Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel
Summer Time* - a.k.a. Daylight Savings Time 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. This Shabbat, we bench Rosh Chodesh
Cheshvan which will be (tomorrow) SUN & MON, October 6th & 7th. L’HAVDIL (1000 x 1000 differences), something like that happens to each of us at this time of the year. Not an alien abduction, but a religious one. Halacha, minhag, and hashkafa combine to transform each of us into a different person. The abduction begins on Rosh Chodesh Elul, with the piercing sound of the Shofar. That is followed by the first of 100 recitations of Psalm 27, L’David, HaShem Ori V’Yish’i. The transformation has begun. Day by day through the month of Elul, we are given the opportunity for introspection and self-improvement. Towards the end of the month, an intensive program of Slichot is added. Then comes Rosh HaShana and a tremendous increase in the intensity of the Shofar sounds. And the prayers with their special themes and messages. All designed to make us different people. If we want to be. When we will eventually be released back into our everyday world, we will be different people, although we might outwardly appear the same as before. Then comes the Aseret Y’mei T’shuva treatment and the intense Yom Kippur experience. This is followed, without let-up, by the period of preparation for Sukkot and then the celebration of that joyous holiday and the performance of its mitzvot. The Four Species represent the four organs of the body - heart, spine, eyes, and mouth that are being operated on, and changed forever. And then another intensive one-day treatment - this time it is an immersion in the Joy and Love of Torah. Over a period of more than 50 days, we have had a full range of our emotions and thoughts exposed to Holiness, and we have been challenged to rise to the occasion and become better people. Then comes ISRU CHAG and we are deposited
right where we were before the abduction - physically, that is. But we are
not even close to the same place spiritually. We still radiate with the
effects of T’shuva and Mitzvot, of Yir’at HaShem and Ahavat HaShem. We look
around us and we see “regular”, “normal”, everyday life. The next Chag is
several calendar pages away. And upcoming is Shabbat B’reishit - not Shabbat
Parshat B’reishit, but Shabbat B’reishit, the week and Shabbat of a new
Beginning. And we are ready for it as never before. [SDT] Baal HaTurim points out that the G'matriya of B'REISHIT BARA is 1116, as is the numeric value of the phrase: B'ROSH HASHANA NIV'RA - on R.H. it (the world) was created. Furthermore, the letters of B'reishit
rearrange to spell ALEF B'TISHREI, the first of the month of Tishrei (or
B'ALEF TISHREI - on the first of Tishrei - same thing), "confirming" the
opinion that the world was created in Tishrei (R. Eliezer), rather than in
Nissan, as the other opinion holds (R. Yehoshua). The First Rashi of the Torah Rashi quotes Rabbi Yitzchak who explains why the Torah begins with B'REISHIT and not with the mitzvot and halachic texts in Parshat BO. He says that if the nations of the world will accuse us of stealing the Land of Israel from others who have occupied it through the generations, (or from those who claim that there is nothing Jewish in the archaeological finds of the Temple Mount), we will be able to point to the events in the historical portions of the Torah and see that G-d takes land from whom He chooses and gives it to whom He chooses. But what happens if the nations of the world do not accept the lessons of the Torah? Let's say that they reject the point that Rashi makes. Their problem. We have confidence in the prophecies of the time when the nations will recognize the G-d of Israel and accept our role in this world and our relationship with Him. Maybe we cannot expect Rashi to impress most of the non-Jews of the world. At least, not yet. We are the ones who need to see in and through the Torah that G-d is in control. This goes for Jews who feel that we are usurpers here, and this goes for proud Jews who feel that they have accomplished everything here without the help of G-d and without His okay. Whether the Arabs and other people accept what we claim from the Torah is one thing. Do we, the Jewish People, really believe that this Land is ours? That’s the $64,000 question. This Land is OURS. And we should not be squeamish about asserting our possession of Eretz Yisrael. The lesson of the famous first Rashi is for us. The Torah is not just a book of mitzvot and laws. It tells us other things. Hebron belongs to the Jewish People because Avraham Avinu bought it and passed its title to Yitzckak. It does not matter how many Arabs live there and how many Jews do or don't live there. Hebron is ours, Jerusalem is ours. Eretz Yisrael is ours. We do not have to apologize for it. We should seek ways of living peacefully with our neighbors, of dealing fairly and safely with the Arabs who live among us. G-d has repeated the promises to the Avot so many times in the Torah, that we should have no doubts as to whose claim is legitimate. Sadly, the protesters in Paris Square and
their ilk, don't seem to get the point. But there are probably many other
points from the Torah that they also don't get. “In the beginning, G-d created the Heavens and the Earth. And the Earth...” Did that happen on day 1 of Creation, 5763 years ago? This is one possible answer to that
question. The first two p'sukim of B’reishit describe the totally,
exclusively Divine aspect of Creation of Something from Nothing — YEISH
MEI'AYIN. Before “B'reishit”, perhaps nothing existed — except G-d. With the
Divine Command of B'reishit, everything that now exists came into existence
for the first time. All matter, all energy, thoughts, concepts, time —
everything. According to this point of view, SHAMAYIM and ARETZ mean
everything in the universe. “And G-d said: Let there be light...” Thus begins the Torah’s description of Days 1,2,3,4,5,6. And what happened on those days? G-d put everything in order, distinguished one thing from another. It was creation of Something from Something. YEISH MI'YEISH. Forming, shaping. The kind of Creation that we emulate in our lives. And how long was one of these days of Creation? Maybe they each were a thousand years long. Or an eon. Or maybe they each were 24 hours long. Either that Torah talks "our language" or not. Take your pick. Either answer fits. Shabbat B'reishit is a time of rediscovery and re-creation. just like on Pesach and Shavuot when we read of the events of Egyptian slavery and the Exodus on the one and the events of Matan Torah on the other, and we try to put ourselves into the events, to make them fresh, as if today we came out of Egypt, as if the Torah were given today, so too should we enthusiastically read and hear the description of Creation and put ourselves into the position of discovering G-d through the world and nature that He brought into existence for us. Don't just see things as "once upon a time..." — get excited, because G-d “renews with His Goodness, every day and always, the Acts of B’reishit”. Without really going into detail, here is a breakdown of the first Aliya for your consideration. 2 p’sukim, as mentioned above, for the first phase of creation. Notwithstanding the argument above that broke these two p’sukim off of the description of the first day (so to speak), they are part of the first PARSHA, together with the creation of Light, etc. 3 p’sukim for Day 1, the creation of light, the separation of light and dark- ness, and their being identified as day and night. One KI TOV. The day is called YOM ECHAD rather than RISHON, because RISHON has meaning only if there is a SHENI, which there wasn’t yet. 3 p’sukim for the Second Day of Creation, one parsha. The creation of the Heavens and the separation of the Upper and Lower waters. The Third day of Creation consists of two “sections”. First, two p’sukim for the “gathering of the lower waters” into different areas and the formation of dry land. And the “naming” of Land and Seas. KI TOV. And then the Divine command to the Land to spring forth with vegetation. 3 p’sukim with another KI TOV introduce us to the Plant Kingdom. 6 p’sukim for the Fourth Day. The Sun, Moon and stars (and other “heavenly bodies”). KI TOV. The Sun and the Moon are identified as the great luminaries. Then it is the Sun that keeps that name and the Moon is called the lesser light. In addition to MIdrashic explanations of this change in name for the Moon, there is another way to understand and appreciate both ways of describing the Sun and the Moon. Except for the Sun and the Moon, all stars, planets, etc. in the sky APPEAR to us a points of light. Stars which we know to be unbelievably larger than the Sun still SEEM to us to be mere points of light. The Sun and the Moon appear as fairly large disks. In fact, they appear to be the same size. If you’ve ever noticed the Sun shining through a cloud, it often looks very much like a full moon. Actually, the Sun is about 400 times the diameter of the Moon and about 400 times more distant from us. This is why the two look to be the same size, and this explains why the Moon just about covers the body of the Sun during a solar eclipse. From our perspective, the Sun and Moon are the two great luminaries. From our perspective. And that is how the Torah presents them to us. But from an objective perspective, the Sun is a far greater light than the Moon. And that too is how they are presented in the second instance of identification. The Torah most often “speaks to us in human terms”. That’s the only way, sometimes, to understand things. Other times, the Torah tells it “straight”. Continuing... 5 p’sukim for the Fifth Day, with its account of Animal Kingdom, part one. Swarming insects, fish, birds. KI TOV. And P’RU URVU. Next comes 8 p’sukim (some quite long) with the formation of Animal Kingdom, part two. Land animals (most mammals). “Creepy things” probably includes most reptiles as well. Fifth day creatures and sixth day creatures do not necessarily divide along modern biology’s taxonomic guidelines. For example, Dolphins and bears are both mammals, but aquatic mammals were (probably) created on the fifth day. The bat, although a mammal, (probably) preceded the mouse by a day. What about flightless birds? Don’t know. And mammals that spend much time in the water, but do come onto land at times? Don’t know. One KI TOV Then comes the formation of human beings, first as a single being both male and female (one explanation of the wording in the parsha) and then separated into two different beings, male and female (but with some “crossing” of characteristics). P’RU URVU. TOV ME’OD. THE sixth day. YOM HASHISHI. This relatively long first Aliya concludes with the 3-pasuk parsha introducing us to Shabbat B’reishit, the day that G-d blessed and sancified because He “rested” from Creation. And that’s without going into detail. "It is not good that man shall be alone" is explained in different ways, including that only G-d is singular. Man needs to know that as great as he can become, as much as he can accomplish, he is not a god. All creatures were brought before Adam as "candidates" for partner- to-Adam. None was found suitable, but Adam named them all (as people have done throughout the ages). In the first account of Creation, Man was the final act of Creation, but not so much the purpose and focus of creation. In this second account, Man is presented as the focus of creation. We must see things both ways in order to
maintain a healthy perspective on this world, our role in it, and our
responsibilities towards it and all elements of nature. Next the Torah tells us cryptically of the episodes of the Serpent's enticement of Chava, the eating from the Tree, the punishments for the Serpent, Chava, and finally, Adam. The sin(s) of Adam and Chava are not just
personal sins, but more importantly, they help us define and understand
(some of) human nature. The Torah continues with the "births" of
Kayin and Hevel and Kayin's killing of Hevel following the attempt of each
to make an offering before G-d. It is possible that Kayin sired different
species of humanoids. This is how some want to explain the evidence of the
existence of pre-historic man. Kayin's whole line was destroyed in the
Flood. (Almost, that is. Naama, who descended from Kayin, was No'ach's wife,
the mother of us all.) The Torah mentions more descendants of Kayin and their roles as the "firsts" in various fields of human activity. Yaval (son of Lemech and Ada) was the “first” tent-dwelling animal raiser. His brother Yuval was a musician. Tuval- Kayin (son of Tzila) worked with iron and copper. His sister was Na’ama. Rashi (quoting B'reishit Rabba) says that she was the wife of No'ach. What is significant about that is that Kayin's line was not completely severed by the Flood. Although we refer to all of mankind as Bnei No'ach, who descended from Adam through Sheit, on the mother's side there is Na'ama and before her, Kayin. This portion also contains Lemech's lament for having killed Kayin. (Rashi adds that Lemech also killed his son Tuval-Kayin (accidentally, in his grief), because he (TK) directed the blind Lemech’s hands with bow and arrow to kill what he thought was an animal, and turned out to be Kayin. By the way, in case your Chumash does not
have the same Aliya breakdown as is presented here, don't worry. There are
different opinions. Shishi concludes with mention of Chanoch,
who was taken from this world (possibly not by death) at the relatively
young age of 365. The generations continue to be counted until No'ach appears on the scene. The Torah describes the deterioration of society and G-d's "regret" for having created Man. No'ach alone found favor in G-d's eyes. The connection between the Haftara and Erev Rosh Chodesh is obvious. The opening words are: And Yonatan said to him, tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh... The real question is why the Sages decided on a special Haftara for Erev Rosh Chodesh in the first place. No other "erev" gets a special reading. Why does Machar Chodesh? Perhaps it is because Rosh Chodesh is so understated and often ignored. This became a way - in addition to Rosh Chodesh benching - to say: Hear ye hear ye, tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. It seems that the connection is mainly in the opening words. Rabbi Jacobs points out in his A Haftara Companion that there are some lessons we learn from this passage in the Navi, and the knowledge makes us more aware of the specialness and sanctity of Rosh Chodesh. We see that Rosh Chodesh was celebrated with a special meal which was to be eaten in a state of ritual purity. Many have the custom today of marking
Rosh Chodesh with a special meal. The Haftara also serves as a source of the
minhag of abstaining or reducing one's work on Rosh Chodesh. Rabbi Jacobs
refers to a deeper connection between Rosh Chodesh and the Jewish People
(which might explain why we take the extra opportunities to highlight Rosh
Chodesh). The cycle of the Moon alludes to Jewish History. For 15 days (or
so) the Moon increases in brightness and fullness, corresponding to the 15
generations from Avraham Avinu to Shlomo HaMelech. This is followed by 15
days of decline, matching the 15 generations from Shlomo to the destruction
of the Beit HaMikdash and the Babylonian exile. But this is followed by
MACHAR CHODESH. Tomorrow will see the brightening of the Moon and the fate
of the People of Israel. The cycle continues until the Complete Redemption,
when the Moon (and Klal Yisrael) will be completely restored. In many matters dealing with real estate, the halachah (Jewish law) specifically follows the law of the land. In addition to local laws and customs, there are, in halachah, four methods of acquiring real estate: (1) by the payment of money; (2) by the seller giving the buyer a deed; (3) by the buyer performing an act of hazakah (hereinafter to be referred to as simply "hazakah") to the real estate, which is an act of acquisition; and (4) by a kinyan. This lesson begins the discussion of only method (1). The other methods are discussed in later lessons. If the parties, such as the seller and the buyer, enter into a halachically binding contract for the sale of the real estate it will be binding on the parties. But even if there is a contract binding on the parties, there must still be an act of acquisition that will transfer ownership pursuant to the terms of the contract. We shall begin by discussing acquiring real estate by the payment of money in communities where, absent contractual obligations, there is no deed given by the seller to the buyer when the seller receives the money from the buyer. Nowadays this is not normally done. But one can imagine a case where the seller's lawyer's secretary called in sick and there was no one available to type the deed, and the money was passed from the buyer to the seller. For the seller's tax purposes, it was, imperative that the seller transfer ownership to the real estate to the buyer on that day. The parties agreed that a deed, to evidence the sale of the real estate, would be typed and given to the buyer when the seller's lawyer's secretary was no longer ill. The first thing necessary in effecting a transfer of ownership to the realty (or personal property) is that the parties agree to the transaction. There must be a meeting of the minds of the seller and the buyer that a sale is taking place. After the meeting of the minds there must be an act of acquisition. Under the first three methods of acquisition listed above, the act of acquisition is completed immediately. That is under method (1) when the money is given. Or, under method (2) when the deed is given. Or under method (3) when the act of hazakah is done. However, in the case of acquisition by kinyan, method (4), the time of acquisition may be delayed until the discussion of the sale is completed. The laws of the type act of acquisition necessary to acquire real estate apply equally to acquiring a lease of real estate, or mortgaging of real estate, or borrowing real estate; there are the same four methods to make the lease, mortgage, or borrowing binding on the parties. Halachah very often treats a lease as a sale of the realty for the period of the lease. How does acquiring real estate by the payment of money work? As soon as the buyer gives the seller money for the full or partial payment for the realty, it belongs to the buyer and neither party may rescind the deal. Ownership has been transferred when the seller accepts the money. The money may be in cash, check, or any other method that has been agreed to by the parties. In the ordinary sale, the money will be given by the buyer, or someone else (such as a bank) on the buyer's behalf, to the seller. It may be that the seller owes money to a third party, Reuven. The seller may instruct the buyer to give the money to Reuven, and as soon as the buyer gives the money to Reuven, the buyer has performed an act of acquisition and the real estate belongs to the buyer. (In the case of a gift where no money is given by the buyer to the seller, the transfer of ownership will be by one of the other three methods of acquisition.) There is in halacha an anomalous situation mentioned. Yehudah the owner of a parcel of real estate, tells Zevulun, who is an important person, that Yehudah will give money to Zevulun, if Zevulun will accept the real estate from Yehudah. If Zevulun consents, as soon as Zevulun receives the money from Yehudah, ownership to the real estate passes to Zevulun. The consideration to Yehudah is the fact that an important person, Zevulun, accepted the gift from him. This is known as hanahah. (See Lessons 50-52 TT432-434.) Asssume that Reuven owes Shimon $100 and the time for payment has arrived. Shimon offers to sell his real estate to Reuven for $100. Reuven agrees and gives Shimon the $100 for the real estate. Shimon is not permitted to plead that he is seizing the $100 for the debt owed to him and that if Reuven wants the real estate, Reuven will have to pay an additional $100. Shimon is not permitted to plead that he really had no intent to sell the real estate to Reuven. Shimon must transfer ownership to the real estate, and he must try to collect the debt money in another way. Of course, Shimon can ask the Beth Din to seize the real estate he just sold to Shimon, in repayment of the debt. Assume a situation where Naftali wants to
purchase Gad's real estate. Naftali does not yet have the money available,
and he needs ten days to raise the money. To induce Gad not to sell the real
estate to anyone else, Naftali gives to Gad negotiable bonds as security
that he will indeed raise the money and conclude the purchase. The giving of
the security is not an act of acquisition. The collateral is not given as
money payment, but only as a guarantee if Naftali does not pay the purchase
price. However, if Nafatli gave the collateral with the statement that the
Gad can keep the collateral as part of the purchase price, then this is
considered as paying part of the purchase price. Then Gad cannot sell the
real estate without giving Naftali the time necessary to raise the balance
of the purchase price. The gemara relates the blessing on fire to the story that human fire was invented then: "On Motzaei Shabbat the Holy One blessed be He gave intelligence to Adam like that found on high; and he brought two stones and ground them together and fire came out of them" (Pesachim 54a). After the loss of our special spiritual level due to the sin of Adam and Chava, and the loss of the special spiritual glow of Shabbat, we are on our own, and have to make our own, material source of light. The Mishna records a difference of opinion regarding the wording of this berakha. The school of Shammai say, "Who created the light of the fire"; the school of Hillel say "Who creates the lights of the fire" (Berakhot chapter 8). The Vilna Gaon explains that this dispute is not merely linguistic, but rather reflects a fundamental disagree- ment regarding exactly what we are praising HaShem for in this blessing. The Gaon writes that according to Beit Shammai, the blessing is on the funda- mental concept of fire, which originated in the past ("created") and is unitary ("light"). But Beit Hillel say that the blessing also praises HaShem for the actual fire which we enjoy. This kind of fire is constantly being brought into existence ("creates") and is encountered in many varieties ("lights") (Shenot Eliahu). Halakha is according to Beit Hillel. This halakhic analysis corresponds beautifully with the Midrash we cited above. The source of this blessing is not the existence of fire per se, but rather the human ability to create and manipulate it, starting with Adam. Even so, the wording of the blessing thanks HaShem for the ongoing creation of this potent natural force. As Shabbat departs and we begin our work week, we are thankful for human ingenuity which enables us to harness the forces of nature to make our work easier and more productive. At the same time, we acknowledge that all of our supposedly human inventions and contrivances are ultimately being constantly provided for us by the Creator. Rabbi Meir has completed writing a monumental companion to Kitzur Shulchan Aruch which beautifully presents the meanings in our mitzvot and halacha. It will hopefully be published in the near future. Rabbi Meir authors a popular weekly
on-line Q&A column, "The Jewish Ethicist", which gives Jewish guidance on
everyday ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The column is a joint project of
the JCT Center for Business Ethics, Jerusalem College of Technology - Machon
Lev; and Aish HaTorah. You can see the Jewish Ethicist, and submit your own
Qs — www.jewishethicist.com or www. aish.com Q How does one deal with dishes and food
that remain at the end of a Shabbat meal when they will not be needed on
Shabbat, avoiding problems of hachana (preparations for after Shabbat)? When one finishes a meal, he usually has
a few reasons to clear the table. In addition to preparing it for the next
meal (which might be after Shabbat), most people are interested in a tidy
dining room. Thus, one may clear. However, it is problematic to scrub the
table or do a thorough sweeping job if it looks fully presentable for
Shabbat. Similarly, if the dining area is off to the side and is neither
used nor seen until Shabbat's conclusion, there must be other grounds for
leniency. There are two further innovative points
of leniency which Rav Sh. Z. Orbach (quoted in Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchata
28:81; see Minchat Yitzchak, ed. II,36) arrived at. One dramatically expands
the idea of loss. Not only may one take steps to prevent a loss, but one can
take steps to preserve a status quo from deterioration, even though the
deterioration is easily rectified. His example is to soak dishes in water so
that the residue will not harden, making washing dishes after Shabbat harder
than it would be to wash them right away. (This would not permit rinsing the
dishes to remove residue, which is an additional action to save time after
Shabbat, not to preserve the status quo). It appears that many previous
poskim (including the quoted Magen Avraham and Mishna Berura) did not assume
this logic. The Netziv was asked his opinion of this
very unusual meshumad (convert from Judaism). They live in the same manner. Certain experiences affect them deeply,
but almost as soon as the experience has passed, it is as if it had never
occurred. We must learn to make the thoughts and feelings of our lives a
part of us if we are to have lived at all, and not merely laughed at
laughing gas and cried at onions. From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga
Silverstein We ASK for rain in the Barech Aleinu bracha of the weekday Amida with the words V'TEIN TAL U'MATAR LIVRACHA, from Maariv of the 7th of Cheshvan (abroad it's from December 4th or 5th) until Mincha of Erev Pesach. In Israel, during the two weeks from
Simchat Torah until 7 Cheshvan, we mention MHUH, but we do NOT yet ask for
rain. We continue saying V'TEIN BRACHA. If one errs and asks for rain before the 7th of Cheshvan... on the one hand, it is not yet time for Tal U'Matar, and the Amida must be repeated. On the other hand, it is actually already the rainy season and the appropriate time to ask for rain, but we "postpone" the starting time for the request out of consideration for the last Jews who are returning home after spending Sukkot in Eretz Yisrael. This is an anachronism that is preserved in practice for its "message"; but a petition for rain at this time should not render the Amida invalid. The halachic conclusion is that one should repeat the Amida if he said Tal U'Matar before 7 Cheshvan (but after Sukkot - during the "summer season", repeating the Amida would be required) with a "conditional kavana" - if this Amida is required, here it is. But if it is not really required, let this Amida be a voluntary prayer (T'filat N'dava). The issue of visitors to Israel and especially one-year students (many of whom do not stay a full year, wherein lies an additional complication), as to whether they should ask for rain on Israel's schedule or that of Chutz LaAretz - is a complex issue with differing opinions. Each person in this situation should ask his or her own Rav for a p'sak. For this review, we leave this point untreated. We MIGHT include the different opinions in a follow-up piece next week, IY"H. Bottom line: Rain is serious business.
And prayer is serious business. Our power of prayer can move mountains. And
it can bring rain, as well. We desperately need a winter filled with
beneficial rain, and we beseech the MHUH to bless us in many ways. With the account of Creation in Parshat B’reishit, anything we’d choose for this week would fit. We’re going with Cetaceans in honor (so to speak) of the Livyatan, mentioned in this week’s sedra and in the farewell-to-the-Sukka prayer said late afternoon on Hoshana Rabba. No claim is here made, nor should any be inferred, that Livyatan is a Cetacean, but there is definitely an association. Cetaceans are all aquatic mammals - about 70 species - and include whales, dolphins, and porpoises. It gets a little confusing now. Cetaceans can be divided into two main groups: baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales include some whales (12 species), such as the Blue whale, largest of all animals existing or ever known to exist (more later). Toothed whales include the other whales, and the dolphins and porpoises. And just to be more confusing, the killer whale, a.k.a. orca, is not a whale, but rather the largest of the dolphins. Blue whales belong to the family known a rorqual (or razorbacks) family (8 of the 12 baleen whale species) and can grow to over 30m in length. In case you have a hard time visualizing that length, try this: If you put a Blue whale across Keren HaYesod Street with its tail touoching the building directly across from the Center, its head would reach our front door. Next time you are at the Center, pause at the entrance and try to picture the whale blocking both directions of car and pedestrian traffic. A Blue whale’s heart is the size of a VW
Beetle car and pumps about 10 tons of blood around the whales 160 ton body.
(The human is about the size of a fist.) It is not known with certainty, but it is believed that Blue whales live longer than 50 years. Blue whales live in all the oceans of the world and their numbers are unknown. They are considered an endangered species. Their populations show few signs of recovery from the decimation of past generations of being hunted for their baleen (whalebone), blubber, and meat. Whale, like all mammals, nurse their
young with milk produced by the females. Blue whale babies gain about 200
lbs. a day while nursing. “The Sadducees used to say that a private individual may offer and bring (i.e. pay for) the Tamid – the daily sacrifice. What was their proof? They said, ‘It is written, "The one lamb shalt thou (singular) offer in the morning and the other lamb shalt thou (again singular) at dusk."’ And what did the Sages reply? ‘It is written, “My food which is presented before Me for offerings made by fire, for a sweet savour unto Me, shall ye (in the plural) observe.”’ Therefore all the sacrifices were to be taken out of the (public) Temple fund (lit. from the chamber)” Menachot 65a. Thus everyone in Israel, rich and poor, by paying their yearly half-shekel had an equal share in maintaining the Temple Avoda. The philosophical differences between the two points of view cannot be over- estimated! The Gemara (Taanit 4b) asks: “What are the Ma'amadot? Since it is written, ‘Command the Children of Israel and say to them, My sacrifice, My food for my fires…..’, How can a man's offering be offered when he does not stand besides it? Therefore the first prophets enacted twenty-four divisions (Mishmarot - "companies of kohanim" which would rotate weekly in the Temple insuring that a much larger number of Kohanim would have the opportunity of serving in the Temple) of Kohanim and for every Mishmar there was a Ma'amad in Jerusalem consisting of Kohanim, Levi'im and Yisraelim.” The institution of the Ma'amadot, (singular Ma'amad. Lit. 'place of standing') while traditionally attributed to the "first prophets", reached its acme under the influence of the Pharisaic Sages in the latter part of the second Temple period. The institution of the Ma'amadot dramatized the idea that the sacrificial rite, while conducted by the priests, belonged to all the people of Israel. The priests were seen as "messengers" of the entire Jewish people. The institution of the Ma'amadot was a logical extension of the idea that all the public sacrifices offered in the Beit Hamikdash were to be financed by all of Israel by means of the half-shekel annual Temple tax. The men of the Ma'amad as they stood in the Temple court, “prayed over the sacrifice of their brethren, that it may be favorably accepted.” But they did not neglect to pray for their “brethren in the Diaspora so their houses should not become their graves” in years of excessive rainfall. “When the time came for a Mishmar to go up to Jerusalem, the Kohanim and Levi'im (of that Mishmar – “suitable and fearers of sin”) went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites of the Ma'amad associated with the particular Mishmar. Most of the Israelite members of the Ma'amad did not go up to Jerusalem, but came together in their own cities (that week) to read the account of the Creation.” On Sunday the Anshei Ma'amad – the Israelite members of the Ma'amad who did not ascend to Jerusalem - read the first six p’sukim (verses) which describe the first day of Creation and the beginning of the account of the second day. On Monday, they read the sixth pasuk over and then the following seven p’sukim. This portion describes the Creation on the second and third days. On Tuesday, they read from the ninth pasuk and continued reading until the nineteenth pasuk, describing the Creation on the third and forth days. On Wednesday the Anshei Ma'amad read p’sukim 14 through 23. This selection describes the forth and fifth days of Creation. On Thursday they read from the twentieth to the thirty-first pasuk. These p’sukim describe the fifth and sixth days of Creation. On Friday the Anshei Ma'amad read from the twenty-forth pasuk (of chapter 1 of B’reishit) through the third pasuk of the second chapter. This reading included the sixth day of Creation and Shabbat. They concluded, “And G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it…” And why did they read about the Creation? The Sages wanted to emphasize the importance of the Temple service in the cosmic order. As Simeon the Just, certainly one of the most distinguished Kohen Gadol ever to serve in the Beit Hamikdash, put it, "By three things is the world sustained; by the Torah, by the Avoda and by deeds of loving kindness. (Avot 1: 2) May we speedily see the day when the Kohanim perform the Avoda, the Levi'im, their psalmody and the Anshei Ma'amad standing in the Ezrat Yisrael – the Court of the Israelites - witnessing the proceedings as representatives of K'lal Yisrael. Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated
lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He can be reached at (02)
652-7531 or by email: 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. Notice that we ask G-d to "give us a life of..." 12 times - corresponding to the number of months in a year. Also notice that among the requests, we ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM twice. There are (at least) two explanations to this fact. The first time we ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM, it is linked with "fear of sin", fear of punishment. This is the basic level of YIR'AT SHAMAYIM, a feeling motivated by YIR'A, fear. But the second time we ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM, it is paired with AHAVAT TORAH, love of Torah. This is a higher level of YIR'AT SHAMAYIM, better translated (perhaps) as REVERENCE for G-d, this time motivated by love. When our YIR'AT SHAMAYIM reaches that exalted level, then we can ask for a "life that G-d will fulfill the requests of our hearts to the good". The other explanation of our asking for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM twice is that after asking the first time, we ask G-d for wealth and honor. A person so blessed, would need to ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM again, since wealth and honor are two things that lead a person to the arrogant feeling of self-accomplishment. It is fairly "easy" to achieve YIR'AT SHAMAYIM when one is poor; the humility that usually accompanies poverty helps one achieve Fear of G-d. With wealth and honor, it behooves us to ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM anew. The Tradition is to announce the Molad in Jerusalem Solar Time. In the chart below you will find the (suggested) wording for the announcement of the Molad. This time is used by Jews all over the world, without adjusting for time zones or daylight savings time. The chart below has three additional times of the Molad, for your information. From right to left, after the name of the month is the average Molad in Rambam’s notation. This is the same time as the one we announce, but it differs in two ways. Rather than midnight being the “zero hour”, Rambam uses 6:00pm as his starting point for the day. Generally, AV HARACHAMIM is not said when we bench Rosh Chodesh, so continue with ASHREI (in your siddur). On the two SHABBATOT MEVORCHIM during the OMER (for IYAR and SIVAN) we DO say AV HARACHAMIM (even if there is a person present who would usually "knock out" AV HARACHAMIM. And even if there is a BRIT MILA in the shul on that day.) When we bench Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av,
some say AV HARACHAMIM, some don't say it. (The most common custom is to
argue about it - just kidding.) Therefore, if the Molad of Kislev (check
the chart) is after 8:00 in the morning, in Rambam notation the hour will be
14 (adding the 6 hours from 6:00pm to midnight). Furthermore, Rambam does
not use minutes in his notation. Rather than an hour having 60 minutes and a
minute having 18 chalakim, Rambam uses 1080 chalakim in an hour (that’s 60 x
18). Again using Kislev as an example, 22 minutes and 12 chalakim become 408
chalakim (22 x 18 + 12). Render it all into Hebrew and you get the molad of
Kislev being GIMMEL (that’s Tuesday) YUD-DALET (that’s 14 hours) and
TAV-CHET (that’s 408 chalakim). By checking other months, you will see why
Rambam’s day of the molad is sometimes a day later than the “Traditional”
Molad notation. But it is the same time. Since they were created, asserts Rabbi Yehuda, these concepts of 'Tohu' and 'Bohu' are real entities (Hagiga 12). In Higayon Hanefesh, Abraham bar Hiyya identifies 'Tohu' with matter (that has neither color nor likeness - i.e, Energy) and 'Bohu' with form (matter that has shape and image). Bo-Hu, notes the Sefer Hayetzira, comprises the Hebrew words that stand for "It is therein", giving credence to the notion that 'Tohu' represents potentiality that was transmutated to 'Bohu' (Formed Matter). In kabalistic thought, 'Tohu' as pure energy is a destructive and devastating force (evil). "Bohu' is the capsule in which 'Tohu' is confined and restrained so that it may endure. This is what we today call the atom. 'Tohu' is Energy; 'Bohu' is Atom. Recently, however, Einstein showed the world that the process could be reversed: The material atom may be transformed into nothingness releasing mega-powerful energy in the process.(1) That transformation can utterly destroy; but it can also be harnessed to bring sustenance into the world. The choice is ours: Heaven and Earth; Light and Dark; Good and Evil. If one atom of matter has such potential to be harnessed, then how much radiance can each one of us, composed of millions of such particles, bring forth into this world? Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff,
Director, Israel Center We sort of took a break from this column in the last couple of issues of Torah Tidbits, which is CHAVAL, as they say, because there were things to focus on over Yamim Nora’im and Yom Tov. Be that as it may (as they also say, whoever they is), we didn’t have this column for a while. I’m going back to something that has appeared in this column at least twice, and elsewhere in Torah Tidbits on a couple of occasions. Let’s say that we’re doing this again as we approach two days of Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. The real reason I’m bring up the subject again is the discovery I’ve made that many, many people - including native Hebrew-speaking Israelis, whom I thought for sure would know it, didn’t. And more than a few that I broached the subject with were kind of shocked and almost unbelieving. I am talking about one of G-d’s names. The one that is spelled ALEF with a CHATAF-SEGOL under it, LAMED with a CHOLOM MALEI (that’s the VAV with the dot above it, and a HEI with a MAPIK (dot) in it and a PATACH under it. Its most well-known occurrence is at the end of the second passage of Hallel, B’tzeit Yisrael. MILIFNEI ADON CHULI ARETZ, MILIFNEI EL-LO-AHHH YAAKOV - not ELOHA. The situation is EXACTLY the same as words like TAPU’ACH (apple), RU’ACH (wind or spirit), MO’ACH (brain), MIZBEI’ACH (Altar), and many others. The PATACH under the CHET in each of the words presented is called a PATACH G’NUVA, a stolen PATACH. Its name derives from the fact that the “normal” way to read a letter with a vowel under it would give us TAPUCHA for apple and MIZBEICHA for Altar. LUCHA for calendar or blackboard and MOCHA for brain. In each (and every case of a CHET at the end of a word with a PATACH under it, the PATACH is stolen by a phantom ALEF that sneaks in before the CHET and takes the PATACH for itself. It is as if SI’ACH (bush or conversation) were spelled SIN with a CHIRIK MALEI, that’s the YUD, making the first syllable SI. Then an imaginary ALEF which steals the PATACH from under the CHET, leaving the CHET without a vowel, so that the second syllable is pronounced ACH. And, by the way, the accent is never on the last syllable; all the words with a PATACH G’NUVA are MILEIL. SI-ach. ta-PU-ach. miz-BEI-ach. Etc. And here’s the point: Whatever goes for a CHET with a PATACH at the end of a word goes for a HEI with a PATACH under it. Haman asks for a tree (wooden post) GAVO-AH 50 AMOT tall. The word for tall is ga-VO-ah, not GAVOHA. There is no word in Hebrew GAVOHA. And there is no word, G-d’s name or otherwise in Hebrew, ELOHA. The word - the Name, is e-LO-ah. Just like TAPUCHA would be a mispronunciation of the Hebrew word for apple, so to is ELOHA a mispronunciation of one of G-d’s names. And because we are dealing with one of G-d’s names, its mispronunciation is a much more serious offense than saying LUCHA instead of LU’ACH. If you think of the two English interjections HA and AH, you should be able to pronounce G-d’s name correctly rather than incorrectly. When that second chapter of Hallel is sung in shul and many loud voices sing out ELOHA, it should now grate on your ears and offend your sense of proper reverence and respect for G-d and His Names, let alone correct Hebrew pronunciation. I am not, G-d forbid, accusing anyone of
intentional disrespect for G-d’s name, but this is a mispronunciation that
should be worked on. Show this column to other English speakers, and tell
your Hebrew-speaking friends about it. Some will probably already know about
it, but some might not. <mtc> The Following day, we began our Junior
Tiyul at the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem. 37 shouting bouncing NESTOers and
about 10 nervous-looking Madrichim. We ate lunch as soon as we arrived and
then the fun began. We split up into a number of smaller groups and armed
with our Zoo quiz we made our way, joining the throngs of other Chol Hamoed
Zoo-goers. As well as answering the 12 questions prepared by someone with a
questionable sense of humor, we also had to fit in as many animal feeding
sessions as we possibly could. We made friends with many of the zoo keepers
trying to find out the answers to questions such as which is the smallest
animal in the Zoo, how many teeth does a Hippo have. After two exhausting
hours of walking around the Zoo, we gathered at the entrance made a quick
trip to the gift store before getting on the bus to take us back to the
Israel Center. Upon our return and Mincha we had a chance to see the
original and creative answers that each team had to contribute. We then had
to write and produce a group song about the Zoo and the things we had seen
that day. We made our way down to the Israel Center Sukkah for as much pizza
as we could eat and a Dvar Torah from Chaim. We finished off the day just as
it was beginning to get dark. Four of our Madrichim presented them- selves
as four different types of Jews all stuck in an air-balloon, only one had
the chance to survive. After each madrich had presented their case, everyone
had a chance to ask them questions and debate their merit. We concluded the
peula by comparing the different personalities to the different qualities
found within the four species we use of Sukkot each with their own value but
only complete as a whole. NCSY Training Seminar During the last days of the Chag, another group of 40 girls participated in a similar experience at the Israel Center. A "Zula" special "Mibreishit" for Teenagers Tiyulim Overbooked! NESTO - Native English-Speaking Teen
Olim A Whole Day of Spitituality Beit Kharkov on the Run NCSY in Israel -Makom BaLev ...and at the Center Itself Women and girls of (almost) all ages got into the ZMAN SIMCHATEINU mood on Sunday night of Chol HaMoed with Tofa’ah’s Simchat Beit HaSho’eiva - by women, for women. The Lubavitcher Rebbe turns to Freud (to treat lowness of spirit). The Israel Center had standing room only for this ever-so-successful panel on a most unusual liaison between the fifth Rebbe and the famous psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud. Dr. Joseph Burke and Professor Stanley Schneider kept the audience enthralled as they tapped into the inner motivations that underpinned the meetings of two minds from two contrasting worlds. Hoshana Rabba Eve This “from time to time” feature is geared towards encouraging Aliya... AND encouraging veteran & new Olim to become more invoved in encouraging and easing the Aliya of others. Aloh Naaleh's conference held on the first anniversary of 9/11 was attended by about 200 people, many from the various organizations dealing with North American aliya, showing the groundswell in interest and cooperation between them. MK Zvi Hendel, chairman of the Knesset's immigration and absorption committee, stated that while some would like to see American Jews remain in the US as an influential lobby, Israel is strengthened by the presence of North American olim who come out of Zionist motivation. Although it's still too early to assess the effects of 9/11, speakers noted trends that indicate potential interest in aliya among North American Jews. To encourage aliya there is a need to
build on the growing sense of belonging and spirituality felt by many Jews
since 9/11, according to Prof. Chaim Waxman, sociologist at Rutgers
University. His statistical presentation compared data between the North
American Jewish population and the olim population, as well as comparisons
with other olim groups. He noted that while religious and ideological
motivation is important to promote aliya, practical solutions are also
needed. Rabbi David Marcus, of the RDM consulting
firm for non-profit organizations reviewed organiza- tions like AACI, the
Jewish Agency and Tehilla that promote and facilitate the aliya and
absorption processes. Other organizations like Hillel, Yavne Olami, and
Tehilla Tzeira work with young people. Rabbi Marcus sees Aloh Na'aleh's role
as offering human resources needed by these organizations. It can also serve
as an advocacy group to encourage congregational rabbis to push aliya. Rabbi Aaron Adler, rabbi of Jerusalem's Ramot Alef congregation, a community popular with English speakers, and rosh yeshiva of the Ner Tamid Yeshiva High School in Chasmona’im, spoke of the importance of publicizing success stories which then generate enthusiasm and identification. Promoting tourism also generates enthusiasm. Rabbi Adler noted that ten-percent of the one-year program graduates make aliya. This figure is growing. Rabbi Yerachmiel Roness, director of Aloh Na'aleh, thanked its founder and benefactor Rabbi David Hollander, and informed participants of recent developments. The weekly Torah Insights published by the OU in the United States and sent to 1500 synagogues will include a Torah Thought dealing with aliya. Think tanks are being set up that deal with motivation and education. Aloh Na'aleh is developing promotional activities for Yeshivas with one-year programs. Assistance was requested for volunteers
in administrative work, coordinators and people who can speak to groups
about aliya, either in Israel or in North America. Eretz Yisrael in Our Sources • Jewish nationality is different from all others. Our love of the Land is a function of its sanctity. This sanctity has stayed with us because it is an inheritance of our souls, from Avraham Avinu. — Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler Assisting the Oleh • Yavneh Olami, the Religious Zionist Student Organization, organizes programs throughout the world for Orthodox students, with the purpose of strengthening their Jewish identity and their connection with Israel. In Israel, participants in the Summer Internship Program (SIPs) get the feel of Israeli life by being part of its workforce. The year-long Activists Training In Diaspora program (ATID) is geared for one-year seminary, yeshiva or university students who want to develop leadership skills. Yavneh Olami is launching a Big Brother program which matches veteran olim with new olim. "Chayalim bodedim" and National Service girls who made aliya are also assisted by Yavneh Olami.; Tel: 02-625-8829; Email: yavneh@yavneholami.org; Web site: www.yavneholami Aliya Pen Pals • We are interested in publishing pen-pals in different professions who can communicate via email with potential olim. Send your name, email address, profession, year of aliya and city of origin to David Magence: magence@netvision.net.il Here to Stay • Inspiring stories of olim
from all years of aliya, professions and different parts in Israel for the
"Here to Stay" column are welcome. The essay should be up to 450 words long
and emphasize motivation for aliya, contributions to Israel, how Israel
contributed to the oleh, the main challenge or difficulty in aliya and
overcoming it. Please avoid publicizing businesses and com- mercial
enterprises. Send the essay to: aloh-naaleh@aaci.org.il. Only in Israel • (Acknowledging Harry
Goldin’s Only in America — similar BUT different.) Got onto a bus once before Yom Kippur. Said SHANA TOVA to the CHILONI bus driver. Received a lecture in return about the proper pre-Yom Kippur greeting: He said in a very kindly way, “The appropriate greeting is G’MAR CHATIMA TOVA.” Only in Israel. Which didn’t really teach me about the greeting, because I already knew what to say before Yom Kippur. But it did teach me a lot about the word CHILONI. It’s usually a misnomer if you translate it as “secular”. Of course, if we translate it as “not your religious”, then maybe the term will fit. When I came on Aliya, there still was a SHLAV BET (second tier) program in the army for “older” olim. My unit had 23 guys all in our thirties, from 13 different countries. On the first morning of TIRONUT (basic training), 5:00am to be specific, the M’FAKED announces: “DATIYIM to Beit Kneset, CHILONIM come with me.” Later in the day, one of the non-religious guys tells me how upset he was to be labeled a CHILONI. “I’m not observant and I don’t go to shul, but I don’t think of myself as CHILONI.” I took the opportunity a bit later to tell the M’FAKED the story. Next morning he announced: “Those who go to Beit Kneset, go to Beit Kneset; those who don’t, follow me.” It made a difference to all of us. OU ISRAEL CENTER Seymour J.
Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center [The
B'reishit
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