Shabbat Parshat BO
TT #604 - January 30-31, '04, 8 Shvat 5764

This Shabbat is the 127th day (of 355); the 19th (of 51) Shabbat of 5764
HAYOM ATEM YOTZ'IM B'CHODESH HA'AVIV
You are leaving today, in the month of the Spring

The Israel Center family joins in the sorrow of the passing of a courageous young man who will always be an inspiration and model of the highest levels of spirit, mind, and faith Mikey Butler z"l - May his parents, grandparents, siblings, family, friends, and all who knew him and of him be comforted by the sheer force of his personality

Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel Standard (Winter) Time
Correct for TT #604 • Ranges are for THU-THU, 6 - 13 Shvat, January 29-February 5
Candle lighting - 4:36pm
Havdala - 5:50pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 6:26pm)
Earliest Shacharit 5:42-5:39am
Sunrise - 6:35-6:30am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:13-9:11am (8:27-8:25am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:06-10:05am (9:35-9:345am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 11:52 -11:53pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 12:22-12:23pm
Plag Mincha - 4:04 - 4:09pm
Sunset - 5:15 - 5:21pm (5:10-5:16pm)

Shabbat times for other cities: (Bo)
Candles city Havdala
4:52pm Raanana 5:51pm
4:51pm Beit Shemesh 5:51pm
4:51pm Netanya 5:51pm
4:50pm Rehovot 5:52pm
4:32pm Petach Tikva 5:51pm
4:51pm Modi'in area 5:49pm
4:53pm Be'er Sheva 5:53pm
4:51pm Gush Etzion 5:50pm
4:50pm Ginot Shomron 5:50pm
4:36pm Maale Adumim 5:50pm
4:43pm Tzfat 5:48pm
4:51pm K4 & Hevron 5:51pm

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 molad of Sh'vat was last Thursday morning. (The actual molad was 11:00pm on Wed.)
It was determined that the moon would have been visible on Friday
evening, but in fact, as reported by Dr. Roy Hoffman of the Israel New Moon Society (www.geocities.com/royh_il), no one actually saw the first visibility of the lunar crescent (as the L'VANA B'CHIDUSHA is sometimes called). With a Sanhedrin, Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat would have been on Sunday by default; without a Sanhedrin, we ignore the lack of sightings and use the calculation to set Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat on last Shabbat.
Sunday night was the first op for Kiddush L'vana (3-day minhag). Some people had a clear view of the moon; others did not. So it goes during the rainy season. You might want not to wait until Motza"Sh for K.L. and try for THU.

Lead Tidbit
The famous first Rashi of the Torah asks Rabbi Yitzchak's question as to why the Torah started with B'reishit rather than beginning with the first mitzva commanded to the people of Israel, viz. Kiddush HaChodesh, the establishment of the Jewish Calendar. The question alone focuses attention on the specialness of the mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh, even though it "lost out" to Breishit for the starting honors. Without negating any of the answers found in our commentaries, let us suggest an idea for you, dear TT readers, to mull over.

Creation of the world is for everyone. All people who have ever lived, who now live, and who will ever live are connected to B'reishit, the account of the Creation of the World. From the moment G-d spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt and told them to tell the people of Israel to sanctify each Rosh Chodesh and to form a calendar based on their soon-to-be Exodus from Egypt, the Torah addresses the Jewish People, with the rest of the world, at best, observers and bystanders. (Of course, this actually happened much earlier in the Torah, but to the Avot, not yet to a people. And not to a people who will be receiving a code of law. Start the Torah with Kiddush HaChodesh and the world (and we) would perceive the Torah as a Jewish book. But start the Torah with Creation and THEN narrow the focus on the Jewish People, and it becomes a testimony to the place and role of the Jewish People WITHIN the world.

Beginning with Creation does not only answer the charges of the world that we are LISTIM, thieves, it also answers (for those who are honest enough to listen) the question of our longevity, our prominence - way beyond propor- tion to our size - in many fields of endeavor, our uniqueness among the nations of the world throughout history.

We should not be arrogant because of this, nor should we deny it to ourselves out of misplaced embarrassment or fear. It is an honor and a serious responsibility because of the role it gives us in the world.

Sedra-Stats
15th of the 54 sedras; 3rd of 11 in Sh'mot
Written on 205.67 lines in a Sefer Torah, rank: 24
14 parshiot; 8 open, 6 closed
106 p'sukim - ranks 29th (7th in Shmot) tied with Toldot & Vayigash; larger than each one
1655 words - ranks 21st (5th in Shmot)
6149 letters - ranks 20th (6th in Shmot)
Rise in rankings from p'sukim to words & letters is a result of BO's p'sukim being much longer than average for the Torah (longest in Sh'mot).

Mitzvot:
The previous 18 sedras (includes the last four in D'varim, all 12 of B'reishit, and the first two of Sh'mot) contained a total of 5 mitzvot. After a long break, Mitzvot are back!
BO has 20 mitzvot; 9 positive, 11 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). X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes.
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha.

Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 10:1-11
[P> 10:1 (118)] G-d once again (pre- viously with Frogs and "Dever") sends Moshe to Par'o (in his palace) to warn about the Locust.

SDT The signature of this week's sedra - BO EL PAR'O is a phrase that occurs three times, each as an introduction to one of the Plagues. Specifically, G-d said to Moshe to "come before Par'o" for the middle plague of each 3-plague set - FROGS, DEVER (animal disease), LOCUST. Baal HaTurim points out that when G-d sends Moshe to the royal palace, He uses the term BO. When He sends him to the river to find Par'o there, He uses the term LEICH.

This time, however, it is with the additional statement that G-d has hardened Par'o's heart so that His wonders will be evident to all, and that all will know Him. Moshe and Aharon warn Par'o of the potential devastation (the description of which is noticeably longer than for other plagues). Par'o's servants (advisors?) pressure Par'o into agreeing to release the People. Par'o offers Moshe the adults. Moshe's reply (which becomes a Jewish hallmark for the ages - pun intended) is that our religious experiences must include ALL Jews, young and old. (Judaism places a premium on Chinuch.) The continuity of Judaism depends upon the relationship of one generation to the next. Par'o rejects this (as have other adversaries throughout our history) and expels Moshe and Aaron from his presence.

Locust were sent by G-d to punish Egypt by devouring the produce of the land. This was "measure for measure" punishment for the excessive field and planting work that Par'o imposed on the People of Israel in order to demoralize them and to prevent them from having a normal family life.

Commentaries point out that Par'o and the Egyptians continually "overdid" their oppression and enslavement of the Jews. Even if we were to suggest that punishment is unfair to those who were acting according to G-d's wishes, so to speak, and carrying out His Plan, it is for the excesses that they are being held strictly accountable. "Yes, I told you to rough them up, but I never said anything about beating them so mercilessly." (This does not mean to suggest that people who "play a part in G-d's plans" are not held account- able for their "regular" actions. They are. But there is special emphasis on the excesses. Having the people slave at making bricks is one thing. With- holding straw for the purpose is excessively cruel. Etc.)

On the other hand, the excessive cruelty of the Egyptians is partially responsible, so to speak, for G-d's switching to His Midat HaRachamim in judging the people, from the Midat HaDin which might have kept us in Egypt longer. The original prophecy to Avraham Avinu called for 400 years. Actual time spent in Egypt (not even in slavery) was "only" 210 years. The inclusion of the years from Yitzchak's birth is (can be seen as) a result of the excessive harshness of the Egyptian experience.

Levi - Second Aliya - 12 p'sukim - 10:12-23
[S> 10:12 (9)] G-d tells Moshe to raise his hands over the land. Moshe raises his staff and the locust come. So overwhelming is this plague, that Par'o "hurries" to call for Moshe and Aharon, admits to them that he has sinned, and asks them to pray for the removal of this terrible plague. Moshe does so, and a "reverse" wind causes the locust to disappear completely. G-d once again hardens Par'o's heart.

[P> 10:21 (9)] Plague #9 - Darkness (just like #3 - Lice and #6 - Boils) is brought without warning.

The thrice repeated pattern is (1) find Par'o at the Nile and deliver the warning, (2) go to his palace and bring the warning "closer to home", and (3) twice-warned is sufficient; he won't let the People go, bring the next plague without additional warning. Addition- ally, there is an escalation in severity from the first to the second to the third plague in each set of 3 plagues.

Darkness, an unusual, unnatural, tangible darkness (not merely the absence of light), descends upon the Egyptians for a paralyzing 3 days (Rashi indicates that it was of a duration of six days). In the Jewish neighborhoods, there is light.

If darkness is usually considered to be the absence of light, then that can be the definition of "natural" darkness. Consistent with the other Makot, the plague of Darkness was not natural. Some of the unnatural qualities of the Darkness of Egypt was that it was substantive, and that lighting a fire would not dispel it. This was a super- natural darkness. Perhaps, a darkness like pre-Creation darkness. Along these lines - but different - is an explanation attributed to the Vilna Gaon. Darkness as well as Light is a creation; it is not just the absence of light. One of the laws of nature that G-d created is that light dispels darkness. During Makat Choshech, nature was turned upside-down and darkness dispelled light.

SDT "Man did not see his fellow, nor did a person rise from his place..." The Chidushei HaRim writes that this is a description of the worse kind of darkness in human life, when a person does not see the suffering of his fellow. Not only does he not extend his hand to help the other, but the ultimate result is the inability of the individual to even help himself. The People of Israel had light throughout their dwellings. May we always be able to see the plight of our fellow Jews and respond with acts of Chesed worthy of our Heritage.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 9 p'sukim - 10:24-11:3
Par'o calls for Moshe and tells him to go, even with the children, but to leave the livestock behind. Moshe insists that ALL will leave.

SDT Moshe's words to Par'o are: "We will also take our animals with us, for from them we will take to serve G-d." The plain understanding of the pasuk is that Moshe was referring to korbanot, sacri- fices. The Malbim has another beautiful interpretation of Moshe's statement to Par'o. "From the animals we will take lessons in how to serve G-d - from the cat we will learn modesty, from the doves fidelity, from the ants industry and honesty, etc." Had we not received the Torah, which teaches us proper conduct, we would learn these lessons from our animals. (And even with the Torah to teach us, we can see practical examples of its lessons in nature.)

Par'o once again refuses, and this time he threatens death (he had Moshe's in mind - G-d "took it" in a different way) if he sees Moshe again. He thus inadvertently prophesies his own death.

[P> 11:1 (3)] G-d "reminds" Moshe that there is one more plague (the "real" one; the one that was presented up front, the one mentioned before all of the others) and then Par'o will send the people on their way.

G-d tells Moshe to tell the people to "borrow" things from their neighbors. He says that the people will miraculously feel kindly towards the Jews (even though the Jews are responsible, in the eyes of the Egyptians, for the hard times they have been suffering). G-d even implanted in the eyes of the Egyptians an admiration and respect for Moshe.

Rashi points out the unusual way that G-d instructs Moshe to talk to the people. He says, "please". DABER-NA. Rashi explains that G-d did not want Avraham Avinu to "complain" that the oppression prophesied should come true, but not the promise of leaving Egypt with great wealth. Hence, Moshe, please speak to the people and have them take from the Egyptians...
Targum Onkeles, on the other hand, translates NA as NOW.

R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 27 p'sukim - 11:4-12:20
[S> 11:4 (5)] Moshe says, in G-d's name, that He (G-d) will kill ALL Egyptian firstborns, that the screaming from the killings will be unprecedented, and that in total contrast, utter tranquility will reign in the Jewish area.

[S> 11:9 (2)] G-d says that Par'o will once again refuse even this threat, so that the full course of wonders and miracles will benefit the People of Israel.

SDT One commentator says that Moshe was distraught by the extent to which Par'o went in his refusal to let the People go. Such dedication to wickedness in the face of such devastating punishment was truly disheartening to Moshe. How can the power of evil be so strong? How can someone fight against it and hope to win? G-d's answer was that it was He Who hardened and strengthened Par'o's heart. Left on his own, Par'o would have given in long before. Theoretically, G-d could do this to punish us, but in this case it was for our benefit.

SDT The S'fat Emet marvels at the fact that only G-d would give the power to a wicked person to oppose Him. Why would G-d give Par'o the ability to defy Him? In order to bring about the marvels and wonders of the Exodus, so that the People of Israel shall know beyond doubt that G-d has taken them out of Egypt.

MAKAT B'CHOROT hit from the first- born of Par'o to that of the servants. Why should the plain members of society suffer for the sins of the rulers? Because they too helped with the enslavement and oppression and rejoiced in it. Thus the commentaries say of Egypt more than 3300 years ago. We saw the same behavior only 60 years ago with the fine German citizens (and those of several Eastern European countries) who want us to believe it was just the Nazis who were responsible for the Holocaust.

SDT The Torah describes the tranquility of the Jewish area with the statement "a dog didn't even bark". Dogs usually sense death and instinctively react. To highlight the contrast between the Egyptians and the Israelites, the dogs were miraculously silent. In "tribute" to the dogs for their role in bringing greater honor and appreciation to G-d on the night of the Exodus, the Torah rewards them by telling us (elsewhere) to throw our "treif" meat to the dogs. (This applies only when a forbidden food is NOT also forbidden to derive other benefit therefrom - in which case it must be discarded without any benefit whatsoever. Feeding one's own animals, or even animals in the wild is considered HANA'A, benefit.) Thus we have an unusual lesson in HAKARAT HATOV, acknowledging the good that another does for you.

SDT "No dog wagged its tongue" - The Chidushei HaRim sees this as a reference to the terrible sin of Lashon HaRa, gossip and slander. It can be said that Lashon HaRa caused us to be enslaved in Egypt. The Torah tells us that Yosef brought evil reports about his brothers to their father Yaakov. Their hatred for him resulted in his descent to Egypt and subsequently brought everyone else down there. Secondly, it was the Lashon HaRa of Datan and Aviram who informed on Moshe to Par'o, that he (Moshe) had killed an Egyptian, that put Moshe's life in grave danger. [And gave Moshe the sinking feeling that the People were not worthy of redemption, if there was among them people like Datan and Aviram.] Redemption could not (would not) occur unless we had "straightened out our act". The Midrash tells us that the Jews in Egypt managed to keep the secret of the reason for our "borrowing" Egyptian vessels from our neighbors, for twelve months! A people who can manage not to divulge this information for a whole year has succeeded in purging itself of the temptations of R'chilut & Lashon HaRa, and merits redemption.

[S> 12:1 (20)] G-d commands the setting up of the Jewish calendar [4,A153]. (Lots on this mitzva all the time in TT)
He then commands the taking of a lamb or goat for each household (or so). The animal was to be taken on the 10th of Nissan (this rule was for "Pesach Mitzrayim" only, and not for future Pesachs; therefore it is not counted among the mitzvot of the Torah) and held for the 14th of the month, when it was to be slaughtered in the afternoon [5,A55]. Its blood was to be smeared on the doorposts and lintel (only that first Pesach). The sacrifice is to be eaten on the night of the 15th of Nissan [6, A56], having been roasted, with matza and maror (this being part of the mitzva "for the generations", but not counted separately among Taryag); that is, neither cooked nor partially done [7,L125], but roasted whole. No part was to be left over until morning [8,L117]; any leftovers were to be burned [A91]. It was to be eaten with "belt tied", in haste, ready to leave (these details are for Egyptian Pesach only).

MITZVA WATCH
Korban Pesach is a kind of rare example of a piece of text in the Torah that mixes episode with mitzva. Much more often, we find either/or. It is a bit confusing to distinguish between the details of the mitzva of Korban Pesach for all generations and those elements of the story of the Exodus which were meant only for that first Pesach. In fact, it is not just confusing; it is impossible to completely differentiate between the two categories of details... WITHOUT the Oral Law. The Talmud informs us as to what constitutes the mitzva of Korban Pesach. The Written Word is not complete. Our Torah consists of two inseparable parts - the Written Word and the Oral Law (embodied in the Talmud and other sources). This is a fact that is reinforced over and over again throughout the Torah. If one attempts to understand the Written Word without the Oral Law and Tradition, there will be confusion at best and distortion and perversion of G-d's Word, at worst.

Then G-d will "pass through" Egypt on that night, kill the firstborns, and "pass-over" the Jewish home with the blood-marks. This shall become a holiday for all generations. Matzot are to be eaten for seven days and on the previous day (Erev Pesach) Chametz is to be eliminated from our homes [9,A156]. (Eating of Chametz on Pesach is a rejection of membership in Klal Yisrael, hence the punishment of "excision".)

The basis of Yom Tov is set down in 12:16 — specifically that Melacha is prohibited, as it is on Shabbat, with the exception of "that which is needed for food".

The Oral Law and Rabbinic legislation combine to define that which may be done on Yom Tov. It is far more complicated than the pasuk seems to indicate. Logic cannot always explain the way things work out. For example, picking a fruit from a tree (to eat the fruit on Yom Tov) is not permitted on Yom Tov, yet it seems logical that it would be considered permissible because of OCHEL NEFESH (food). And carrying a Siddur to shul (where there is no Eruv) is permitted, even though such a Melacha is not being performed for food. Obviously, we need the Oral Torah to help us out (to say the least).

The source of "sh'mura" matza is in 12:17. The mitzva of eating matza on seder night [10, A158] is followed by the prohibition of possession of chametz during all of Pesach [11,L200]. Foods containing chametz are also forbidden [12,L198].

MITZVA WATCH
Because the prohibition of chametz and the mitzva of matza are linked to each other in the same pasuk, we do not view Matza as a purely positive time-related mitzva. Women are not exempt. In fact, women are obligated to perform other Seder mitzvot as a package deal with matza. Specifically, women are obligated on the mitzva of Hagada - they should not be silent observers at the Seder, but should participate in transmission of the story and details to their children and guests. Women are also obligated to drink four cups of wine. The official reason is "They too were involved in the same miracles." There are tech- nical differences between the "official" reason for a woman's obligation of a time-related Torah law and a Rabbinic Mitzva.

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 12:21-28
[P> 12:21 (8)] Moshe gathers the elders of the People and relays G-d's instructions. He also tells them that when the People get to Eretz Yisrael, they will continue to commemorate the events of the Exodus, with questions and answers from one generation to the previous one. The People do as commanded. Note the familiarity of the text (think Hagada) but also note the different combinations of questions and answers between the Torah and the Hagada.

Moshe tells the people that which G-d had previously commanded him to tell them. Here it says: Take a bundle of hyssop, dip it in the blood of the Korban Pesach, and daub it on the lintel and the two doorposts. Earlier in the Torah, when G-d gave those instructions to Moshe, it says, put the blood on the two doorposts and on the lintel. Baal HaTurim says that we learn from here that the order in which the blood applications were made are irrelevant. (This is not always the case, but in this case it is so that order does not matter.)

Notice something else. Not only is going into Eretz Yisrael part of the Promises of Redemption, but in the statement of the laws of Korban Pesach there is reference to "when you will come to the Land..."

SDT The Torah tells us that when G-d will pass through Egypt smiting their first borns, and He will see blood on the doorposts and lintels of the Jewish homes, He will not let the "Destructive Force" (MAL'ACH HAMAVET, Angel of Death) to come to your homes... Some commentaries explain what the MASHCHIT was doing in Egypt on that night, when we proclaim in the Hagada that it was G-d Himself who took care of the killing, so to speak, in Egypt on that night. They suggest that the MASHCHIT was not handling the deaths of the first borns of Egypt; that was G-d's task. He was taking care of the regularly scheduled deaths, irrespective of what was going on in Egypt on the night of the Exodus. He was in charge of regularly scheduled deaths. And still, G-d did not allow him to enter a Jewish home. This is to prevent anyone from saying, okay a lot of people died among the Egyptians and a few among the Jews. No. The contrast between Egypt and the Jews was total. Just as the stark contrast was mentioned several times concerning the MAKOT, so too on this night when thousands of Egyptians were dying, not one single Jew died. G-d did not allow the Angel of Death to take a single life, so that the miraculous nature of The Night would be obvious and striking.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 23 p'sukim - 12:29-51
[S> 12:29 (8)] It comes to pass at exactly midnight, that the Egyptian firstborns are smitten, and that the Egyptians shower the People of Israel with gifts, and hurry them on their way.

[P> 12:37 (6)] And so the People of Israel leave Egypt. The People leave in such haste that they take quick-baked breads with them without taking the time to let the dough rise. Approx. 600,000 men, plus women and children leave Egypt, together with many Egyptians who are smart enough to flee with them. Thus ends a 430 year period of exile (according to some opinions, this is the time from the Covenant between the Parts and the Exodus - this is another way of explaining when the "enslavement began". We can say that Avraham was "worried" about the future plight of his descendants from the moment he heard about it, and so the "meter of exile" started running). That night shall be a special night for all of Israel through- out the generations.

The previous parsha is P, not S

[P> 12:43 (8)] The Torah now shifts from relating the story of the Exodus back to the rules for the Korban Pesach. Jews who have "left Judaism" and embraced another religion [13,L128], non-Jews, even those who are committed to the Seven Noahide Laws [14,L126] may not eat Korban Pesach. The Korban must be eaten in one place; removing it from its place is forbidden [15,L123], as is breaking a bone in it [16,L121]. Only Jews participate. An uncircumcised Jew may not eat of the KP [12,L127]. A true convert to Judaism is equal to a born-Jew. The People did as commanded.
[S> 12:51 (1)] On the very day in question the multitude left Egypt.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 16 p'sukim - 13:1-16
[P> 13:1 (10)] As a commemoration of the Exodus (specifically plague #10), we are commanded to sanctify firstborns (human, kosher farm animals, and donkey. Each of these categories of "b'chor" is treated differently) [18,A79]. The Torah sets down the yearly observance of Pesach, even after entry into Israel.

MITZVA WATCH
Here in Parshat BO, we have the general command concerning the sanctity of the firstborns and the specifics about one type - the firstborn donkey. Elsewhere in the Torah are the details about firstborn humans and those of the 3 types of domesticated animals - cow, goat, sheep. A human firstborn MUST be redeemed. A kosher animal eligible for the MIZBEI'ACH as a sacrifice MAY NOT be redeemed. A firstborn donkey should be redeemed.

Specifically, the firstborn (if it is male) offspring of a donkey may not be used by its owner until it is officially exchanged (redeemed) for a sheep or the monetary equivalent of a sheep. The sheep (or money) is given to a Kohen as one of his 24 gifts of the Kehuna. The baby donkey is then the full possession of its owner.

According to the Torah, if the donkey owner refuses to redeem it, he must destroy it. Although this too is counted among the 613 mitzvot of the Torah, it is clear that the Torah "wants" the owner to redeem it and not resort to the terribly wasteful alternative.

Chametz may not be eaten [19,L197] nor even owned [20,L201] on Pesach. It is a mitzva to relate the story of what happened [21,A157] at the Seder. T'filin also serve as a reminder of the Exodus. Pesach must be in the spring, the time of renewal of nature.
This requires Sanhedrin to periodically add an extra month to postpone Pesach, so that it will always be in the spring. When there is no Sanhedrin, we have a fixed pattern for 13-month years; when there is a Sanhedrin, it has discretionary leeway within specific guidelines.)

[P> 13:11 (6)] A first-born-male donkey must be redeemed [22,A81] or destroyed [23,A82] (a less desirable alternative).

The Torah reiterates the significance of the younger generation asking and receiving answers and explanations about the origin of the Nation.

The T'filin connection is also repeated.

The two final portions of BO (all of Sh'vi'i) join the two first portions of the Shma as the four passages of the Torah contained in each of the two T'filin (written together on a single strip of parchment in the "shel yad" and on four separate parchments inserted into four distinct chambers in the "shel rosh").
3 p'sukim are reread for the Maftir.

Haftara - 16 p'sukim - Yirmiyahu 46:13-28
Parallel to the sedra, Egypt's downfall (at the hands of Bavel) is prophesied. (It is quite rare that a prophecy to another nation is used as a Haftara.) Israel, however, shall not fear; G-d is with us! The pasuk that assures us about the Ultimate Redemption mentions that it might happen in the distant future. Nonetheless, we shall not despair. This can be seen in context of the well-known notion that the Mashiach will either come "in his appointed time", or sooner. It depends upon us.
The Babylonian army is compared with the countless nature of swarms of locust. Thus Egypt falls to locust again.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 220 (Intro, part three) • Lost & Found
Two lessons ago there was set forth seven criteria regarding found objects. It was stated there that if all of the seven criteria are present, the finder must pick up the object so as to restore it to the owner. If any of these seven criteria are not present, the obligations under the Torah commandments to stop to pickup the object and to restore it to its owner are not applicable.
We shall now examine the last five of these criteria more fully. (The first two criteria were examined in the last lesson.)
(3) The place where the lost object Is found:

The next criterion that must be present for the finder to have the obligation to pick up and restore the object to its owner deals with the place where the object is found. The Torah text quoted two lessons ago refers to the lost object of one's brother, meaning a fellow Jew. If the object is found in a neighborhood where the majority of persons situated or passing through are Jews, then the laws of picking up and restoring found objects applies, assuming that all of the other criteria are present. This is true even if the majority of the inhabitants of the entire town are Gentiles. The law presumes that the owner assumes that a Jew will find the object and return it to him and thus the owner does not abandon hope of the object being returned to him. Without the owner abandoning hope of the object being returned to him by the finder, the finder cannot acquire ownership of the object by picking it up.

(4) The object is a lost object:

Only an object that was lost (and meets the other criteria) must be picked up and restored to its owner. If it was not lost, for example, if it was or appears to have been deliberately placed by the owner where it is now located, the finder must not pick it up. If the object is not lost, but deliberately abandoned by its owner, the finder is not required to pick up the object.

(5) Value of the object:

The requirement to pick up the found object is present only if the object is worth at least a peruta (and the other criteria are also present). If it is worth less than a peruta, it need not be picked up. The object must be worth at least a peruta at two times: when it was lost and when it was found. If it was worth a peruta when lost, but worth less than a peruta when found, or worth a peruta when found and worth less than a peruta when lost, the obligation to pick up the object is not present. If it was worth a peruta when lost and also when found, the fact that it may have been worth less than a peruta in the interval between losing andfinding does not affect the obligation of the finder to pick up the object. Similarly; if the object fell in value after it was found, this does not relieve the finder of the obligation to restore the object to the owner.

If an object belongs to more than one person, the share of each in the object must be at least worth a peruta to obligate the finder to pick up the lost object to restore to the owners.

(6) Consistent with the finder's dignity:

The lost object must be one that the finder would have bothered to stop and pick up if it was his own. If he would not have picked it up for himself if he dropped it, he need not stoop down to pick it up for others. (IYH This criterion will be discussed in a future lesson.)

(7) Must be a duty owed to the loser:

The object must belong to someone to whom the finder owes a duty to pick up his lost object. (IYH This criterion will be discussed in a future lesson.)

Examples of objects that must be restored:

The community standards as decided upon by Beth Din will determine under which category a found object should be classified. This may change from commu- nity to community and from generation to generation.

Objects that halacha has traditionally from Talmudic times described as having identifiable marks are: (The other criteria still have to be met, but usually if the object has an identifiable mark, the other criteria will be met.)
a. bread or cake baked by a householder; since every household baker bakes in a distinguishing manner, the bread is identifiable, as distinguished from bread or cake baked by professional bakers for sale in a bakery or supermarket where all the loaves of bread or cakes are standard.
b. dyed wool fleeces as delivered from a wool worker's shop; wool fleeces that come from the country before they have been worked on by a wool finisher may be kept by the finder.
c. jugs of wine or oil bearing the mark of the producer, prior to the opening of the market season; once the market season for these commodities has begun, the mark of the manufacturer is no longer relevant since it might have been purchased and lost by the buyer. By the same token, it would seem that the same holds true for most manufactured products that have not yet reached the market.
d. large sheaves; a cake of figs with a piece of pottery in it;. a loaf of bread with money in it; The uniqueness of the object is the identification mark, since a loaf of bread ordinarily does not have money in it. In these last two cases, it is assumed that the pottery or money was deliberately placed there; thus it has an identification mark. It is unique to find a cake with a piece of pottery inside. This assumption holds true even if the possibility exists that the money or pottery accidentally fell into the object.
f. pieces of meat or fish cut in an unusual manner; The uniqueness of the object is the identification mark.
g. any object that has an unusual feature about it so that the owner can identify it.
h. heaps of produce; If there are several heaps, the number may be its identification, and if only one heap, its location may be its identification.
i. produce in a vessel.
j. needles or hooks or the like, found two or more at a time; The number is deemed an identification mark. If found one at time, they belong to the finder.
k. a heap of money; three coins piled up in a certain manner; or a specific number of coins;
l. money in a purse or a purse without money; however, if the money is scattered in front of the purse, the money belongs to the finder, unless it appear that both belong to the same owner.
m. a coin that has a unique marking such as a crack or split in the coin; this was stated when coins were the only type of money. Nowadays this can be used for coins or coin collectors.
n. bearer bonds or stocks that are identifiable only by a unique mark of the owner; such as a smudge on a certain letter of the bond.
o. money found in purchased produce;
p. an object without an identification mark found in a vessel that has an identification mark.
q. a mule without an identifying mark bearing a saddle that has an identifying mark. If the owner can identify the saddle he will also have the mule restored to him.
r. young birds with their wings tied together with an identifiable knot or in an identifiable place.

This concludes our introduction to the laws of lost and found property.
The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in Volume VIII Chapter 259 of A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law by E. Quint. Copies of all volumes can be purchased via email: orders@gefenpublishing.com and via website: www.israelbooks.com and 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
REPROOF
One of the 613 commandments of the Torah is to give reproof: "Don't hate your brother in your heart; surely reprove your fellow, and don't bear sin towards him" (Vayikra 19:17). The next verse tells us "Don't be vengeful or bear a grudge towards the members of your people; love your fellow as yourself, I am HaShem".

Ramban explains the commandment of reproof in context as referring especially to sins between people. If someone sins against you, don't keep it secret, hating him in your heart; don't bear a grudge towards him. Rather, explain to him how you were hurt by his actions; give him an opportunity to justify his actions or seek amends. The result will be to restore friendly relations: "Love your fellow as yourself".

However, the commandment also applies to sins between man and G-d, and as Ramban points out these also can lead to hatred. Rather than hating the transgressor, we should communicate with him and try to explain why his actions are improper; again, this gives him an opportunity either to justify his actions or repair them.

One of the most important principles of reproof is that it must always be given in a gentle and non-judgmental way (Rambam Deot 6:7). This is learned in the gemara (Arkhin 16b) from the words "don't bear sin towards him"; if you shame a person, then you bear sin.

Another principle is that the person giving reproof must be perceived as someone who is himself committed to righteousness. A cynical and hypocritical reproof will be counterproductive. "If one said to the sinner, take the splinter out of your eye, he will reply, first take the beam out of your eye!" The requirements for effective reproof are so demanding that Rebbe Elazar ben Azaria states, "I wonder if there is anyone in this generation who knows how to reprove".

Rebbe Elazar's statement is not meant to exempt us from the mitzva of reproof. However, it has two implications: first of all, we need to be very careful before giving reproof, to consider if it will be productive. "Just as it is a mitzva to say something which will be heard, so it is a mitzva to omit something which willnot be heard" (Yevamot 65b). Second of all, it means that a person is seldom con- sidered "after reproof" from a halakhic point of view (i.e. he is considered fully responsible for his transgression in the eyes of the community).

Rav Nachman of Breslav adds another reason to be circumspect in giving reproof. When we reprove someone, we remind them of their transgressions. This may cause them to become discouraged. It's true that complete repentance requires a person to come to terms with all of his past misdeeds, but very often the first steps require the opposite: that a person should temporarily put aside his misdeeds and concentrate on his positive traits.

It follows that it is not enough that the person giving reproof be righteous; he must also be inspirational, someone who fills the transgressor with hope and confidence in his basic goodness and his potential for righteousness. Rav Nachman describes reproof as some- thing that stirs up the stench of a person's sins; this can be constructive only if the person giving reproof simultaneously knows how to fill the person with the fragrance of righteousness (Likutei Moharan II 8).

Rabbi Natan Zvi Koenig in his commentary "Torat Natan" extends this idea to self-reproof. A person is required to take periodic account of his deeds and examine how he can improve them. The Zohar states that a person should be an "accountant" ("mara dechushbana" - Zohar Korach, III 178a). Yet this accounting can be counterproductive. It may lead, as Rabbi Koenig points out, to excessive absorption in our negative character traits, leading to a discouraging self-image as a confirmed sinner. A related problem is that it may lead a person to be inured to his sins; every day he reminds himself that he has certain shortcomings, and in this way he becomes reconciled to them. (We have written in the past that this is one good reason for the Ashkenaz prayer custom in which the vidui (confession) is not twice a day, but rather at most twice a week.)

Therefore, our self-reproof should also be undertaken in a positive and inspirational spirit, with full confidence in our basic goodness and potential for improvement.

“Meaning in Mitzvot” is undergoing intensive editing, and BE"H and the help of loyal supporters, we hope to have the book out soon. 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, andsubmit your own Qs — www.jewishethicist.com or www. aish.com

Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach; JOSHUA, JUDGES,
SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi’im Rishonim) by Dr. Meir Tamari
On Being a Jewish King
Being Jewish, means doing the same worldly things as the rest of humanity but doing them differently, so that each action, no matter how material or worldly, becomes holy. Being a Jewish king therefore, means managing the social, security and national affairs of a political entity, according to holy yardsticks. Following the actions of the kings of Israel, during the 500 odd years of their rule, we can see how these have served as models of such yardsticks.

A King Comes in Judgment - (Melachim Alef 3:15-4:1)
In a dream, the young king Solomon is given an opportunity by G-d, to choose riches, power, or wisdom as the hallmark of his reign, and Solomon chooses wisdom. "If there is no Da'at - knowledge, how can there be Havdala, a distinction between the holy and profane, between permitted and forbidden acts, bet- ween good and evil?" That is why we say Havdala on Saturday night in the first bracha of the Shemona Esrei that is our request for knowledge (Yerushalmi, Berachot 5:2).

Chokhma, loosely translated as wisdom, relates to reason, knowledge and intelligence, yet that searched for by Solomon as a Jewish vision, lies in something beyond these. Maimonidies and other authorities followed the words of the Sages, to maintain that regarding murder, theft and other social crimes, people in their intelligence and human wisdom would have known and understood that they are forbidden, even if the Torah had not taught them to us. These laws, they defined therefore, as self-evident, logical, or rational mitzvot. Abarbanel, asked, why then did the Torah bother to make such laws? He shows (Shmot 21:1) that through chokhma, the Divinewisdom given by the revealed Torah provides an added dimension even to the social laws.
It is this revealed wisdom of the Torah that both enables and demands of us moral and ethical behaviour, beyond the norms dictated by our intelligence, our science, and our knowledge, that is the chokhma that Solomon asked for. So to receive it, he had to be in Gibeon, a town some kilometres northwest of Jerusalem, wherethere was a sanctuary, rather than in the capital itself, when the dream came to him. In order to rule with Chokhma, a Jewish king had an obligation to write a special Sefer Torah which he was required to carry with him always.

The dream is followed immediately by the call for Solomon's justice with chokhma.

"A judgement of Solomon" has passed into English usage and literature as a figure of wise and fair judgement. One aspect of the judgement is the halakhic principle of dividing the litigated property, in this case the living child, between the two women or perhaps to trick one of the parties into making a statement that shows her at best to be a liar and at worst, to be callous.
However, Chokhma, in its real sense, adds another dimension, relevant to Judaism's approach to property rights that validates Solomon's glory as the Jewish king of wisdom. It is not maternal love that distinguishes between the two mothers. Rather, a spiritual weakness that affects almost everyone and creates a type of meannessthat makes us use the legal system to prevent others having a benefit, even when we suffer no loss or to make sure that if we cannot enjoy something then neither should the other party. It is this meanness, which Solomon sees in the other mother, through the chokhma of a justice that is righteous and ennobling. She explicitly supports the decision to cut the child in half, saying, "Neither she nor I will have one". From this we see that she didn't want the child and the bother of feeding another woman's child. Her only purpose from the very outset was to prevent the other woman from having the child.

Yet Torah needs to be consistently increased and carefully guarded, otherwise this wisdom may be lost or misplaced. This is what happened even to that wisest of all men. It is written in the Torah, "Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away (from G-d's ways) (Dvarim 17:16-17). Solomon said to himself, 'I will multiply and they will not turn my heart away (because of my wisdom).' But it is written, 'and his wives turned his heart away (Melachim Alef 11:4)" (Sanhedrin, 21b). "At the moment that Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, the angel Gabriel descended, plunged a reed into the sea and this raiseda rock. On this rock was built Rome that destroyed the 2nd Temple and started our galut" (Shabbat 56b).

Thus, whenever sight is lost of chokhma, political weakness, national exile and physical destruction follows. In the realm of political power, legal structures and economic activity, there is always the need to bear in mind the real meaning of chokhma, which does not come to negate statehood or wealth, but rather to put them within the restraining parameters of Divine wisdom.

"Let a wise man glory not in his wisdom, nor the strong one glory in his strength nor let the wealthy one glory in his wealth. Only in this may one who glories himself glorify himself; in understanding Me and knowing Me, for I am Hashem who performs kindness, judgment and righteousness in the world" (Yirmiyahu 9:22-23).

This is the 23rd installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times”

MISC section - contents:
[1] Vebbe Rebbe
[2] Words of Wisdom; Words of Wit
[3] Candle by Day
[4] Torah from Nature
[5] MicroUlpan
[6] From Aloh Naaleh
[7] 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, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, 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 I want to give a gift of an authentic, sacred scroll, presented in an artistic form, in a manner that, I think, will add a spiritual touch to the home of the recipient. Is it permitted?

A We have to break up our discussion into two parts, the objective, halachic element and the subjective outlook on the specific situation, which is much harder to determine.

The gemara (Menachot 34b) brings an apparent contradiction. One source says that if one has two tefillin shel rosh and no shel yad, he can convert one shel rosh into a shel yad. Another source says that one may not turn a shel rosh into a shel yad, because one may not lower something from a higher level of kedusha (theshel rosh) to a lower one (shel yad). The gemara answers that the lenient source is talking about a case where the tefillin were not yet used. Based on the rule that "hazmana lav milta" (preparation does not halachically count), tefillin which were made but not used do not have the kedusha of tefillin that would forbid their being lowered in kedusha. According to the opinion that hazmana does count, says the gemara, the lenient case is talking when a stipulation was made during the shel rosh's preparation, that it could be used for less holy purposes.

We accept the opinion that hazmana is not binding, and, therefore, one who made cloth into a tefillin bag can put coins into it prior to its use for tefillin (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 42:3). However, the Rama (ad loc.) rules that when hazmana is done for something that is an article of kedusha itself (e.g. sefer Torah, tefillin, mezuza), as opposed to something to service the kedusha, then the article is imbued with kedusha. While the Magen Avraham (42:6) brings those who argue with the Rama, the Biur Halacha (ad loc.) says that one should not be lenient against the majority opinion that the Rama presents. How- ever, there is an important limitation to the stringency. It is forbidden to use the scroll prepared for use as kedusha only for chol (mundane use). It may, though, be used for matters of kedusha of a lower level, including for divrei Torah, for people to learn Torah from it (Mishna Berura 42:19).
After providing the halachic background, let us now address your specific case. If you are talking about a scroll that has already been used for its intended purpose, it is forbidden to use it in an artistic form, which is a lower level of kedusha than the mitzva it was helping fulfill. However, if it was not used, thenthe matter depends on the context of the use. If the artistic display of the scroll is done in such a way that one can expect it to draw people's attention to its Torah content, then we can say that it is being used for divrei Torah in a positive, albeit "off the beaten track" way. Because of its kedusha, one would stillneed to be careful that it not be permanently displayed in bedrooms or have it pass through bathrooms, but it would be generally permissible. The content and tone of your description [ed. note - shortened, by necessity, in the published version], gives the impression that its intention (and, presumably, its use) is that the kedusha and the specific words of Torah found on the scroll be noticed and have a positive impact on the home. However, it is difficult to judge such matters in the forum of email.

[Allow us to comment on a related, recent phenomenon. Happily, Torah themes have gone, in many circles, from being embarrassing to the observant Jew in contemporary society to being acceptable and even popular. As such, different art forms (especially, music) have had words of Torah incorporated in them. When done properly, we fulfill the laudable practice of "ze keili v'anveihu", of beautifying and adorning Torah and mitzvot. However, when it is done in a manner that ignores or even degrades them (e.g. with grossly inappropriate beats) we run the risk of abusing our matters of kedusha (see Sanhedrin 101a). The excuse that the intent is tobring Torah to the masses, while legitimate in some cases, can be exaggerated and overused.]
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 info@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Subscribe/English (forthe English version)orSubscribe/Hebrew(forthe hebrew version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
A TOUCH OF WISDOM A TOUCH OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
When the Gaon of Vilna was a very young child, he went out to play with his little friends. They were playing on a seesaw and he left and went home.
"Eliyahu", his father asked him, "why aren't you playing with your friends?"
"Father", he replied, "it states in the Torah, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' How can I go up on the seesaw when when it means I cause my friend to go down?"

Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series for ArtScroll: Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit;, and"Wisdom and Wit" — available at your local Jewish bookstore (or should be).

[3] Candle by Day
The active ingredient in myopia is "my". - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[4] MA RABBU MAASECHA HASHEM
LOCUST
Before moving on to the next plague, let' look at some of the "natural" facts about locust. They will be impossible to grasp; how much more so, the plague of ARBEH, which was not bound by the laws of nature.

Grasshoppers (including locust) are mostly plant eating insects found all over the world except the Arctic regions... they can hop, walk, and fly... about 9000 species, range from 1-5 inches (2½-10cm) long. In relation to its size, it has the greatest jumping ability of all animals... Most are green, brown, or olive-green... can destroy entire crops of alfalfa, clover, cotton, corn and other grains, causing millions of dollars in crop damages every year. There are two main groups of grass- hoppers, long-horned (refers to the length of the feelers relative to the body) grasshoppers (including crickets and katydids) and short-horned grasshoppers, usually called locusts (about 5000 species).

Normally locusts remain in what is called a "solitary" phase. But if favorable breeding conditions... over- crowding and scarcity of food... the insects will go through a “phase change”. They become gregarious, agitated, begin to gather in very large numbers and finally evolve into a single migrating swarm, or plague. Once a plague of locusts breaks out there is little that can stop it. A single band is sometimes miles wide... swarms of desert locusts, probably the most destructive insect in the world, may contain as many as 28 billion individuals. Locusts are voracious eaters... And that's "just" nature.

[5] Micro Ulpan - a word (or two) from HaAcademiya LaLashon Ha-Ivrit
See the phone below? It' has an earpiece and a mouthpiece. How do you say each of those words in Hebrew? earpiece - A'FAR'KESET. mouthpiece - PUMIT

[6] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
In this week's parsha, we read: "HACHODESH HAZRH LACHEM RASHEI CHODOSHIM RISHON HU LACHEM L'CHODHSEI HA'SHANA
"This month shall be for you the beginning of the months; it shall be for you the first of the months of the year."

Rashi opens his commentary on the Torah with the question: The verse, "Hachodesh hazeh lachem" is the first commandment given to Israel. Why, then, does the Torah begin with the story of Creation? Answers Rashi: "For should the people of the world say to Israel, 'You are robbers, for you took by force the land of the seven nations of Canaan,' Israel may reply to them, 'All the earth belongs to the Holy One, Blessed Be He; He created it and gave it to whom He pleased.'"

At first glance, it would appear that Rashi fails to answer his basic question. If the purpose of the Torah is to teach us mitzvot, the story of Creation should not have preceded the first mitzva. It could have been told in a separate book, like the book of Yehoshua.
The Torah is comprised of TARYAG mitzvot, 613 commandments. Ramban counts Yishuv Eretz Yisrael - conquering and settling the Land of Israel - as one of the 613 mitzvot. Rambam does not include this mitzva in his count. Yet Rambam codifies all the laws pertaining to Yishuv Eretz Yisrael like all the other halakhic authorities.The reason may very well be that Rambam does not consider Yishuv Eretz Yisrael as a separate mitzvah, like the mitzvah of sukkah or shofar. Yishuv Eretz Yisrael is, however, the foundation for all the other mitzvot. Without Eretz Yisrael we cannot fulfill all the taryag mitzvot.

This may be what Rashi is telling us. Before the Torah teaches us the first mitzvah, it assures us that Eretz Yisrael belongs to us. Now that we are in possession of our God given country, we are in a position to proceed and obey all 613 commandments.
Rabbi Yaakov Bulka, 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

[7] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Bo seals in our minds one of the most momentous events in the history of mankind - the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. This event signified G-d's mastery over all the elements and blurred the differentiation that we make between nature and miracles.
The Exodus stands out as a universal message, proclaiming the triumph of good over evil, the victory of the underdog over its wicked taskmaster. Yetziat Mitzrayim marked a glorious crossroads in the unfolding destiny of the Jewish people. For despite having descended to the forty-ninth level of degradation, Bnei Yisraeldemonstrated their undying faith in HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as they paraded the pagan gods in front of their Egyptian tyrants - literal lambs to the slaughter.
Clearly, as the slaves divested them- selves of the fetters of their burdens, each individual Jew awoke from his personal nightmare. Now he would discover a new identity where dimen- sions of time and space were defined, freedom of choice delineated, and responsibilities recognized. And as each Jew rallied round to takea "lamb or kid for each father's house", the Children of Israel could be portrayed finally as members of, "The entire Assembly of Israel" (Shemot 12:3).
Four defiant days later, all the House of Israel would stand up and be counted. Acting in unison, Jews dared demon- strate against the mighty throne of the great Pharaohs. They rallied in response to the command of their One G-d. They gained the respect and awe of an entire people. Now they deserved to be elevated, onlya few verses later, to the status of, "The entire Congregation of the Assembly of Israel" (ibid 12:6).
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 hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.
"Clothes Maketh the Man…"
We are all familiar with that renowned expression (Ed. note: Shakespeare said in Hamlet, "For the apparel oft proclaims the man." But the expression has much older origin in Greek writings.) In the case of the Kohanim who served in the Beit HaMikdash, this axiom was literally true. In fact the Gemara says (Zevachim 17b),"When their Bigdei Kehuna, (priestly garments) are 'upon them' (i.e. when the Kohanim are actually wearing their requisite garments), their Kehuna (priesthood) is 'upon them' (and they may serve in the Mikdash). But when their Bigdei Kehuna are not upon them, they are not invested with their priesthood" (and they may notserve in the Mikdash). Tosafot direct our attention to a variant reading in Sanhedrin which also furnishes a Biblical source for this observation. "And you shall cause his (Aaron's) sons to come near, and dress them in tunics. You shall gird them with a sash - Aaron and his sons - and you shall wrap the headdresses on them. The priesthood shall be a perpetual statute for them…" (Shemot 28:8,9). A Kohein was duty bound to wear the requisite garments when he performed Avoda; if he failed to do so, his service was invalid. The Gemara continues, "When they are not wearing their appointed garments, they are not endowed with their priesthood and they are regarded as Zarim (non-Kohein - however, other requirements and restrictions of being a kohein apply). And a Master said, 'A Zar who performs the Avoda is deserving of death'" (Sanhedrin 83b). Rashi interpreted the pasuk, "To sanctify him so he may minister unto Me" (Shemot

28:3) as meaning "To sanctify him in order to induct him into the priesthood by means of (wearing) Bigdei Kehuna, so that he will be a priest unto Me." The Kohanim Gedolim of Bayit Rishon were embrocated with Shemen Hamishcha, a special prepared anointing oil. Rambam asks, "And if there was no anointing oil?" and then,basing himself on Yoma 5a, he proceeds to answer his own question. "They dress (the designated Kohein) in the larger number of vestments of the Kohein Gadol." The Kohein Gadol, when he performed Avoda, wore eight garments, the common Kohein wore only four (Hil. Klei Mikdash 4:12). In the case of Kohanim serving in theBeit HaMikdash, clothes indeed made the man!

Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzva 99) considers the wearing of Bigdei Kehuna as a positive commandment. The Chinuch writes: "The Kohanim were commanded to wear distinctive clothing for greatness and glory, and (only when wearing them) could they (validly) serve in the Mikdash." He also analyzes the psychological aspects of the Mitzva."The thoughts and intentions of the messenger (the Kohein), who (by serving in the Mikdash) effects atonement, must be 'seized' by the Avoda. All his thoughts and all his intentions must be directed only to the Avoda. Therefore it is proper that, when he performs Avoda, he should wear distinguishing clothing. When he seesthese special garments on his person, his heart will awaken and he will remember before Whom he is performing Avodah." The Chinuch also notes the salutary effects of Bigdei Kehuna on the hearts and minds of Olei Regel. "It adds to the glory of the Mikdash and the Avoda when those serving there are dressed in an extraordinarymanner. …by magnifying the (glory) of the Mikdash and (increasing) the awe that it inspires, the hearts of evildoers are softened and they repent of their sins."

Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvot also counts the Kohanim wearing Bigdei Kehuna during the their Avoda as a Mitzvat Asei (#33). Both the Sefer Hachinuch and the Sefer Hamitzvot emphasize the requirement that the Kohanim must wear the ordained garments, no more, no less. Interestingly enough, commentaries on Sefer HaMitzvot comparethe ruling of the Rambam with that of the Ba'al Halachot Gedolot. While the identity of the author of Halachot Gedolot is disputed by scholars, the conceptual originality of this Sefer is not. The well-known concept of 613 (Taryag) Mitzvot in the Torah is based on a famous Gemara. "R Simlai taught, '613 Mitzvot were communi-cated to Moses, 365 negative commandments … and 248 positive commandments…'" (Makot 23b). A trailblazer in Halachic research in the Geonic era, the Ba'al Halachot Gedolot was the first Sage who tried to identify all 613 Mitzvot, both positive and negative, and examine each one in detail. He contends that the requirementof Kohanim to wear Bigdei Kehuna when they performed Avoda is not a Mitzva in its own right. However, he does consider the prohibition of performing Avoda without one of the mandatory garments or wearing an extra garment as one of the Mitzvot Lo Ta'aseh (prohibitions) (Ot 68). Ramban notes that "if a Kohein wears BigdeiKehuna and does not perform the Avoda, no Mitzva is fulfilled. The Kohein's donning the Bigdei Kehuna before Avoda is merely a preparation for the Avoda". (Similarly, building a Sukka is simply a preparation for the actual Mitzva, dwelling in the Sukka.) Concurring with the Ba'al Halachot Gedolot (and in contradistinction to Rambam), Ramban points out that if we considered the regular Kohanim's wearing the Bigdei Kehuna as a separate Mitzva, and not simply as a "preparation" for the Mitzva, "we would be obliged to consider the Kohein Gadol's wearing of his special white linen garments (when he entered Kodesh HaKodashim on Yom Kippur) asa separate Mitzva as well. …And what about the (eight 'golden vestments' of) the Kohein Gadol? … (the wearing of the requisite garments) is only 'part' of the Mitzva of performing the Avoda …and Rambam himself has already explained that we do not include in the Taryag Mitzvot individual 'parts of Mitzvot.'" (Ramban onthe Sefer Hamitzvot of the Rambam)

Lev Samei'ach, another major commentary on the Sefer HaMitzvot, totally disagrees. "…it is true that if a Kohein performed Avoda (and lacked a requisite garment or wore an additional) garment, his Avoda is invalid… but that is not the intention of the pasuk… The pasuk (Shemot 28:2) said that Bigdei Kehuna were 'for gloryand beauty'. In them the Kohanim were to be honored and glorified… and these garments were to be their distinguishing mark as already elucidated by Rambam in Hil. K'lei Hamikdash 4:12." ([The Kohein Gadol] is anointed with oil and arrayed in the special vestments of the Kohein Gadol." Note Vayikra 21:10) And the commonKohanim? Lev Samei'ach quotes the Gemara in Zevachim 17b already cited above. "When their Bigdei Kehuna are 'upon them…" He continues; "If this is so, then the act of wearing Bigdei Kehuna certainly should be considered a Mitzva in its own right (as asserted by Rambam) since the Kohanim were commanded to be 'honored andglorified' by wearing them and that they 'are invested with their Kehuna' (and are privileged to serve in the Beit HaMikdash) only because of them." <to be continued>

Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit HaMikdash and related topics. He can be reached at(02) 652-7531 or acatriel@netvision.net.il
Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
Column #103. 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.

As we've done often lately, we will look into the sedra of the week at words that are flagged in EIM LAMASORET (part of Eim LaMikra HaShaleim) for special attention. But don't see the comments as applying only to Parshat Bo, or even to Torah reading in general; the lessons and reminders are helpful in davening as well.

Take a look in perek 10, p'sukim 16 and 17. After the utter devastation of the locust, Par'o quickly summons Moshe and Aharon and announces to them that he has sinned against G-d... and them. I have sinned is CHATATI, with the accent on the next to the last syllable (MIL'EIL). cha-TA-ti. Note also that the TET does nothave a DAGESH in it. In the next pasuk, Par'o asks that his sin be forgiven... My sin is CHATATI. Looks the same, except that the accent is MILRA, on the last syllable. cha-ta-TI. And the TET has a DAGESH. In Ashkenazis pronunciation, by the way, the words also sound a bit different, because one has a KAMATZ under theCHET and the other one has a PATACH under the CHET. CHAWTAWSI (I have sinned) and CHATAWSI (my sin). The accents are still MIL'EIL and MILRA respectively.

Here's a real picky one, follow this. Go back a pasuk to 10:15. Here's part of that pasuk.

...VAYOCHAL ET KOL EISEV HA'ARETZ V'ET KOL PRI H'ETZ ASHER HOTIR HA'BARAD
A while ago, we mentioned that TRUP (rhymes with CUP, Taamei HaMikra, Torah notes) divide into two categories: M'SHARTIM, which lead their word directly into the following word without a pause (except for the very short pause between words), and MAFSIKIM, notes that call for a pause before continuing with the followingword. Furthermore, MAFSIKIM come in types, from the longish pause following an ETNACHTA or SOF PASUK (roughly a semicolon and a period (full stop, for British readers), to progressively shorter pauses. The piece of the pasuk illustrates different kinds of pauses, based on TRUP, and reflecting the intended meaning of thepasuk. First word VAYOCHAL has a AZLA-GEIREISH which is a very short pause (called a SHALISH, it is one of the MAFSIKIM with the shortest pause after it). And they ate (referring to the swarm of locust). Next, ET-KOL-EISEV HAARETZ, all the grass of the land, HAARETZ has a R'VI'I. The way we "sing" it, it sounds like itshould get a long pause, but it doesn't. R'VI'I is one of the MISHNIM, and gets a short pause after it. (Marginally more than SHALISHIM, but less of a pause than M'LACHIM and KEISARIM.) V'EIT KOL-PRI HA'EITZ, and all the fruit of the trees. HA'EITZ has a ZAKEIF KATON, which is a MELECH. It gets a longer pause than theR'VI'I. If done well, the different lengths of pauses join the two phrases, "all the grass of the ground" and "all the fruit of the tree", so that they can both be applied to the next phrase, ASHER HOTIR HABARAD, that the hail left over. Follow? That the hail left over goes for both the grass and the fruit. If the pausesare not well done, the pasuk reads, And they ate all the grass of the land -and- the fruit of the tree that the hail left over. It's such a tiny point, but it's beautiful. If you like this sort of thing. (As readers of TBDATR are supposed to.)

Let's look at one more word from the sedra, which has two topics to remind us of, and is also a mitzva among the 20 in Parshat Bo. 13:8 - And you shall tell (your child...) V'HI'GADITA. The first syllable is V'HI with part of the GIMEL because there is a DAGESH in it. The next syllable is GAD and the SH'VA under the DALET is NACH and has no vowel sound at all. The final syllable is TA and that's the syllable with the accent. The word hi-GAD-ta became MILRA because the VAV at the beginning of the word is a VAV HAHIPUCH (a.k.a. VAV HAM'HAPECHET), which switches the tense from past (you told) to future or command (you shall tell). The tense-flip is accompanied in most cases (but not all) by a move of the accent from MIL'EIL to MILRA. With the DALET followed by a TAV, we have a tendency to say ...GA-D'-TA, making the SH'A under the DALET a NA. It's a NACH and it should be said like a NACH. v'higgad-TA. Perek 13 has a few more of these tense-flipped words: v'a-vad-TA (13:5), v'sha-mar-TA (13:9), v'ha-a'var-TA (13:12), v'a-mar-TA (13:14). Re- member, meaning changes, so it's important.

Parsha Pix
BO has the three last plagues, represnted here by the locust, the black rectangle, and the sword.
There are two ways of looking at MAKAT B'CHOROT. The standard way is that the 10th and final plague was the smiting of the first-borns. This fits the name of the plague - all the others have the name of that which plagued Egypt, blood, frogs, lice, etc. Only the 10th is called MAKAT B'CHOROT (as opposed to B'CHOROT), because the first borns were not the plague, they were the victims of the plague. On the other hand, there is an opinion that they were also the plague. Actually, part 1 of the plague. They died.
But before that, say our sources, they took up sword and killed many Egyptians. They were angry and upset (to put it mildly) that this Moshe person was threatening in G-d's name to kill the first borns of Egypt and Par'o seemed to be resisting. This idea fits with the words in T'hilim 136 - L'MAKEI MITZRAYIM (for smiting Egypt) BIVCHOREIHEM (WITH their first borns).
The Yo-Yo at the bottom is an apt image for Par'o's treatment of Moshe and Aharon - get out, come back to me, leave and don't let me see your face again, quickly come to me...
The clock shows "around 12:00", not at exactly midnight. G-d said to Moshe that He will act at exactly midnight. Moshe transmitted this message to the people as KACHATZOT, around midnight, so that people should not jump to foolish wrong conclusions about G-d based on their inexact reading of the time.
The lamb in the doorway stands for the Korban Pesach, which was taken into the home and whose blood was smeared on the doorposts.
Matza is Matza.
And T'filin are T'filin.
The dog is barking - unlike his counterparts in the Jewish areas of Egypt on the night of Makat B'chorot.
The canned food could be seen as dog food to reward the dog for its “Kiddush HaShem”. But the better explanation of the can is that canned food is called SHIMURIM in Hebrew. As in Leil Shimurim.
In the lower right is a bow - for Parshat BO and for the “gifts” that the Egyptians gave Bnei Yisrael.
The baby, goat, and donkey represent the three different types of B'CHOR in Jewish law.
The bull with an O between its horns is PAR-O.
The bone is not to break in KP, and also the repeated term B'ETZEM HAYOM HAZEH.
The sword is also from the haftara, as are the axes.
That leaves three elements of this ParshaPix as this week's visual TTriddles, a.k.a. PPP (ParshaPixPuzzle).
Note to parents: ParshaPix is good to use with children and guests around your Shabbat table. Many other elements work on different levels and can be used for different ages and backgrounds. Enjoy ParshaPix and all of Torah Tidbits.

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 alsopresentedforcall-insolutiononTorahTidbitsAudio(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 (VA-EIRA) TTriddles:
[1] Bad for most of the world, bad for Egypt, good for the people of Israel - VAT eye drop
[2] Sara, Avraham, Yishmael, who AND?
[3] The reptile reptile switch
[4] one, many, thirteen
[5] One guy writing; one gal reading
[6] The Maftir opener leads to another Shabbat Rosh Chodesh connection besides Yeshayahu's
[7] plus one element from the Parsha Pix Puzzle and a separate PPP
[8] Not a TTriddle but: We take out two Torahs this Shabbat. Before you look for the answer, try to guess it on your own. How many times this year do we in Israel read from exactly two Torahs?

And the envelope, please...
[1] VAT is Value Added Tax, or MA’AM in Hebrew for MAS ERECH MOSAF. The Hebrew acronym usually sounds like MAM (like the English mom). “Eye drop” is a misleading play on words for TEAR. Together that makes MAMTIR, to rain down. That’s THE word for this TTriddle, but the TTriddle could be solved without the VAT eye droppart. Bad for most of the world was the Flood, okay for only No’ach and family and the animals with him in the TEIVA. Bad for Egypt were the Plagues, specifically, the plague of HAIL. In both cases, the termMAMTIR is used: For in another seven days, G-d said to No’ach, I will cause the rain to fall for forth days... G-dsends to Moshe to tell Par’o that ...on the following day, very heavy hail will fall, hail the likes of which have never been seen... The only other occurrence of the word MAMTIR is in reference to the MAHN (manna) - G-d says to Moshe that He will cause “bread from heaven”...
[2] SH’NEI CHAYEI... The years of the life of someone. Only three people’s names follow those words in Tanach (all in the Torah). Sara Imeinu, Avraham Avinu, and Yishma’el. Three other people’s names follow USHNEI CHAYEI... That’s the meaning of “who AND?” from theTTriddle. They are all mentioned in Va-eira: LEVI, K’HAT,and AMRAM.
[3] This one’s a maybe. When G-d gave Moshe the arsenal of “signs”, the first one was throwing down his staff and turning it into a NACHASH. A snake. When G-d sends Moshe and Aharon to Par’o, Aharon throws the staff down and it turns into a TANIN. Rashi says that TANIN means the same as NACHASH. But others disagree andsay a TANIN is crocodile, as it is in modern Hebrew. See TT 603 p.7 Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary for more on this. If TANIN is crocodile and NACHASH is snake, then we have a reptile reptile switch.
[4] FROG(S). The word TZ’FARDEI-A in various forms occurs in Tanach 13 times - 11 in the p’sukim about the second plague and twice in T’hilim referring to the same plague. The plain understanding of the Torah is that there was a plague of countless frogs that inundated Egypt. Based on the use of the singular form of TZ’FARDEI-A,Rashi quotes a Midrash that there was originally one massive, huge, humongous, enormous (get the idea already?) frog that appeared and when it was struck by the frog disposal crew of Egypt, it split into many, and kept multiplying... Hence, the TTriddle: one, many, thirteen.
[5] This refers to a K’RI & K’TIV in the haftara for Shabbat-Rosh Chodesh. The word is written ALEF-CHET-DALET but is to be read ACHAT. In TTriddle language, that’s ONE GUY (masculine form of the word for ONE) writing (K’TIV) and ONE GAL (feminine form of ONE) reading.
This TTriddle was in the same box as the visual TTriddles (a.k.a. PPP, ParshaPixPuzzle) but was not part of the PPP. Except that the PPP elements all came from the haftara too. See further.
[6] The MAFTIR’s opener is the two-word phrase UVYOM HASHABBAT, and on the Shabbat day... Curiosity about this phrase led to a computer search of Tanach which resulted in just one other occurrence of the phrase. That occurrence is in Yechezkeil 46:1, which tells us that the inner gate of the courtyard (of the Beit HaMikdash)was closed during the six days of the week, and was opened on Shabbat and on Rosh Chodesh. This is another connection between Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh besides the one in Yeshayahu’s penultimate (next to the last) pasuk, which we reread after the last pasuk, which speaks of Shabbat to Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh to Rosh Chodesh.This pasuk, of course, is the main reason for the choice of Yeshayahu 66 as the haftara for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.
[7] The visual TTriddles...
Let’s start with the one that was the unexplained elent of the ParshaPix from page 3. NIM is “a game in which players in turn remove small objects from a collection, such as matchsticks arranged in rows, and attempt to take, or avoid taking, the last one”. (Definition courtesy of GuruNetm a wonderful, convenient, usefulmultipurpose reference tool for your computer - check it out at www.gurunet.com - highly recommended.) One popular starting arrangement of NIM is to have three rows or piles of three, five, and seven objects (or lines of tick-marks on a piece of paper). Two players alternate in removing (or crossing off) any or all of one pile/row at a time. Player required to take the last piece/mark loses the game. Shown in the ParshaPix is the opening set-up of a game using keys (coins, toothpicks, matches, jelly beans, peanuts, paper clips are all more common, but you can play the game with keys). This version of the game is called KEY-NIM. Getit? Plague number 3, KINIM, lice. KEY-NIM. Like it? Want to play? (It’s actually pointless to play this game if both players know how to play. In this version, the person who goes first can always win. But the value of the game is in playing it with someone who doesn’t know how to win, and watch the thought process develop game after game until a winning stategy is discovered. After that, for math-people, you can show the mathematics behind the game.)
Now we move the the PPP from page 38 (TT 603). There are seven different elements, all from the haftara. All of them are fairly easy to get. We’ll take them in the order of haftara. HaShamayim KEY-C (66:1). The next one appears in 66:6 and is a play on words with an interesting ALEF-AYIN switch. KOL SHA’ON MEI-IR, the soundof a clock that wakes (people) up, an alarm clock. Except that SHA’ON in the pasuk is spelled with an ALEF rather than an AYIN, and MEI-IR means something else. In the pasuk, it means the sound of an uproar in the city. 66:17 mentions a mouse (not the computer kind, but...), 66:19 mentions a place or nation called PUL(pool, rightmost picture), RECHEV, in modern Hebrew, a car, and horses are mentioned in 66:20 (chess knights are often called horses, and in Hebrew SUSIM), as are covered wagons, TZABIM, which are turtles. That’s it. Seven items in all.
[8] This non-TTriddle turned out to be trickier than expected when it first came to mind. This past Shabbat being a two-Torah Shabbat, naturally sparked the question as to how often there are two-Torah days. The answer given on page 10 (bottom of left-hand column) in mirror writing is 22, which includes each of two daysof Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, first day Sukkot, (there was no Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot this year), (not Simchat Torah because its a three-Torah day), 4 so far, Chanuka added another four with the two Shabbatot Chanuka and the two weekday Rosh Chodesh Tevet days of Chanuka. That’s 8. Pesach is another 7 days with two Torahs.and Shavuot is another. 16 so far. (Remember the question mentioned Israel. There are three more in Chutz LaAretz, one for each of the Shalosh Regalim). Then there is Sh’kalim, Zachor, Para, and HaChodesh. That’s 20. Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat, the one that started the whole question. And Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.22 this year. Rest assured, IY”H & B”N, we’ll have fuller stats on this issue in the future. Alas, the question is flawed. The words “in the morning” needs to be at the end of the question to make it work. As stated, regular Shabbatot and fast days qualify as days we read from two Torahs, and days like this past Shabbatdo not, since we read from a third Torah at Mincha. On second thought, maybe saying “how many times, rather than how many days, does not allow Mincha Torah reading to be included, and the question as stated is unambiguous. Perhaps. Anyway, you see the intention. Since this TTriddles report is being written on Motza’ei Shabbat, we don’t have reader response on this issue yet. If anything interesting comes in, we’ll share it elsewhere, space-permitting.

This week's TTriddles:
[1] No less appropriate for its, than the next
[2] Cuore par'o and whom?
[3] negative for women & Egypt; positive for Avraham & Yishmael
[4] Avraham, Yosef, Par'o, Moshe, David, Sha'ul, and...? Quick - what's the answer
[5] This week, it's too early, but next week, it's exactly what G-d said to do.
[6] Twice this Shabbat morning; 22 times after Shabbat
[7] plus three elements from the Parsha Pix

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As of Rosh HaShana 5764, yearly membership for couples (even if one of the two does not frequent the Center) is 250NIS. Membership for a single person is 180NIS per year. Life membership remains at $500, with payments possible. Contact the Center for details of membership benefits. • Membership includes lower rates for all Israel Center programs, tiyulim, etc. and a subscription to Jewish Action, the Orthodox Union’s popular quarterly magazine - You can cut and send this form to us at P.O.B. 37015, Jerusalem 91370 or call us (566-7787 ext. 204) with the details and arrange credit card payment by phone or email to trochel@netvision.net.il; Special note to TTreaders who do not regularly participate in Israel Center activities (or never): You actually do participate in an Israel Center activity... called: Torah Tidbits; Many people feel that just for Torah Tidbits alone, it’s “worth it” to become members of the Israel Center.We hope you feel that way too.
For sale at the Israel Center: Set of 6 tapes byRabbi Dr. Aaron Rakeffeton The Rav & Religious Zionism - 160nis ($36)

The Israel Center is looking for volunteers to help with various tasks. Please contact Batya if you can be of help to us. (02) 566-7787 ext. 249

NESTO Native English-Speaking Teen Olim
Well that was one long 7 days for NESTO. Starting last Tuesday we finished the last practice for the upcoming NESTO movie so for all the cast and crew filming will be starting shortly and for information contact the madrichim.

After that we waited 3 days and finally had our Senior Plus Shabaton!!! And in agreement with everyone nothing can be said of it short of one word - AMAZING! The bus ride was a lot of fun and made all the more special as current NESTO rediscovered NESTO graduate Yoni Elkins who made the bus ride all the more active andfun. That, the private conversations and Ariel Wolf reading the Mad Libs made the ride nothing short of the traditional NESTO experience. Finally we arrived at Har Tavor and got organized in our rooms and got ready for Shabbat. The accommodations were so great that by the time we were ready for Shabbat, there was no moreneed for the signs with our names on the door and everyone knew their place, in the rooms and in the ambiance of the Shabbaton. Friday night we had a very ruchani tefilah and Kabbalat Shabbat followed by wonderful food and song. We then had an optional tish followed by a session about "What I Believe" by Daniel Gindis,that talked about The Creator, the universe, Judaism, and our place in it all. The discussions was followed by many of the chanichim and staff deeply discussing the topic of the session which shows that at NESTO we can focus on deep things as well as having fun. It took a while for everyone to go to sleep since people were taking advantage of the time to talk to friends they haven't seen in a while. Or better put in the words of comment about Friday night by Asher Krim: "All right Let's Cover the Obvious Holiness, Observation, Learning". Thank you Asher for sharing that with us all.

Anyway... Shabbat morning we woke up and had a wonderful tefilah with singing and dancing and a special reading by Chaim Pelzner for Rosh Chodesh. After that we had lunch and Menucha. People played charades and chilled. After that Ariel Woolf gave a sesion on suicide and the value of our lives called, "Me, Myself and Die"followed by Seudah Shelishit. During the seudah we had a lot of spiritual singing taking us to a higher level. Ezra closed the Shabbat where he spoke of the power of a group, its effects and our places in it. Daliya talked about the singing, Noam Vasel spoke about taking just one thing you learned. After that we had Havdalaby Shmuel and a Sichat Siyum by Yehoshua. We had a long bus ride home full of singing, talking and much fun. All in all, it was a Shabbat made from the stuff of Legend... but more importantly the stuff of NESTO. A special thanks to Chaim, Yehoshua, Tanya, the madrichim, and a big Yashar Ko'ach to the chanichim.

This past Tuesday, Senior NESTO did a peula about taking advantage of TIME. Itamar left early - he was sorely missed.
Seniors Plus did an adlibbing self-expression night, where adlibbing and performance counted as much as how smoothe it went, and applause. Counselor participation was mandatory. Jacob, Chaim, Gershon, and Dalya tied for third. Second place, for maximum points for preparartion went to Zev, Asher, Yoni, and Ariel. And firstplace was won by David and Mati who sang and rapped about calligraphy on Ming vases. It was a great night - congratulations to all, and Shabbat Shalom.
Never Eat Seventy-Two Olives (at one time)

The Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis • tel. 566-7787 ext. 244 • fax: 561-7432 Chaim Pelzner, Director, Yehoshua Bonchek, Coordinator, Tanya Glassman, Bat Sherut NESTO is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

We are LOOKING for...Camp Director(Couple Preferred) for our summer camp, DROR: Torah Personality, Management Experience, Previous role as Camp Director, Strong “kesher” with kids, Responsible for educational content, selection of staff, and camp management, Send CV to Meir Schwartzfax: 02-566-0156 or mschwartz@israelcenter.co.il

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 • www.kerenmalki.org • In loving memory of Malka Chana Roth HY"D murdered in the Sbarro bombing, 9 Aug. ‘01

TIYULIM & SHABBATONIM
THE TRAVEL DESK for making reservations 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 to Thursdays. Call Batya at the Travel Desk of theIsraelCenter,566-7787ext. 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 bypressing2rightaway 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. 18NIS will get you a delicious sandwich (specify your preference), a refreshing drink (specify regular or diet) andadessert. Your box will be ready for you when you board the bus.
CANCELLATION 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.
Students from Abroad Are your parents planning on visiting you some time this year? If so, you want to speak to us! (566-7787 ext. 249). We have many attractive deals for them... and you. Let us turn an ordinary “been there, did it” visit into an unforgettable, special one!
KASHRUT POLICY Food for Israel Center In-House programs is supervised by <-in-Israel - Mehadrin. Israel Center sponsored trips and programs are under Mehadrin Hashgacha. Hotels, restaurants, and tiyulim advertised by the Travel Desk or by outside parties are not necessarily Mehadrin and are not endorsed by the OU or theIsraelCenter.
Please note: We cannot return phone calls from overseas, but rather people should fax 972-2-5660156 for the Attention of Batya or email to tiyul@israelcenter.co.il
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.
Israel Center Tiyulim are partially subsidized by the Jewish Agency for Israel

Israel Center In-House Shabbaton • Shabbat ParshatMishpatim - Sh'kalimM'vorchim Adar - Machar ChodeshFebruary 20-21: Guest speaker:Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, Shabbat morning davening Chazan Binyamin Munkand the B'Nevel Choir conducted by Netanel Zelovsky plus shiur by Rabbi Quint, Divrei Torah, mini-shiurim, tidbits, 200NIS p.p. mem, before TU BiShvat,230NIS p.p. non-mem, before Tu Bishvat, 230NS p.p. mem, after TU BiShvat, 260NIS p.p. non-mem, after Tu Bishvat
Housing: [1] You live in the neighborhood;[2] You arranged to stay with someone in the neighborhood;[3] We can arrange for you to stay with someone from the neighborhood;[4] We can arrange sleep-only accommodations at a local hotel (extra cost)
When you register, let us know your housing needs, dietary requests, seating preferences, etc., Candle lighting 4:54pm • Mincha 5:00pmShabbat morning davening at 8:00amWatch for further details • (02) 566-7787 ext. 204

The walking tour scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30 has been postponed. Watch for new date.
Our apologies

Wednesday, FEB 4 • 9:00am to noon: Beit HaMikdash Tour with Catriel Sugarman & Nachman Kupietsky; Step-by-Step viaVirtual Davidson Center, Also... Tour the Western and Southern Walls areas and get to learn and love things you haven’t heard about or seen before! Advance payment required • Limit 40 people • 50NS (non-memadd 10NIS), Meet at Dung Gate leading to Kotel entrance to Davidson Center • Shulamit’s tiyulim are always treats; Come! you’ll surely enjoy her delicious sweets

Do the following key words speak to you: EILAT, TU BiSHVAT,Shabbat Shira, Long weekend, mini-vacation, YOU
Thursday, Friday, Shabbat • February 5-7, '04 at the 4* Shalom Plaza Hotel in Eilat(Mehadrin for our group): On the way to Eilat, we will stop at the Ein Gedi Guest House for a Grand Tour of the Botanical Gardens and their unusual Cactus Garden, followed by a Mehadrin Lunch. We will arrive in Eilat in the afternoon at thehotelwherewill have a special program for your entertainment after dinner.
Friday morning we will have a guided tour in Eilat.
During Shabbat we will participate in the 20th year celebration ofthe Acceleration of the Torah Roots of the Gar'in Torani of Eilat.
On Shabbat there will be shiurim and a guided walking tour.
Leaving Israel Center at 8:00am Thursday and returning IY"H Sat. night.
Cost of the Weekend including a bus which will be with us at all times.Lunch on Friday is the only thing not included in the cost.
800NIS (840NIS for non-members) • Program subject to change, Limited space - Sign up soon by calling Batya 5667787 ext # 249, Shulamit’s Tiyulim are always Treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets

EIN GEDI: 4 days - 3 nights: MON-THU, February 23-26, '04, (Leaving Monday 9:30am • returning Thursday afternoon): Free bathing at the Spa including mineral & mud baths, Magnificent Magical Botanical gardens on premises, Indoor Sweet Water Pool, Full and varied program – Tiyulim - shiurimincl. tour of the cactus garden,healthlectures,exercising,Mehadrin with Eida Chareidis and Rav Landau productsand a full-time Mashgiach on the premises •249NIS p.p. per night (if you stay 3 nights), 269NIS p.p. per night (for 2 nights), 279NIS p.p. for a one night stay, Exclusive beautiful deluxe room 299NIS p.p. per night, Prices are for double occupancy–half board(breakfastand dinner - lunch 30NIS extra) • For Monday’s lunch, you must order this meal when you sign up, or it will cost 35NIS. One person in a room: 400NIS per night (480NIS Deluxe), Round-trip transportation (J'lem-Ein Gedi on Monday and Ein Gedi-J'lem on Thursday only) - 70NIS p.p. Cancellation fees:60NISp.p. beforeFebruary19th noon, 149NIS p.p. after that day and time, Rooms have fridge, "kumkum", coffee, tea, cookies, crackers • Ein Gedi Botanical Gardens are the only national botanical gardensin the world that have people living in them! • Shulamit’s tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will surely enjoy her delicioussweets

Tower of David Tour guided by Ruth Cohn: Come on an incredible journey into the past within the Citadel WallsWatch the History of Jerusalem unfold, from the time of King David until our Modern State of Israel, Tuesday, February 10, 04 - 18 Shvat 5764 - 1:00-4:00pm, Amongst other exhibits we will see: Replica of King Cyrus's declaration encouraging our people to return and rebuild the Temple, Exhibition of dolls dressed in authentic J'lem costumes represents the cultural diversity of the City, Model of Jerusalem in its heyday prior to its destruction in 70CE, There is quite a bit of walking in the Museum as well as many steps, Please contact Batya at 566-7787 ext 249 to reserve place, 30NIS members • 36NIS non-members • Shulamit's Tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will surely enjoy her delicious sweets

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.

Prima Kings, Jerusalem, valid January 30-31
THIS SHABBAT, 680NIS per couple, F/B

Sheraton-Plaza, Jerusalem, valid January 30-31
THIS SHABBAT, 1120NIS per couple, F/B

Holiday Inn Bayview (Haifa), valid Feb. 1-5, 8-12
2-night MIDWEEK package: 970NIS per couple, B/B
includes one free massage

Hyatt, Dead Sea, valid thru Feb. 26
2-night MIDWEEK package: 1100NIS per couple, H/B

Jerusalem Pearl, valid January 30-31
SHABBAT, 1095NIS per couple, F/B

Renaissance, Jerusalem, valid thru Feb. 26
2-night MIDWEEK package: 800NIS per couple, B/B
incl. FREE entrance to pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna

Eden, Zichron, valid January 30-31
This SHABBAT , 675NIS per couple, F/B

Kfar Giladi Hotel, valid through February 26
2-night MIDWEEK package: 870NIS per couple, B/B

Novotel Thalassa, Dead Sea, valid February 1-5, 8-12
MIDWEEK: 475NIS per couple per night, H/B

Canaan Spa, valid February 1-5, 8-12
Midweek: 1075NIS per couple, per night, Dinner & Brunch

Club Hotel Eilat, valid February 8-12
MIDWEEK: 470NIS per couple per night, B/B

Club Inn Eilat, valid February 8-12, 15-19
MIDWEEK: 420NIS per couple per night, B/B

Jerusalem Pearl, valid February 1-5
MIDWEEK: 480NIS per couple per night, B/B

Havat HaBaron, Zichron, valid February 1-5
MIDWEEK: 335NIS per couple per night, B/B

Dan Panorama, Haifa, valid February 5-7
SHABBAT, 1260NIS per couple
PLUS Thursday night B/B, Shabbat 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 (some, not all hotels)

The Back Page of TT604
The Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults is the educational component of the Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • Jerusalem World Center and incorporates classes & lecturesof the OU Israel Center's Project Yedid, JCA, and the Jewish Values Education Institute.
"Regular" classes & lectures - 20NIS members, 25NIS non- members. Life members, 5NIS (except for programs of/with other organizations). No one will be turned away for inability to pay. Membership 250NIS couple, 180NIS single. Programs of the Center are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel or the UJC

Schedule for Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat (Fri-Fri), 7-14 Shvat (Jan. 30 - Feb. 6)

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

Shabbat DAY
Shabbat Afternoon Shiur, 3:30pm, Mincha at 4:30pm, minyan permitting, Shabbat Parshat Bo, January 31st - 30 Days hath Nissan, Sivan, Av...by Phil Chernofsky

Motza'ei Shabbat, Jan. 31, 8:30pm • Entrance Requirements for the World to Come: Rambam vs. Maharal, Referee: Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko

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 in Masechet Beitza by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel
5:40pm No longer connected to the shiur, so please make an extra effort to join us

SUNday N'SHEI LIBRARY 10:30am-12:45pm
9:30am: (women) Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year with Golda Warhaftig
10:30am (women) Let's learn Chumash with Tonia Frowein
1130am: (men & women): Parshat HaShavua with Shprintzee Herskovits
Sunday, 2:00pm • Theraputic Tools" by Yaakov Gerlitz Dipl. Ac, Practitioner of Chinese Medicine, Shaarei Zedek Hospital
Sunday, February 1st, 7:30pm • Jewish Thought as it emerges from the Torah with the help of Ramban's Commentary: This week's Shiur:HaN'filim... Bnei Elohim, Who are they? Does Judaism believe in Fallen Angels? by Rabbi Chaim Eisen

MoNday, N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:00-12:30
9:15am • (men & women) excursions into the world of nevi'im by Pearl Borow
10:30am (men &women): Rambam's 13 Principles with Rabbi Zev Leff
11:36am (men & women), Jewish History series: Why REVOLT against the Rome of Hadrian after 130C.E.? with Dr. Henry Goldblum
11:36am (women) Honoring someone after they pass away from the teachings of Rabbi Avigdor Miller z"l... with Discussion with Aviva Nissim
SLIM FOR LIFE Group weight-loss program for women, No obligation for the first session • Qualified nutritional advisor on hand Mondays from 11:35am, Elisheva999-6479
Monday, February 2nd, Video and Lunch, 12:30pm: “Parshat Bo" by Dr. Avivah Gottlieb-Zornberg
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. Satisfaction guaranteed! Mondays, 12:45-1:45pm Call Sura Faecher, 9932524
Mondays (and Wednesdays) 2:00pm: Hebrew-reading Ulpan
Women's Beit Midrash: 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: 5:20-7:20pm with Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) & Mindy Aber Barad (643-5276)
Mondays at 7:30pm (and Wednesdays at 9:00am) • Parshat HaShavua with Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
MON, 8:30pm •AM SEGULA: “Curing the Jewish Heart” series, Lectures by Eli Yosef
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, Feb. 9, 7:30-9:30pm, http://maskjerusalem.cjb.net • Also in Ramat Beit Shemesh: Call (02) 999-6686 or 999-6162

TUESday
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 (living in the Jerusalem area). Interviews at the Center on Tuesdays from 10:00-12:00 • Please bring ID
Yad Yaakov Center for Jewish Education classes at the Israel Center, Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30am Call 054-690-330 for further information
9:00am: (men &women) The World of Mishna: Halacha, Hashkafa, and History with Rabbi Aharon Adler
10:15am (men &women): Parshat HaShavua with RabbiSholom Gold
9:00am: Pride & Anger: Qualities against Wisdom & Prophecy with Dr. Hayim Abramson
9:55am: Following the Temple Vessels with Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50am: Parshat HaShavua with Rabbi Mordechai Spiegelman
11:00am: New experiment - shiur in Hebrew: To be Holy and walk in His ways with Dr. Hayim Abramson
11:55am: Chabad insights into Parshat HaShavua and the Actualia of Our Time (women only) with Raizel Zisk
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 12:30pm (lunch and video) “Living with an Aging Brain " by Dr. Robert Werman
Regrettably, the lecture & slide presentation, “Remember the Columbia” is postponed
due to the illness of the guest speaker. We wish him a R'fuah shleima
MOVIEtIME at the Israel Center: The Mighty: This is a heart warming story of a unique friendship... Kevin, afflicted with a rare physical disability that prevents him from living a normal childhood is an extremley intelligent boy who lives in the world of his imagination. Max on the other hand is an over weight boy who suffers from a learning disability and has failedthe seventh grade several times... Through their adventure they find a frienship providing completeness of self and an unbreakable bond of love. Join us on Tuesday evening, February 3rd, 8:00pm (100 mins.) [Ed. note: You'll want to seethis movie and you'll want your children and grandchildren to see it... more than once]

WednESday
9:30am: Towards More Meaningful Davening with Dr. Joel Luber
Wednesdays at 9:00am (and Mondays at 7:30pm) • Parshat HaShavua with Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
9:15am • Kol Isha: Rabbi Macy Gordon
10:45am (men &women) Kuzari - An Adventure in Jewish Thought with Rabbi Sholom Gold
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 12:30pm, lunch and video: “Why did Israel have to suffer in Egypt" Rabbi Sholom Gold
(Mondays and) Wednesdays 2:00pm: Hebrew-reading Ulpan with Chani Abramson
Women's Beit Midrash: Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew - join us! Women in Tanach (see next box), Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow
3:00pm(men & women) Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow
7:30pm • Jewish Philosophy, Road Map to the Prophets - Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed by Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Root & Branch Association (in cooperation with the Israel Center): Wednesday, February 4th, 19:00: "Preserve the Vessel: Being Jewish in a non-Jewish World", Sarah Shapiro Author, "Growing With My Children: A Jewish Mother's Diary", "Don't You Know It's a Perfect World?", "Our Lives" anthologies, "A Gift Passed Along: A Woman Looks at the World Around, Her" (Artscroll); ...and teaches writing workshops in Jerusalem • Info: rb@rb.org.il • NIS25 per person, members NIS20, students NIS10
8-10pm: Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass

ThurSday
10:30am: Shiur while you fold...Chassidut with Rabbi David J. Derovan
Shmooze while you fold: Divrei Torah, verbal tidbits, Q&A, and...with Phil, Some time IY”H sometimes B”N
8:00pm • Legends from the Gemara with Reb Yosef Schreiber

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

UPCOMINGS at the Center
Tuesday, February 10th, 8:00pm • Shalom Freedman will speak aboutDerech Eretz and his latest book,"SmallActs of Kindness: Striving for 'Derech eretz" in Everyday Life"

Financial Awareness Week
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, February 8-10, at the Israel Center - all at 7:30pm
Investment Seminars featuring Mark van Gelderen Award winning financial educator
Sunday:The Israeli Tax reforms: is this it? and how to legally minimize your tax exposureA leading tax lawyer will explain and answer the most commonly asked questions of Olim and Tourists. Review strategies for minimizing difficulties and get a complete overview of all the changes and their implications. - Mark, Atty. Eli Clark & Brent Labinsky
Monday: 10 Outstanding investments for the times
Capital Protected investments that have a nice upside with little or no downside risk.
Investments with monthly (or better) liquidity that return several times the bond rate but with lower volatility!
Relatively low risk investments that are doing 7-15% even in these difficult times.
7-10% Income producing investments.
Combining the best strategies and investments from North America, Europe and Asia. - Mark and Brent
Tuesday: Investing in IsraelSavings; Bonds; Shares, Mutual Funds; Residential and Investment Real Estate
Israel provides the best savings instruments in the Western World.
What's the story with the local stock and funds market?
A review of all the major issues in buying, owning and selling a residence.
The pros and cons of real estate investing in Israel.
Invest in Tabu Land, perhaps the ultimate Israeli real estate investment. - Mark, Moshe Jonas (stock broker), Atty. Deana Fein, & Brent
20NIS per class, all 3 classes for 40NIS • Call the Financial Resource Network for details:(02) 622 3065, (067) 692 329, (058) 933 634

Motza"Sh Feb. 14, 7:45pm: Evening in memory of Etta Kossowsky a"h, Guest Speaker:Bracha Ehrman on Shira, Divrei Torah by Eli Ehrman and Rabbi Dr. Z. Kossowsky

Sunday, February 15th, 8:00pm: Know your Numbers, Hypertension, Diabetes andthe Metabolic Syndrome 2004 by Dr. Henry Hashkes, MD, Specialist in Hypertension

Root & Branch Programs: Wed., February 11, 13:00-22:00Jerusalem Ecology ConferenceTheme: Organic Farming in Israel
Wednesday, February 18, 19:00Guest speaker: Barry Chamish Topic to be announced

Tuesday, February 17, 8:00pm: KISS your sadness, fears/anxiety, pains, and addictive drives GOODBYE, Jewish Healing with Emotional Freedom Techniques and Tehillim, Rabbi Immanuel Yosef Legomsky MA Neurotherapist, Director: ITC, www.IsraelTraumaCare.org

Tues., Feb. 17, 12:30pm • The Prince of Egypt, film followed by discussion: Did Hollywood get the Peshat right?

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 8:00pm: Confronting the Palestinian Case against Israel with chaim Azses

Wed. Feb. 25, 8:00pm, Is there hope for a Democratic Palestine? and why do we care? with Dan Diker

Save this date: Tuesday, May 18, '04 - Leil Yom Yerushalayim; OU Israel Center Dinner

OU ISRAEL CENTER
Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center
Yitzchak Fund, President
Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President
Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President
Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member
Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Vaad Member
Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center
Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor
Ita Rochel Russek, Production Assistant and Advertising Manager, Torah Tidbits
22 Keren Ha'Yesod POB 37015 Jerusalem 91370
Phone: (02) 566 7787 Fax: (02) 561-7432 email: tt@ou.org
websites: www.ou.org/torah/tt and www.ou.org/israel/ic
Orthodox Union • National Conference of Synagogue Youth
This publication and many of the programs of the Israel Center and NCSY b'Yisrael are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel
TT is published and printed "in house" at the Israel Center

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