Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel Summer Time
Correct for TT #579 • Ranges are for THU-THU, 2 Av - 9 Av - July 31 - August 7
Candle lighting - 7:01pm (earliest - 6:11pm)
Havdala - 8:17pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 8:52pm)
Earliest Shacharit 4:58-5:04am
Sunrise - 5:54-5:58pm
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:19-9:21am (8:28-8:31am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:28-10:29am (9:53-9:55am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:45½-12:45pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:20-1:19pm
Plag Mincha - 6:11 - 6:06½pm
Sunset - 7:42 - 7:36pm (7:37-7:31pm)

Shabbat times for other cities: (Matot Masei)
Candles (earliest) city Shabbat out
7:18pm (6:13) Raanana 8:18pm
7:17pm (6:12) Beit Shemesh 8:16pm
7:18pm (6:13) Netanya 8:18pm
7:18pm (6:13) Rehovot 8:17pm
6:58pm (6:13) Petach Tikva 8:17pm
7:17pm (6:12) Modi'in area 8:17pm
7:17pm (6:12) Be'er Sheva 8:16pm
7:16pm (6:11) Gush Etzion 8:17pm
7:17pm (6:12) Ginot Shomron 8:17pm
7:01pm (6:11) Maale Adumim 8:15pm
7:12pm (6:12) Tzfat 8:19pm
7:16pm (6:11) K4 & Hevron 8:17pm

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...

The Kiddush L’vana story for the not-yet-but- speedily-in-our-time Merry Month of Menachem Av.

Minhag Yerushalayim is NOT to delay K.L. but to say it at the first opportunity, namely 3 full days after the Molad. The Molad of Av was in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, July 29th. Three days later is Friday morning. First op for KL is Friday night, on which KL is not said unless it is the last op. That means Motza’ei Shabbat Chazon, Aug. 2.

First op for the 7-day minhag is Tuesday night, August 5th.

Very prevalent practice for Av is to wait for after Tish’a b’Av for KL. It is prefer- able to say KL after breaking one’s fast.

Some wait until after 10 Av, which this year means Motza’ei Shabbat Nachamu. This is by far the popular evening for KL.

Each according to his minhag...

LEAD TIDBIT:
Until We Get It Right
Here we go again. It’s a powerful combination. Three Weeks, then the Nine Days, then the week in which Tish’a b’Av falls, then Erev Tish’a b’Av, then Tish’a b’Av itself. Each with its restrictions and with its inducement and inspiration to serious introspection. And let’s not forget Shabbat Parshat D’varim. That too comes every year. And it keeps coming. Moshe is talking to the new generation. The current generation. To the ones who will carry the flag of Torah & Judaism. The current generation. Hey, that’s us! Better listen up. We’re not just hearing a story. Moshe Rabeinu is talking to us. Listen to what he is telling us. He’s talking about Torah and Mitzvot, he’s talking about G-d. He’s talking about Eretz Yisrael. He’s reminding us of the sin of the spies. The calendar is reminding us of the sin of the spies as well. Are we listening? Are we going to do something about it?

Every theme of Tish’a b’Av is related. The Meraglim said, let’s not go into Eretz Yisrael. Let’s stay here in the Midbar. Let’s continue to wander around in Galut.

Destruction of the Beit HaMikdash said, you will go into exile, and you will wander around again. You blew it the first time and you blew it again, big time. Now stay in Galut and next time you have an opportunity to come back to Eretz Yisrael, do it the right way.

No, G-d said to us, wrong again. You got somethings right, but you messed up big in other areas. Exile. Again.

Now, every single year we say this, we daven that, we read this, we promise that. Each year gives us a new chance to turn back to G-d, to reject the Meraglim’s “nice place to visit” line. Every year, throughout the year, we have it within our power to hasten the Geula.

Sedra-Stats
44th of the 54 sedras - first of 11 in D'varim
Written on 196.5 lines in a Sefer Torah (rank: 26)
5 parshiyot; 1 open, 4 closed
105 p'sukim - ranks 32nd, 6th in D'varim(tied with Chayei Sara, but larger)
1548 words - ranks 26th, 6th in D'varim
5972 letters - ranks 24th, 5th in D'varim(tied with Vayeshev, but smaller)
Jump in rankings from p'sukim to words & letters is a result of relatively long p'sukim
The Book of D'varim is written on 1894 lines in a Sefer Torah, has 956 p'sukim, 14,293 words, 54,892 letters; ranks 4th among the Five Books in all those categories.
It has 159 parshiyot, 35 open and 124 closed. It's tied for second with Bamidbar. Its P'tuchot are the fewest in the Torah and its S'tumot are the most. That indicates a more unified theme than the other books.
Its sedras average out a bit longer than Vayikra's, even though the four shortest sedras are in D'varim.
On average, D'varim's p'sukim are the longest of the Five Books.
D’varim contains 200 of the 613 mitzvot (32.6%), 77 of the 248 positives (31.0%), 123 of the 365 prohibitions (33.7%). Compare this with 18.4% of the lines in a Sefer Torah and 16.4% of the Torah's p'sukim.

Mitzvot
2 of the 613 mitzvot in D'varim, both prohibitions

Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition).

Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 1:1-11
[P>] The opening p'sukim of the D'varim clearly identify time and place. The entire book takes place in Arvot Moav (last place of encampment before entry into Eretz Yisrael) and begins on Rosh Chodesh Shvat in the final year of wandering.

Several places that are mentioned in these p'sukim are considered by the commentaries to be allusions to events that occurred during the previous 40 years rather than being actual locations. The events include the Golden Calf, the rebellion of Korach, and the complaint about the Manna. These, plus the explicit discussion of the "Sin of the Spies", are part of Moshe's reproach and warning to the People.

Moshe also tells the People of the victories over Emori and Cheshbon. This, to give them confidence for the difficult period they will face upon entering the Land.
The first of many references to the purpose of the existence of the Jewish Nation is made - to live according to G-d's laws in the Land that G-d had promised to our ancestors.

On Shabbat, the first Aliya is ended one pasuk early, that pasuk being the first of the next Aliya, to avoid beginning that second portion with the word "Eicha".
SDT Within the opening 5 p'sukim of D'varim, there is a repetition of sorts in telling us that Moshe Rabeinu spoke to the People. The Vilna Gaon and others point out that the Book of D'varim can be divided into 3 parts, based on the wording of the opening p'sukim: "These are the things that Moshe spoke to all Israel..." (pasuk 1). This can refer to the first three sedras of the book wherein we have a general review of the brief, but action-packed and significant history of the People to date. In addition, these sedras contain a restatement of the principles of Judaism in the form of the Aseret HaDibrot and the first two passages of the Shma. Also expressed in this opening section of D'varim is the integral link between the People and the Land of Israel. These sedras contain relatively few mitzvot, but they do contain the "basics of Judaism" and its foundations, which are reviewed with "all of Israel".

The following three sedras contain 170 mitzvot, the greatest concentration of mitzvot anywhere in the Torah. "...Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisrael of all that G-d commanded upon them" (pasuk 3). After laying the foundation of Judaism, Moshe presents the essence of day-to-day life as a Jew - mitzvot of all kinds, between the Jew and G-d, interpersonal mitzvot, mitzvot linked to the Land, general mitzvot.

The final section of D'varim, the last 5 sedras, again contains relatively few mitzvot. But it does contain the basis of understanding what being a Jew means. In these sedras we have the admonition against forsaking the Torah, the concepts of Free Will, Repentance, the Chain of Tradition. "...Moshe began to explain thisTorah saying:" (pasuk 5)

SDT. HO-IL MOSHE... Moshe began to explain the Torah... The word HO-IL (HEI VAV ALEF YUD LAMED) is a REMEZ (hint) to Eliyahu HaNavi being the one who will explain the disputed issues that we leave for him to explain. Ho-il is an anagram of Eliyahu. This idea is further supported by the juxtaposition in the last part of the book(let) of Mal’achi - Zichru Torat Moshe, remember the Torah of Moshe and Hinei Anochi... I, says G-d, will send Eliya HaNavi to you before the Great and Awe-filled G-d’s Day.

Levi - Second Aliya - 10 p'sukim - 1:12-21
Moshe tells the People that he had reached a point where he was too weary to lead the People alone, and that he (at G-d's command) designated the leaders of the Tribes as judges of the People.

Judges are to be selected for their Torah knowledge and other appro- priate qualities. It is forbidden to appoint a judge for "the wrong reasons" (wealth, charisma, connections) [414, L284]. Judges must be fair and impartial and must not be afraid to render proper judgments [415, L276]. Moshe retained the role of final authority on difficult matters.

Once again, Eretz Yisrael is shown as the main focus and the People are urged not to fear what lies ahead.

On the phrase from 1:16 - Hear it among your brothers and judge fairly - the Gemara teaches us that judges may not hear one party to a case without the other present.

In the same pasuk, the reference to the convert in the context of judging teaches us that conversion to Judaism must be done by a Beit Din. The Gemara states that if a non-Jew decides on his own that he is Jewish, this does not constitute conversion. A Beit Din is required.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 1:22-38
Moshe next recounts for the new generation, the episode of the spies.

SDT It is hard to suggest that it was purposely arranged that D'varim would be read on the Shabbat before Tish'a b'Av, but it is impossible to ignore its appropriateness in that role.

D'varim always is the Shabbat before Tish’a b’Av. Sometimes the Calendar is manipulated in a strange way (what sedra- pairs are combined and which are separated) in order to keep D’varim right before Tish’a b’Av.

The mishna states that one of the tragedies marked by Tish'a b'Av - the first one, the one that gave Tish'a b'Av its dark character - was the decree against the (adult males of the) "Generation of the Wilderness". The sedra serves as a reproach for our poor attitudes and lack of commitment to the Land. It is as if G-d is saying to us: "Do not continue in the ways of that generation. Reverse the effect of that terrible punishment by heeding the call of Kalev and Yehoshua." When we, the Jewish People of today, succeed in "repairing" the negative attitudes and actions of the generation of the spies, the generation whose sins caused the destruction of the first Temple, the generation whose gratuitous hatred and Lashon HaRa caused the destruction of the second Temple, then we will be privileged to rejoice in the building of the third Temple, the restoration of Jews all over the world to this Land, and the spreading of Torah values and commitment to mitzvot. D'varim and its message of the significance of Eretz Yisrael and the reminder of G-d's terrible anger against those who denigrate the Land of Israel is the "perfect" introduction to Tish'a b'Av. Amazing, is it not, how relevant this message is today. "Behold, I have set the Land before you; go in and possess the Land..." May we be deserving (and even if not deserving) to live in peace in all the Land of Israel, with all the People of Israel, according to the Torah of Israel.
Notice specifically, that of all the negative things done by the generation of the wilderness, it is only the Sin of the Spies that is spelled out in more detail than we find back in Parshat Sh’lach. Everything else is scant hint and held for later presentation, if at all.

D'varim says over and over again that the Meraglim were wrong. They believed that the miraculous environment of the Wilderness was perfect for a Torah way of life. Not so. Moshe repeatedly tells us that Eretz Yisrael is the "real" place for the People of Israel.

On another note... Comparing Moshe's account with the original text in Shlach will yield some interesting differences. It is clear that the original purpose of sending the men into the Land was to determine the best way to enter it and which border cities would be best to attack. It is equally clear that the purpose was NOT to decide whether to go or not. This is the major component of the Sin of the Spies and the people's reaction to their words.

Moshe shares the blame with the spies and announces that he had approved of the suggestion to send the spies. He explains what had happened as a result of the spies' report. Moshe's arguments (and those of Kalev and Yehoshua) were unsuccessful in calming the people's panic. As a result, G-d decreed that none of the adult males (except for Kalev and Yehoshua) would enter the Land. Moshe tells them that he too was banned from entering the Land. It is to be Yehoshua who will lead the People henceforth.

Moshe seems to say that he too is being punished by not going into the Land because of the Sin of the Spies. But we know that it was the "hitting of the rock instead of talking to it" for which he was punished. One commentary suggests the following: Because of the senseless crying of the Wilderness Generation, the Temple was destined to be destroyed. Had Moshe Rabeinu entered the Land, the Temple would never be destroyed. Hence, he was kept out of the Land so that G-d's full punishment for the Sin of the Spies could be carried out.

We can also see the special qualities of a true leader of the Jewish People. Moshe Rabeinu did not leave the blame for the Sin of the Spies with the people. He shouldered the responsibility.

R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 9 p'sukim - 1:39-2:1
As Moshe Rabeinu is telling the new generation what has happened, he is continually warning them against repeating the blunders of their predecessors. It is specifically this new generation that the previous one worried about. They cried that their children would be orphans. Those same children are now the one's about to enter the Land.

Moshe also tells them of the tragic results in the People's attempt to go into the Land against G-d's wishes. It won't work without G-d's help; it cannot fail with His help. This is the lesson of more that 3300 years ago; this is the lesson for today.

Rashi records a tradition that the People of Israel spent 19 years - half of the wandering time - in one location, Kadesh. The actual wandering was much less than 40 years. On the other hand, there were places in which the people spent a day or so.

As many times as Moshe repeated the story and lessons to be learned from the Sin of the Spies, to the people of that generation, these same stories and lessons have been repeated thousands of times for the benefit of each and every Jew throughout the generations. Why does the Torah tells us to Remember the Shabbat day and make it holy? To remind us that it is important to make Kiddush as Shabbat begins and say Havdala as it ends. Why tell us about Cheit HaMeraglim? Because it is an important reminder for us about the significance of Eretz Yisrael in G-d’s Plan for the people of Israel.

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 29 p'sukim - 2:2-30
[S>] The People next turned north- ward and were warned not to fight with the people of Eisav, for their land is theirs as an inheritance. Only purchasing food and water for their journey past Eisav's territory would be permitted. [S> this parsha break is in the middle of a pasuk] Moav's territory was also placed off-limits because it was an inheritance for the descendants of Lot.

Various peoples are named for the different lands in the area.

The wandering took 38 years until G-d told the People to cross into the territory of Amon and Moav, but without fighting there. Both Edom and Amon/Moav had fought for their land as Israel will be doing soon.

[S>] Sichon was offered peace - same terms as with Eisav’s people - but he rejected it, clearing the way for Israel to successfully conquer his land.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 2:31-3:14
[S>] Moshe continues his narrative with the details of the victories over Sichon and his land. Og, king of Bashan, also fell to Israel. Moshe describes the conquered lands that have been promised to the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe

The victories on the East Bank of the Jordan helped build Israel's confidence for the difficult times to come upon crossing the Jordan into Eretz Yisrael. This new generation, the children of slaves, needed the multi-faceted preparation that the years of wandering provided, in order to be able to succeed in their conquest and settling of the Land.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 3:15-22
The description of the "East Bank" land continues. Moshe repeats the instruc- tions to the 2½ tribes for settling their territory. Only after the successful conquest and settlement of the Land of Israel, will these men be permitted to return to their families and cities. Moshe has commanded Yehoshua to note well the victories to date and not to fear what is to come.

Last 3 p'sukim are reread for the Maftir. The custom is to give Maftir of Shabbat Chazon to the Rav of the congregation or to a prominent member thereof.

Haftara - 27 p'sukim - Yeshayahu 1:1-27
This is the third of the Haftaras of Tragedy. The prophet speaks of the accumulation of terrible sins and acts of unfaithfulness to G-d which lead to the destruction of Zion and Jerusalem. This haftara is "perfectly" suited to precede Tish'a b'Av.Most of this haftara is read in the tune of Eicha, rather than the regular haftara tune. The final p'sukim switch to the regular haftara melody because they contain the promise of an end to exile and the rebuilding of Zion and Jerusalem in a mode of justice and righteousness. This bright note is appropriate for Shabbat, in contrast to the main part of the prophecy which Shabbat has no choice but to tolerate, so to speak, since it is right before Tish'a b'Av.

Yeshayahu contrasts the people of Israel, who had become unfaithful to G-d with animals, who instinctively acknowledge their owners. "An ox knows its owner and a donkey recognizes its owner's pen." In an allusion to this pasuk, the Yerushalmi tells the story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Torata who sold his ox to a non-Jew. The ox refused to work on Shabbat, until Rabbi Yochanan whispered in its ear that it was now owned by a non-Jew and must work on Shabbat. Which it then did. There is also the story of the donkey of RabbiPinchas b. Yair. These stories give us insight into the harsh criticism of the People of Israel who repeatedly "do not know" their Creator. Loyalty to a master is one of the many lessons we must learn from animals.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 195 (part one) • Persons Ineligible to Participate in a Sale
Throughout all of Jewish civil law, there are laws that do not apply to certain classes of people. Three of them are very often grouped and discussed together:
(1) the minor, (for most halachic purposes, a male is a minor until he reaches the age of thirteen years and one day. A girl attains her majority upon reaching the age of twelve years and one day.) The halachah, in discussing the minor, presumes that a person who has attained his majority will also show signs of puberty. In many matters pertaining to those who attain their majority, they may still not be considered to be adults until the signs of puberty are present, and lacking such signs, they are not considered to be adults. The halachah regarding sales of real estate requires such signs. Should a question arise, Beth Din should be consulted. The halachah refuses to permit a body to be exhumed to prove that the person did not show signs of puberty and that thus the sale should be rescinded.

(2) the mentally deficient person, (In various lessons I have referred by various terms to a person who is not mentally able to comprehend the nature of the transaction or of his acts. After discussion with psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, and jurists, I have concluded that the term "mentally deficient" covers all such persons without need to elaborate.) and

(3) the deaf-mute.
The halachah considers their status to be unique in that they are all deemed not to have the mental capacity to participate in an act that requires mental capacity. The sale is a transaction in which the ownership of an item, whether real estate or personal property, is changed. In order to effect such ownership change, both parties, the seller and the buyer, must have the requisite intent to be able to effect such a change, and these three categories of persons are presumed not to have the requisite intent.

The halachah recognizes differences between the sale of real estate and the sale of personal property, the former usually involving real estate that has been in the family for many years. Usually, the minor spoken of is an orphan for whom no guardian has been appointed to protect his interests, nor is there a person who has volunteered to act as his guardian: he must protect himself. A person dealing with a minor should insist that Beth Din approve all such sales, especially real estate that he has inherited. When the halachah discusses sales and purchases of real estate of a minor, it also discusses loans made to a minor, since this is sometimes intertwined with real estate (as, for example, when a mortgage is placed on the minor's real estate or the loan is to be collected from the minor's real estate). Since the halachah discusses those disabilities that may make the sale void, it also discusses the sale by a person who is drunk and a sale held on certain holy days, and whether such circumstances also render the sale void.

We shall commence our discussion with a minor who has a guardian. Before a father dies, he may appoint a guardian for his minor child to manage the property, real or personal, until the minor attains his majority.

Beth Din may appoint a guardian for the minor who will guard and manage his property. If the minor has a guardian, all of the acts of the minor regarding his property are a nullity, unless done with the consent of the guardian. If the minor acts without the guardian's consent, the guardian may later retroactively approve the act of the minor. If the guardian disapproves, the act of the minor is a nullity. The Rabbinic decrees enabling the minor to enter into certain sales transactions were enacted to enable the minor to sustain himself. The purpose of the guardian is to sustain the minor. Thus, once there is a guardian, there is no longer the necessity for the Rabbinic decree.

Once the minor attains his majority, his acts in the sales transaction are valid without the approval of the guardian appointed by the father or by Beth Din in the sale of personal property; it need not even be ascertained that the minor-turned-adult knows the significance of the sales transaction. However, if the minor-turned- adult sells real estate, then his actions are not binding on him unless it can be shown that he understands the sales transaction.

There may be times when the minor cannot act without approval of the guardian even after attaining majority, as when the father who appointed the guardian placed restrictions on the transfer of the property he bequeathed to the heir until certain conditions were complied with, such as the heir reaching a certain age. The heir may sell the property to a buyer prior to that time, and the buyer will obtain ownership when the heir reaches the specified age, retroactively to the time of the sale.

The father can prevent his heir from selling the property at any time by setting up a life estate or trust in favor of the heir in the property that the father bequeathed. For example, the father states that the son, Reuven, shall receive the income from the property, and that after Reuven's death the property shall belong to Shimon. Reuven cannot sell the property.

Reuven can sell his right to receive the income from the property for the duration of Reuven's lifetime. That is, the purchaser from Reuven will not receive any income from the property after Reuven dies. Without the Rabbinic decree, the minor could find himself with property but nothing to eat. The decree was made so that the minor would be able to sell some of his personal property and obtain funds with which to live, or to purchase things with which to live. Since this is the underlying reason for the Rabbinic decree, there are certain authorities that hold that the sale transaction involving a minor is valid only to the extent that it is necessary for the support of the minor and is not valid insofar as it exceeds that which is necessary to support him. Most authorities disagree with this view on the grounds that no one will deal with a minor because they cannot know if the minor has sold property in excess of the amount necessary to support himself. Another reason given for the Rabbis permitting certain transactions by a minor is that he should not sit around idle.

In these lessons, when the minor or his guardian has the right to rescind the sale, it is not reciprocal to the other party. Thus, if the minor (or deaf-mute or mentally deficient person) desires the sale to remain valid and his guardian or family consents to the transaction, the other party may not rescind the transaction.
The subject matter of this lesson is more fully presented in Volume VII Chapters 235 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
The blessing "HaGomel"
Someone who has been safely delivered from a dangerous situation makes a special blessing in public, thanking G-d "Who bestows good on the culpable, Who has bestowed all goodness on me". The mishna and thus the Shulchan Arukh give four examples: (1) one who returns safely from a perilous trip by sea; (2) or through a desert; (3) one cured of a dangerous illness; (4) one released from prison.

It is interesting to note that the wording of this blessing does not actually make any mention of salvation from danger. It merely thanks G-d for bestowing good on us. Furthermore, there is actually a bit of a riddle in making a blessing on such a situation. Someone who never became sick or imprisoned in the first place at all would seem to have a much greater reason to say a benediction!

Rav Kook suggests that the blessing is really thanking HaShem for all of His mercies which we enjoy all of the time. However, G-d's blessings are so con- stant and manifold that it is easy to forget that there is something supernatural about His providence. It is exactly when an unusual situation arises that we become conscious of how thankful we should be for our normal state of existence.

Rav Kook explains the four different reasons for making a blessing as deviation from four different kinds of constraints which we are normally subject to. Following is an interpretation of Rav Kook's explanation. Each of the four occasions for a blessing represents one kind of normal, yet occasionally frustrating, type of restriction to which we are normally subject.

1. A person may chafe at the restrictions dictated by his natural surroundings. Perhaps he will then long for the free, open expanses of the sea. But after he actually experiences a sea voyage, he becomes aware of how fitting and benign our normal sur- roundings really are.
2. A person may resent the restrictions imposed by society. He may then long to flee to the solitude of the desert. But after a period of time in the desert, he will realize how dependent he really is on the community and its conventions.
3. A person may be impatient with the limitations of his own body. Possibly he thinks it would be convenient if he could go a period of days without eating, or without going to the bathroom, and so on. Again, after a period of time during which he is involuntarily "freed" from these natural restrictions, he becomes aware that these supposed shackles of bodily existence are actually natural and beneficial for the human soul.
4. A person may be frustrated by the constraints of morality. Ethical restric- tions may seem petty and annoying obstacles to great achievement. Being imprisoned for a moral infraction reminds him that "freedom" from morality ultimately leads to complete bondage. If all are free to do as they please, ultimately all are imprisoned in an environment of fear and chaos.

So ultimately "hagomel" is the blessing of contrasts. It is only through "libera- tion" from our everyday constraints and surroundings that we realize that these constraints are not oppressing but rather enlivening. Exactly when we have left our normal routine and then returned to it, we can truly express our gratitude to HaShem Who bestows all goodness on us on an ongoing basis. SOURCE: Olat Reiyah I 309-312.

“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. Torah from Nature
5. Candle by Day
6. Dvar Torah
7. MicroUlpan
8. Torah Tidbits this 'n that
9. From Aloh Naaleh
10. 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 Is it permitted to use a hearing aid on Shabbat or do the electrical workings make it forbidden or problematic?

A While there is what to discuss from a halachic perspective, all of the major poskim who discuss it, permit it. They were well aware that a hearing aid is used in case of significant need and that people see it as an exceptional situation. This helps explain why it wasn't forbidden or frowned upon despite the fact that it is a very similar mechanism to that of a microphone, which most poskim forbade. There are some poskim who included the need as an integral part of the lenient ruling (see Tzitz Eliezer VI,6) and others who made the absolute need a condition of the ruling (Minchat Yitzchak quotes Rav Henkin z.t.l., who suggests that only those who cannot hear at all without the hearing aid should use it). However, as we know, people who wear hearing aids do so only when the need is substantial, and the minhag has developed to allow them free use on Shabbat. We do not feel that this practice should be changed or discouraged, certainly not at the expense of their quality of life and enjoyment of Shabbat. We will deal now with some of the issues that arise. [We only have the liberty, in this context, to deal with these issues in a superficial manner, and request from our readers not to extrapolate from our discussion to other applications].

The first issue that is dealt with is of creating circuits, which could be a problem of boneh (building) or metaken manne (fixing a utensil). Indeed this is a problem (in one form and reason or another) when one turns on a battery operated device or shuts it off. Therefore, one should leave it on all of Shabbat.

Another issue, is the fact that speaking causes there to be an increase in the current. It is far from clear that an increase in an existing current is considered creating something new. Even if it were, there is room for leniency because the change is on the level of something, which has no real substance and is fleeting in duration (Tzitz Eliezer, ibid.).

There is a general problem with devices that produce sounds, whether they are included in the prohibition of using musical instruments (see Rama, Orach Chayim 338:1). There are several ways to deal with that question in our context. One is that the sound that is created is not heard by those standing around, but only by the person who wears it in his ear. Also, he who speaks does not come in direct contact with the instrument (see Chelkat Ya'akov OC 120). The fact that it is not generally audible has other advantages (see Shulchan Aruch, OC 252:5).

A further question is whether, as a battery-operated device, which is usually used by turning on and off, it shouldn't be muktzeh. Tzitz Eliezer has a variety of ways to deal with the issue. In summary, he feels that it is, at worst, a kli shemelachto l'issur (a utensil which is generally used by doing an action which is forbidden on Shabbat). Even such an item may be moved in order to use for a permitted purpose or because its place is needed (Shulchan Aruch, OC 308:3).

In summary, while this response is not a exhaustive one which deals with the subject in depth or deals with every pertinent question that relates to the use of a hearing aid, we hope to have explained the basis for its use on Shabbat, in general. We think it also displays the interest of the poskim to find room for leniency in a case like this where the need is great, and despite the fact that one could have raised objections on several fronts.

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
R' Amram Blum was the Rav of a town in Hungary. R' Amram was constantly involved in trying to have the Jews of his town improve their ways, but he made very little progress. They kept violating the same laws, regardless of how much he preached.

Once, R' Amram came to the community heads and requested a raise in his salary. They turned him down summarily. When informed of this, R' Amram told the community heads:

"You have no idea how happy you have made me by turning down my request for a raise. You see, Chazal tell us that sincere words - words that come from the heart - influence the heart of the listener. Now, all this time, I was afraid that the reason you weren't listening to me was because my plea for you to keep the mitzvos was not made with enough sincerity. Now, however, when I asked you for a raise - and this request of mine was made from the depths of my heart - and you nevertheless didn't listen to me, I can see that the problem when I preach is not my lack of sincerity, but that you are simply hard-hearted."

[3] Rite and Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
After the actual Bris, when naming the child, it is customary for all present to say the pasuk (Tehilim 106:1): HODU L'HASHEM KI TOV, “Give thanks to
Hashem for He is good...”] (Abudraham).
Reason: In accord with what our Sages (Sotah 12a) noted: “And she saw him that he was good [Yocheved concerning Moshe]” (Sh’mot 2:2), that he was born circumcised. We see from this that MILA is called tov [good]. And this is what we are giving thanks to Hashem for...
Reason: The newborn is like a person who has emerged from imprisonment and is therefore obliged to offer special thanks to the Almighty. So the assembled men, in place of the baby, recite “Hodu...”

[4] Torah from Nature
MA RABU MA'ASECH HASHEM KULAM B'CHOCHMA ASITA MAL'AH HA'ARETZ KINYANECHA
The yak is in the familyBovidae... Bos grunniens(grunting ox); yaks are incapable of mooing... make a low grunting sound. A female yak is called a dri... A dri who has not given birth in a particular year is called a yarma. A yarma can produce about half the amount of milk as a dri who has given birth that year. The butter made from yarma’s milk is called kyadzi, and is very white, as opposed to butter made from the more yellow dri’s milk.

Yaks can reach nearly 11 feet in length and nearly 7 in height... can weigh roughly 700-1800 lbs... Yak can be cross-bread with cattle. The female offspring, dzomo, are fertile, but the males, dzo, are sterile. The offspring of a dzomo, called a tolwo, require lots of milk, and have a low chance of living beyond birth... two kinds of wool: khulu and tsidpa. Khulu is soft and downy and used to make fine products like carpets. Tsidpa is longer and coarser and used to make tents, sacks, and rope...85% of the world’s yak population is in Tibet/China. The famous Tibetan tea "So Cha" is made from yak butter, black tea and salt. Yak meat (kosher) is much leaner and more tender than cow...

[5] Candle by Day
All good things come IN time — but not necessarily ON time. - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[6] Dvar Torah
The Dubano Maggid tells that he once asked the great Sage, the Gaon Rabbeinu Eliyahu of Vilna, what the difference is between the first four books of the Chumash and the book of D’varim. The GR”A answered him that the first four books are the word of G-d heard by us via the “throat of Moshe”. Not so the book of D’varim. The content of this book we hear as we heard the words of other prophets. G-d tells the prophet (in this case, Moshe Rabeinu) something today, and the next day he transmits G-d’s words to us. In this kind of transmission, when the prophet speaks to us, the flow of words from G-d to the prophet has already stopped. This is how Sefer D’varim was heard by the People of Israel from Moshe.

[7] Micro Ulpan - a word (or two) from HaAcademiya LaLashon Ha-Ivrit
Before we tell you how to say Velcro in Hebrew, we should tell you how to say it in English. The problem is that Velcro is a brandname. It was invented by a Swiss fellow, George de Mestral, who got curious (back in 1948) about plant burrs that stuck to his pants on a hike. The correct English term is hook & loop fastener. The word velcro is a contraction of velour crochet, which is French for velvet hook. In Hebrew? Not VELCRO but TZAMDAN.

Last week, BackPage A, we said that motorcycle in Hebrew is O'FI'NOA. YL corrects that to O'FA'NOA. Dictionaries agree, but common usage is FI

[8] Torah Tidbits this 'n that
Here’s where we try to catch up on a few things from recent weeks. —PC
Snacks: I guess the word feedback in this case takes on extra meaning. We’ve been getting comments about the chocolate-covered raisins (CCR) issue. Most comments are something like this: Why are you running away from a halachic issue rather than coming to a definitive answer to the bracha question for CCR? My answer is that sometimes (not too often), SAFEK (doubt) is the definitive answer. When that happens, it is best to avoid the SAFEK if possible. As expressed last week, there are several opinions on both sides of eating CCR (before and after bracha). Even eating them during a HaMotzi-ed meal won’t solve the whole problem.

And not to leave out the other offered snack, a TT reader called to tell us that there are some poskim who say that the coated peanut might be mezonot rather than HaAdama. We’re going to leave the “American peanuts” alone for the time being, and remain confident that HaAdama is the bracha of choice of the majority of poskim. If anything develops on that score, we’ll let you know. Kabukim, BTW, with a much thicker casing for the peanut, is probably more of a bracha problem. I’m sure this has not been the last word on the topic.

When the TTTT feature was written earlier this week, I thought that would be it for CCR (chocolate covered raisins) for the time being.

But several more comments came in during the last couple of days, and some conversation and brainstorming has taken place. So here’s a little more snack for thought.

One of the major tasks of the next Sanhedrin, may it be restored to Lishkat HaGazit speedily in our time, will be to decide matters of halacha and Jewish practice, especially concerning those matters which are disputed and/or in doubt in our imperfect, we-don’t-have-a-Sanhedrin world of p’sak din. On their agenda - I doubt if it will be brought up for the first few months - will be the issue of the bracha rishona for CCR and a ruling on the issue of bracha acharona for a whole fruit that is smaller than a KAZAYIT (these being two of the issues regarding CCR).

Until then, there are certain disputes that have been settled by p’sak halacha, others that have been declared SAFEK, and others that some people do it this way and other people do it that way. We do not have an ideal situation, but we do the best we can in the meantime. Sometimes, a p’sak will recognize the merit of two sides of a dispute and recommend a “preferred” procedure, in addition to rulings for situations of “after the fact”.

Hebrew and Yeshivish: Random House Dictionary has two pronun- ciations for MENORA - the correct Hebrew pronunciation with the accent on the last syllable me-no-RA, and the “English” pronunciation, me-NO-ra. This qualifies as a legitimate way to say the word when you are speaking English, because Menora is recognized as an English word (probably with an H at the end). There are many Hebrew and Yiddish words that have crept into the English vocabulary, as well as many others that are used by people (mostly Jewish English-speakers) in their daily speech. When spoken English is sprinkled with Hebrew words, they are most-often pro- nounced in the style of English words, rather than being pronounced correct- ly. Such words are sometimes called Yeshivish, the language of the English- speaking Jewish world.

So, when we write in TT that Shabbat Matot-Mas’ei was M’vorchim, we are pronouncing the word as if it were an English word, rather than its correct way, which is m’va-R’CHIM. It is true that TT is not consistent between correct Hebrew pronunciation (in transliteration) and Yeshivish. And we appreciate YL’s continual reminder that M’vorchim is not accurate Hebrew- wise, but Shabbos M’vorchim is still Shabbos M’vorchim. HaRav Avigdor Cyperstein zt”l gave his shiur in flawless “modern” Hebrew. One day he referred to the cha-Tam so-FER. Several sentences later, he stopped and said CH’sam SOI-fer. “Ah, that feels better”, he added, and continued the shiur in correct, Israeli Hebrew.

Similarly, KIRUV might not be the accurate Hebrew word, but it is a Yeshivish word that English speakers understand. B’di-eved is Yeshivish for b’di-a-VAD.
Obviously, when we are talking about correct pronunciation in davening and Torah reading, we try to be as correct as possible.
And sometimes a mistake is a mistake.

[9] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
After forty years in the desert, Moshe delivers his farewell address. Sefer Devarim, sometimes called Mishneh Torah for its repetition of many of the mitzvot, might as well be known as Sefer Eretz Yisrael. After all, not all the mitzvot are repeated, but rather only those that are pertinent to setting up a Torah society in Eretz Yisrael.

Moshe knows that the people he has led for the last forty years are "stiff- necked" and that he will no longer be there to lead them. Thus, his final speech, must be a message so strong and inspiring that it will continue to echo thousands of years later. He is so successful in this mission that Hashem incorporates his address into His own words and eternalizes it as Sefer Devarim.

I suggest that you take the time to read the Sefer as a whole unit and realize that this really was Moshe's last speech. Only then will you feel that it is the history of a real people, your people. You will then feel what our ancestors felt in the hot desert after forty years of wandering. You will be terrified by the voice of God when you stand before Sinai to receive the Ten Command- ments, and you will worry in anticipa- tion of the enemy you will have to fight when you arrive in the Promised Land. There you will bring your first fruits to Jerusalem, and with the basket on your shoulder you will tell the Kohen how your father was an Aramean refugee who went down to Egypt in small numbers. You will remind the Kohen how the Egyptians dealt harshly with you, oppressed you and enslaved you. You will then proceed to tell the Kohen how you cried out to Hashem your God and how He heard you and brought you to this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Sefer Devarim is our connection to Eretz Yisrael standing on one foot. Go Learn It!!!
Rabbi Aharon E. Wexler, Jerusalem
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

[10] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Devarim opens a new chapter in the annals of the wandering Jew in the desert. For now, prior to his death, Moshe repeats the history of the people and consistently implores them to be faithful and self-disciplined prior to their entry to Eretz Yisrael.
Notwithstanding the many new laws that appear in the Book of Devarim, the Sefer is aptly called "Mishna Torah" to indicate that Moshe essentially reviewed most of the mitzvot already given at Sinai or in the Ohel Mo'ed (Ramban).
The term "Mishna" not only conjures up notions of repetition, it all also implies that the laws repeated were embellished orally. Whereas in the previous books we were accustomed to seeing the phrase, "And Hashem spoke to Moshe," this Sefer is replete with the subjective statement that, "Hashem spoke to me."
The Vilna Gaon suggests that the first expression describes the imminent nature of G-d's communication to the people while the latter depicts Moshe as the prophet who reveals the earlier vision. Here Moshe chooses the words; he is now the exalted teacher, "Moshe Rabbeinu." However, as the ever-faithful servant of Hashem, Moshe never fails to teach us that it is the immortal message that is the medium.
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.

The Destruction and its Aftermath
Flavius Josephus wrote an eyewitness account of the great national tragedy cumulating in the Churban - the destruction of Jerusalem and of the burning of the Beit Hamikdash on Tisha B'Av, 70CE. His Jewish War is our main source of information about those murderous years when our people rose in heroic, though perhaps foolhardy, rebellion against the Roman conquerors and suffered an unparalleled defeat. The arch-traitor Josephus, an unabashed apologist for the Romans (especially Titus the destroyer of the Mikdash) graphically described the Churban. "Then one of the soldiers... without a qualm for the terrible consequences of his action... snatched up a blazing piece of wood, and climbing on another soldiers back, hurled the brand through a golden aperture giving access on the north side to the chambers built around the Sanctuary. As the flames shot through the air, the Jews sent up a cry that matched the calamity and dashed to the rescue with no thought now of saving their lives or husbanding their strength; for that with hitherto they had guarded so devotedly was disappearing before their eyes... everywhere was slaughter and flight. Most of the victims were peaceful citizens, weak and unarmed, butchered wherever they were caught. Round the altar, the heap of corpses grew higher and higher, while down the Sanctuary steps, poured a river of blood and the bodies of those killed at the top slithered to the bottom... While the Sanctuary was burning, looting went on right and left and all who were caught were put to the sword. There was no pity for age, no regard for rank; little children and old men, laymen and priests alike were butchered... Through the roar of the flames as they swept relentlessly on, could be heard the groans of the falling: such were the height of the hill and the vastness of the blazing edifice that the entire city seemed to be on fire, while as for the noise, nothing could be imagined more shattering or more horrifying... and many who were wasted with hunger and beyond speech, found strength to moan and wail when they saw the Sanctuary in flames... Yet more terrible than the din, were the sights that met the eye. The Temple Mount, enveloped in flames from top to bottom, appeared to be boiling up from its very roots; yet the sea of flame was nothing to the ocean of blood... (Wars, 6:254)

The horrors of a lost war, the rapine and the massive destruction, would be carved into the hearts and minds of the survivors for as long as they lived. Besides the devastating blow to national morale, the physical damage to Eretz Yisrael and its economy was incalculable. Incredible numbers had been killed in battle, died of deprivation or disease or were sold into slavery abroad. Vast areas of cultivated land had been ruined, towns and villages reduced to shambles, flocks and herds dispersed and fruitful orchards uprooted. Josephus wrote, "The number of those who perished in the siege (of Jerusalem) was 1,100,000, the greater part whom were indeed of the same nation [with the citizens of Jerusalem] but not belonging to the city itself; for they had come up from all the country to the Feast of Matzot and were suddenly shut in by an army... and came a pestilential destruc- tion upon them and soon afterwards a famine which destroyed them more suddenly... but the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in prison…" Josephus notes that there were some 97,000 prisoners taken after the fall of Jerusalem and another 41,000 captured elsewhere. Another 106,000 were killed in various battles and additional tens of thousands were simply murdered by their gentile neighbors in Caesarea, Beit She'an, Ashkelon, Acre, Damascus and many other places. Countless other thousands fell in the bloody internecine struggles between the various Jewish factions. Even if these figures are exaggerated, the number of slaughtered was still unbelievably high. The Romans endeavored to denude Eretz Yisrael of as much of its Jewish population as possible and demoralize the survivors. Well aware of the seriousness of the situation, and realizing that much of the damage was irreparable, the Sages who constituted the only Jewish leadership that survived the debacle, struggled to salvage what could be salvaged from the rubble of a horrendous defeat. Despite the great odds, they were surprisingly successful.

Though the various traditions differ as to the details, the first step in the Jewish revival in Eretz Yisrael was the establishment of a Torah center at Yavneh by Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai. The version in Avot D'Rabbi Natan (20a) has R. Yochanan beseeching the Roman general Vespasian for permission to "teach" his "disciples and observe all the Mitzvot in the Torah" in Yavneh. R. Yochanan's choice of Yavneh, a non-Jewish city, was perhaps indicative of his efforts to avoid undue publicity and "prove that he wasn't interested in politics". All his efforts, as far as the Romans were concerned, were to be kept in a very low key. In the better known version in the Gemara (Gitin 56b), R. Yochanan asks for "Yavneh and its Sages, the family chain of R. Gamliel (the family of the Nasi - the Patriarch - descended from Hillel) and physicians to heal R. Tzadok". Be that as it may, from this small seed grew a mighty tree and in the next generation Torah institutions sprouted throughout Eretz Yisrael: Lod, Peki'in, Bnei Braq, Tzipori etc. The Jewish courts slowly revived and the Roman authorities came to recognize them, first de facto and eventually de jure. The Mishna states that R. Gamliel, the Hillelite successor to R. Yochanan, "went to (Antioch to) have authority given to him by the (Roman) governor in Syria". Sources report how the Nasi started to make tours of inspection all through the land and led official Jewish delegations to Rome.

Judicial auton- omy had been restored to Jewish Eretz Yisrael! The importance of this milestone cannot be over estimated. But much of the land had passed from Jewish ownership; title passing "by right of conquest" to the Roman Empire, with the Roman Emperor having the right to dispose of the land as he saw fit. Much of the land was distributed to "friends of Rome" such as Josephus, who received an estate "for services rendered". Many farmers were forced to become tenants on land they had once owned. However, Chazal scorned to recognize the "new owners" and, as much as possible in post-destruction Eretz Yisrael, defended the rights of the dispossessed. And sometimes, despite very unfavorable conditions, the Sages were successful in upholding the rights of the former owners. It was an uphill battle but gradually land was put back into cultivation and uprooted orchards were replanted; agriculture, the economic base of Jewish Eretz Yisrael slowly recovered. But the loss of Jerusalem and the Mikdash was keenly felt.

"Bring us back to You, O L-rd and we shall return, renew our days as of old. For even if you had utterly rejected us, You have already raged sufficiently against us. Bring us back to You, O L-rd and we shall return, renew our days as of old." (Eicha 5:21,22) to be continued

Catriel Sugarman (acatriel@netvision.net.il, 02-652-7531) gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. 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 #78. 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.

This column took a break last week. So if you did not find TBDATR in last week’s issue, it was because it wasn’t there.

A couple of readers made the following observation and suggested that we share it with readers of this column. So here it is:
The tribal leader of Menashe, at the beginning of the sojourn in the Wilderness (Bamidbar 1:10) was Gamliel ben P’DA-TZUR. The father’s name is spelled PEI/SH’VA, DALET/KAMATZ, HEI/no vowel, TZADI/SHURUK, REISH. When a HEI has no vowel under it, not even a SH’VA, the HEI is totally silent. Just as a HEI at the end of a word is silent, unless it has a MAPIK (dot) in it.

In Bamidbar 34:28, we find the new tribal leader from Naftali, at the end of the 40 years of wandering. He is P’DAH-EIL ben Amihud. In this case there is a SH’VA under the HEI and it is therefore sounded. The first syllable is P’DAH, with a slight aspiration after the P’DA. The HEI is not silent. It comes out in a puff of breath.
There is a section in EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIM called EIM LAMASORET. It goes through the whole Chumash (and Megilat Esther) highlighting “problem” words, things for a BAAL KOREI to watch out for. This section serves as an excellent review of the lessons in the main body of the book, because it brings the various teachings to practical application.

Let’s take a look at one or two words in Parshat D’varim and remember what we’ve learned.

The Torah says (D’varim 2:10), HA-EIMIM L’FANIM YA-SH’VU VAH... Referring to a people that originally lived in the land which was now Mo’av, the EIMIM. There are two things to point out about the word YA-SH’VU, they dwelled. First of all, the SH’VA under the SHIN is NA, which attaches the SHIN to the second syllable, not the first. First syllable is YUD-KAMATZ, YA. Second syllable is SH’VU. And in this case, the accent is on the first syllable, YA-sh’vu. This is not the normal way the word should be pronounced; it is an instance of NASOG ACHOR (remember that?) where the accent migrates back to the first syllable because of the following word in the same phrase, which is either a single syllable (as is the case here) or a MIL’EIL word. ya-SH’VU (is the “real” way to say the word), but here - YA-sh’vu VAH. Indication that the words are coupled in a two-word phrase is the drop of the DAGESH from BAH. Also note the H, meaning that the HEI is sounded because of the MAPIK (dot) it contains. YA-sh’vu VAH. It’s like trying to spell a word with at least two tempting ways to misspell.

Okay, now look at 2:36. From ARO-EIR which is on the bank of the ARNON river and the city in the wadi, as far as GIL’AD... The point here is not really a review for this column, but new ground that we’ve only alluded to in the past. The dificulty in this pasuk is that many of us who learned to read the Torah for our Bar Mitzva and haven’t developed into full-time, serious, and knowledge- able BAALEI K’RI’A, never learned the distinction between one pause and another, and even which TROP-NOTES are supposed to flow into the next word and which are not. Read the last sentence over until you are reasonably sure you are following the idea (which is not being expressed very clearly). Let’s take it one word at a time. MEI-ARO-EIR has a PAZEIR on it (That’s the vertically flipped h.) PAZEIR is a fourth level (that’s the lowest) PAUSING-TROP, which means it gets the briefest pause after its word, before continuing with the next word. The “problem” is that the note is so elaborate in the way it is intoned, that a reader can find himself taking a deep breath after a PAZEIR, which of course lengthens the pause unjustifiably.
The next word is “worse”. ASHER has a T’LISHA K’TANA (the magnifying glass with the handle pointing down and to the right). This TROP-note is not a pauser (MAFSIK), but a linker (M’SHAREIT). There should be no pause after its word. But many a Torah-reader will pause, because the intonation of the TK (in most cases without distinguishing it from a T’LISHA G’DOLA) lends itself to a pause. Then there is the KADMA and AZLA on (AL-S’FAT) NACHAL ARNON. The AZLA (a.k.a. GEIREISH) is also a fourth level MAFSIK and gets only the briefest pause after it. V’HA-IR (and the city) has a KADMA which is a linker (M’SHARIET0 to the next word. Patience, we’re almost there. ASHER has a MAH-PACH (less than symbol) under it. Another linker. Which brings us to BANACHAL with a PASHTA, a level three pauser, which is the whole point that R’ Nissan Sharoni is making. Because this word has a slightly longer pause after it than any of the preceding words in the pasuk, one should read up to that point without pause and then pause after BANACHAL. This will convey the meaning of the pasuk properly. Take a look at where the comma is in the English rendering of this pasuk at the beginning of the last paragraph on page 13. Pauses of proper (varying) lengths can indicate the meaning of the pasuk. Conversely, a pause in the wrong place can distort the meaning of the pasuk. Here it is not the city that extends to Gil’ad, but the range of territory in the pasuk is from ARO-EIR on the bank of the river and the city... all the way until Gil’ad.

Again, apologies on two levels: for being so wordy and sometimes awkward in trying to explain, and for being so nitpicky. These tiny details fascinate (and scare) me and I want to share them with “like-minded” people. Part of the “scare” is that I must have slept through these lessons back in yeshiva, or more likely, they weren’t mentioned at all. The Torah is the greatest gift from G-d to His people. Certainly, we must study it diligently to know it well. Part of that is knowing how to read and understand it as well as possible. <mtc>

Parsha Pix
At the top is a speech-bubble which contains the main elements of what Moshe said to the People. He told them about the travels from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael and what happened during those travels, of the victories of the People in several battles they fought (that's the V for victory hand signal), and about Torah and Mitzvot that are the essence of Jewish Life.
Also contained within that speech bubble is a graphic TTriddle.
The judge's gavel flanked (above & below) by two negation circles, relates to the mitzvot in the sedra, against appointing judges for the wrong reasons - not because of wealth, nor out of fear or threats. A judge may not be afraid of threats (e.g. the gun).
The arrows indicating DO NOT ENTER to the right and the left, but only straightahead, stands for the two instances, as related by Moshe, that we approached nations for permission to pass through their land.
The graphic of the spies carrying the cluster of grapes stands for one of the major elements in the sedra.
There are also two former PPP types of graphic elements, this time to be explained.
The ghost with the San Francisco Giants logo is a play on the pasuk (2:11), The REFA’IM (ghosts in modern Hebrew; warriors or mighty people in the Biblical context) can be considered giants (or vice versa).
The Roman numerals represent the different “units” of Jews, with their “captains” - thousand, hundred, fifty, and ten.
The silhouettes of the bull and donkey are from the pasuk at the beginning of the Haftara in which the prophet contasts us unfavorably with the animals. The bull knows his master and the donkey, his feeding trough. We Jews, human beings, seem to have difficulty in this regard. How can we turn our backs on G-d; how can we disobey Him so, when He is our Master and the source of all sustenance. "Dumb" animals "know" this, but we seem to lose sight of things every so often.
That leaves two other graphic TTriddles (besides the one mentioned above).

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 (MATOT-MAS’EI) TTriddles:
[1] aureus • epidermidis • saprop(hytious)
[2] 11000101010001000000
[3] They only sound like brothers
[4] Son of one of the Eight
[5] 79 47 29 26 50 82
[6] If her husband does it, they survive. Had she done it, she and her people would be lost.
[7] Apparently, it helps to sing when you are afraid
Plus three unexplained items from the ParshaPix(there were four, but only three of them count)

And the envelope please...
[1] These are three kinds of Staphylococcus bacteria (Staphylococci is th eplural). They are called Staph for short. Notice that the third one is half crossed out (or half of it is in parentheses), leaving 2½ staph which represent 2½ staff, shevet, mateh - as in Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe.
[2] This is a binary number whose decimal equivalent is 808,000. This is the total number of animals taken as spoils of war following the battle against Midyan. That’s 675,000 TZON (sheep and goats), 72,000 cattle, and 61,000 donkeys.
[3] Among the tribal leaders listed in Bamidbar 34:19-28 we find Shmuel ben Amihud from the tribe of Shimon and P’dah-eil ben Amihud from Naftali. The only sound like brothers, but cannot actually be brothers, coming from different tribes. Notice that only 10 tribes are listed at this point in the Torah. Reuven and Gad are not on the list because they will not be receiving land on the west side of the Jordan river. Menashe is listed for the half of the tribe that will be settling with the other nine tribes.
[4] Also among the tribal leaders is Chaniel ben Eifod. He is the son of one of the eight garments of the Kohein Gadol, the Eifod.
[5] These numbers were given in Hebrew in the hard copy of Torah Tidbits and in numerical form in the electronic version. They are the atomic numbers of six elements, specifically the six metals mentioned in Bamidbar 31:22: Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, Tin, and Lead. Of no particular significance, but cute in Torah Tidbits terms, is the symbol for lead, Pb, which would translate into Hebrew as PEI-BET, which is 82, which is the atomic number of lead. Most people will say, “so what?”, some will agree that it is cute, and very few special people will look through the Periodic Table of Elements to see if any other elements exhibit that characteristic.
[6] V’IM HACHAREISH YACHARISH... And if her husband remains silent from the day he hears of his wife’s vow, until the next, then the vows “survive”. He can no longer nullify them. Hafarat Nedarim works only on the day he hears the Neder or of the Neder. There is only one other place in Tanach where there is a phrase made of two words of the root CHET-REISH-SHIN, to be silent. In Megilat Esther, Mordechai says to Esther (through HATACH), KI IM HACHAREISH TACHARISHI... For if you remain silent, it can spell the doom of you and your people.
[7] And they traveled from CHARADA (literally, trembling) and they campoed in MAK-HEILOT (sounds like the word for choirs). So apparently, it helps to sing when you are afraid.
[8] 4=5. A fourth (or a quarter) in Hebrew is REVA. That was the name of one of the five kings of Midyan who were killed along with Bil’am in the war against Midyan. REVA is one of five.
[9] There was a dreidel among the arrows represnting the travels of the people at the beginning of Mas’ei. Dreidel gives Chanuka, Chanuka gives the Chashmona’im, Chashmona’im give us CHASHMONA, one of the places of encampment.
[10] The choir stands for MAK-HEILOT, another place of encampment.
The one that doesn’t count is the Lulav and Etrog which stands for Sukkot, the first stop after leaving Egypt. It doesn’t count because it was given and explained last year. As was Yotvata. The others are new.
And here is an amazing and impressive fact. Every single one of the above 10 TTriddles was solved by at least one, and in many cases many, TTriddles solvers this week. Top honors this week goes to YYW, who was helped by his brother BZW. Runner up with a fine solution set is veteran TTriddles solver, RHM. Welcome back to the Gersten Gang, who submitted solutions for the first time in many weeks.

This week's TTriddles:
[1] The winter resort with a frozen Snicker
[2] Hagrid meets Topper
[3] You, the Land, Sichon, Life & Death
[4] Who probably didn't know the words?
Plus three unexplained items from the ParshaPix

Israel Center Miscellany
Re: The Israel Center and Torah Tidbits
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The Israel Center's Beth Din to adjudicate and arbitrate monetary disputes, according to Jewish law There is a registration fee of 200nis per case No other charges for this service Please call 566-7787 ext. 204 for further information We have forms for two types of cases: Those where both parties agree to submit their dispute to the Beth Din, and those where a complainant wants the Beth Din to summon the second party. Yitzhak Fund, Esq. • Rabbi Emanuel Quint Chairpersons , Ita Rochel, Administrator

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Tiyulim and Shabbatonim
THE TRAVEL DESK for making registration and receiving info of Israel Center tiyulim. And, to help you - whether you live in Israel or are visiting - plan private tiyulim and make in-Israel travel arrangements. We will be happy to assist you from 9:00am-1:00pm on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Call Batya at The Travel Desk of the Israel Center, 566-7787 ext. 249; fax: 566-7876 • tiyul@israelcenter.co.il
THE TIYUL HOTLINE Dial the Israel Center's number 5-66-77-87, then press 211. You'll hear "thank you, one moment please", and then the phone system's music for 15 seconds (or less). Then the Tiyul Hotline message begins. You can listen to the whole message and then press 2 to leave your message, or you can interrupt by pressing 2 right away and leaving your message sooner.
What’s for lunch? When a tiyul says “bring your own lunch”, you can buy one instead from the Israel Center Cafe. Call the TRAVEL DESK or TIYUL HOTLINE up to the day before the TIYUL and request a box lunch. 18š will get you a delicious sandwich (specify your preference), a refreshing drink (specify regular or diet) and a dessert. Your box will be ready for you when you board the bus.
TIYUL POLICIES Please note: We reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee in case of last-minute cancellations. (Please speak to Batya at the Travel Desk when making reservations.) Also... Price of tiyul is based on a minimum number of participants.
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Israel Center Tiyulim are partially subsidized by the Jewish Agency for Israel

Israel Center In-House Shabbaton
Shabbat Parshat Eikev,Fri-SHA, August 15-16 • Guest speakers: Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Exec. V.P. of the Orthodox Union; Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Rabbi Chaim Eisen, Rabbi Jay Marcus plus mini-shiurim, Divrei Torah, and tidbits • The Orthodox Union Solidarity Mission will be joining us for davening on Shabbat morning, Kiddush, and the shiur that follows: 220NIS p.p. members • 240NIS p.p. non-members; Registration after August 5th: 240/250NIS • Housing options:You live in the neighborhood;you arranged to stay with someone in the neighborhood;we can arrange for you to stay with someone in the neighborhood; Sleep-only accommodations in neighborhood hotels (extra charge) - Register early - Space is limited • When you register, tell us your housing requirements, seating preferences, dietary considerations, etc. so that we can make your Shabbat as enjoyable as possible

ZEFAT has been canceled.Not the city, just our tiyul to it. (Due to unforseen circumstances...)

Beit HaMikdash Tour with the incomparable Catriel Sugarman assisted by Nachman Kupietsky • Step-by-Step via the Virtual Davidson Center; Also...The Western & Southern Walls areas and get to learn and love things you haven’t heard about or seen before! Paid advance reservations a must • Limited places 50NIS (members) non-members add 10IS; Meet at Dung Gate leading to Kotel entrance to Davidson Center • Tuesday, August 12 • 9:00am to noon - SOLD OUT; Thursday, August 14 • 9:00am to noon, very few places remain

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.

Renaissance, Jerusalem, valid thru August
Three-night package: 2025NIS per couple, B/B
Includes entrance to health club and indoor & outdoor pools

Olive Tree, Jerusalem, valid August 3-6
3 night MIDWEEK package: 970NIS per per couple, B/B

Sheraton-Plaza, Jerusalem, valid Auguat 1-2
SHABBAT: 1050NIS per couple, F/B

Renaissance, Tel Aviv, valid August 10-14
2 night MIDWEEK package: 1040NIS, per couple, B/B
Includes entrance to health club and indoor pool

Paradise Negev, Valid August 10-22
575NIS per night per couple, H/B

Dan Pearl, Jerusalem, valid August 1-2
870NIS per couple, f/b

B/B = Bed & Breakfast • H/B = Half Board (breakfast + one meal) • F/B (3 meals a day) Midweek = SUN, MON, TUE, WED nights • Weekends = THU, FRI, Motza"Sh nights

The Back Page of TT579
"Regular" Israel Center classes & lectures - 20NIS for members, 25NIS for non-mem. Life members, 5NIS (except for programs of/with other organizations).
No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay.
(Membership is 225NIS per year)
Many Israel Center programs are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

FRIDAY
“Early Shabbat Minyan”; Mincha will be 15 minutes before PLAG (please be prompt) and Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv will be after PLAG. • This week: D'varim-Chazon (5:56), Va'etchanan (5:51), Eikev -Shabbaton (5:45), R'ei (5:39), Sho'f'tim (5:32)...

Shabbat DAY
Shabbat afternoon (Chazon), August 2nd, 5:00pm • Two Destruction; Two Geula with Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko• Drinks • Mincha at 6:00pm

Motza’ei Shabbat Chazon, August 2nd, 9:30pm • Fast or Feast? Tisha B’av during the 2nd Temple Period with Rabbi Efraim Sprecher

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...
Gentlemen: We are considering expanding our Beit Midrash program for men to include Chavruta learning and additional shiurim to run from 9:00am to Mincha at 1:20pm (or parts thereof). If you would be interested in joining us, please be in touch. Call 566-7787 ext. 207. This is still in the planning stage, but your interest and input is valuable to us.

SUNDAY
N'shei Library - 10:30am - 12:45pm
9:30am (women) Towards Better Brachot with Phil Chernofsky Golda Warhaftig's shiur will resume IY"H aon Aug. 17
10:30am (women) Let's Learn Eicha • Tonia Frohwein
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, August 3rd • Root & Branch Association (in cooperation with the Israel Center)
6:30pm: “Why the Middle East Conflict Continues to Exist” by Joel Bainerman, [www.joelbainerman.com]
8:00pm: “Save Israel” by Barry Chamish [chamish.tsedek.com] Author, "Save Israel!", "Israel Betrayed", "The Last Days of Israel", "Traitors and Carpetbaggers in the Promised Land", "Who Murdered Yitzhak Rabin?"
Info: rb@rb.org.il • NIS25 per person, members NIS20, students NIS10 (for any and all lectures)

MONDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:00-12:30
9:15am (men & women) Excursions into the World of Nevi'im • 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
VIDEO 12:30pm • Prof. Xu Xin on The Jewish Diaspora in China
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, August 4th, 8:00pm • “Are American Jews finally becoming Republicans?” Dr. David Luchins, Chairman, Political Science Department, Touro College;National Associate Vice President, Orthodox Union
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, August 4, 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 - pre- 9Av special, call 5667787 x 261 for details
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 Chani Abramson
9:55am Missing the Mikdash Chani 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 Nachum Amsel on How Jewish is Capital Punishment
Tuesday, August 5th, 8:00pm • “From Oswiecin to Auschwitz” by Rabbi Dr. Moshe Weiss

WEDNESDAY
9:30am (men & women) Towards a More Meaningful Davening, Dr. Joel Luber
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 - David Silberklang, Yad VaShem on Answering Unanswered Questions about the Sho'ah
The Center will close after the 1:20pm Mincha Gedola on Erev Tish’a b’Av and will reopen for Maariv & Eicha
Leil Tish’a b’Av (Wednesday, August 6th) 8:00pm • Maariv, Eicha, Kinot - Eicha read from a megila scroll by Rabbi S. Silberg • Eicha & Kinot with appropriate commentaryand explanations by Rabbi Neil Winkler

THURSDAY - Tish’a b’Av Day
Thursday, August 7th, 8:30am • Slow-paced Shacharit (we will be in time for Sh’ma); KINOT: We will say selected Kinot in an unrushed manner, explanations in English • A very meaningful experience; Layning & Kinot leader: Rabbi Neil Winkler; Kinot introduction and explanations:Dr. David Luchins • We will end around Chatzot (12:45pm approx.) - There will be a topical mini-shiur until Mincha at 1:20pm
The Center will close after Mincha and reopen IY”H on Friday morning

FRIDAY
9:00am In-Depth Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen

Upcoming at the Israel Center

Shabbat Nachamu, August 9th, 5:00pm • Drinks, Mincha at 6:00pm • Parsha Shiur & Playwith Yaacov Peterseil & TBA

Motza’ei Shabbat Nachamu August 9th, 9:30pm • It’s now our time-honored tradition! Those Were the Days! An evening of music, humor & nostalgia with Howie Kahn; Another unforgettable trip down memory lane using Chasidic music of the'60s & '70s, period trivia, American Folk Songs and Jewish stand-up; New show, Great fun (35/40NIS) Trust us - you don’t want to miss this!

Who angers or disappoints you? How should they change? Learn The Work of Byron Katie; a simple method of self-inquiry that can change your life. Workshop facilitated by Dr. Moshe Dann • Tue. Aug. 12, 7:30pm For more information: www.thework.org

Wednesday, August 13, 8:00pm • The Rav in Historical Perspective; A view of HaRav Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt"l in the background of the times in which he lived by Rabbi Dr. Bernard Rosensweig

Are you in fear or panic about your pregnancy and/or the upcoming deliveryof your baby? This evening of TAT can make a great start for the releaseof this fear. I am also referring to you, midwifes and birth coaches TAT is a great tool to learn and with which you can be more effectivein your work. TAT is really a must in your tool kit. You will be amazedby the results you see when you use TAT in your work. Tue. August 19, 8-10pm with Eliezer Spetter (TAT and EFT trainer) fee: 40NIS

Tuesday, August 19 • Video lecture of Rabbi Yissocher Frand on "We Dare not Despair

Thursday, August 21st, 8:00pm • Coping with Tragedy - Fighting Terror with Kindness by Shmuel Greenbaum of Passaic, New Jersey whose wife was murdered in the Sbarro bombing and who has since started a website www.TraditionOfKindness.org and an email list “Daily Dose of Kindness”

Save the date • Sunday September 14th - “Health Day”; Organized by Tovei Ha’ir Residence, To be held at the Israel Center • Medical checkups: Eye, ear, blood...Advice • Lectures Booths: insurance, nutrition,foot care, Kupat Cholim, eye care, and more
Watch for further details

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

Shabbat Chazon and Tish'a b'Av Review
Please consider the following review as an educational tool; actual halachic questions should be put to your LOR (local Orthodox rabbi). This is especially true of personal circumstances that are in any way out of the ordinary.
The Shabbat before Tish'a b'Av is known as SHABBAT CHAZON. The name derives from the Haftara which is read, the first chapter of Yeshayahu.
Cleaning the house and other preparations for Shabbat are as usual.
Although we do not eat meat during the Nine Days (except for Shabbat), one may taste (without swallowing) food being cooked for Shabbat to determine its flavor-needs.
Many authorities permit bathing and dressing for Shabbat as one would usually do for any other Shabbat. (This is the standard practice in Israel.)
Others impose some restrictions, such as washing with less pleasant water (temperature-wise), and not bathing the entire body at one time.
One may cut his/her fingernails during the first part of the 9 Days, but not during the week in which 9Av falls.
One may wear fresh garments for Shabbat, but not new ones. Some say that they should be put on only right before Shabbat.
Many shuls sing L'cha Dodi to the tune of "Eli Tzion" from Tish'a b'Av morning. Some frown upon this custom as a public sign of mourning on Shabbat. Nonetheless, it is a common custom.
It is okay to drink wine and eat meat once a person has taken Shabbat, even if it is before sunset.
Many shuls read the pasuk beginning with the word "Eicha" (D'varim 1:12) to the tune of Eicha. Some object to this custom, too, but it is the common practice. As a corollary to this custom, the first Aliya is ended one pasuk short “Sheini” so that the second Aliya does not begin with EICHA. [In all of the above, don’t be surprised if your shul does or does not do what is described here as a “wide-spread” practice.]
The Haftara for Shabbat Chazon is mostly read with the Eicha melody. Once again, some object to this minhag as well. The rabbi of the shul or a prominent member of the congregation is usually given Maftir.
Shabbat meals are as usual, including meat and wine. The custom of not eating meat or drinking wine during the Nine Days does not apply to Shabbat - another example of "no public display of mourning on Shabbat". One may have meat and wine at all meals on Shabbat, even if this is more than he would usually do. If one is eating meat at the Third Meal, and the meal extends into the night, he still may continue to eat meat. Some disagree and hold that one should stop eating meat at nightfall, even if one hasn't ended his Shabbat.
[Be aware of the fact that the actual halachic prohibition of eating meat and drinking wine applies to the SEUDA HAMAFSEKET, the pre-Tish’a b’Av meal. The extension of this ban to the Nine Days is essentially based on custom. The custom of one’s community must be followed, but knowing that the issue is not DIN throughout helps explain the different practices of different EIDOT.]
It will serve us well to think of meat & wine on Shabbat Chazon, not only in the negative (no public display of mourning, therefore...), but also in a positive way. Shabbat is called "a foretaste of the World to Come". Shabbat Chazon allows us a glimpse into the (hopefully near) future when the prophecy of Zacharia will come to be and Tish'a b'Av and its three satellite fasts will become joyous days. We might look at Shabbat as a down payment from G-d, so to speak, on His promise for the future.
Havdala: Some say that since Havdala of Shabbat Chazon is said after Shabbat is over, then one should not drink wine, since wine is forbidden during the Nine Days (except for Shabbat). One would then choose a beverage for Havdala that is known as CHAMAR MEDINA, a drink of some importance in our society. Check with your LOR for the approved drinks list.
The other opinion holds that THE proper beverage for Havdala is WINE (except in cases of "great need", such as, there is no wine or you are allergic to it). If you use wine and there is a child present at Havdala who is old enough to understand the concept of Brachot but too young to understand Mourning the CHURBAN, then he/she should drink the wine of Havdala. (Too young and no real understanding of brachot does not absolve the Havdala maker from drinking. Old enough to mourn the loss of the Mikdash, then he/she also shouldn't be drinking wine during the Nine Days.) If not, the one saying Havdala should drink the wine. Some say that he should not finish the whole cup, but suffice with a ROV R'VI'IT. Others say to drink the whole cup so that the after-bracha can be said.

SHAVUA SHECHAL BO
The week in which Tish'a b'Av falls has stricter rules than the first part of the Nine Days. E.g. those who shave during the Three Weeks and even after Rosh Chodesh Av, should at least not shave during SHAVU'A SHECHAL BO.

EREV TISH'A B'AV
Some authorities forbid regular Torah learning in the afternoon of Erev 9Av, permitting only those topics which are permitted on Tish'a b'Av itself.
There is a strict opinion that one should not eat regular meals after noon - only the SEUDA HAMAFSEKET. Realistically, this opinion is too difficult to follow, and, in fact, is not followed. The usual practice is to eat a regular meal in the late afternoon, followed by Mincha (if that works out), and then to have the special pre-fast "meal", shortly before the onset of the fast.

SEUDA HAMAFSEKET traditionally consists of bread (or pita) and a hard boiled egg, and water. Some dip the egg and/or bread in ash.
Officially, there are many rules concerning what may and may not be eaten at this pre-fast meal. Since most people will have recently eaten a "regular" supper, it is most common to have SEUDA HAMAFSEKET with just bread, egg, and water.
This is a mourner's meal, appropriate for pre-9Av. It should be eaten alone, to avoid "benching mezuman". Some sit on the floor or low seat for this meal. The meal is eaten and the Birkat HaMazon is said with a heavy heart, realizing the enormity of the Churban.
As is true throughout Tish'a b'Av, it is very important that one's thoughts be on the mournful nature and serious- ness of the day.

LEIL TISH’A B’AV
The prohibitions of Tish'a b'Av should begin a few minutes before sunset. For Jerusalem this year, we should stop eating, etc. a few minutes before 7:32pm. (Although the common practice for Erev YK is to begin the fast at candle lighting, for 9Av a token amount of time before sunset is sufficient. Think 7:30pm.)
Maariv is recited in a low, mournful tone. Then Megilat Eicha is read while people sit on the ground or on low stools. It is customary to reduce the lighting in shul and remove the curtain of the Ark and the covers of the Amud and Shulchan.
When Eicha is read from parchment, as it is in many shuls in Jerusalem, the bracha AL MIKRA MEGILA is recited (but not She’he’che’yanu).
Following Eicha some kinot (poems of lament) are chanted.

3 aspects of 9Av laws...
[1] The prohibitions of Yom Kippur-like fasts viz. (a) no eating or drinking, (b) no washing except for fingertips for ritual washing and the washing of actual dirtied areas of the body, (c) no cosmetics or lotions (medications and unscented deodorant are permitted), (d) no wearing of leather shoes, including shoes or sneakers with tops or soles of leather, (e) no marital relations;
[2] practices related to mourning, such as no Torah-learning except sad themes such as Eicha and Job, parts of other books of Tanach, the laws of Tish'a b'Av, the laws of mourning, etc., no exchange of greetings, sitting on the ground; and
[3] a reduction of luxuries and comfort, such as making sleeping conditions less comfortable.

Tish’a b’Av day
In the morning, one should wash only the fingers (and eyes, if necessary).
Shacharit: Talit & T'filin are not worn. No Birkat Kohanim. Davening is regular but subdued. We omit the bracha OTER YISRAEL B’TIF’ARA, as this is considered a reference to T’filin, the crown of glory of the Jew. The bracha will be said at Mincha when one does put on T’filin. [GR”A’s opinion is also to skip SHE’ASA LI KOL TZORKI in the morning brachot, which alludes to having good shoes. This bracha is said after the fast, when one puts on leather shoes.]
On the other hand, it is surprising that we don't say Avinu Malkeinu, Tachanun, Lamnatzei'ach, or Slichot, any and all of which we might expect on a fast day. Tish'a b'Av, however, is referred to as a MO’ED and will IY"H be a festival when the Beit HaMikdash is rebuilt. As a sign of our complete confidence in this promise of the Messianic times, we treat Tish'a b'Av now as a festival in these token ways.
Special 9Av Torah reading (from Va-etchanan) and Haftara (from Yirmiyahu, read with the Eicha tune) are followed by Kinot which should ideally continue until noontime. Some read Eicha in the morning, too.
Thinking about Churban Beit HaMikdash (and other tragedies associated with 9Av) is essential.
One should refrain from that which would cause the mind to wander from the day's thoughts.
Although most restrictions continue throughout the entire day, a few are relaxed at mincha-time. The Parochet is returned to the Ark, lighting in shul is restored to normal, talit and t'filin are worn, Kohanim bless the People, and sitting on regular chairs is permitted. This, in essence, transforms Tish'a b'Av into a "regular" fast day and psychologically allows us to reflect on the consolation of the prophecies of the Geula and the Building of the Third Beit HaMikdash.
Torah and Haftara readings for Mincha are like other fast-days. The passages of NACHEIM and ANEINU are inserted into the Jerusalem bracha and Sh’ma Koleinu respectively. Omitting either of these additions does not require repeating the Amida. One should be careful to remember to say them.

Motza’ei Tish’a b’Av
The fast ends approx. 8:00pm in Jerusalem (some say 8:10pm). Maariv is regular.
One should wash his hands ritually (if possible, for Maariv; if not, right afterwards), since it had not been "properly" done in the morning.
Some say Kiddush L'vana right after Tish'a b'Av (preferably after breaking the fast). Others will have said K.L. during the previous week (based on Minhag Yerushalayim). Others will wait for Motza'ei Shabbat Nachamu.
The 10th of Av is the day that most of the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed. Since the Beit HaMikdash started burning on the 9th of Av, and because of other events associated with the 9th, Chazal fixed the fast day on the 9th. Since the 10th is part of the commemoration of the Churban, the restrictions of the Nine Days continue after the fast. The custom is to keep the restrictions until halachic noon of the 10th of Av (12:45pm this year in Jerusalem ).
This applies to not eating meat and drinking wine and listening to joyous music.
Marital relations are forbidden on the eve of the 10th of Av, unless it is the “mikve” night. There are other circumstances that would permit relations - this should be checked out with a Rav.
This year, with the 10th of Av being Erev Shabbat, haircutting, shaving, bathing, and laundry are all permitted from Thursday night (some say first thing Friday morning), rather than noon on Friday. Pleasurable swimming, however, as opposed to bathing for cleanliness, is allowed only after CHATZOT on Friday.
Something to think about...
Several events in Jewish history are associated with 9Av that are not mentioned in the Mishna in Taanit. Major expulsions of Jews from different countries began on 9Av, or were decreed on 9Av, or are in some way linked to 9Av. Some massacres are associated with Tish’a b’Av. We must view them in an appropriate perspective. Simply put, the troubles we have suffered throughout the many centuries of exile are directly related to the exile itself and the causes of it. Pogroms, Crusades, the Holocaust, all spanned the calendar from one end to the other. Yet we still put these events in the 9Av context.
Visiting Yad VaShem (if it's open) or reading Holocaust literature is certainly appropriate for Tish'a b'Av. These thoughts should be kept in mind by parents who are interested in suggesting meaningful activities and readings for their children during the Nine Days and on 9Av.
Sometimes a child might not be able to relate to events that occurred thousands of years ago, but might be "into" Holocaust study, for instance. The Holocaust was a Churban too. All of Jewish History has been greatly influenced and shaped by events that occurred since we became a nation.
The sin of the spies should also be a focus of our thoughts at this time.
May we merit the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash, speedily in our time, AMEN.

Israel Center Scene • Bringing to you the latest news from the Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center
"Keeping track of all the ongoing activities in the Israel Center is a full time job," notes Israel Center Director General, Rabbi Dovid Cohen. "Almost every month sees a new project taking off or a new programming idea being explored. Moreover, the results among the young people - all 5000 with whom we now work - have been phenomenal. More are registering for religious schools, more have undertaken new Mitzvot, more are feeling better about themselves and their Jewish identity."

Summer Camps Plus!
Dror Summer Camp. The camp this year was packed to capacity with over 200 participants. It was a great success - so much so that parents called in asking why the camp could not be of a month's duration. The campers had a fun-filled summer full of "attractions", tiyulim, limmud, inspiring Shabbat experiences, ODT (outdoors group development training) and, yes, color war. Our thanks to all the hard-working madrichim who helped make the camp so successful.
Bet Kharkov. Our program for Russian-speaking youngsters was not to be outdone. 45 young people and madrichim spent a week up in Keshet in the Golan Heights studying, hiking, and even experiencing a simulated history of Zefat. One of the highlights of the program was a pre-Shabbat chessed activity that started out as a distribution of the Israel Center's new Parshat Hashavu'a sheet in Russian in the streets of Katzrin for immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Before the program was completed, however, the "regular" Israeli Hebrew-speaking residents of this town were already lining up to receive Shabbat candles and - yes - to put on Tefillin!
Makom Balev at Keshet. Hundreds of children from our Makom Balev youth centers all around the country were given the opportunity to spend a few days at the Israel Center's camp site in the Golan as part of an ongoing summer experience. These youngsters hail from the development towns from the north and south of the country and were selected on the basis that both they and their parents committed to the children being in regular contact with their madrichim throughout the summer. "Of course," notes Makom Director Yisrael Goren, "this means that the madrichim have devoted extra time during the summer to continue helping the Makom Balev children develop and strengthen both their 'yiddishkeit' and their connection with the country. This is a clear sign of their unbounded dedication."
"One of the main achievements is that some of these mini-camps are being run exclusively for children whose families are non-observant or secular, from such places as Bet Harif, Bet Uziel and Ma'ale Efraim," adds Menachem Persoff, Programming Director of the Israel Center. "In fact, we are now developing expertise in this field of working with the non-committed, not only with youth but also in the area of community programming. Moreover, in all our youth programs, the goal is to give individual caring attention to each and every participant."
Volunteer Programs in Development Towns. One of the new activities being run by the OU Israel Center this summer is taking place in six development towns in Israel. 25 post high-school girls will be running "keitanot" (day-camps) for children in 5th and 6th grades which will include all the usual summer attractions in the good old-fashioned NCSY spirit. The project is unique in two ways, however: (1) It is being run in conjunction with overseas volunteers recruited by Bnei Akiva and (2) it is exclusively a volunteer project. One of the goals is to teach the young Israeli children a little English, so the girls have promised to use any number of interactive and entertaining techniques to keep the attention of the children trying to cut their teeth on a foreign language.

Jewish Values Education Institute
A LANCASTER DOUBLE! The Israel Center's Jewish Values Education Institute was recently proud to host a husband and wife team, Dr. Les and Irene Lancaster, from the United Kingdom, reports JVEI Director, Rabbi David Derovan. Les Lancaster is Director of the Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit at Liverpool's John Moores University and Chairperson of the Transpersonal Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society. He is also author of the prize-winning books Mind, Brain and Human Potential, and Elements of Judaism, and Approaches to Consciousness: A Transpersonal Syn- thesis (in print). He gave a fascinating account of "Kabbalah and the Psychology of Consciousness."

A week later, his wife, Dr. Irene Lancaster, Fellow in Jewish Studies, Manchester University, and Visiting Lecturer, Cambridge University Divinity School, spoke about "The Self-Imposed Exile of Abraham Ibn Ezra: Bringing Torah Study from Muslim Spain to Crusader Europe." This talk coincided with the Israeli launch of her new book "Deconstructing the Bible: Abraham Ibn Ezra's Introduction to the Torah" (Routledge/Curzon 2003). The book was on sale at the lecture. Both Lancasters shared their erudition with large crowds and were very well received.

ART AGAIN! Once again, Art has come to the OU Israel Center. We recently featured Rina Biran who gave a fascinating illustrated lecture on the subject of "Traditional Jewish Paper Cuts." We have also exhibited an intriguing exhibition of photographs of "Landscapes of Eretz Yisra'el" featuring the delicate work of Rahel Roni Alon, an OU Israel Center regular.

MORE FOR RUSSIAN SPEAKERS. The Jewish Values Education Institute continues to offer outstanding events for Russian-speaking Olim from the former Soviet Union. Recently, Dr. Vadim Rottenburg and Mrs. Zina Shmaruk presented another in their series of programs for enhancing Jewish Identity. The evening began with a dramatic presentation of Agnon's classic tale, "Tehilah" which was followed by a lively discussion. The event also featured a musical presentation by two Russian Olim.

The Travel Desk is on the move...
The Israel Center is dedicated to connect its members, and non-members, to as many places in the country as possible. So throughout the year, under the guidance of arch volunteer Shulamit Ne'eman and with help from our new Travel Desk assistant Batya Hershoff, and with ground support from Modiin tours, the Israel Center's Travel Desk organizes tiyulim, seminars and hotel deals for everyone's benefit. One of the most recent of the twenty or so events of the year was a three-day break away in Ha'on on the shores of Lake Kinneret organized together with the Ohr Chaya Organization. The 75 participants enjoyed every minute of the program, which incorporated visits to the graves of the Tzadikim, swimming, Torah lectures, and tours - including a good old-time ostrich farm in the foothills of the Golan Heights. We thank Shulamit for her continuing efforts and her valuable contribution to the Center.

Dati Youth - and Adults - Meet Chiloni* Youth *(or Not So Dati)
Anachnu Me'oto Kefar. How many people are aware that the Israel Center recently launched an innovative program to bring the beauty of Judaism to high-school students who study in Chiloni schools in and around Jerusalem? With the close of the school year, tens of Yeshiva high school students from schools such as Horev and Mekor Chaim brought to hundreds of their peers in secular schools, Shabbat candles, a specially designed "user-friendly" Parsha Magazine, plenty of Simcha and camaraderie and, in some cases, the opportunity to put on Tefillin for the first time during weekly Erev Shabbat get- togethers. These meets took place close to the schools - not on their premises.

Two weeks ago tens of the volunteer madrichim involved in the project met in Matzokei Deragot for a three-day seminar, replete with shiurim, discussions and tiyulim all designed to create an esprit de corps, provide insights and techniques regarding working with the "non-affiliated" and to receive Chizuk by such personalities as Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz and Rabbi Michi Yosefi. We look forward to an enriched program with the start of the new school year.

Lihyot Beyachad. Even less known is the work that the Israel Center has undertaken with secular high school students directly with the schools. At a recent program in Tzefat, Israel Center Youth Department Director, Rafi Danan and Rabbi Michi Yosefi ran a two-day seminar for high-school students from Kibbutz Givat Brenner. The seminar stressed the personal search for oneself and included visits to Amuka, the Carmel, Kikar Rabin and Har Meron, as well as workshops and encounters on "Self Respect", "Him and Her", and an introduction to the World of Kabbalah. The letter signed in the name of all 33 participants summed up the seminal success of the program: "We went with many doubts and came back as different people: spiritual and full of respect for others…."Most were willing to attend an NCSY style Shabbaton.

Kehilot Yisrael. Our community program in the Golan Heights continues to grow with field worker Ilan Ben Haroush reporting about families in several of the yishuvim who have actually become Chozrei Teshuvah since the program began, of increased membership in minyanim and shiurim, and overall excitement about the rebirth of interest in "Yiddishkeit" among the local populace. He hopes to run a two-day seminar for some 100 participants for a joint spiritual experience in mid-August. We wish him well. We are glad to report that the first of many upcoming activities for the wider community in the Bikaa (Jordan Valley) recently took place at Netiv Hagedud. Under the direction of project leader Michael Sabag 15 families celebrated Shabbat together - some of them for the very first time.

Back at the Center
Keynote Speaker. Perhaps the most notable event of this period was the keynote address delivered by visiting scholar Rabbi Yissocher Frand whose drasha was given to about 300 visitors to the Israel Center. Citing classical Jewish sources and relating stories of Gedolim of recent times, the Rabbi spoke of the need to have a positive view of life, especially in view of the difficult times facing Jewry, in general, and Israeli society, in particular. The packed audience - some of whom could only receive a loudspeaker rendition in adjacent rooms - were very grateful for the chizzuk received in these trying times.

17th Tammuz Program. The Center also recently held its annual Shiva Assar B'Tammuz Program of Shiurim and Tefilla. The highlights were the very inspiring prayers and accompanying explanations given by the Center's indefatigable Education Director, Phil Chernofsky and the insightful address given by Rabbi Mendel Deren, Rabbi of the Lubavitch Congregation in the Old City's Cardo. Rabbi Deren spoke of the Chassidic aspects of the Three Weeks, lending a somewhat new light to the traditional understandings of this mournful period.

Recent Guests. Recent guests from the other side of the ocean included Rabbi Neil Winkler of Young Israel of Fort Lee, N.J., whose passion and expertise of Tanach so obviously contributed to his highly successful interpretation of the Haftarot of the Three Weeks. Dr. David Luchins, another popular visitor to the Center, added yet again a fresh and astute analysis of the ever-changing political map with emphasis, of course, on the American perspective.

"These are just a few of the stream of ongoing lectures and shiurim for which the Israel Center has become renowned over the years," notes Rabbi Cohen. We are continuously looking for ways to broaden and deepen our means for spreading Limmud Torah and Torah values. The incorporation of the Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults under the direction of Rabbi Sholom Gold greatly enhanced this process." He adds, "Even at this time we have plans to enrich the daily Bet Hamedrash shiurim, to introduce a weekly Erev Shabbat One-to-One Hevruta program and to enrich the Center for Jewish Unity project."

Makom Balev (Again)
Four New Chapters. As we go to press, we are pleased to announce the opening of no less than four new city chapters in Kiryat Malachi, El Ad, Gedera and Ramat Hasharon. This brings the number of current chapters to nineteen and the number of participants in the Makom Balev program to a staggering 2000! "Gradually, the Makom Balev chapters around the country have become a network and, like NCSY, it will soon be possible to establish a national flavor to the flowering organization, " notes Rabbi Cohen.

Annual Training Seminars for Rakazim and Madrichim. As part of the continuous process of self-evaluation and training, no less than 200 madrichim, rakazim and associated volunteers connected with Makom Balev chapters round the country will be meeting for their bi-annual training seminar at the Israel Center in Jerusalem in the coming weeks. At this time new staff will be introduced, procedures tightened up, and the program for the next year reviewed before the commencement of the new school year.

The "Zula" Upgrades
The Israel Center's program for youth in search for itself, code named "Zula", continues to arouse interest as social agencies and communities across Israel call in to learn more about our methods. In the last weeks specialists working with the project have advised community leaders from Gush Etzion to Gush Katif, who were seeking professional help and advice regarding how to deal with "wayward" youth. Notably, the Israel Center's Zula staff recently reviewed procedures for evaluation, training and professional supervision as the numbers of new youngsters attending the Zula continues to grow and the pressures on the madrichim increase. Concurrently there has been increasing interest on the part of government and municipal offices both in the phenomenon and in the Israel Center's unique contribution to the young people in our community who are in a somewhat precarious search for themselves.

Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the officers and professionals of the OU who have helped make the new Israel Center what it is today and who will help nurture it through to the future. We acknowledge the assistance of the Jewish Agency Allocations Committee, the United Jewish Congress, the government and municipal bodies and foundations, and the kollelim and other community organizations that now assist or co-operate with us. Thanks are also due to the dedicated teachers, madrichim, and staff of the Center who all invest far beyond the call of duty under difficult economic and social circumstance.

MEMBERSHIP
If you read the last 4½ pages, then you know beyond a doubt that the Israel Center is a lot more than shiurim at 22 Keren HaYesod and Torah Tidbits.
We are doing some very special things for many different people. We work with people from 12 to 120, from all kinds of backgrounds, located in many parts of the country.

Membership in the Israel Center makes you a partner in all we do. The merit for those who help support our Torah and chesed projects is no less than the madrichim and staff who are doing the actual work in the field.

Call us at (02) 566-7787 and find our about yearly or life membership. It’s worth it!