
nations (not wanting to be just like everyone else.)
Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 23:13-26
Balak takes Bil'am to a different vantage point, in the hopes that
he will be able to curse the People this time. Once again, seven
altars are built and sacrifices offered. Once again, Bil'am
meditates and then utters magnificent descriptions of the Nation of
Israel. Balak says his piece and Bil'am again explains his
restrictions. (Difficult for someone who is considered the quin-
tessence of arrogance.)
Rashi says that Balak chose Rosh
HaPisga as a place from where Bil'am might succeed in cursing the
people, because he foresaw that Moshe would die there. Rashi says
that Balak knew this about the place but Bil'am didn’t - that Balak
was a more gifted prophet.
Twice we find, And Bil'am said to
Balak, build for me "with this" seven altars and prepare for me
"with this" seven bulls and seven rams (23:1 and 29). With this,
BA'ZEH. We are taught that all the prophets of Israel prophesy with
KOH (AMAR HASHEM), except Moshe, who prophesies with ZEH. Bil'am
felt that he was on Moshe's level and kept throwing around the ZEH.
G-d says to Bil'am, go back to Balak, and thus - KOH - you shall
speak. Enough with the pretension to ZEH; you say KOH. Bil'am gets
the message and switches to KOH when he speaks to Balak.
Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 23:27-24:13
Balak suggests yet a different vantage point from which to observe
Israel; maybe G-d will permit them to be cursed. Bil'am again asks
for seven altars to be built, and a bull and a ram to be offered on
each. This time, Bil'am does not meditate in his usual manner,
expecting similar results, namely that blessings will emerge from
him - and he really wants to curse Israel.
SDT Balak takes Bil'am to Rosh
HaP'or. Having seen in a vision that Israel will soon fall at P'or,
Balak mistakingly assumes that the cursing from there would be
successful (Rashi).
Targum Onkeles indicates that
Bil'am was "reminding" G-d of the Golden Calf, so that He would
allow the People to be cursed. However, when he saw the multitude
encamped in such a special manner, he was endowed with "Ruach
HaKodesh" and he blessed the People of Israel a third time. Balak
had "had enough", spoke harshly to Bil'am, and "sent him packing".
We quote the words that emerged
from Bil’am’s mouth - MA TOVU... Sometimes it takes a non-Jew’s
observation for us to appreciate something we might not see.
Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 24:14-25:9
Before Bil'am takes leave of Balak, Bil'am prophesies about the
other nations in the region... which was, in different words, a
prophecy that each nation shall eventually perish, as will those who
will bring about the earlier nations’ destruction.
[P>] Bil'am's final advice, his
attempts to curse the People having failed, is to entice the People
to idolatry and immoral behavior which will turn G-d Himself against
them. This plan works, as 24,000 perish in a plague following the
orgiastic worship of Baal Pe'or. Only the bold action of Pinchas b.
Elazar b. Aharon HaKohen in defending G-d's honor, stops the
devastating plague.
SDT This final lesson of the
sedra must be learned well by us today. What Balak and Bil'am
discovered is that if Israel is in G-d's favor, it will be
invincible from outside attack. No nation can succeed against
Israel, when we are "on good terms" with G-d. If we, however, incur
G-d's anger, by being unfaithful to Him, by disregarding Torah and
mitzvot, then we are extremely vulnerable to our enemies. And they
might not even have to actually fight against us - we can, G-d
forbid, destroy ourselves. This was true more than 3000 years ago;
it is no less true today.
On a certain level, Parshat Balak
is extremely simple and straightforward, with an extremely powerful
message - because of that simplicity. For 95 p'sukim, we feel the
protection of G-d as Balak and Bil'am fail time and again in what
almost looks like a comical farce. The Gemara says that Bil'am was
in some ways superior to Moshe Rabeinu, that when he was around, G-d
Himself was extra vigilant in protecting us. For those 95 p'sukim,
we beam with pride at the grudging admiration of a unique nation as
expressed by Bil'am.
And then comes the last 9 p'sukim
of the sedra. Bil'am went back home. So did Balak. No danger
anymore. WHAM! We did it to ourselves. G-d protected us from Bil'am
by giving him his words. By not letting him speak on his own. And
then we turned around and betrayed G-d. 24,000 fatalities. And the
toll would have been greater, except for the bold action of Pinchas.
The sedra is shouting its message to us. All we have to do is listen
to it.
Last 3 p'sukim are reread for Maftir.
Note that the Pinchas episode is interrupted by the break between
sedras. Zimri and Kozbi are not identified yet, G-d's reaction comes
next week. Just for now - the plague stopped! The swiftness with
which the plague struck is matched by the swift action of Pinchas.
For now, that’s the point. More next week.
Haftara - 17 p'sukim -Micha 5:6-6:8
Micha's prophecies include the state- of-affairs that finds Israel
dispersed among the nations of the world, the promise of the end of
war and restoration of Israel to its Land, and the "settling of
accounts" between G-d and the other nations, and G-d and Israel.
This portion contains a reference to the advice of Balak and
Bil'am's response to it - thus the appropriate choice of this
portion as the haftara for Parshat Balak. Note the "credit" to Balak
for the advice that caused the failing of Israel as opposed to the
implication from the Torah that it was Bil'am's idea.
Note the reference to the leaders
of the People as Moshe, Aharon, and MIRIAM.
The haftara ends with the famous
encapsulation of our responsibilities to G-d: "What does G-d demand
of us, ONLY to behave justly, love chesed, and walk modestly
(humbly) before G-d." This is the formula for the greatest
protection we can have from the Balaks and Bil'ams of the world. And
its disregard makes us terribly vulnerable.What a contrast between
the end of the sedra and the end of the haftara! Again, we have the
simple but powerful point. This is how we are supposed to behave.
This is how we behaved... and what happened to us.
THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 192 (part one) • Defects In the Item Purchased
The seller of any item, real estate or personal property, has a
two-edged sword hanging over his head. He has the negative
obligation as it were, of not being deceitful, and he has the
positive obligation to disclose any defects in the item sold.
A buyer is entitled to purchase
an item with the assumption that the seller's representations
regarding the item are true and it is free of defects. The seller,
whether a mer- chant or a non-merchant, is prohibited from deceiving
the buyer or misleading him by failing to disclose the true nature
of the thing sold or defects, whether the buyer is a Jew or a
Gentile. For example, the seller may not sell meat or hides of an
animal that died of natural causes as meat or hides of an animal
that has been properly slaughtered.
A seller may not change the
appearance of the item he is selling to make it look better than it
is. He is not to soak meat in blood to make it look fresher than it
is. He may not feed his animal with bran water to make it swell up
and appear healthier than it is. He may not paint old things to make
them appear new. He may not mis-label an imported product to make it
appear domestic or vice versa.
The seller cannot make any
statement or act that will mislead the buyer into thinking he is
buying something better than the thing actually being sold.
Not only is the seller prohibited
from deceiving the buyer, as stated in the previous paragraph, but
if the seller is aware of a defect in the item being sold that is
not evident to the buyer, he has the positive duty to inform the
latter. The obligation to disclose is required in all cases where
the seller is aware of a defect in the thing sold. The fact that the
defect does not affect the value of the product is not important.
The defect must nonetheless be disclosed to the buyer.
The use to which the buyer will
put the thing bought may determine if the seller is remiss in not
disclosing the defect. For example, if the buyer buys old cars just
for their parts and not to be driven, then the fact that the car
gets poor gas mileage is of no consequence.
The seller also has the
obligation to test products before he places them on the market.
The defects must be correctly
stated. The statements should not be misleading or ambiguous.
Sometimes enumerating too many defects lulls the buyer into a false
sense of security if he sees that the product obviously does not
have some of the defects mentioned; the buyer then assumes that the
product also does not have the other defects mentioned, when in
realty it has. Beth Din will examine the statements to see if the
buyer is being misled.
When advertising a product, the
seller must state the facts in such manner as can be understood by a
reader of average intelligence and prevent him from being misled. If
the product should not be used under certain conditions, this must
be stated.
The community standards as to
what is understood are binding on the seller and the buyer.
Instructions regarding the operation of the item must be clear and
understandable.
However, if the defect was
obviously visible to any person who looked at the item, it is not
incumbent upon the seller to make such disclosure since he can
assume that the buyer has noticed the defect. It is the buyer's
responsibility to notice such defects. Beth Din has to determine if
the defect is visible to the ordinary eye; if so, the failure of the
buyer to notice it will deny him the right to cancel the purchase.
If anything that the people of a
community consider a defect is present in the item but is neither
obvious nor disclosed to the buyer, this gives him the right to void
the sale. However, the community standards may be such that certain
flaws are considered to be part of every sale and not considered a
defect. If the residents of the community do not consider a certain
flaw to be a defect in the item, then purchasing an item with such a
flaw will not give any rights to the buyer.
If the item that the seller sells
does not belong to the seller and he lacks the right to sell it,
this is a defect in title, and there is no defect greater than this.
The codes give the following
actual case as an example of a sale not involving a defect. Reuven
and Shimon entered into negotia- tions for Shimon to purchase a
house that Reuven owned in another city. Before Shimon performed an
act of acquisition to acquire the house, and unknown to either
Reuven or Shimon, non-Jews vandalized it, breaking doors and windows
and causing smoke damage to the house. When Shimon performed an act
of acquisition to acquire the house, he and Reuven were unaware of
the vandalism. Shimon pleads that the house had a defect when he
purchased it and he now wants to rescind the purchase.
Reuven pleads that since the
house can be restored to its prior state by the expenditure of
money, he will give Shimon a reduction of the purchase price as
necessary to make the repairs needed to restore the house to its
original state. The rabbi decided the case in favor of Reuven. If a
defect can be cured by a money expenditure and the item can be
restored to its original state, the seller has the option to give
the buyer such an allowance. Had there been a structural defect such
as a broken wall as a result of the vandalism, then Reuven would not
have had the option to give Shimon an allowance. Then Shimon would
be given the choice of either purchasing the house with the
defective wall or rescinding the sale.
Here are a few more examples
given in the codes: Reuven shows Shimon an item made of wood and
tells him that it is made of gold. Reuven can later plead that he
meant that the item was as good as gold, and Shimon cannot rescind
the sale as being a misrepresentation if the price was that for a
similar item of wood.
Reuven sells Shimon a cow for the purpose of slaughtering it for
food. The buyer slaughters it according to Jewish ritual law, but
when the cow is cut open, the buyer discovers a defect in the cow
that makes it prohibited to eat as kosher meat. If it can be
ascertained from an examination of the animal that it possessed the
defect prior to the sale, then the buyer may rescind the sale; if it
is not discernible that the defect existed prior to the sale, then
the buyer has the burden of proof and, failing to bring such proof,
cannot rescind the sale. There is authority that if the defect that
rendered the animal unfit for food consumption is the type of thing
that occurs with some frequency, then the buyer should have
anticipated that this might be present and should have stipulated
with the seller his refusal of such defect; absent such stipula-
tion, the buyer may not rescind the sale.
As a result of a question raised
by Ms. Yocheved Miriam Russo of Be'er Sheva, I include this
paragraph that should have been in the prior lesson. If the buyer
makes known the reason that he is ordering a certain quantity and
the resulting shortage delivered by the seller makes it impossible
for the buyer to achieve his end result, then the buyer may rescind
the sale.
The subject matter of this lesson
is more fully presented in Volume VII Chapters 232 of"A Restatement
of Rabbinic Civil Law" byE. 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
CONSIDERATION TOWARDS WIDOWS
In many places, the Torah commands us to show special consideration
towards widows. For example:
[1] In a number of places the
Torah admonishes us to include them among the needy whom we are
obliged to help with charity, tithes etc. Devarim 14:29, 16:11,
16:14, 24:19-21; 26:12-13.
[2] There is a special prohibition against causing them anguish -
Shemot 22:21.
[3] It is forbidden to compel a widow to give a pawn or collateral
on a loan before it is due - Devarim 24:17.
It is worth examining the unique nature of each class of admonition.
The most common motif regarding
widows is to take account of their generally precarious economic
circumstances. Someone who has enough is always obligated to provide
for those who are needy, but we should pay particular attention to
the widow because of the unusual difficulties she has in supporting
herself and often simultaneously raising a family.
The commandment regarding anguish
relates equally to any widow, whether rich or poor. Here special
consideration for the widow is called for because of the likelihood
of emotional vulnerability. The memory of loss together with the
ongoing experience of going it alone mean that the widow is likely
to be more in need of support and encouragement than others.
Between these two extremes of
economic and emotional interaction, there is an intermediate kind
which we have often discussed: the human dimension of our market
activities. This aspect is related to in the Torah in a third
mandate which is a kind of hybrid of the other two. The Torah warns
us not to demand a pawn (collateral) from a widow before the loan is
due. "Don't distort the judgment of a stranger or an orphan, and
don't repossess the garment of a widow" (Deuteronomy 24:17). The
Talmud concludes that this commandment, despite its economic nature,
applies even to a wealthy widow. The explanation is that this kind
of demand can be demeaning or distressing beyond its economic
impact.
We all recognize that some
"normal" market activities, particularly collections, often involve
unpleasant interactions which neither side is necessarily
particularly proud of afterwards. We should always be sensitive to
the human side of these transactions, and if a widow is involved, we
should be especially careful that everything is carried out in a
businesslike fashion.
Some authorities have written
that this commandment applies equally to divorced women (Sema CM
97:22); others disagree (Shach). In general, we should learn from
the Torah's attitude towards widows that we should display special
consideration towards anyone who is financially or emotionally
vulnerable.
“Meaning in Mitzvot” is
undergoing intensive editing; to be followed IYH by printing. With
the help of loyal supporters, we hope to have the book out by Rosh
HaShana. If you would be interested in helping with publication,
please contact Rabbi Meir about making a dedication or subscription
(advance purchase): mail@asherandattara.com, fax 02-642-3141
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
MISC section - contents:
1. Vebbe Rebbe
2. Words of Wisdom; Words of Wit
3. Rite and Reason
4. Candle by Day
5. Just to Let You Know
6. MicroUlpan
7. From Aloh Naaleh
8. From the desk of the director
[1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types
in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are
answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies,
Jerusalem, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l to prepare rabbanim
and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and
abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim
Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a
Q&A from Eretz Hemdah...
Q Does milk that was milked on
Shabbat (in Israel) without em- ploying any halachic solutions
become not kosher because of the violation?
A This response deals with the kashrut element of the issue and not
with the policy questions of going out of one's way to either
support shomer Shabbat dairies or send a financial voice of
disapproval to chilul Shabbat.
The gemara (Ketubot 34a) brings the opinions of three Tana’im
regarding food which was intentionally cooked by a Jew (or otherwise
produced in a forbidden manner - see Rama, Orach Chayim 318:1) on
Shabbat. The most stringent opinion, that the food becomes forbidden
mid'oraita for everyone forever is not accepted as halacha. R.
Yehuda and R. Meir agree that there is only a rabbinic prohibition,
but they argue as to its degree. Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 318:1)
rules like R. Yehuda that we penalize the person who violated
Shabbat and never allow him to eat the food. Others may eat the food
after Shabbat. R. Meir says that even the one who violated may eat
the food after Shabbat, and a minority of Rishonim accept his
opinion (see Beit Yosef and G'ra, ad loc.).
It, therefore, would seem like an open and shut case that one can
drink milk that was milked by others, as it is forbidden only for he
who violated Shabbat. The question is whether the people, on whose
behalf the work was done, is considered like the violator himself or
like someone else. The Magen Avraham compares this to the case where
one takes a forbidden food and purposely mixes it up in such a way
that the forbidden food should be batel (nullified). Shulchan Aruch
rules (Yoreh Deah 99:5) in that case that the mixture is forbidden
even for the person upon whose behalf the act was done. Thus, it
would have seemed that the milking, which was done in order to sell
to consumers, would be forbidden for them. However, the Magen
Avraham continues that the Beit Yosef explains that the case of
mixing in the forbidden food is particularly strict, because we need
to fear that the perpetrator will not take the matter seriously. The
Magen Avraham reasons that, regarding actually violating Shabbat,
one cannot make that claim. Almost all later Acharonim understand
the conclusion of Magen Avraham and the halacha as permitting the
food to the intended recipients of the melacha.
However, the K'tav Sofer (son of
the Chatam Sofer) complicated the matter a bit. He explains (OC 50)
that while the Shabbat violator may sell the food, that is because
he already is penalized for his violation by virtue of the fact that
he cannot eat the food himself. However, in a case where someone
regularly cooks on Shabbat in order to sell the food to customers,
the penalty will not be felt if he can continue to do so. It,
therefore, becomes forbidden for him to sell. If it is forbidden for
him to sell, then it is forbidden to buy from him because of the
requirement not to facilitate or even aid and abet one who is doing
a sin, in this case the sale.
It is not at all clear that we
accept the K'tav Sofer's ruling, but in any case, the matter does
not seem applicable to our case. After all, we do not buy the milk
from the dairy farmers but from a grocery, who bought from a
distributor, who bought the milk. Therefore, it is too indirect for
the consumer to need to be concerned about lifnei iver (facilitating
a sin).
In practice, it is often a
non-Jew who does the actual milking. This is, para- doxically, a
stricter situation in some ways. When a non-Jew does melacha on
Shabbat on behalf of a Jew, one has to wait after Shabbat the
additional amount of time it takes to do the necessary work (bichdei
sheya'asu- see Beitza 24b). However, in practice, the necessary
amount of time always elapses before the consumer has a chance to
drink his milk.
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 eretzhem@netvision.net.il with the
message: Join Hemdatya –Please leave the subject blank. Ask the
Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel
[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
A man once asked the Chafetz Chayim for advice in formulating a
will. He showed the Chafetz Chayim his proposed will in which he
left everything to his wife and three sons.
“You’ve overlooked a very important beneficiary”, the Chafetz Chayim
told him. In response to his puzzlement, the Chafetz Chayim
explained, “You have violated the commandment, ‘You shall not ignore
your own flesh’, which refers to oneself as well as one’s family,
since a man is closest to himself. Your will makes no provision for
Tzedaka. Doesn’t your own soul deserve something in your will?”
[3] Rite and Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
Some follow the practice not to allow a Bar Mitzva boy to deliver a
lengthy discourse, but rather to interrupt him by singing.
Reason: To avoid shaming in public anyone who is unable to deliver a
Torah discourse by heart.
Some follow the practice of referring to the Bar Mitzva boy when he
is called to the Torah as, “CHATAN HABAR MITZVA.
Reason: This is in accord with what is cited (Magen Avraham): “It is
incumbent upon a person to serve a festive meal on the day his son
becomes a Bar Mitzva, just as one would do on his wedding day.”
Reason: A Bar Mitzva is compared to a bridegroom, as it says (Yeshayahu
61:10), K’CHATAN Y’CHAHEIN P’EIR, as a groom puts on glory. T’filin
are also called P’EIR, glory, as in the pasuk (Yechezkel 24:17),
P’EIRCHA CHAVOSH ALECHA, your glory is fastened upon you.
Some do not say Tachanun when a Bar Mitzva boy is in shul for this
same comparison to a Chatan. Just as we don’t say Tachanun in the
presence of a groom during his Sheva Brachot week, so too, in the
presence of a Bar Mitzva on his 13th birthday. (For a Chatan, this
rule is fairly universal; not so for a Bar Mitzva.)
[4] Candle by Day
For want of anything to say, we say anything. - From A Candle by Day
by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein
[5] Just to let you know...
Kayin, Korach, Bil’am, and Do’eg... set their eyes on that which was
not appropriate for them, what they wanted was not given to them and
what they had was taken from them. (Sota 9b)
With the impending plague of Hail, those who feared G-d brought
their servants and animals indoors. And whoever did not heed G-d’s
word, left them in the field. The latter, says Targum Yonatan was
Bil’am.
[6] Micro Ulpan
a word or two from the Academiya L’Lashon Ha’Ivrit - Skateboard •
GALGESHET
[7] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
Bil'am tries very hard to curse Israel, and it is only after several
failed attempts that he finally realizes that God will not allow
Israel to be cursed. He turns quite sarcastic towards his patron,
King Balak, and then provides him with one more "free" and
unsolicited prophecy.
Bil'am's last speech is also his
best. Released from his internal struggle and his attempts to
satisfy Balak's desire to pronounce a curse, Bil'am is at long last
able to see things in a wider perspective. He suddenly soars in
prophetic genius. With prophetic insight, he is able to envisage the
people of Israel as they are meant to be. He transcends the narrow
view of Israel encamped in the desert, and he is led to an
appreciation of the true destiny of the Jewish people.
Now Bil'am is able to see Israel
as a nation dwelling securely and proudly in its own land. The many
enemies surrounding Eretz Yisrael and massing on its borders, Mo'av,
Edom, Se'ir, and Amalek, are diminished in their destructive power
and importance. The Kenites - the one nation truly willing to live
in peace with Israel and acknowledge Israel's role in Eretz Yisrael
- are envisaged as dwelling happily and peacefully in the land,
secure in their own national identity, yet acknowledging Israel's
divinely sanctioned presence.
As we read Bil'am's inspired
words, we understand that not only is his vision of how Israel would
finally achieve full self-realization true, but that we today have
been privileged to participate in its partial fulfillment.
Aubrey Isaacs, WUJS Institute, Arad
TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by
Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah
Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah
[8] Divrei Menachem
This week's parsha introduces us to one of the most enigmatic
characters of all time, the diviner Bilaam, invited by the King of
Moab to curse the Jewish people.
Strangely, for a foreigner, Bilaam asks the first delegation sent to
him to wait so that "the Lord may speak to me." Not surprisingly,
Hashem tells Bilaam not to proceed, since Bnei Yisrael are blessed.
Not resigning himself to this answer, Bilaam awaits the divine
message again in response to the demands of a second, more honorable
delegation. He is then told to "go with them," only to incur the
wrath of Hashem.
The commentators are baffled by
this turn of events. How could Hashem acquiesce to Bilaam's request
and then express anger? But then we are reminded that Hashem also
allowed Moshe to send scouts to Eretz Yisrael and to appoint a king
instead of Shmuel - against His intrinsic desires.
The Midrash explains that when Hashem told Bilaam, "If men call to
you… go with them," this implies that whatever direction a person
chooses to go, he is helped along. G-d does not want the wicked to
perish, but if they are foolish enough to pursue their evil designs,
they have to face the con- sequences. For Bilaam's part, he was
foolish in the first place for even listening to Balak's evil
request.
Shabbat Shalom,
Menachem Persoff
SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel
Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest,and
anticipation of the reader, thereby hasteningthe realization of our
hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit
HaMikdash.
Ma'aser Beheima - Animal
Tithes
"Any tithe of cattle or of the flock (sheep and goats), whatsoever
passes under the staff, the tenth shall be holy to Hashem. He -
farmer - shall not distinguish between good and bad and he shall not
substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, than it and its
substitute shall be holy, it may not be redeemed." (Vayikra 27:
23,33)
Quoting the Mishna (Note Bechorot
9:7), the Rambam explains, "He - the farmer - gathers all the
newborn kids or calves (but not together) into an enclosed area and
he makes for them a small opening so two animals cannot go out
simultaneously." It was essential for correct Ma'aser procedure that
the animals leave the enclosure voluntarily because the pasuk says,
"whatsoever passes under the staff…" i.e. the animal must "pass
under the staff" on its own volition. For this reason, the farmer
positioned the newborn's mothers outside the enclosure and, since
they were separated from their young, they would begin to low (or
bleat). Upon hearing their mother's cries, the newborn animals, one
at a time, would exit the enclosure to join them. The Rambam
continues, "As the new born animals left the enclosure, the farmer
would count them using his staff, 'one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine. When the tenth animal emerged, whether it was
male or female, perfect or blemished, the farmer would mark it with
red paint so it would be recognizable later. Then he would proclaim,
'Behold, this (animal) is Ma'aser.' But if he did not especially
mark the tenth, or did not use his staff to count them, or counted
them when they were crouching or standing (and not walking), they
are still considered tithed." On the other hand, "If he had one
hundred animals and he took ten (without counting them one by one)
or if he had ten and he simply chose one (without counting), these
animals are not considered Ma'aser." In the time of the Beit
HaMikdash, the farmer brought his Ma'aser Beheima to Jerusalem and
offered them as Korbanot. "Ma'aser Beheima are Kodashim Kalim,
sacrifices of a lower level of sanctity, …and are slaughtered
anywhere in the Azara. Their blood requires one sprinkling, provided
it is done against the base of the altar." The Emurim, the fatty
innards, were burnt on the altar, but the sacrificial meat was given
to the Ba'al HaKorban, who, with his family and friends, ate it "in
any part of the city (of Jerusalem), prepared in any manner, during
two days and (the intervening) night" in a state of ritual purity.
Unlike most other Korbanot, the Kohanim had no share in Ma'aser
Beheima. If the animal had a blemish, it was not sacrificed; it
could be eaten in impurity outside of Jerusalem.
The Mishna states, "There are
four New Years… the New Year for Ma'aser Beheima... is on the 1st of
Elul (other opinion: 1 Tishrei)." (Rosh HaShana 1:1). Animals born
one year were not permitted to be mixed with those born the next in
the taking of Ma'aser Beheima. 1 Elul or 1 Tishrei was the line
between the previous year and the new year. What happened if a
farmer had a number of herds or flocks in different locations? The
Rambam answers, "A man does not have to combine all his newborn
animals from his various herds into one enclosed area for the
purpose of tithing; he may tithe each herd separately in its own
place. If he had five lambs in Jerusalem and five in Acre, they do
not have to be joined together for the purpose of taking Ma'aser;
since he did not have tat least ten in one place, he was exempt from
the mitzva. But what is the minimum distance between herds that
allows them to be kept apart and not combined for the purpose of
Ma'aser Beheima? Sixteen Mil" - roughly 16 km. (Usually, but there
are exceptions.) The Mishna notes, "The Mitzva of Ma'aser Beheima is
observed in Eretz Yisrael and abroad, whether the Beit HaMikdash is
standing or not." The Mitzva applies to the flocks and herds of
Israelite men and women, Kohanim and Leviyim. The Sifra comments,
"'…it may not be redeemed.' Ma'aser Beheima may not be sold, not
alive nor slaughtered. It may not be sold whether it is 'perfect'
and suitable for sacrifice, or blemished and not suitable for
sacrifice."
The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 361)
examines the enormous potential advantages of the observance of the
Halacha of Ma'aser Beheima on K'lal Yisrael. The Chinuch writes,
"People are drawn to where their money is. Therefore they will
ascend to Jerusalem, the place of wisdom and the seat of the
Sanhedrin - the center of wisdom and discernment - to learn Torah.
There they will eat their yearly Ma'aser Beheima and, four years out
of seven, their Ma'aser Sheini ("second tithe" - also eaten only in
Jerusalem). If the Ba'al Mamon does not go up to Jerusalem himself
to learn Torah, he will send one of his childen to study there and
(the son can) be sustained by the Ma'aser Beheima, etc. which can
only be eaten there. That way, eventually every house in Israel will
have knowledgeable sons steeped in Torah who can educate the members
of their family, and eventually, the entire land will be filled with
the knowledge of Hashem. If every family has a "live-in" teacher who
can admonish them, every evening, morning, and afternoon, then
everyone, men, women and children alike, will learn Torah. As a
result, sin and transgression will not be found in Israel. And what
is written, 'I shall place My sanctuary among you' and 'You will be
unto Me a people, and I will be to you a G-d' will apply to them…"
Today, the Mitzva of Ma'aser
Beheima is not allowed to be observed, by rabbinic decree. The
Rambam, basing himself on the Gemara writes, "The Sages have
forbidden tithing newborn animals in our time; the law of Ma'aser
Beheima is “practical” only when the Beit HaMikdash is standing. The
rabbinic ban exists lest one slaughter and eat a perfect animal
which could have been sacrificed in the days of the Beit HaMikdash.
The sinner then would be deserving of the punishment of Kareit
because he slaughtered a sacrificial animal outside of the Azara."
Teferet Yisrael adds that one may also "come to commit an offense"
by shearing and using the tithed animal's wool or using it for work
- also forbidden acts. The Sages are able to "neutralize" a Mitzvat
Asei, a positive commandment, because of the principle of Sheiv
Ve'al Ta'aseh (lit. "sit and do nothing"). The Sages have the
authority to "uproot" or nullify the observance of a Mitzvat Asei if
its continued observance can lead to the violation of other Halachot.
Perhaps the most famous example of Sheiv Ve'al Ta'aseh is the
rabbinic prohibition against sounding the Shofar when Rosh HaShana
falls on Shabbat. What the Sages did is effectively contravene a
Mitzvat Asei from the Torah! The Sages were apprehensive that the
Shofar might be carried from Reshut to Reshut on Shabbat - a very
serious transgression. Anticipating this possibility, they ordained
that the Shofar should not be sounded on Shabbat.
Catriel Sugarman gives
illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He
can be reached at (02) 652-7531 or by email at acatriel@netvision.net.il.
Catriel is in the process of writing a book entitled: The Temple of
Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple
and the Divine Service.
Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
Column #76. Contents of this weekly column are (mostly) 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.
It seems that we haven’t heard
the final word on the word GIMMEL(SEGOL)-YUD-ALEF, which appears in
only one place in Tanach, namely Yeshayahu 40:4 (which happens to be
the haftara of Va’etchanan-Nachamu). The question is whether the YUD
is sounded or not. We’ve so far receive strong response from
knowledgeable sources that the YUD is NOT sounded, and the word is
pronounced GE, as in GET without the T. This would be consistent
with not sounding the YUD following a SEGOLed letter as in your sons
- BANECHA, your face - PANECHA, “may (our eyes) see (Your return to
Zion...)” - V’TECHEZE- NA... and many others. Some suggest that our
word in question might be different, because there is no other
syllable that follows the SEGOLed letter. Not ready to close the
book on this issue yet, since we’ve also heard the opposite opinion
in favor of hearing the YUD. This has come mostly from Yemenite
sources who either pronounce the word GEI (as in the English word
gay, which used to have a simple happy meaning) or GAI (as in the
English word guy), since many Teimanim pronounce a SEGOL like a
PATACH. Hopefully, by Shabbat Nachamu, we’ll have a definitive way
to pronounce the word.
[The V’TECHEZENA example above is
included for reader BV who asked for a clarification on that word in
the Amida. It seems that the YUD is totally silent and that the
three syllables in a row V’TE and CHE and ZE - all three rhyme. On
the other hand, the YUD is there, so how come it does not impact on
pronunciation? We’ll have to look into that a bit more.]
The other holdover topic from
last week is another pitch for something very simple, but yet
something that has had a significant effect for my own “better
davening...” - which, after all, is the original purpose of this
column. I refer to separating the words BARUCH and ATA so that they
don’t come out as BARUCHATA or even as BARU CHATA. It seems so
simple to do, but the benefits are great. I can only ask you to try
it. Try it when you make a bracha for food. Try it with the morning
brachot. Try it with the brachot of SH’MA and with the AMIDA. Dozens
and dozens of times, every single day, we say BARUCH ATA... If you
pause briefly for the run-on problem with these to words, you are
likely to find yourself saying G-d’s names and the rest of the
bracha with just a little more care and kavana. A little less
automatic pilot. A little less speed. And you will see positive
results very quickly.
While you’re at it, try
separating MELECH HA’OLAM also. We don’t say those words as often as
BARCH ATA, but certainly often enough for us to tray being more
careful with those words too.
Aside from how often we say BARCH
ATA, there is something else. ATA is YOU, second person familiar...
in this context, referring to GOD! It should strike us as chutzpadik
to address G-d with ATA. In fact, when we do it at the beginning of
a bracha, but in many cases we switch to third person at the end of
the bracha. Third person is more remote and respectful than second
person. The switch reflects the awareness that comes (should come)
with the words that follow ATA, viz. HASHEM ELOKEINU MELECH HA’OLAM.
If we realize even a little bit, the awesome significance of these
four words, then we can understand why the bracha switches from
second person familiar to the remote and respectful third person. We
say SHEHAKOL NIHYA BIDVARO, and not BIDVA- RECHA. ...ASHER KID’SHANU
B’MITZVOTAV, and not B’MITZVOTECHA. And more. With this in mind, our
saying of the word ATA carries with it the awe of the four words
that follow it (or the one Word, as in many brachot of davening),
and we should be careful to say ATA without its being a mindless
run-on from the BARUCH before it.
Parsha Pix
Upper left is from one of the first ParshaPixPuzzles. There is a
BLOCK (sounds like BALAK) in a nest, which makes it BLOCK BEN TZIPOR.
Moving to the right, we find a globe wearing an eye patch. Balak
said that Israel was so numerous that we covered EIN HAARETZ, the
eye of the Earth.
Next, the messengers from Moav came to Bil'am with K'SAMIM B'YADAM,
represented by the magic trick in the hand.
Bil'am's donkey saw the sword drawn in the angel's hand; Bil'am did
not see it at first (or second or third).
Second row, left. When the donkey talks to Bil'am, she asks him why
he has hit her these three REGALIM, times. Using the word that
refers to our cycle of holidays and to the People who observe them.
The angel repeats the reference to SHALOSH REGALIM. The
speech-bubble for the donkey contains the question (mark) about the
three festivals, represented by the Lulav, Matza, and Torah.
To the right we find a Chicago basketball player, one of the BULLS
and a St. Louis football player, one of the RAMS. Bulls and rams , 7
of each, were repeatedly offered as sacrifices to G-d by Bil’am and
Balak. We suggest that you try to get this out of your kids rather
than giving it away to them. (That is, if they follow American
sports. Otherwise, teach them.)
The lion cub was one of the ways that Bil'am described the Jewish
People.
Third row, left. No comment (PPP).
Clapping hands - a representation of Balak striking his hands
together in disgust at Bil’am’s repeated failure to do as requested.
VAYISPOK. A unique word in Tanach, appearing no where else.
The number seven is very prominent in the sedra. Seven altars, seven
bulls and seven rams as sacrifices. Again and again.
The Xed out snake is also from Bil'am's words, that there is no
NACHASH in Yaakov. His meaning is that we do not rely on omens.
Next row down. A drawing of an actor and a photo of an actress. Hard
to make out in the hard copy. Sorry. Easier on the website,
especially if you click to enlarge the ParshaPix. Color helps too.
In any event, they are also a PPP, a.k.a. graphic TTriddle.
Photo of the Fort Knox repository of gold bullion. Represents the
“house filled with gold and silver” that Bil’am told Balak if he
offered to him, he still would not be able to violate G-d’s
commands.
Bottom row, left. A shul. Reminding us of the famous MA TOVU
OHALECHA YAAKOV...
And at the bottom right we have a ROMACH, the spear that Pinchas
used to protect G-d’s honor.
Worthy of repetition is something Zev Frank of Arutz-7 discovered.
ROMACH, spelled in the Torah REISH-MEM-CHET (no VAV) is numerically
equivalent to 248, which immediately brings to mind the number of
positive mitzvot in the Torah. Pinchas armed himself with the RAMACH
(248) mitzvot in his righteous defense of G-d's honor. But Zev did
not stop there. What about the prohibitions in the Torah? There are
365 of them. If we count just the prohibitions, starting from GID
HANASHE and follow the count of the Sefer HaChinuch through the
sedras, we come to an amazing discovery. The 248th prohibition in
the Torah is at the end of Va'etchanan, and it is the prohibition of
intermarriage and of taking a woman from the other nations. Exactly
the sin that Zimri was guilty of. So Pinchas not only armed himself
with a physical weapon, and not only did he have the 248 positive
mitzvot guiding him, but he also had a numeric match to the one
major prohibition in question.
Use this ParshaPix well with your children and Shabbat guests. Have
fun... and learn well.
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 issue’s (CHUKAT) TTriddles:
[1] This time Rashi probably agrees with Onkeles
[2] Korbanot, Nega'im, Death
[3] Who first found the liquid component of the potion
[4] Yiftach, Yarav’am, Naaman, Bo’az, Tzadok, Elyada,and thousands
more ...and whose father?
[5] It's between 240 and 180
And the envelope please...
[1] When Yaakov send MAL’ACHIM to his brother to Eisav, Rashi
comments: “Actual angels”. This opinion differs with Targum Onkeles,
who renders MAL’ACHIM as IZGADIN, which means messengers. In Parshat
Chukat, the Torah tells us that Moshe sent MAL’ACHIM twice - once to
the people of Edom and once to Sichon, king of Emori. In both cases,
the purpose was to ask permission to pass through the territory of
the respective people. In neither case does Rashi offer an
alterative meaning for MAL’ACHIM; he apparently agrees with Onkeles
and goes for the plain contextual meaning of “messengers”. It is
interesting to note that in Moshe’s message to Edom, he says that
G-d sent a MAL’ACH and he took us out of Egypt. In this context,
MAL’ACH is rendered MAL’ACHA by Onkeles. Whether this means an angel
or not, Rashi states that it is a reference to Moshe. Rashi further
states that prophets are sometimes called MAL’ACHIM.
[2] The answer to this TTriddle is ZOT HATORAH. This is the Torah...
The phrase appears only three times in the Torah. The first time is
in context of korbanot, mentioning Olah, Mincha, Chatat, Asham,
Milu’im, and Sh’lamim. The next occurrence is con- cerning “Nega
Tzora’at and Netek, Tzoraat of garments and of houses, and more. The
third time is in Chukat, about a person dying in a tent (any
enclosure). The phrase makes on other appearance with a lead VAV, as
in the famous V’ZOT HATORAH... Once we include in the search the
words ZOT TORAT something... we find 12 more occurrences, and
another 5 for V’ZOT TORAT... But only thrice for ZOT HATORAH.
[3] Besides the ashes of the Para Aduma, the main ingredient of the
“Lustral Water”, a.k.a. MEI CHATAT, a.k.a. MEI NIDA, is MAYIM CHAYIM,
water from a live stream. The Torah tells us that the servants of
Yitzchak Avinu dug for water after the P’lishtim had filled in the
wells dug in the time of Avraham, and that they “found Mayim Chayim”.
[4] GIBOR CHAYIL. Mighty warrior. Or something like that. This is a
TTriddle from the haftara, since Yiftach is called a Gibor Chayil in
the first pasuk of the haftara. The names in the TTriddle are people
who are identified as Gibor Chayil in the Tanach. In addition, the
term is used in Tanach for nameless thousands of warriors. The one
person left out of the TTriddle is KISH, father of Sha’ul HaMelech.
SHA’UL, therefore, is the correct solution to the TTriddle.
[5] 240 is a triple PEI (3 x 80 = 240) , as is printed in Chumashing
at the end of most sedras. What it actually means is that the next
sedra begins with a Parsha P’tucha. But it is printed at the end of
a sedra to indicate that the sedra ended and the rest of the line in
a Sefer Torah is left blank until the end of the line. 180 is
triple-SAMACH (3 x 60 = 180). This is the other thing that we find
printed at the end of some sedras. It indicates that the next sedra
begins with a Parsha S’tuma. What it actually is meant to indicate
is that the sedra finishes, a blank space is left and the next sedra
begins on the same line as the current sedra ended. CHUKAT is
between 240 and 180, in other words, Chukat begins with a Parsha
P’tucha and the next sedra Balak begins with a Parsha S’tuma.
Interesting to note that Balak is the only sedra of the Book of
Bamidbar to begin with a Parsha S’tuma. That links it more with the
preceding parsha than a sedra would be that begins with a P’tucha.
Could this be the reason that it is the combining of Chukat and
Balak that is used in Chutz LaAretz as the catch-up reading (this
week) to bring Parshat HaShavua back into sync, out of which it has
been since the Shabbat after Shavuot (which was the second day of
Shavuot in Chutz LaAretz). BTW, To’l’dot, Mikeitz, Bo, T’rumah, Ki
Tisa, Tzav, and Eikev are the other sedras that are between 240 and
180. (Or perhaps we should have said, between 25 and 50, referring
to points in the old game of “Chumash”.)
This week's TTriddles:
[1] Balak to Bil'am to the Arnon River and Yoshiyahu to whom (and
for what purpose)
[2] He's one before the finish
[3] He and the one he contains are each previewed
[4] His father is continuously confused
[5] plus three items from the ParshaPix which are really two
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Monday, July 21 (morning) • Bread & TefilininYerushalayim; Visit
Angel’s Bakeryand Oter Yisrael; Fascinating physicaland spiritual
food • price: 36NIS per person, 50NIS for non-members
Tuesday, August 129:00am to 12:00 noon • First Time Ever!; Beit
HaMikdash Tour with the incomparable
Catriel Sugarman, Assisted by Nachman Kupietsky; Step-by-Step
viaVirtual Davidson Center, Also..Tour the Western Wall area and get
to learn and love things you haven’t heard about or seen before! •
Paid advance reservations a must • Limited to 40 people • 50NIS
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TRAVEL DESK SPECIALS
For reservations at the hotels listed below or any other Israeli
hotels, please call Batya directly at the Travel Desk 566 7787, ext.
249. She'll be happy to accommodate you with any of your requests.
Dan Panorama, Jerusalem, valid thru July
Midweek: 585NIS per night per couple, H/B
Renaissance, Jerusalem, valid thru July
Three-night package: 1350NIS per couple, B/B
Includes entrance to health club and indoor & outdoor pools
Olive Tree, Jerusalem, valid July 13-17
MIDWEEK: 415NIS per night, per couple, B/B
Sheraton-Plaza, Jerusalem, valid July 11-12
SHABBAT: 1050NIS per couple, F/B
Renaissance, Tel Aviv, valid July 13-17
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Includes entrance to health club and indoor pool
Neptune, Eilat, valid July 13-66
Midweek: 670NIS per night per couple, H/B
Galei Eilat Hotel, valid July 6-10, 13-17
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Hermon Heights, Neve Ativ valid July 13-17
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3-night MIDWEEK package: 2580NIS per couple, H/B
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Glatt/Mehadrin • Separate swimming
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FRIDAY
“Early Shabbat Minyan”; Mincha will be 15 minutes before PLAG
(please be prompt) and Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv will be after
PLAG. • This week: Balak (6:04), Pinchas (6:02), Matot-Mas’ei
(6:00), D’varim (5:56), Va'etchanan (5:51), Eikev (5:45)...
Shabbat DAY
Shabbat afternoon (Balak), July 12th, 5:00pm • The Anti-Moshe: A
Dvar Torah and Play by Yaacov Peterseil & Todahya • Drinks • Mincha
at 6:00pm
Motza’ei Shabbat, July 12th (eve of 13 Tammuz), 9:45pm
Mishna Morsels; A look at some Parshat HaShavua-related Mishnayot (Pimchas)
with Pinchas Phil Chernofsky
Sunday thru Thursday
10:00am The Weekly Mitzvot and Concepts from Minchat Chinuch by
Rabbi Dovid Zitter
11:00am Wednesday & Thursday mornings (Masechet Avoda Zara) Gemara
Shiur with Rabbi Moshe Gorelik
1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year)
3:00pm Daf Yomi by Rabbi Shmuel Halpern
4:30pm Shiur by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel
Shiurim are in English and take place in the Ganchrow Beit Midrash
For men who want to do some serious learning...
SUNDAY
N'shei Library - 10:30am - 12:45pm
9:30am (women) Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda
Warhaftig
10:30am (men & women) More on Brachot... Phil Chernofsky • Tonia
Frohwein’s class will resume IY”H Sunday, Tammuz/July 20th
11:30am (men & women) Parshat HaShavua Shprintzee Herskovits
7:30pm Jewish Thought as it emerges from the Torah with the help of
Ramban's Commentary - Now studying: The Sound of G-d on the Move,
Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Sunday, July 13, 8:00pm • Prof. Edward H. Simon, Professor of
Biological Sciences, Purdue UniversityExpert in virology and viral
genetics on The Kosher Pig: Fact & Fantasy
MONDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:00-12:30
9:15am (men & women) Excursions into the world of Nevi'im, Mrs.
Pearl Borow
10:30am (men & women) Rambam's 13 Principles, Rabbi Zev Leff
Dr. Goldblum’s class will be in recess until September Watch for
announcements of its resumption
11:36am (women) The Gates of Prayer of Rabbi Shimshon Pincus z"l •
Aviva Nissim
SLIM FOR LIFE Group weight-loss program for women - No obligation
for the first session - Qualified nutritional advisor on hand - NOW
on Mondays, from 11:35am Elisheva, 999-6479
Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise class for women of all
ages at the Israel Center - Gentle exercises to improve your
flexibility, circulation, posture, etc. - Breathing and relaxation
skills to use every day - Mondays, 12:45-1:45pm Satisfaction
guaranteed! - Further information: Sura Faecher, 9932524
12:30pm • "Dr. Aviva Gottlieb Zornberg on "Exodus - A Therapeutic
Narrative?"
Women's Beit Midrash: MON (and WED) 3:00-5:00pm
Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew -
join us! Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow; In-Depth study of
Chumash B'reishit with Rashi - Shiur by Rabbi David Derovan
Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop - Mondays: 5:30-7:30pm with
Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) & Mindy Aber Barad (643-5276)
Dr. Zornberg’s classes are in recess • Watch for announcements
Monday, July 14th, 8:00pm • Old Age is NOT a One-Way Street with
Irwin Goldenberg
MASK - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids; J'lem Chapter at the
OU Israel Center -Dr. Judy Belsky, PhD - Group Facilitator; Join us
at our next bi-weekly meeting - MONDAY, July 21, 8:00-9:30pm • Also
in Ramat Beit Shemesh: Meetings resume after the summer. Call
02-999-6686 or 999-6162
TUESDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - CLOSED
Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults will be on recess during
July. Watch for announcements of the August resumption of JCA
classes
Yad Yaakov Center for Jewish Education classes at the Israel Center,
Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30am - Call 051-639-921 for further information
9:00am In-depth study of the weekly Haftara Dr. Hayim Abramson
9:55am Chazal on Angels Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50am Parshat HaShavua Rabbi Mordechai Spiegelman
TUE 11:45am Chabad insights into Parshat HaShavua and the Actualia
of Our Time (women only) Raizel Zisk
The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association, 14th year
• over 3000 loans granted 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
The Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center and the Jewish
Values Education Institute of the Israel Center • Lunch & Torah
Videotapes; Bring your own lunch (the Center Cafe is open) to the
library and watch a video of an Israel Center lecture • NO FEE
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • 12:30-1:30pm; “Rabbi Sholom Gold on
"Jerusalem - City of Holiness"
Tuesday, July 15, 8:00pm, Traditional Jewish Paper Cuts with Rina
Biran
WEDNESDAY
9:30am (men & women) Towards a More Meaningful Davening, Dr. Joel
Luber
10:30am (men & women) • Pro-Israel Poetry & Prose with Evelyn Hayes,
author of “The Eleventh Plague, Twins because their hearts were
softened to accept the unacceptable”; introducing “The Twelfth
Plague, Generations because the Lion wears Stripes”. Also reviewing
“A Hole in the Heart of the World - J.Kaufman
The Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center and the Jewish
Values Education Institute of the Israel Center • Lunch & Torah
Videotapes; Bring your own lunch (the Center Cafe is open) to the
library and watch a video of an Israel Center lecture • NO FEE
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • 12:30-1:30pm - Rabbi Ahraon Adler on
"Using Mishna to memorialize victims of the Sho'a"
Women's Beit Midrash - Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to
your life as a Jew - join us! Women in Tanach (see next item) +
Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow
3:00pm (men & women) Women in Tanach, Pearl Borow
Wednesday, July 16th • Root & Branch Association (in cooperation
with the Israel Center)
8:00pm: “We are on G-d's Side” with Yona BaumelFather of M.I.A.
Zachary Baumel
Info: rb@rb.org.il • NIS25 per person, members NIS20, students NIS10
7:30pm (See also SUN) Jewish Philosophy - Road Map to the Prophets -
Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed; Now studying: Rambam's approach to
Darchei Emori and Segula with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
8-10pm Aliya Counseling Miriam Bass
THURSDAY • 17th of Tammuz
10:30am Mesilat Yesharim - Path of the Just - Rabbi David J. Derovan
Shmooze while you fold - Divrei Torah, verbal tidbits, Q&A, and...
with Phil - Some time IY"H, sometimes B"N
5:45pm: Shiur by Rabbi Mendel Deren: Chassidic Insights into the
Three Weeks
6:45pm: Mincha for the Fast Day • Mini-shiur: Review of Halacha &
Minhag
8:05pm: Maariv, fast-breaking refreshments
8:00pm Stories from the Gemara, Reb Yosef Schreiber
THU 8:30pm - The History of Zionism understood through the Teachings
of the Maharal - An AM SEGULA lecture series by Eli Yosef
TORAH TIDBITS AUDIO with Phil Chernofsky • Thursday nights,
10:10-11:00pm on Arutz-Sheva, 98.7FM and 1539AM, and on Arutz-7’s
website,live or archived on www.israelnationalnews.com
FRIDAY
9:00am In-Depth Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Upcoming at the Israel Center
Sunday, July 20, 8:00pm • Prof. Edward H. Simon, Professor of
Biological Sciences, Purdue UniversityExpert in virology and viral
genetics • Jewish Genetics Update
Special Shiur on Monday, July 21, 8:00pm: We Dare Not Despair! by
the world-renowned Torah personality - Rabbi Yissocher Frand •
Limited number of places • 20NIS members in advance, 25NIS
non-members in advance • 30NIS at the door (if still available)
Tuesday, July 22nd, 8:00pm • Iraq, the U.S.,Israel and the Arabs by
Dr. David Luchins, Chairman, Political Science Department, Touro
College;National Associate Vice President, Orthodox Union • Dr.
Luchins will also be speaking IY”H on Monday, August 4th, 8:00pmon
“Are American Jews finally becoming Republicans?”
Motza’ei Shabbat, July 26, 9:30pm • Chaya Malka Abramson will speak
about her book, Who by Fire, her experience, and about the benefits
of Loving Kindness
Tuesday, July 29th, 6:45-10:00pm • The Art of Being a Dating Advisor
with Rosie Einhorn and Sherry Zimmerman • 75NIS p.p. includes
materials, certificate of participation, and ongoing “technical
support”
Tuesday, July 29th, 8:00pm • Shalom and Unity through the Eyes of
the Maharal of Prague with Rabbi Eli Deutsch
Wednesday, July 30th,
8:00pm: Ohr Habina: Torah, light & healing - Rabbi Zev Sicradzky
8:45pm: Chinese Medicine: Ancient Art; Modern Miracle - Mr. Mike
Feller
Don’t miss Howie Kahn’s nostalgic Motza’ei Shabbat Nachamu Concert
Sundry
Your tax-deductible support for the Malki Foundation / Keren Malki
helps us enable quality home-care for seriously disabled children in
Israel. Ph. 058 853317 • ww.kerenmalki.org • In loving memory of
Malka Chana Roth HY"D murdered in the Sbarro bombing, 9 Aug. ‘01
From Hava'ad Lema'an Rachel Imeinu
B”H ...Egged has agreed to put more buses on the line to Kever
Rachel. The timing could not be more crucial, as the PM is already
speaking of giving up Beit Lechem, G-d forbid. Although Kever Rachel
is not included in the "planned" retreat ...the Palestinians are
pushing for Kever Rachel to be included in the Beit Lechem turn
over.
Extra buses to Kever Rachel will only be run if there are
passengers. So do a mitzva for your mom (Rachel Imeinu) and your
country and visit Kever Rachel ASAP, and as often as possible.
New EGGED schedule to/from Kever Rachel
Jerusalem to Kever Rachel:
SUN-THU: 05:10 (from R’ Malchei Yisrael), 09:10, 11:10, 13:10,
15:10, 17:10, 19:10,(22:10 on THU only); FRI 9:10, 12:10, 14:10;
Motza”Sh 21:10
Kever Rachel to Jerusalem
SUN-THU 06:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, (23:30 on
THU only); FRI 10:30, 13:30, 15:30; Motza”Sh 22:30
Egged 163 bus to Kever Rachel leaves from the Central Bus Station in
Jerusalem, platform 5,inside the building. The Route is as follows:
Central Bus Station, Yirmiyahu, Sarei Yisrael, Malchei Yisrael, Meah
She'arim,Hanevi'im, Kvish #1,Hatzanchanim, Derech Hevron,Kever
Rachel.
Questions? Call 056-530-537
OU ISRAEL CENTER Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World
Center
Yitzchak Fund, President
Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President
Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President
Harvey Tannenbaum, Secretary/Treasurer
Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member
Rabbi Eddie Abramson, Vaad member
Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Vaad Member
Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center
Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor
Ita Rochel Russek, Production Assistant and Advertising Manager,
Torah Tidbits
22 Keren Ha'Yesod POB 37015 Jerusalem 91370
Phone: (02) 566 7787 Fax: (02) 561-7432
email: tt@ou.org
websites: www.ou.org/torah/tt and www.ou.org/israel/ic
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