SHABBAT SHUVA - HAAZINU - YOM KIPPUR
TT #588 - This Shabbat is the 8th day (of 355); the 2nd (of 51) Shabbat of 5764
H'RACHAMAN HU Y'CHADESH A'LEINU ET A'SHANA HAZOT L'TOVA U'LIV'RACHA

Wishing Israel Center Participants, Torah Tidbits readers, and all of Klal Yisrael, a G'mar V'Chatima Tova

Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel Standard (Winter) Time
Correct for TT #588 • Ranges are for THU-THU, 6 - 13 Tishrei - October 2 - 9
Candle lighting - 4:47pm
Havdala - 5:59pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 6:32pm)
Earliest Shacharit 4:43-4:48am
Sunrise - 5:35-5:38am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 8:30-8:32am (7:46-7:47am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 9:30-9:30am (9:00-9:00am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 11:28½-11:26½pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 11:59-11:57pm
Plag Mincha - 4:09½ - 4:02pm
Sunset - 5:28 - 5:19pm (5:23½-5:15pm)

Shabbat times for other cities: (Haazinu - Shuva)
Candles city Havdala
5:04pm Raanana 5:59pm
5:03pm Beit Shemesh 5:59pm
5:03pm Netanya 5:59pm
5:02pm Rehovot 5:59pm
4:43pm Petach Tikva 5:59pm
5:03pm Modi'in area 5:59pm
5:04pm Be'er Sheva 5:59pm
5:02pm Gush Etzion 5:59pm
5:02pm Ginot Shomron 5:58pm
4:47pm Maale Adumim 5:57pm
4:55pm Tzfat 5:58pm
5:03pm K4 & Hevron 6:00pm

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...

First opportunity for Kid- dush L'vana this month was right after Tzom Gedaliya. We're past that now. The question now is for those who have not yet said K.L. for Tishrei. Do they say it on Motza'ei Shabbat Shuva or do they wait for Motza'ei Yom Kippur.

Opinions are split on the topic. Those who "favor" saying KL after YK based base their opinion on the joyous mood of Motza'ei YK, compared with the heavier, serious mood of pre-YK. Also, having another mitzva to get involved in right after YK (like building the Sukka). There are also Kabbalistic reasons for saying KL right after YK. (KL can be said before havdala and breaking one's fast.)

Saying KL before YK adds to one's merit, fits the idea of Z'RIZIM (mitzva- enthusiasts do a mitzva sooner rather than later), and is practical in case of cloudy nights subsequently.

Lead Tidbit
Avinu Malkeinu, please...
The story is quoted from the Gemara that during the period of the Tana'im, there was once a fast declared because of severe drought. As is/was the practice, Mincha was held in the public square rather than in the shul, and one of the great Tana'im led the davening. When he finished the special Amida, including additional brachot because of the special fast, it was felt that his prayers had not succeeded in moving G-d, so to speak, to respond favorably to the pleas of His people. Rabbi Akiva then approached the Amud and Aron and said: Avinu Malkeinu, our Father and King, we have no other King but You, Avinu Malkeinu, for Your sake, have mercy on us. Continues the Gemara (Taanit 25b), it started to rain. Avinu Malkeinu evolved from that time on to the present list of petitions that we have in our Siddur. Some sources say that the original text of Avinu Malkeinu closely followed the middle brachot of the weekday Amida. A comparison of the list of Avinu Malkeinu sentences and the brachot of the Amida will bear this out.

We say Avinu Malkeinu twice daily during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva (except for Shabbat and Erev Shabbat afternoon). On Yom Kippur, it is said 3, 4, or 5 times (customs vary).

Some of the lines of Avinu Malkeinu ask G-d for specific things, and others ask for Him to be merciful and respond favorably to our requests, for His sake and on behalf of those Jews who have lost their lives sanctifying His name.

There are many things to say on this topic. Let's say just this: Many of our special prayers for Yamim Nora'im, as well as our regular daily prayers, ask many things of G-d. If we want Him to respond favorably, we should at least say the petitions with understanding of what we are asking for and with sincerity in our hearts. This must apply to Avinu Malkeinu, the Amida it is based on, and every other prayer of request, praise, thanks, acknowledgement... and every bracha we say.

Sort of a continuation...
The prayer Avinu Malkeinu came into existence because of a situation when a full Amida, recited by a Tana of highest regard, failed to produce favorable results, and Rabbi Akiva's impassioned words pierced the curtain that was blocking the prayers of the People of Israel and DID produce results.

We are going to be saying Avinu Malkeinu and a lot of other T'filot on Yom Kippur. Simply put, without kavana, sincerity, feeling... they too might not produce favorable results. With strong kavana, they stand a good chance. If it is results that we are hoping and praying for, then we have work to do. Let's do it.

Emphasis on the plural - let's. It is well- known that are prayers were purposely composed using plural. Avinu Malkeinu - not Avi, Malki. S'LACH LANU, forgive US, not S'LACH LI. What gives us the right and the power to pray on behalf of others, as we plead before G-d for our own forgiveness? It is the com- mitment that each Jew has - or should have - towards our fellow Jews.

Some people have the custom of saying the following before they daven:
HAREINI M'KABEL ALI MITZVAT ASEI SHEL V'A'HAVTA L'REIACHA KAMOCHA
I hereby accept upon myself the mitzva of loving my fellow Jew. This allows me to daven for all of Klal Yisrael, and not just for myself. It converts a basically "between the Jew and G-d" kind of mitzva into one that is very much BEIN ADAM L'CHAVEIRO, between the Jew and his fellow.
This is an important step in our davening that changes it from self- centered to include other individuals, and all of B'nei Yisrael.
This awareness should lead to a general improvement in the area of interpersonal mitzvot.

It's all connected. Paying attention to the correct pronunciation of a word in the davening, or the proper syllable to accent leads (should lead) to better understanding of davening. That, in turn leads (should lead) to a greater appreciation of Whom we daven to. And on behalf of whom we daven. That leads (should lead) to an improvement in the performance of all mitzvot and a stronger shunning of sinful and improper behavior. And it should takes us on the path to real T'SHUVA.

As Tevye was wont to say: From our lips (and hearts) to G-d's ears (and heart, so to speak). G'MAR CHATIMA TOVA

Sedra-Stats
53rd of the 54 sedras; 10th of 11 in D'varim
Written on 92 lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 51st
3 Parshiyot; all open (extra open!)
52 p'sukim - ranks 51st (8th in D'varim)
614 words - ranks 52nd (9th in D'varim)
2326 letters - ranks 52nd (9th in D'varim)
P'sukim are among the shortest in the Torah

MITZVOT
The Chinuch does not count any mitzvot in Ha'azinu; Rambam counts 1 - YAYIN NESECH. This is the only mitzva on Rambam's whole list of 613 mitzvot that the Chinuch does not count

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).
[P>] and [S>] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively.
Perek and pasuk is given for the beginning of each parsha and for each mitzva.

Kohen - First Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 32:1-6
[P>32:1] Moshe Rabeinu begins his farewell "song" to the People by calling upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses to what he will be saying. He asks the people (in a very poetic way) to listen well to his words. Moshe tells us that G-d is completely fair and just; it is we who are responsible for "messing things up"

"When I (singluar) call G-d's Name, you (plural, minimum 2) praise G-d for His Greatness." From this pasuk we learn that when three people eat together, one calls to the other two to "bless G-d" - ZIMUN (benching m'zuman).

We also learn from this pasuk that we answer BARUCH HU U'VARUCH SH'MO when we hear G-d's name in a bracha (unless there is a halachic reason for not "interrupting").

From here, says the Gemara, we learn the mitzva of saying a bracha before learning Torah. (It is also derived logically from Birkat HaMazon.)
Others learn from here (together with its context) that we should pray to G-d when there is a lack of rain.

And, that we have brachot for different kinds of foods, rather than one catch-all bracha.

This versatile pasuk is borrowed from here to introduce the Musaf, Mincha, and Ne'ila Amida.

Levi - Second Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 32:7-12
Moshe asks us once again to remember the "early history" of this unique nation of Israel and the special ancestors who established for us our close relationship with G-d.

There is no generation gap in real Jewish life; the older generation teaches the new one, the new genera- tion gains by asking questions of their elders and learning from them.

G-d structured the world in parallel to the developing nation of Israel, and granted us special protection and guidance - "like an eagle protects its young..."

SDT Just as the positive effect of rain is often not immediately apparent, manifesting itself only at a later time in its effect on plant life - so it is sometimes with Torah.

SDT The lessons of Torah are compared to dew, rain showers, and down- pours. All water, but different intensities and speeds. So too Torah, for different people. The analogy between Torah and water has many levels.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 32:13-18
Notwithstanding the protection and nurturing that G-d provided us in the Wilderness, we rebelled. This happened and continues to happen. Moshe's words can be seen as a description of Dor HaMidbar as well as being a poetic prophecy of the people becoming too complacent in Eretz Yisrael and abandoning G-d from their positions of opulence and security.

R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 10 p'sukim - 32:19-28
Much of the content of Haazinu is a poetic formulation of ideas previously presented in the book of D'varim.

Moshe tells us that G-d's reaction to our disloyalty is HESTEIR PANIM - the hiding of "G-d's Face", so to speak. He also tell us that there have been several times when G-d had wanted to destroy the People of Israel but did not, so as not to give the nations of the world cause to doubt the power of the "G-d of Israel".

It is striking how similar are the words of reproach and how different the presentation.

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 32:29-39
Our challenge is to contemplate the above and understand the many lessons contained in G-d's (and Moshe's) words. The bottom line is that although Israel strays from the proper path, G-d will not abandon us, and He will rally to our side in the face of our enemies. If we would only realize this and appreciate the awesome power of G-d.

MITZVA WATCH
Pasuk 32:38 refers to idolatrous sacrifices and their wine of libation. Rambam cites this pasuk as the prohibition of YAYIN NESECH [L194] sacramental wine. The Chinuch includes it in the ban against benefiting from food consecrated to a deity.

This is the only mitzva that Rambam counts that Sefer HaChinuch does not. (In order to keep the number 613, there is one example of vice versa.)
The rabbinic ban on STAM YEINAM (non-Jewish wine) is partially inspired by this prohibition of Yayin Nesech. There are other factors, such as the limiting of social contact between Jew and non-Jew, a preventative measure to intermarriage, that input into the rabbinic ban of Stam Yeinam.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 4 p'sukim - 32:40-43
In this concluding portion of the song part of Haazinu, we see G-d’s oath and Moshe assurances of G-d's eternal nature and His promise to avenge Israel against the other nations.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 9 p'sukim - 32:-44-52
[P>32:44] The Torah goes back to the regular columnar format for this last portion of Haazinu.

Moshe, in front of Yehoshua, tells the people to heed the warning of this SHIRA and to keep the Torah, which in turn, will keep them.

An important point that has been oft- repeated in the book of D'varim is this: We did not receive the Land of Israel with "no strings attached". We must always be worthy of holding on to Eretz Yisrael. Sometimes that reminder is subtle; sometimes it is heavy-handed. Here we have: Take the Torah seriously, because it is the basis upon which we will have a long tenure in the land.

[P>32:48] G-d then tells Moshe to ascend Har Aravim-Nevo, see the Land from there, and die there, as Aharon had done earlier (the Torah reiterates the reason that both Moshe and Aharon couldn't enter Eretz Yisrael - namely, the incident when Moshe hit the rock rather than speak to it, missing an opportunity to sanctify G-d's name), rather than enter the Land which the People of Israel will enter.

The last 5 p'sukim are repeated for the Maftir.

Haftara - 22 p'sukim - Hoshea 14:2-10 (9)Yoel 2:15-27 (13)
Some add Micha 7:18-20Minhag Yerushalayim is not to.
The choice of the haftara this time is because of the Shabbat between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, rather than the usual idea of a connection to the sedra.

SHUVA YISRAEL AD HASHEM... These opening words of the Haftara give the Shabbat its name and basically say it all. Return to G-d. The following pasuk emphasizes the power of prayer in the T'shuva process. The command to repent is accompanied by wonderful promises (prophecies) of redemption and restoration of the former glory of Israel.

The passage from Yoel gives us a Shofar connection to the T'shuva process. Another encouraging note as we face the task of returning to G-d, is His assurance that He is among us - even before our T'shuva. And that He will not shame His people ever.

The last pasuk in Hoshea states, "Who is wise who understands this, an intelligent person will know: G-d's ways are straight, the righteous will walk upon them and the sinner will trip on them." Very often it is the same activity or the same thing that people handle differently, with the result that one person succeeds and the other falters. It is often a matter of attitude.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Haftara was not “chosen” because of the sedra, they do have some points in common. One example: The sedra speaks of rain in a figurative, spiritual sense and the Haftara mentions its more literal meaning in connection with prosperity. The prosperity angle is particularly interesting, since it appears in the sedra as a criticism and in the Haftara as a sign that G-d has forgiven His people. This fits with what was mentioned above about the last pasuk in Hoshea.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 204 (Gifts - part six) • Gifts Made in contemplation of Death
The term "Gifts Causa Mortis" means a gift made in contemplation of death. In this and in the next few lessons, we shall be discussing gifts causa mortis. In halacha, gifts can be divided into two major categories:

(1) Gifts made by a person in good health. This category may include: (a) persons who are actually healthy; (b) persons who are ill but not critically ill and on their deathbed; and (c) persons who are critically ill but desire that the gifts that they make are to be treated as gifts of a healthy person;
(2) Gifts made by a person close to death: this category can be divided into two subcategories, (a) a gift made by a critically ill person (that is, a gift causa mortis), and (b) gifts made in apprehension of imminent death.

We shall deal only with gifts causa mortis. In Hebrew, these last two are designated as matnat shechiv meira and matana machmat mita, respectively.

Actually, these two subcategories, (2a) and (2b), are almost indistinguishable, except that gifts made under apprehension of imminent death must be so specifically designated, while the gift of the critically ill person may sometimes be implied even when not so specifically designated.
In addition to the two major categories of gifts (the gift of the healthy person and the gift causa mortis), there is also a hybrid gift category: the meritorious act of carrying out the instructions of a person who died, whether those instructions were given while he, the donor (the person who makes a gift), was healthy or while close to death. Not to complicate the situation we shall deal only with gifts causa mortis.

Lessons 199 through 202 dealt with the first major category, the gifts of a healthy person. (As is usual in halacha, categories often overlap, and thus some of the laws of gifts causa mortis [made in contemplation of death] are mentioned in the lessons dealing with gifts of healthy persons, while laws dealing with gifts of healthy persons are often discussed in the lessons dealing with gifts causa mortis.) The author of the Shulhan Aruch, Rabbi Yosef Karo was born in Spain in 1488, fled with his family to Bulgaria in 1492 during the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. He then lived in Safed, Israel, where he died in 1575. He wrote a commentary on the code of Rabbi Jacob Tur, called Beth Yosef: Rabbi Karo later condensed his commentary, and this condensed work became the Shulhan Aruch. To the Shulhan Aruch of Rabbi Karo, Rabbi Moses Issereles (Crakow, Poland, 1520-1572) added his glosses, and the entire work of Rabbi Karo plus the included glosses of Rabbi Isserles became the Shulhan Aruch.

When the Shulhan Aruch was written by Rabbi Yosef Karo, many of the concepts of modern-day wills did not exist, A person gave away his assets through gifts while yet alive, either as gifts causa mortis or as gifts of a healthy person, and that which remained with him was distributed to his heirs upon his death, according to the laws of intestate succession described in future lessons. (Intestate means dying without writing a will.)

According to Torah law, at the moment of death, all of the assets of the decedent pass to the heirs, according to the laws of descent enumerated in the Torah. By Rabbinic law, certain obligations accrue at the moment of death of the decedent such as the ketuba obligations to the widow and the liability of the estate of the decedent to provide for the daughters of the decedent.

These lessons outline the method wherein an attempt can be made by the person who is critically ill to dispose of some or all of his assets before the Torah laws of descent of assets will take effect upon his death. In view of the Torah scheme of distribution of assets upon the death of their owner, how does the gift causa mortis take effect when the donor dies? No act of acquisition is performed by the donees (the recipients of the gifts) during the lifetime of the donor to transfer ownership of the assets from the donor to the donee; under Torah law, the transfer of assets from the donor to the donee cannot take effect after the death of the donor. The Rabbinic enactment regarding gifts causa mortis provides that the gift takes effect after the death of the donor, and yet the gift is deemed acquired during the donor's lifetime, retroactive to the time that it was made by his declaration of the gift. It is not actually retroactive legally, for if it were, all of the profits and losses from the donor's assets should have accrued to the donees, which they do not. If there is a deed given to the donee, either before or after the death of the donor, in the case of a gift causa mortis of real estate, this may complicate the situation.

Was it intended that the declaration of gift by the donor gives effect to the gift and the deed is given as mere evidence to enhance the legal position of the donee, or was it intended that the deed effect the gift? If it was the donor's intent that the delivery of the deed effects the transfer, then several questions arise:
(1) Did the deed reach the donee during the lifetime of the donor, and was it intended as the gift of a healthy person? If a deed intended to be effective upon delivery does not reach the donee or his agent during the lifetime of the donor, it is not effective.
(2) Was the deed part of a gift causa mortis? It may not qualify as such a gift if it was intended to take effect after the death of the donor, since a deed, to be valid, must be delivered and be effective during the lifetime of the donor.
(3) Was the deed intended only as evidence of a gift causa mortis, which was made by the mere declaration of the donor? I shall IYH, in future lessons discuss the declaration of a gift causa mortis that is accompanied by a deed or a kinyan.

The reason the Rabbis of the Talmud instituted the concept of gifts causa mortis will be explained in the next lesson. Some of the questions to be discussed in the next few lessons are: by whom can it be made? How is it made? What are its effects? When does the gift become effective? May it be rescinded partially or in whole? What if the critically ill person recovers? What if the critically ill person states that some, or all, of the assets in his possession belong to someone else? To how many donees may such gifts be made? What other persons are afforded the same treatment as critically ill persons regarding their gifts?

Regarding the last question, the Talmudic passages and subsequent codes deal with situations that were dangerous in those times (and may still be dangerous today), such as a sea voyage where there were pirates or simply the danger of becoming lost or being killed at sea or in a caravan voyage across a desert where there are bandits. Following the lead of the Shulhan Aruch, I shall also discuss sales and admissions by a critically ill person. We shall also discuss how many witnesses need be present when the gift causa mortis is declared; the role of the witnesses as merely witnesses or perhaps as judges who can distribute the gift.

The subject matter of this lesson is more fully presented in Volume VII Chapters 250 of"A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law" byE. Quint, published by Jason Aronson, Inc. and on sale at local Judaica bookstores.
Questions to quint@inter.net.il

MEANING IN MITZVOT by Rabbi Asher Meir
Each week we discuss one familiar halakhic practice and try to show its beauty and meaning. The columns are based on Rabbi Meir's Meaning in Mitzvot on Kitzur Shulchan Arukh
Blessings of Prayer and other Blessings
One of the most prominent features of Torah Judaism is the many blessings we recite. In fact, we are called upon to recite one hundred blessings each day! These blessings fall into a number of categories: blessings on enjoyments, blessings on the performance of mitzvot, blessings of praise (see Rambam Berakhot 11:1), as well as the blessings of the amida prayer.

All of these blessings share a common formulation: "Barukh atta HaShem" - blessed are You, HaShem. Despite this common linguistic structure, there seems to be a fundamental difference between the first three categories (enjoyments, mitzvot, and praise) and the last category - blessings of prayers. We see for example that when the Rambam explains the structure of blessings in the laws of blessings (11:1) he mentions only the first three categories. The Zohar also states that there is a fundamental difference between the blessings of prayer and the other kinds. (Zohar Ekev III:270b-271a.)

Here is one way to understand this difference. In both kinds of blessing, we are striving to testify to the connection of the physical world with the world of holiness and G-dliness. Rav Moshe Cordovero writes: "Every physical act needs to be accompanied by a hidden, spiritual aspect; and that is the essence of a blessing on a mitzva so that the physical action should be accompanied by the spiritual aspect namely the breath of speech, and above that the thought which gives rise to this speech" (cited in Yedid Nefesh commentary). We can easily extend this idea to blessings of praise and enjoyment. In all of these cases, the material subject of blessing is already before us: the mitzva act (for example, lighting candles); the object of praise (for example, a beautiful landscape) or the object of enjoyment (for example, a piece of fruit) are before us. Our job is to testify to the connection of these material acts of objects to the world of holiness: the act is connected to holiness because it is a commandment of HaShem; the object of praise or of enjoyment has this connection because it testifies to His beneficence.

In these cases, we are called upon to relate to the existing physical reality and connect it to holiness. The material is present, but the spiritual dimension needs to be provided by the blessing.

However, in our prayers we are asking HaShem to answer our requests and transform the existing physical reality. In a way the situation is exactly opposite. We stand in prayer before G-d; our entire experience during prayer is one of complete holiness. What is lacking is the material dimension; we ask HaShem to provide wisdom, livelihood, redemption, and so on.

The common denominator of these two kinds of blessings is the word "barukh", which describes an inner connection between the worlds of matter and spirit - a connection which the Jew is con- stantly working to strengthen. The Jew does not move back and forth between the disconnected worlds of material and spiritual, at one time eating an apple and enjoying a landscape and later on escaping into a detached meditative prayer. Rather, we are the go-betweens between these two domains. Any time we are involved in the world of action, we are striving to establish and strengthen the influence of holiness. Anytime we are in involved in the world of prayer, we are striving to create a physical world which is in a suitable receptacle for such holiness.

In each case, we testify that HaShem is "barukh", blessed, for He is the Holy One yet His holiness is expressed and accessible in the material world through uplifting experiences and through the holy acts of the commandments of the Torah.

“Meaning in Mitzvot” is undergoing intensive editing; to be followed IYH by printing. With the help of loyal supporters, we hope to have the book out by Rosh HaShana. If you would be interested in helping with publication, please contact Rabbi Meir about making a dedication or subscription (advance purchase): mail@asherandattara.com, fax 02-642-3141

Rabbi Meir authors a popular weekly on-line Q&A column, "The Jewish Ethicist", which gives Jewish guidance on everyday ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The column is a joint project of the JCT Center for Business Ethics, Jerusalem College of Technology - Machon Lev; and Aish HaTorah. You can see the Jewish Ethicist, and submit your own Qs — www.jewishethicist.com or www. aish.com

Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach; JOSHUA, JUDGES, SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi’im Rishonim) by Dr. Meir Tamari
Political Leadership and Kingship (Shoftim 9:1-6)
The story of a king or a government that usurps power or achieves it through conquest is a common phenomenon both throughout world history and in the Jewish experience. What are the rights of such governments and what are the obligations of its citizens?.

Avimelekh, the son of Gideon and his concubine [a Canaanite?] from Shechem, with the financial help of his mother’s townsmen and hired thugs, had himself elected as a ruler. It is true that this was not as a king, that would require a prophet and a Sanhedrin, but only as a ‘sar’, a minister; however, this was still meant to be an appointment of a ruler.

Avimelekh’s first act as a ruler was the murder of the 69 legitimate sons of Gideon, primarily in order to secure his position. Chazal saw this as a punishment for Gideon’s transgression of a mitzva of kingship, “he shall not multiply his wives, that they turn not his heart” [from Hashem (Deut 17:17). Even though in halakhic terms he was not a king and as a private citizen was not be liable to observe this mitzva, nevertheless, because the people saw him as such, he bore some responsibility. Perhaps, the numerous wives he had, maybe seen as an indication of sexual immorality on the part of Gideon, that led, since morality is indivisible, later to the bloodshed by his son. Irrespective, such acts of violence make it easy to de-legitimize regimes that do them or similarly blatantly immoral acts.

However, what about a ruler who treats his subjects well and administers moral justice, yet at the same time usurps power, as did the kings of Israel who were not of the Davidic dynasty or those who did not keep the mitzvot?

Of Achav, who like all the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, was not of the Davidic dynasty, the Tanach tells us, “ and he did more evil than did all those who, came before him” (1Kings, 16:30-32). Yet after the people had rejected the Baal, Eliyahu, far from calling for a rebellion against the king, ran before his chariot as a sign of respect, all the way from the Carmel to Jezreel, Achav’s home near Afula. We may see this as respect for one, who as the head of the Jewish state represents the unity and the destiny of the Jews, irrespective of his own religious behavior. Chazal, however, saw Achav as a spiritually much more complicated personality.

Despite his idolatry, Achav had respect for Talmidei chakhamim and appreciation for the importance of Torah. When the king of Damascus demanded the royal treasures as tribute, Achav gave them up. However, he refused, even if it meant war, to give up his special treasure, the special Sefer Torah that a king had to write (1Kings, 20:1-11: Sanhedrin, 102b). The food that ravens fed Eliyahu was kosher from the table of Achav (1Kings 17:6; Hullin 5a). Eliyahu’s act of homage was there- fore as recognition for that strange mixture in the spiritual make up of the man, secular in some respects yet very positively religious in others.

So much of the constitutional history of the Western world has revolved around govern- ments rights of taxation and their implementa- tion. Therefore, perhaps we can see most clearly the Jewish perspective on usurpers of powers or illegal governments is its treatment of that controversial right. The right to levy taxes is recognized halakhically as one of the primary powers of a government. “Everything that was said in [1 Samuel 8; giving a king the right of taxation in money, labor and in kind], the king has the right to do” (Sanhedrin20b). However, “When is the law of the king binding? When his coinage is accepted by everybody as his subjects accept his rule and agree to be his subjects… However, where his coinage is not legal tender, rather he rules only by force, then he and his officials are like a band of armed robbers and his laws are invalid “ (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Gezeila vaAveida 5:14-18). This ruling applies to a ruler, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and would seem to show that an illegal government frees people to evade all its laws.

However, when a legitimate ruler willfully exceeds his legal rights, then he is no longer to be obeyed. This would flow from a verse in the Torah. “Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself gold and silver [beyond what he needs for purposes of governing]” (Sanhedrin 21b, explaining Devarim, 17:17).

When this is transgressed, we see prophetic sanction for taxpayers revolt in the case of Yeravam ben Nevat in the days of Rechavam, the heir of Shlomo, a revolt that led to the breakup of the Davidic kingdom into two separate states. When Shlomo HaMelekh died the elders of Israel approached his son Rechavam, not to complain about their fiscal obligation per se, but only about the high level of taxes. Rechavam’s answer, “My father chastised you with whips, I’ll do so with scorpions”, served to foment a revolt, that had the support of the prophet Achiya HaShiloni (1Kings, 12: 1-20).

That revolt, together with the latter prophets involvement against the corruption and abuse of political power, formed the religious basis for the tax rebellions of the English Puritans, of the American colonists and perhaps even of the Great Trek of the fundamentalist Boers in South Africa.
Indeed, the Tanach’s rejection of such abitary and immoral governments is a message that has been repeated and re-echoed throughout world history.
This is the eighth 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. MicroUlpan
5. From Aloh Naaleh
6. NEW piece: Spiritual & Physical Well-being
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, 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 Someone sinned against his friend, but the victim is unaware of what the sinner did to him and will be very upset if he finds out. Should the sinner tell him and ask for forgiveness?

A The mishna (Yoma 85b) says that one does not receive atonement on Yom Kippur for sins between man and man until he appeases the victim. Thus, the sinner should go to great lengths to appease. The question is whether that includes causing further pain to the victim.

This dilemma is said to be a point of disagreement between two of the great teachers of morality of a century ago. The Chafetz Chayim, in the work from which he received his nickname (Hilchot Lashon Hara 4:12) states that one who caused damage to his friend through speech must ask his forgiveness even if it requires uncovering the story. Rav Yisrael Salanter is reported (in both oral and written record of the exchange) to have protested the ruling, claiming that a sinner cannot make efforts to receive atonement at the expense of another, who doesn't deserve more pain. Rav Avigdor Neventzal shlita is cited (Mikraei Kodesh (Harari) Yom Kippur 2:(4)) as finding it difficult to believe that the Chafetz Chayim is understood correctly. Rav Neventzal understood that it would be proper to uncover the offense only if the resulting damage would be to the sinner, not if it would extend to the victim. Whatever version of the Chafetz Chayim's opinion (or Rabbeinu Yona's, upon whom it is based) one accepts, the accepted approach is that it is wrong to cause new wounds. One should also realize that even if he gets a degree of atonement for the sin (asking forgiveness of man or Hashem does not assure full removal of every sin), he may add on to the grievousness of the damage and, thus, might anyway lose out in the process.

This being said, one must realize that sometimes the aforementioned concern is exaggerated. On one hand, there are times that even if a victim is aware of the affront, recalling it will cause a painful re-opening of the wound. Yet, that does not mean that it is not worthwhile to ask forgiveness. Often wounds need to be re-opened in order to be properly tended to and heal. The offender should not automatically use the initial uneasiness as an excuse to avoid the very difficult task of asking forgiveness. However, one has to be wise and sensitive about how he does it. If he makes a quick phone call a half hour before Yom Kippur or the like it might be taken as an insincere effort to get some overly easy atonement. Emo- tional conversations must be planned, and no two situations are identical or are properly remedied in the identical way.

What happens if one decides that he should not ask forgiveness? First of all, a general request of forgiveness from the party is worth something, certainly when the affront is known but is embarrassing to the victim to bring up (see Mishna Berura (written by the Chafetz Chayim) 606:4, who agrees in this case). In general, it appears that the mishna that requires appeasing the victim is some- times taken out of context. Yes, it is futile to attempt teshuva for sins between people by addressing only Hashem without receiving forgiveness from his friend. But it can be illustrated from the mishna's context and from related sources that this is because one cannot be sincere about his repentance if he has the ability to remedy the situation and refuses to do so. So, Rambam (Teshuva 2:9) talks in one breath of making necessary monetary payments and appeasing. The Pri Chadash (OC 606) and Minchat Chinuch (#364) talk about not getting atonement even for the element of the sin of affront to Hashem in this case. There is also a process described as sufficient to do one's duties of seeking forgiveness from victims who are not willing to forgive. These and other sources imply that if one does all that he should for his counterpart, then Hashem will grant him at least partial atonement. Thus, if one refrains from revealing details only in order to spare his friend pain (as Rav Salanter requires) he can expect to receive partial atonement, according to his sincerity.

Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to eretzhem@netvision.net.il with the message: Join Hemdatya –Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
Once, on the afternoon before Yom Kippur, the Ba'al Shem Tov was seen striding joyfully down the street. A man stopped him and asked him: "Rebbi, why are you so happy at a time like this, when all are so solemn as the Day of Judgment draws near? After all, if your verdict is a negative one, you certainly have no cause to rejoice. Then again, if you are happy because you are convinced that your verdict will be a positive one, isn't that conceit on your part?" "It is entirely irrelevant to me whether the verdict is positive or negative in my case," replied the Ba'al Shem Tov. "I am rejoicing because there is a Judge in the world and there is justice in the world."

If you’ve enjoyed these stories, look for Shmuel Himelstein's new book, "Wisdom and Wit", at your local Jewish bookstore - an entirely new collection.

[3] Candle by Day
Repentance is a process of crying over spilled milk — and recovering it. - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[4] Micro Ulpan - a word (or two) from HaAcademiya LaLashon Ha-Ivrit
The series of tiny holes in a straight line, close together, on a piece of paper or cardboard, that make it easy to neatly tear off a part of the paper or card is called, in English PERFORATION.

And, we'll bet you think the Hebrew word for perforation is PERFORATZIYA. Not even close. The correct Hebrew word for perforation is NIKBUV. Same root but different from the word NIKUV, which means to make a single hole or a few
holes. A stamp is perforated (M'NUKBAV) so the tab can be neatly removed.

[5] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
The closing words of Ha'azinu's song, 'V'KFRA ADMATO IMO/, "And His land will atone for His people", teach us that the land of Israel can achieve atonement for the people of Israel. This is why Chazal emphasize the importance of burial in Eretz Israel. Connecting the word ADMATO mentioned in our verse with MIZBEACH ADAMA, "earthen altar", the Talmud goes as far as to say that burial in the land of Israel is equivalent to burial under the altar, the site of atonement. Due to its inherent holiness as God'sland, all of Eretz Israel is equated to the place of the altar.

The first to insist on burial in the Land of Israel was our forefather, Jacob. Jacob wished to be buried in Eretz Israel, not only for the personal spiritual benefit that he would derive, but also for a much more profound reason. The Meshech Chochma argues that Jacob wished to prevent the assimilation of his offspring into Egyptian life and culture. Jacob impressed the centrality of Eretz Yisrael upon the national psyche of his descendants. Many Jews throughout the generations, who were unable to come to Israel during their lifetimes, echoed Jacob's sentiments and instructed that they be buried there. They too wanted to impress upon their own families and communities that they are but temporary dwellers in a foreign land.

In Midrash Mishlei, Rabbi Levi's version of the drasha regarding V'CHIPER ADMATO AMO reads in a slightly different manner.
He says that anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael, even for a single hour, and dies there, is destined to inherit the world to come. According to Rabbi Levi, burial alone does not do the trick; living in the land is essential. The Talmud relates Rabbi Elazar's reaction to the death of Ulla, his student, outside of Eretz Yisrael: "You, Ulla, should die in an unclean land!" Hearing that Ulla's coffin had arrived, Rabbi Elazar declared: "Receiving a man in his lifetime is not the same as receiving him after his death."

Jacob was unable to return to live in Israel, but his descendants living in our present, unique times, are welcome to return. May we all merit to live long lives in the Land of Israel.

Rabbi Yitzchak Korn, Jerusalem
TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavua

[6] Spiritual and Physical Well-being in Judaism
<cont. from last week>
Now that we have seen how the energies of time (the seasons) can stimulate us toward T'shuva, next we will explore how the energies of place effect this process. It is well known that certain places in the world act as energy sieves from the earth's core to its surface. Included are Machu Pichu, Peru, Sedona, Arizona and Stonehenge, England. The human body, like all other matter, acts as an energy conduit, similar to a crystal, to the energies flowing from the earth. Every nation, which demonstrates specific attachment to a specific land (Maharal, Netzach Yisrael) are effected more by the energies of their own land. The Jewish crystal, both body and soul, is effected most greatly by the energies of Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel).

Consider next that the greatest form of T'shuva for the Jewish people is to return to live in Eretz Yisrael. Rashi (Vayikra 25:38), based on the midrash, explains to us that living outside of Israel is tantamount to idol worship. Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh (D'varim 30:20) then explains, that when Moshe tells us "to dwell (la'shevet) on the land which Hashem promised to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give to them," it means that to dwell in Eretz Yisrael is the pathway to the attainment of wholeness and completion, a "lengthening of days", and that, as it is written, it is a commandment equal to all of Torah. It is no coincidence that the word for 'to dwell' and 'to return' have the same root, as to do T'shuva is also to be grounded, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Rav Mordechai Attia explains (Lech Lecha V'Sod HaShvuah, pg. 67) that the word T'shuva itself, made up of the Hebrew word "shuv" (return) followed by the letter "heh" (the sfira malchut), means, to return to the Land of Israel. In the book "Kedushat Ha'Aretz", pg. 7, (The Holiness of the Land), we learn that the person who lives in Israel is surrounded by holiness from all sides, "above and below, from the outside and from the inside. From below, standing on holy ground. From above, heaven's gates open opposite Eretz Yisrael". The Zohar explains that the passage that we read every Shabbat in the Mincha service, "You are one, and Your name is one, one nation in the land" means that Hashem's Holy Name, the Tetragrammaton, occurs only when the People of Israel reside in the Land of Israel. This union of the nation and the land lead to a greater spiritual energy flow from heaven to earth, with the nation as the conduit.

When this realigned energy flows through the individual and nation newly resettled in Israel, a cleansing process occurs spontaneously similar to what we see in patients treated with bioenergy healing techniques. The body begins to throw off the poisons, acidity and wastes that had accumulated up until that time. The healing process leads to a psychological cleansing as well. As I witnessed many times in health retreats, fasting patients many times developed psychological healing "crises" as part of their overall healing, manifesting heightened fear, anger, and spiritual angst prior to seeing the light of a detoxified mind.

As Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook (Sichot Zvi Yehuda, Vayikra, pg 57) commented on the passage "the air of Eretz Yisrael makes wise", that it "also heals." "And I will throw upon you pure waters" (Ezekiel 36:25) refers to this spiritual cleansing after our return to the land. Eretz Yisrael, acting as a "healing medicine, and medical bath", which acts to remove sickness from inside to the outside, prior to a complete healing, will "initially remove the inner spiritual poisons to the outside" of those who come to dwell there" (Lech Lecha, V'Sod HaShvuah, pg. 42-45). Rav Mordechai Attia, thus explains the meaning of the Spies report, that all those entering the land "fall in their stature", due to a cleansing, prior to an eventual elevation.

This process does not occur all at once, as our healing crisis would be too much for our individual and collective strength. As Maimonides wrote (Hanhagah Habriut, Ch. 2) that if the medicine is stronger than the patient intrinsic strength, he will succumb. The prophet Isaiah (52:12) tells us, "Not in a hurry, you will go out" from the exile to the future redemption, in contrast to the redemption from Egypt. Rav Kook (Ma'amrei Hariya, Pesach of Egypt, Pesach of the Future, pg 164) explains that the slow redemption functions to allow us to remove all of the "foreign influences" of 2000 years of exile from our national contiousness in a slow manner, as our abilities to perceive and integrate the great light of the redemption have been too dampened to receive it all at once.

The last few decades have shown an increasing expression of angst, fear, despair and anger amongst the people living within the land. Not only has this been due to an unclear sense of self-purpose and destiny, I maintain that this has also been due to the continuing cleansing process of our exilic sickness, of 2000 years of fear, angst, despair and anger. The present crisis, internal (economic, social, religious) and external (terrorist war), only increased the tempo of the healing. As I routinely see in my practice, most people only return to health once they've reached the crisis of sickness. Our crisis has forced us to return to reclarify our purpose here in Eretz Yisrael, to be healthy in body, mind and spirit, as a light unto the nations. The darkness always precedes the light, the contrast making the light all that much brighter.

I can already see the light, and it shines stronger every day. May the present tshuvah season bring you closer to the path of light.
Article by Yehuda Ben-Asher, M.D., from his bimonthly newsletter, The Natural Path. Dr. Ben-Asher has a Jerusalem practice in Naturopathic Medicine. 993-3446

[7] Divrei Menachem
Shabbat Shuva is an apt name for the Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It is the Sabbath of Return, after the first word of this week's Haftara from the Book of Hoshe'a (14:2) which begs us to "Return, Israel, to the Lord your G-d because you have stumbled in your iniquity."

The rabbis discuss whether the stumbling is the result of our iniquity or the iniquity itself constitutes the stumbling. Ibn Ezra deduces that the latter approach is correct, for Hashem tells us later (v.5) that He will heal our backsliding. Like the proficient doctor, G-d will attend to both the sickness of the body and the wounds.

Of course, when we ask ourselves into what iniquity we have stumbled, the list grows exponentially. Nehama Leibowitz considers several sources implying that our mistake was to seek out deviant sources of salvation - political alliances and hand-made idols, for example. Ultimately, she concludes that our most grievous sin was (is) the faith that we put in ourselves.

We are overwhelmed by this realization. And in our naïve way we call out, "Our Father, our King, return us to You in perfect repen- tance." However, what Shabbat Shuva is really about is our taking the first step. We need first to return. Then, it seems, Hashem will assist us.
G'mar Chatima Tova,Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,
Menachem Persoff

SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest,and anticipation of the reader, thereby hasteningthe realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.
Yom Kippur in the Mikdash
<cont. from last week's TT> Suitably dressed in white linen garments, the Kohein Gadol then sanctified (washed) his hands and feet (3rd time). He "approached his bullock" which had been previously positioned "between the Ulam (i.e. the Bayit) and the Mizbei'ach". This bullock was to be a Korban Chatat, a sin offering, but it would be burned (for the most part), outside the Mikdash. Since the Kohein Gadol was going to confess his personal sins over this bullock as well as those of all the Kohanim, it was necessary that the sacrificial animal be his own personal property. He put his hands between the horns of the bullock, pressed down and confessed his sin, "O G-d, I have committed iniquity… and sinned before You, I and my house". The function of this Korban was to atone for the ritual defiling of the Sanctuary and its "holy things". Leaving the bullock, the Kohein Gadol proceeded to the eastern gate of the Azara, "and two (identical) he-goats were there and there was also an urn containing two lots". Standing between the goats "he shook the urn and took the two lots. On one was written LaShem (For G-d) and on the other was written 'To Azazel".

The Kohein Gadol drew the lots simultaneously and placed them on the goats and then "bound a thread of crimson wool on the goat that was to be sent to Azazel". Dramatic indeed was the rite of the Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach, the scapegoat, the "goat which was to be sent forth"! Many strange Midrashim connect the mysterious "Fallen Angels" of Bereishit 6:4 with the Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach. And not only Midrashim! "The school of R. Yishmael taught, 'Azazel? The Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach obtains atonement for the matter of Uza and Azazel.'" (Yoma 67b) Rashi notes that "Uza and Azazel were two angels of destruction who descended to earth in the days of Na'ama" who was reputed to be the apotheosis of beauty. Another Midrash has it that on one Yom Kippur, the angel Azazel accused Israel before G-d and demanded their destruction. G-d said that if he, Azazel, would live among men, he too would sin. The obstreperous angel demanded to be tested and, with G-d's consent, descended to earth. There, upon seeing a gorgeous maiden resplendent with the beauty of her namesake Na'ama, his 'evil inclination overcame him' and he sinned. As a punish- ment, Azazel was forever banned from Heaven; he was to remain in the desert 'until the end of time'. Being reminded of the fate of Azazel, the accusers of Israel remain silent" (Imrei Noam). The Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach was brought to the Azara gate "from which it would be sent out". The Kohein Gadol returned to his bullock.

"He laid his hands upon it and made confession" for the second time. "I have committed iniquity… I and my house" and he added, "and all the children of Aaron" - the Kohanim. Particularly instructive is the fact that the wife of the Kohein Gadol is included in the first confession ("I and my house") and his children are included in the second confession with the rest of the Kohanim. The Pasuk in Bereishit 2:24, "Therefore a man… shall cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh" had "metamorphosed" into Mikdash Halacha! Since they were "one flesh", how could he not include her in his personal confession of sin?

"He slaughtered the bullock and received its blood in a Mizrak (bowl) and gave it to one who would stir it… so it would not coagu- late". He took the Machta (fire-pan), ascended the Mizbei'ach… and scooped out glowing cinders". The Kohein Gadol would bring them and the Ketoret (incense) into the Kodesh HaKodashim (see TT #586). When the Kodesh HaKodashim was filled with redolent smoke, he exited the sacred chamber leaving the smoking Machta on the Even Shetiya. As he exited the Kodesh HaKodashim, "he prayed a short prayer but he did not prolong it lest he put Israel in terror". This was his only prayer of the day. He exited the Bayit and retrieved the Mizrak containing the blood of his slaughtered bullock from the Kohein who had been stirring it all this time. He returned to the Kodesh HaKodashim (2nd time) and sprinkled the blood, "one time upward and seven times downward" in front of the Even Shetiya. He exited the Kodesh HaKodashim and placed the Mizrak on a gold stand that was positioned before the Parochet. He then exited the Bayit. "They brought him the he-goat (the "LaShem goat") and he slaughtered it and received the blood in a Mizrak". This goat, like the bullock, was a Korban Chatat and would later be burned for the most part, outside of the Mikdash, together with the bullock. Entering the Kodesh HaKodashim for the 3rd time, he also sprinkled the goat's blood, "one time upward and seven times downward" in front of the Even Shetiya. He exited the Kodesh HaKodashim and placed the Mizrak on a second stand. This goat atoned for non- Kohanim who entered the Mikdash area or ate holy foods (permitted sacrificial meat etc.) in a state of ritual impurity. He then took the Mizrak with the bullock's blood and sprinkled it in front of the Parochet, "one upward, seven downward" and did the same with the goat's blood. The Kohein Gadol then "emptied out the blood of the bullock into the (Mizrak containing) the blood of the he-goat and then poured (the contents) of the full (Mizrak) into the empty one."

Holding the Mizrak, the Kohein Gadol, then proceeded to the Mizbach HaZahav (incense altar), and gently placed drops of blood on the "horns". He cleared away the ashes from the southern side of the top of the Mizbach HaZahav and sprinkled there seven drops of blood. These Yom Kippur blood applications were the only time during the year that blood came in contact with this altar and they atoned for any ritual impurity which might have contaminated this altar or the Ketoret. "He then came to the Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach, laid his hands on it and made confession" for the sins of all Israel. The goat was escorted to the wilderness and pushed off a 'high peak' where it "went rolling down… breaking into pieces". Meanwhile, he had removed the innards of the bullock and the "LaShem goat", placed them in a vessel and set them aside. He then intertwined the animal's bodies together; they were carried out of the Mikdash and burnt outside of Jerusalem. Upon being informed that the Sa'ir Hamishtalei'ach had reached the wilderness, the Kohein Gadol read before the people Parshat Acharei Mot and other appropriate portions of the Torah. He then sanctified his hands and feet (4th time), removed his white vestments, immersed in the Mikva, (3rd time), donned the golden garments, and again sanctified his hands and feet. (5th time) He then sacrificed two rams as Olot, "his own ram" and "the people's ram"; he also burned the innards of the bullock and the "LaShem goat" on the Mizbei'ach. Sanctifying his hands and feet for the 6th time, he removed the gold garments, immersed (4th time), again sanctified his hands and feet (7th time) and put on his white garments to enter the Kodesh HaKodashim (4th and last time) to remove the Machta. He burned the regular afternoon Ketoret and lit the Menora. He then sanctified his hands and feet (8th time), removed the white vestments, immersed (5th and last time), again sanctified his hands and feet (9th time) and put on his gold garments. He offered the daily afternoon Tamid and once again sanctified his hands and feet (10th time) and removed the golden garments.

The Avodot of Yom Kippur were complete; the sins of Israel were forgiven. At the conclusion of the Chag, the Kohein Gadol "made a feast for his friends because he had come forth from the Kodesh HaKodashim in peace."

Catriel Sugarman (acatriel@netvision.net.il, 02-652-7531) gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service.

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
Column #87. 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.

Here's a review of a topic we've covered, but Yom Kippur makes this review timely and important.

V'AL KULAM, ELOKAI SLICHOT, SLACH LANU, M'CHAL LANU, KAPER LANU
For all of these sins, G-d of Forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us. We will be saying this sentence 27 times on Yom Kippur, 12 of which will be said out loud by the whole congregation, often singing at the top of their lungs. It is our plea to HaShem to forgive us for all sins, which we enumerate in token form with the 44-sentence double Alef-Bet AL CHEITs.

And what do many, many people do in this power- ful, dramatic moment with this powerful sentence? They mispronounce G-d's name.

Let's start simple. Apple in Hebrew is TAPU'ACH. Not TAPUCHA like someone brand new to the Alef-Bet and reading might say. TAV-PATACH, TA. Good. PEI-SHURUK, PU. Fine. CHET- PATACH, CHA. No. Try again. CHET-PATACH, ACH. Correct. Maybe it's been so long since we've learned how to read Hebrew that we've forgotten this unusual phenomenon of Hebrew. Letter with a vowel, the sound of the letter goes first and then the sound of the vowel. Except. Except when there is a CHET at the end of a word with a PATACH under it. Then the PATACH is sounded first, followed by the CHET. Calendar or blackboard is LU'ACH, not lucha. Wind and spirit are RU'ACH. The Altar is MIZBEI'ACH. Strength is KO'ACH.

Not kocha. Soot is PI'ACH. And so it goes. So far, so good. The PATACH under the CHET at the end of a word is called PATACH G'NUVA, a stolen PATACH. There is a virtual (we would have called it imaginary in the old days) ALEF before the CHET that steals the PATACH from the CHET.

S'faradim handle the pronunciation of PATACH G'NUVA differently. If the vowel of the letter before the CHET-PATACH is a TZEIREI or a CHIRIK, then the imaginary letter that steals the PATACH is a YUD. Altar is MIZ-BEI-YACH. Soot is PI-YACH. If the preceding vowel is a CHOLAM or SHURUK, then the imaginary letter that takes the PATACH is a VAV sounded like it should be, like a W. Apple is TAPUWACH. The person midway between ADAM and AVRAHAM AVINU is NOWACH. Ashkenazim pronounce his name NO'ACH. S'faradim: NO-WACH.

Where'd we get to apples and soot from the Yom Kippur Vidui sentence? The answer is that all of the above discussion of PATACH G'NUVA applies not just to CHET-PATACH at the end of a word, but to HEI-PATACH at the end of a word, too. (AYIN also, but we'll save that for another time.)

HEI-PATACH at the beginning of a word or in the middle is pronounce HA, as to be expected. At the end of a word, the PATACH is stolen by an imaginary ALEF (YUD or WAW for S'faradim) and is pronounced BEFORE the HEI, which has a dot in it (MAPIK) and is NOT silent, but rather it is aspirated. Tall is GAVO'AH, not gavoha. This is harder to say than the CHET-PATACH, but it is not less a PATACH G'NUVA because of the difficulty in saying it properly.

G-d's name in the above sentence is supposed to be pronounced ELO'AH, let's hear the HEI, but after the A. S'faradim would say ELOWAH. Many people say ELOHA, but that is wrong. It isn't the way to say G-d's name. Not ELOKA, but ELO'AK. But with a HEI, of course.

And the accent of the word is on the LO syllable. e-LO-ah (e-LO-wah). It takes practice, but it is G-d's name and we are asking Him for forgiveness. It's worth the effort.

Parsha Pix
We’ll start with the upper-left picture, the classic one with the listening ears for both the sky and the ground, as in HAAZINU HASHAMAYIM... V’TISHMA HAARETZ, let both Heaven and Earth listen to what I (says Moshe) am going to say.
The musical note represents the general name for the majority of Haazinu - namely, SHIRA.
The cloud with rain is one of the analogies to the lessons of Torah.
Like an eagle protecting its nest and its young... that is how protective G-d is of His people.
The pupil of the eye, sometimes referred to as the apple of the eye, refers to our status as G-d’s favored nation (we should only earn it and be deserving of it).
Ask your father and he will answer you, your elders (grandparents?) and they will tell you.
There’s a Megila again. Just like last week. Both this week and last week’s (two weeks ago) sedras mention HESTEIR PANIM, G-d’s withdrawal to the background, so to speak, behind the scenes. The name of ESTHER is a play on HESTER PANIM and the story of Esther is a prime example of G-d’s hidden hand in history.
Skip to the bottom of the ParshaPix. The negation circle on the wine is for the prohibition of Yayin Nesech.
The milk and butter (lower-right) refers to the description of the prosperity that Israel will enjoy, then over-indulge in, and then be the cause of our turning away from HaShem.
Middle picture at the bottom is the logo of YESHURUN Synagogue, a nickname of ISRAEL that appears in Haazinu (and in V’zot HaBracha twice).
That leaves us with the two elements of the PP that relate to the Haftara. The exchange of bulls and lips is for the Hoshea part of the Haftara and the Shofar blowing in Zion is for the Yoel.

TTRIDDLES...
are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found all together at the end of the ParshaPix-TTriddles section. Some TTriddles are also presented for call-in solution on Torah Tidbits Audio (Arutz-7, Thursday night). The best solution set submitted each week (there isn't always a best) wins a double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal

Last issue’s (Rosh HaShana) TTriddles:
[1] Pre-shofar is to p'sukim as what is to words?
[2] Actually there are at least 3000
[3] In the desert, 29:1 might lead a person from Bujumbura to his Independence Day
[4] What's the difference between an aardvark and its primary prey?
[5] It was 2085 at the time
[6] 3 consecutive letters in reverse order say it all!
[7] We read about him this Shabbat, but we don't say the prayer his name reminds us of
[8] Seder RH brings to mind two other months
[9] 30 blasts "sitting" and 30 what standing?
[10] Remove the hydrogen and sulfur, add barium and shake well - it's almost 3 weeks later
[11] What do you feed horses on Rosh Hashana?
[12] Mincha Gedola is 2:00am (not really) When and Why?

And the envelope please...
[1] Sounds like an SAT analogy. The key to this TTriddle is K'RA SATAN. This phrase is spelled out by the first letters of the six p'sukim after MIN HAMEITZAR... that we say responsively with the Shofar-blower before the first set of T'KI'OT. That's p'sukim. In words, the Rashei Teivot (intial letters) of the words of the second line of ANA B'CHO'ACH (from Korbanot and right before L'CHA DODI).
[2] We speak of 100 KOLOT, blasts of the Shofar. If we were to count a T'KI'A as a single sound, SH'VARIM as 3 sounds, and T'RU'A as 9 sounds, then the numbers change. TASHRAT becomes 14 sounds, rather than 4. TASHAT is 5 sounds. TARAT is 11 sounds. Together, a mini-set is made up of 30 sounds. Multiply by ten to cover all hundred KOLOT and we find that they are made up of at least (because T'RU'A can be more, and usually is) 3000 sounds.
[3] In the desert is BAMIDBAR. 29:1 is the first pasuk of the Rosh HaShana maftir, which mentions the date: the first day of the seventh month. We know that as the first of Tishrei, but to a resident of Burundi's capital city, it would mean the first of July, which is Burundi Independence Day.
[4] Rosh HaShana is the birthday of the world. Specifically, it is the anniversary of the 6th day of Creation, when human beings were created. And land mammals, such as the aardvark. The aardvark's main diet element is/are termites, created on day 5 of creation. The difference between the aardvark and its prey, then, is one day.
[5] The ram that Avraham Avinu found tangled by its horns in the branches and offered on the Mizbei'ach in lieu of Yitzchak was created, according to the "Yeish Omrim" in the mishna in Avot, in the instant before the first Shabbat of B'reishit. That would make it 2085 years when it fulfilled its purpose and gave us the Shofar for all generations.
[6] The three consecutive letters in the Alef-Bet in reverse order that spell a very meaningful word for Rosh HaShana are MEM-LAMED-CHAF. The word that says it all - MELECH.
[7] The Shabbat in question was the first day of Rosh HaShana. Besides reading about Avraham, Sara, Yitzchak, Hagar and Yishmael, we also read abour Avimelech (and Pichol). Although we read about Avimelech, the prayer that his name can remind us of, was not said. AVINU MALKEINU, AVI and MELECH.
[8] Among the SIMANIM at the table on Leil Rosh HaShana are FISH and the head of a RAM. Those remind us of PISCES and ARIES, the mazalot of ADAR and NISSAN.
[9] 30 blasts "sitting" refers to the first set of Shofar sounds. Sitting is in quotation marks (inverted commas) because we all stand for the Shofar blowing, but in contrast to the Shofar blowing during the Amida, we call the first set M'YUSHAV. Sitting. While standing refers to the AMIDA, in fact, all four of them in the course of a day of Rosh HaShana. With seven brachot in each Amida of Maariv, Shacharit, and Mincha, and nine in Musaf, we have a total of 30 brachot standing.
[10] Take the letters of the phrase ROSH HASHANA. Take away an H (hydrogen) and an S (sulfur) and you are left with ROHASHANA. Add BA (barium) and you get ROHASHANABA. Mixed these letters up (MM suggests: with NA"ANU'IM) and you get HOSHANA RABA, which is almost three weeks after Rosh HaShana.
[11] Ah, yes, the old cryptic crossword puzzle type of clue. ROSH (the head) of the word HASHANA is the letter HEI. Which is what horses eat - HAY.
[12] One of the ways that we treat the two days of Rosh HaShana is as a YOM ARICHTA, one long day. With sunrise approx. 6:30am on the first day and sunset approx. 6:30pm on the second day, there would be 36 hours between sunrise and sunset on this double-day. Mincha Gedola at 6½ hours would come to 2:00am. That's the when and the why.
This week's honors go to MM/Bklyn for his correct solutions and creative alternates

This week's TTriddles:
[1] G-d, god, (person), object
[2] They have the same number of lines
[3] NeaTzit, __, __, __, __, Haazinu
[4] 25 and a couple of milimeters apart
[5] It is possible to be REQUIRED to eat raw meat. Who, what, when? (not counting a Piku'ach Nefesh kind of situation)
[6] billy & nanny beyond the present
[7] melo student
[8] Same number as RH & Chagim, not withstanding...
[9] 16 and 18 - even, composite, yes, 17 - odd, prime, no
[10] His song, only if Monday or Tuesday

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Sundry
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From Hava'ad Lema'an Rachel Imeinu
B”H ...Egged has agreed to put more buses on the line to Kever Rachel. The timing could not be more crucial, as the PM is already speaking of giving up Beit Lechem, G-d forbid. Although Kever Rachel is not included in the "planned" retreat ...the Palestinians are pushing for Kever Rachel to be included in the Beit Lechem turn over.
Extra buses to Kever Rachel will only be run if there are passengers. So do a mitzva for your mom (Rachel Imeinu) and your country and visit Kever Rachel ASAP, and as often as possible.
New EGGED schedule to/from Kever Rachel
Jerusalem to Kever Rachel:
SUN-THU: 05:10 (from R’ Malchei Yisrael), 09:10, 11:10, 13:10, 15:10, 17:10, 19:10,(22:10 on THU only); FRI 9:10, 12:10, 14:10; Motza”Sh 21:10
Kever Rachel to Jerusalem
SUN-THU 06:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, (23:30 on THU only); FRI 10:30, 13:30, 15:30; Motza”Sh 22:30
Egged 163 bus to Kever Rachel leaves from the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, platform 5,inside the building. The Route is as follows:
Central Bus Station, Yirmiyahu, Sarei Yisrael, Malchei Yisrael, Meah She'arim,Hanevi'im, Kvish #1,Hatzanchanim, Derech Hevron,Kever Rachel.
Questions? Call 056-530-537

Tiyulim and Shabbatonim
THE TRAVEL DESK for making registration and receiving info of Israel Center tiyulim. And, to help you - whether you live in Israel or are visiting - plan private tiyulim and make in-Israel travel arrangements. We will be happy to assist you from 9:00am-1:00pm on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Call Batya at The Travel Desk of the Israel Center, 566-7787 ext. 249; fax: 566-7876 • tiyul@israelcenter.co.il
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KASHRUT POLICY Food for Israel Center In-House programs is supervised by OU-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 the Israel Center.
Israel Center Tiyulim are partially subsidized by the Jewish Agency for Israel

The next Israel Center In-House Shabbaton • Shaabat Parshat TO-L’DOTNovember 28-29; 240NIS members (non-members add 10NIS) Special offer: Register before Yom Kippur and pay only 200NIS, (Cancelation fee 20NIS) • Limited spaces; Watch for further details

Chol HaMoed Sukkot - Tuesday, October 14th • The Historical Western Route of Binyamin: A fun day for all ages: Guide: Gidon Abramowitz, 09:00: Departure from Israel Center; 10:00: Home hospitality in sukkot of the families of Dolev; 11:00: Celebrate with the yishuv at a Simchat Beit HaShoeva marking 20 yrs. since the establishment of Dolev (activity for kids as well); 12:30: Departure ; 13:00: Join the community Sukkah in Neve Tzuf for lunch, Swim in the new, indoor swimming pool (seperate), Walk the trails in the natural forest,learn about the flora and fauna from the local experts, Visit Military base in Neve Tzuf; 16:00: Departure to Jerusalem • 125/135NIS all inclusive (incl. transportation, lunch, activities)

Mini Israel & Latrun • Tuesday, October 21, '03, Leaving the Center 9:00am; returning approx.5:00pm: First stop: Latrun Museum: go back in history to the times of Yehoshua Bin Nun's famous battle in Emek Ayalon.. A soldier will guide us through the historical memorial to the fallen of the Armored Corp... largest collection of tanks (ours & theirs) in the Middle East...; Please bring your own lunch or have a delicious box lunch prepared for you at the Café in the Israel Center. Call (02) 5667787 ext 257, Then to the popular Mini Israel Park... hundreds of models of famous buildings and sights in Israel from 200 B.C.E. to the present... holy places, stadiums, theaters, homes, marketplaces, nature habitats and many other surprises. All models built with precision, exactness and with the love of Israel, which will excite your senses.Most people will be walking through Mini-Israel. But we have reserved seven carts at Mini-Israel. Two people per cart. Extra charge 30NIS p.p., One of the two people must know how to drive. Call Batya to reserve a cart: 5667787 ext 249. First-come, first served. All ages will enjoya lovely day: Price 105NIS (Members & children), Non Members - 120NIS

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.

Sukkot Specials
1. Carlton, Nahariya, valid October 10-18
2 night package, 1270NIS per couple night, H/B

2. Renaissance, J’lem, CHAG (Oct. 10, 17): 1390NIS per couple per night, F/B
Chol HaMoed (Oct. 11-16): 620NIS per couple per night, B/B

3. Park Plaza, Jerusalem, valid October 10-18
2-night package, 1080NIS per couple, H/B (includes 2 tickets to the Israel Museum)

4. Holiday Inn, Ashkelon, valid October 10-18
Glatt-Mehadrin, 1015NIS per couple per night, F/B

5. Olive Tree, Jerusalem, valid October 10-18
Glatt-Mehadrin, 720NIS per couple per night, F/B

6. Canaan Spa, Tzfat, valid )ctober 10-18
920NIS per couple, per night, H/B

7. Havat HaBaron, Zichron, Valid October 9-19
3 night package: 2070NIS per couple, H/B

8. Sheraton Moriah, Dead Sea, Valid Oct. 12-16
2 night package, 1900NIS per couple, h/b

9. Neptune Eilat, Valid Oct. 12-16
555NIS per couple, per night b/b

10. Kibbutz Lavi, Valid Oct. 16-19
Hoshana Raba-Simchat Torah, 3 night package, 1760NIS per couple

11. Kibbutz Lavi, Valid Oct. 19-24
2 night midweek package: 850NIS per couple h/b

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

The Back Page of TT588
"Regular" Israel Center classes & lectures - 20NIS for members, 25NIS for non-mem. Life members, 5NIS (except for programs of/with other organizations).
No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay.
Many Israel Center programs are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

Shabbat Parshat Haazinu, October 4th
3:30pm Shabbat Shuva Drasha (in English):
"Unbending Justice and Tender Justice" by Rabbi Macy Gordon
4:30pm MINCHA
4:55pm (approx.) Seuda Shlishit D'var Torah by Rabbi Dovid Cohen
5:55pm MAARIV & Havdala

Motza'ei Shabbat, October 4th • 8:30pm AT YESHURUN SYNAGOGUE, King George Street, corner Shmuel HaNagid (NOT at the Israel Center) • Motza'ei Shabbat Shuva Drasha by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin : "Redemption, Rain, and the Resurrection of the Dead:Analysis of the Third Covenant, the Book of YonaHoshana Rabba, and Shmini Atzeret"

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)
resumes iy"h after Sukkot Daf Yomi by Rabbi Shmuel Halpern
4:30pm Shiur by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel
Shiurim are in English and take place in the Ganchrow Beit Midrash
For men who want to do some serious learning...

The Center will be closed from Motza"Sh Shuva until Tuesday morning, 11 Tishrei, October 7th IY"H

TUESDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - CLOSED
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 In-depth study of the weekly Haftara Dr. Hayim Abramson
9:55am Festival of Joy Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50am Parshat HaShavua Rabbi Mordechai Spiegelman
The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association, 14th year • over 3000 loans granted Gemach - Free Loan Society to provide interest-free loans for people in financial distress. Interviews at the Center on Tuesdays from 10:00-12:00 • Please bring ID
The Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center and the Jewish Values Education Institute of the Israel Center • Lunch & Torah Videotapes; Bring your own lunch (the Center Cafe is open) to the library and watch a video of an Israel Center lecture • NO FEE Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • 12:30-1:30pm; Ushpizin III by Rabbi Sholom Gold
Arba'a Minim Sale at the Israel Center
Tuesday, October 7th, 7:00pm • Rabbi Emanuel Quintwill speak about the mitzva of feeding the poor and the spiritual heights achieved and maintained through acts of selfless compassion. THIS WILL NOT BE A FUNDRAISING EVENTAND NO MONEY WILL BE SOLICITED; Information about Hazon Yeshaya Soup Kitchensplus tour opportunities of their facilities will be provided. The Hazon Yeshaya video will be shown and founderand director Avraham Israel will speak aboutHazon Yeshaya's humble beginning. Please come and tone your soul for Sukkot. RSVP 064-280-882 or by email amazonp@netvision.net.il

WEDNESDAY
9:30am (men & women) Towards More Meaningful Davening, (Focus on Sukkot davening, Hallel, Hoshanot) by Dr. Joel Luber
The Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center and the Jewish Values Education Institute of the Israel Center • Lunch & Torah Videotapes; Bring your own lunch (the Center Cafe is open) to the library and watch a video of an Israel Center lecture • NO FEE Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • 12:30-1:30pm - The Last 8 P'sukim of the Torah by Rabbi Reuven Abrerman
Call to check if Women's Beit Midrash and/or Hebrew Reading Ulpan will be taking place between YK and Sukkot
Arba'a Minim Sale at the Israel Center
WED 8-10pm • Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass

Thursday
10:30am • Mesilat Yesharim- Path of the Just with Rabbi David J. Derovan
Arba'a Minim Sale at the Israel Center
Shmooze while you fold; Divrei Torah, verbal tidbits, Q&A, and...with Phil (Some time IY”H sometimes B”N
8:00pm • Folklore from the Gemara with Reb Yosef Schreiber

FRIDAY
Center will be open 9:30am to 12:30pmfor TT pick-ups
Rabbi Eisen's class will resume IY"H after the Chagim
(TT #589 will be a double issue - no TT during Sukkot)

Upcoming:
Shabbat afternoon, October 11th, first day of Sukkot, 3:30pm: Timely Shiur by Binyamin Wolff followed by Mincha (minyan-permitting)

upcoming during Chol HaMoed
SUN, Oct.12 8:00pm • Book Evening with authors & editors: Wisdom from All My Teachers
MON, Oct.13 10:30am: Shiur on Inyanei D'Yoma; (Sukkot, CHol HaMoed, Nisuch HaMayim...) with Phil Chernofsky
Simchat Beit HaSho'eiva for women, by women - 8:30pm: In one word? TOFA'AH
TUE, Oct.14 10:30am: Special shiur by Shprintzee Herskovits
11:00am: Musical program for children; Bubby Goose with Chana Cohen, Watch for further details
8:00pm: One man concert... SAM GLASER, Watch for further details
WED, Oct.15 10:30am: Shiur on Inyanei D'Yoma with Phil Chernofsky
7:30pm: Wine & Cheese (in the Sukka); Simcha Publishing
WED, Oct.15: "Let My People Know" Meeting to support news investigations on behalf of Israel; Further information: 02 5300125 or media@actcom.co.il
THU, Oct.16 10:30am: Shiur on Inyanei D'Yoma with Phil Chernofsky
7:00pm: Festive Reception in the Sukka on the Roof (Levmore Conference Center) followed by LEIL HOSHANA RABBA shiurim
8:30 - Rabbi Sholom Gold, 9:30 - Rabbi Meyer Fendel, 10:30 - Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko, 11:30 - Rabbi Efraim Sprecher plus shiurim at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 TBA, 3:30 - Rabbi Chaim Eisen, 4:50 - Get ready for Hoshana Rabba davening k'VATIKIN (sunrise 5:45am) • Refreshments throughout the night, Schedule subject to changes
Note: Rabbi Quint will not be having his traditional all night program for Hoshana Rabba. His "regulars" are invited to join us at the Israel Center for a meaningful night of learning and a special davening in the morning. • The program at the Center is open to men and women
The Center (and its Sukka) will be open MONDAY thru THURSDAY mornings, from 9:30-12:30.
We will be closed in the afternoons.
We will be open for the evening programs.
We will be closed on Sunday during the day and open in the evening at 7:15pm
We will close on Friday Hoshana Rabba after davening.

Shabbat Shuva and Yom Kippur

Shabbat Shuva
Our Sages point out the significance of there being exactly seven days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, exclusive. It means that there is one and only one Sunday, one Monday... and exactly one Shabbat. And these unique days become the templates, if you will, for their counterparts throughout the coming year. The Wednesday of Aseret Y'mei T'shuva (the Ten Days of Repentance) is (or rather, should be) the prototype for all the Wednesdays of 5763. Same for the other days of the week. This idea is particularly meaningful for Shabbat.
You know the saying. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Well, Shabbat Shuva is the first Shabbat of the rest of your year (and life). And that presents a challenge. Use Shabbat Shuva to help make all your Shabbats better and more special than they have been in the past, for you and your whole family. (True, Rosh HaShana was the first Shabbat this year, but it is too different a day to become the model for "regular" Shabbatot. That's what Shabbat Shuva is for.)
Do you cut corners with the basic laws of Shabbat? Do you do things on Shabbat that you know you really should not be doing, but they seem trivial to you? If so, Shabbat Shuva is there for you. Take things slowly, but make some forward progress. Decide not to turn lights on and off this one Shabbat. Then see if you can keep it going for one more Shabbat. And another. That was just an example. Let's say that you are Shomer Shabbat. And the answer to the question about cutting corners is NO. You keep the Shabbat. You abstain from all manner of Melacha, including all the Rabbinic restrictions. Good. But do you REALLY keep Shabbat the way it should be kept? And honor it? And enjoy it? How do you spend your "free" time on Shabbat? Do you have quality time with your family? Do you invite guests regularly? Do you learn Torah and sing Zemirot at the table? Are your discussions at the table on a level that honors the Shabbat, or is it about baseball, the stock market, shopping, TV commercials, and such?
Napping is good, but is that all there is? How about a leisurely walk with your spouse and/or children? A family review of Parshat HaShavua? (using ParshaPix, perhaps?)
And what about the preparation for Shabbat? Is the day before Shabbat, Friday or Erev Shabbat, if you follow the difference. The same thing goes for Saturday night or Motza'ei Shabbat. Which do you have?
Shabbat Shuva is the Shabbat between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. It's a one-of-a-kind Shabbat. We each have our own davening and thinking agendas for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. But the Shabbat between them is the challenge. People usually succeed in having a special and meaningful Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. But those special days come once a year. Shabbat is every single week. Use this first one to raise your TSO (total Shabbat observance) a notch or two. Then work on maintaining and improving your honor and joy of the most special and precious of days - Shabbat.

Yom Kippur

Torah & Haftara
Torah reading for YK comes mostly from Parshat Acharei - 34 p'sukim of Vayikra 16 for Shacharit (first Torah) and 30 p'sukim of Vayikra 18 for Mincha. The Maftir (second Torah in the morning) is from Parshat Pinchas. Here's a quick rundown.

Yom Kippur Morning
Two Sifrei Torah
6 people in the first (7 if YK is Shabbat, like next year)
The Torah's portion dealing with the Kohen Gadol and the Yom Kippur service in the Beit HaMikdash. It is "repeated" (sort of) in the repetition of the Musaf Amida. Mixed in with the Beit HaMikdash service are some aspects of "our" Yom Kippur — especially the aspect of ATONEMENT. Perhaps it can be summed up by saying that atonement does not depend upon the Beit HaMikdash, but the Day itself, and what we do with it.

Kohen 1st Aliya 6 p'sukim 16:1-6
Levi 2nd Aliya 5 p'sukim 16:7-11
Shlishi 3rd Aliya 6 p'sukim 16:12-17
R'vi'i 4th Aliya 7 p'sukim 16:18-24
Chamishi 5th Aliya 6 p'sukim 16:25-30
Shishi 6th Aliya 4 p'sukim 16:31-34
(The 7th Aliya for Shabbat results from splitting the first Aliya in two)

Maftir (second Torah)5 p'sukim - Bamidbar 29:7-11
About the Musaf of Yom Kippur. The other korbanot of YK were dealt with in the reading from the first Torah.

Haftara - 22 p'sukim Yeshayahu 57:14-58:14
The Haftara makes the point that fasting is a hollow observance without it being accompanied by (or leading to) a change for the better in individuals and society.
The last two p'sukim of the Haftara are the basis of the "flavor" of Shabbat as shaped by Rabbinic law and custom.

Yom Kippur Mincha
(All other Mincha readings are either the "preview" of the coming Parshat HaShavua - Shabbat afternoon - or Va'y'chal - fast day afternoons. This one’s unique)
This last portion of Acharei Mot deals with the forbidden sexual relations and activities. Avoidance of these prohibitions is an essential part of that which is to make the Jew and the Jewish People holy. Thus, an appropriate reading for Yom Kippur.

Kohen First Aliya 5 p'sukim 18:1-5
Levi 2nd Aliya 16 p'sukim 18:6-21(longest Aliya of the day)
Shlishi (Maftir) 9 p'sukim 18:22-30
Haftara - 48 + 3 p'sukim - The entire Book of Yonah; some communities add Micha 7:18-20.

The High & the Low
The repetition of the Yom Kippur Musaf Amida contains two very powerful sections that are said back-to-back. The two sections describe diametrically opposite states of Jewish experience.
The first is the beautiful and detailed description of the Yom Kippur service in the Beit HaMikdash by the Kohein Gadol. Elaborating upon that which was read in the Torah a bit earlier, the Chazan movingly describes the "order of the day", including the multitudes who packed into the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash to witness the events of the day. The blessing of the Kohen Gadol for a good year for all, the description of his counterance upon emerging from the Holy of Holies, the celebration that followed - all portray the most glorious period of Jewish History.
Immediately thereafter, the text plunges us into a drastically different scene. We read of the Ten Martyrs who died sanctifying G-d's Name. The details are heart-breaking, especially when seen on the backdrop of the previous portion.
Why are these two opposite pictures of Jewish History presented side by side?
On Yom Kippur, says the Rambam, one should picture himself as precariously balanced, so that one mitzva will tip the scale to the good - for himself, for his community, for all the world. And one sin can, G-d forbid, tip the scale the other way.
The repetition of the Musaf Amida gives us two glimpses into history, but also shows us the possible scenarios of the future. Do we remain faithful to G-d, do we do more mitzvot, do we do the mitzvot better, do we improve the interpersonal relations among Jews. Do we do T'shuva. If so, we will soon reap the benefits of a complete spiritual and physical Jewish Life in Eretz Yisrael. If we take the other path, tragedy and horror await us. The Choice is ours.

Shofar at the Conclusion of Yom Kippur (from Sefer HaToda'a)
[1] It is commemorative of the Shofar blowing during Yom Kippur of Yovel year in the time of the Beit HaMikdash. In fact, we learn our Shofar blowing on Rosh HaShana from the Yom Kippur of Yovel. The Torah does not use the word Shofar in context with Rosh HaShana. The Talmud draws for us the parallel between the two T’RU'A sounds of Tishrei - Yom Kippur of Yovel, where Shofar is mentioned, and Rosh HaShana, where it is only implied.
[2] The Shofar at this point confuses the Satan. During Yom Kippur, he had no permission to accuse the People of Israel. As the day ends, he attempts to resume his role as accuser of Israel, but is confounded by the sound of the Shofar.
[3] The Shofar joyfully trumpets our triumph over the Satan, just as those who return from successful battle will sound the Shofar.
[4] The Shofar calls to mind the Akeida (Binding of Isaac) at this moment of the sealing of G-d's decrees.
[5] Just as we started blowing the Shofar on Rosh Chodesh Elul, to mark Moshe Rabeinu's ascent of Mt. Sinai to plead on behalf of the People, so too do we sound the Shofar at the conclusion of that 40 day period of Divine Forgiveness and Atonement.
[6] The Shofar signifies the departure of the Divine Presence (SILUK HA-SH’CHINA) that was with us throughout Yom Kippur. This reflects the pasuk "G-d ascends with the Tru'a, HaShem with the sound of the Shofar."
[7] It marks the end of the fast and reminds us to feed the children who have fasted. (Apparently, we don't need a reminder for ourselves.)
[8] It publicizes the sanctity of the evening folowing Yom Kippur, which we shoud treat as a joyous festival. The Midrash says that following Yom Kippur, a "Bat Kol" says "Go and eat your bread in joy."

BARUCH SHEM K'VOD MALCHUTO L'OLAM VA'ED
The well-known custom on Yom Kippur is to say Baruch Sheim K'vod Malchuto L'Olam Va'ed aloud in the SH'MA, whereas it is usually said quietly.
First of all, the sentence is the only part of Sh'ma that is not from the Torah. For that reason, it is generally said quietly, to distinguish it from the rest of the Biblical passages.

There are two origins attributed to Baruch Sheim. One says that it was Yaakov Avinu's whispered response of thanks to G-d when his sons proclaimed their complete faith and loyaly to G-d with the words: Hear Yisrael, G-d, our G-d, G-d is One.

The other source says that Moshe Rabbeinu "borrowed" it from the angels and taught us to say it. Because the sentence is not originally ours, we modestly whisper it throughout the year. On Yom Kippur, however, when the nature of the day and its prohibitions elevate us spiritually, we resemble angels and only then do we "dare" (so to speak) say Baruch Sheim aloud.

This second origin for Baruch Sheim... seems to fit well with the Yom Kippur practice.

There is, perhaps, another reason why we say Baruch Sheim aloud on Yom Kippur. In the Beit HaMikdash, the sentence Baruch Sheim... was used as the response to a bracha, rather than AMEN. On YK, with its focus on the service in the Beit HaMikdash, we say the sentence aloud. In the repetition of Musaf, we find the description of the response of the people in the Azara (courtyard) to the Explicit Divine Name - they fell to the ground, prostrated themselves and said Baruch Sheim K'vod Mal'chuto L'Olam Va'ed.
One should say Baruch Sheim with deepfelt Kavana, especially at Ne'ila. It is a very powerful six word statement.

The Kabbalisitc Secret of the Scapegoat on Yom Kippur, An in-print shiur in memory of R' Pesach Moshe ben Efraim ZT"L
Tishrei 4, by Rabbi Efraim Sprecher, Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva, Jerusalem
Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim 3:46 sees the idea of the sa’ir which is sent away as an action of arousing everyone to do teshuvah. According to him, “sins are not burdens that one can transfer from the back of one person to that of another, but all of these actions (regarding the sa’ir on Yom Kippur) are all meant as lessons to bring about fear in one’s soul, until one does teshuvah”.

The sa’ir which is sent away is meant as a lesson to teach us that sins must be eradicated from within the borders of Israel. Hashem gives sinners an opportunity to improve their ways and demands that only sin be eliminated, not sinners.

The purpose of the sa’ir which is sent away is to uproot various false beliefs from the heart, as in the verse, “they shall not sacrifice their sacrifices to the sa’irim” (Vayikra 17:17). The word AZ'AZEL is a composite of the words AZ and ZEL, and implies a great and mighty denigration. The people see how the sa’ir is loaded up with all the sins and is then thrown over a cliff where it is torn apart, and as a result, they are all greatly overwhelmed and impressed by an appreciation of how terrible it is to worship false gods, as symbolized by the sacrifices to the sa’irim. The results of this action are that NASO ALAV ET KOL AVANOTAM, “it shall carry upon itself all their sins”. The contamination of idol worship leaves their souls and the people again cling to their Creator.

V'NATAN OTAM AL ROSH H'SE'IR And he shall put them (the sins) on the head of the sa’ir (Vayikra 16:21) – means that the sinner will abandon his sins and will from now on forsake sin, for the word V'NATAN may be defined in the sense of separation. As to the verse V'NASO A'VONOTAM AL HA'ARETZ G'ZEIRAH – “he will carry all their sins to a wasteland” – this refers to the one who carries the sa’ir. He will carry on his shoulders to a wasteland, A'VO'NATAM – the sa’ir - A'VO'NATAM has the same use here as CHATAT – which means literally “sin”, but refers to the goat. Ramban explains that the intention of the Torah was to separate the people from idolatry, so that they should no longer offer their sacrifices to the sa’irim.
He explains the sa’ir la’Azazel as an expression of scorn for idolatry and sa’irim, and as educating the people to serve Hashem.

According to Kabbalah, the two sa’irim are the two qualities of good and evil that were implanted in man so as to give him free will. The GORAL – the lot – is his lot to choose between good and bad. The one is to Hashem, as in the verse U'VA'CHARTA B'CHAIM – “choose life” (Devarim 30:19), while the other is to Azazel.

The letters of the word AZ'AZ'EL form the first letters (in different order) of the verse (Koheles 7:14),ZEH L'UMAT ZEH ASAH (H)ELOKIM – “this as compared to this, Hashem created” – that both goats must be identical in size and appearance. This comparison shows that whatever exists in kedushah has a counterpart in tum'ah, and this is to provide the even balance of good and evil which makes free will possible.
Yoma 67 states that the sa’ir that is sent away is meant to atone for the sin of Uzza and Azazel, two angels who came down to earth and became human, at the time of Na’amah, sister of Tubal Cain, and who illicitly took married women for themselves (see Bereishis 6:1-4). That is why we read all the laws of forbidden marriages at the afternoon service on Yom Kippur to remind us of that first corruption of forbidden marriages, for which the sa’ir that is sent away comes to atone. It may be that our atonement here is based on finding merit for ourselves, by showing that even angels sinned and fell into the trap of sexual immorality. What then can one say of the sins of man, who is but flesh and blood?
The medrash in Devarim Rabbah, states that Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem, “Master of the Universe, even angels came and lusted for the women of the earth”. Why then blame your people, who are but flesh and blood? This concept adds merit to the nation of Israel on Yom Kippur.

From the Pull Out Section of the Hard Copy of TT
As Shrek said about ogres and onions, and as the Donkey said about parfaits, so we say about Torah Tidbits Pull-Outs - they are made of layers. That's what they are all about.

This YK Pull-Out contains some reading material for Yom Kippur (the "body" of Torah Tidbits does also), and updated Kaparot page with explanations, discussion, procedure, and text.

There is a candle lighting page. No matter how many years of experience you have in lighting candles, there is always a value in having the text of the Brachot and Y'HI RATZON in front of you. Also, there is a valuable introduction which reminds you of the memorial candles AND the extra 24-hr candle that are customarily lit before lighting YK candles. The page contains useful details for veteran and beginner alike.

There is a page with the blessings for our children. Regardless of whether you regularly bless your children on Friday night or not, it is a beautiful idea to bless them as Yom Kippur approaches. The text provided here contains pairs of words for son/daughter - we hope that it is readable and not that confusing.

There is a 2-sheet, 8-page VIDUI, which many TT readers have used and appreciated for the past several Yom Kippurs. Even though it might look like last years, it was gone over and polished anew. To best use it, we recommend pulling out the two sheets and putting them into your machzor.

When you finish the main part of the Amida with the end of the SHALOM bracha, you can close your machzor and then use the VIDUI sheets for the rest of the Amida. In order to give the VIDUI a little more room in its 2 sheets, you will find the introduction on the next page, rather than as part of the 8-pager. Also, we have reversed the direction of the 8-pager to read from right to left, even though there is a lot of English on those pages.
There is a havdala page with an explanation of the unique rules for the candle. Once again, even veterans will benefit from the reminders contained on that page.

And we have included (as in past years) the special Shir shel HaYom for Yom
Kippur according to Minhag Yerushalayim. GMAR CHATIMA TOVA

Kaparot
KAPAROT is a custom that dates back to the time of the Gaonim. Traditionally, one uses a chicken - rooster for a male, hen for a female, (at least) one of each for a pregnant woman. Through the years, there were problems with improper attention paid to the slaughter of the chickens, due to the large demand for slaughter on Erev YK. Since Kaparot chickens were to be prepared and given to poor people, there developed in some communities the practice of using money instead, which is given to TZEDAKA, thereby seeing to the needs of the poor and alleviating the abovementioned problem.

KAPAROT is often misunderstood. It is NOT a shortcut to atonement. For real atonement, we must approach HaShem with sincere repentance, mitzvot and good deeds, prayer and fasting. KAPAROT is a sobering reminder of the frailty of life, an inspiration to T'shuva, AND a way of involving us in G'MILUT CHASADIM before Yom Kippur.

Ideally, "do" Kaparot on Erev Yom Kippur in the morning. The text on this page is meant for those who use money rather than chickens. Those who use chickens (or fish) can find the standard text in a Machzor or Siddur.

Many people use a multiple of CHAI, such as 1.80, 3.60, 5.40... 18.00š, etc. Some suggest that the amount taken for KAPAROT should at least be the cost of a chicken. The money should ideally be given to TZEDAKA before Yom Kippur. Shuls provide collection plates at Mincha on Erev Yom Kippur for that purpose.

Hold the money in your right hand and say the following passage 3 times:
Next, wave your hand with the money in a circular motion over your head while saying the first 3 word-pairs below, then finish the statement. Repeat a second and third time.

Candle lighting for Yom Kippur, Sunday, October 5th, 4:45pm
It is customary to light memorial candles for one's departed parents before lighting Yom Kippur candles. An additional 24-hr. candle is lit "for the living". This candle also provides the "Flame that Rested" for Havdala. See further.

Candles are lit in the "usual" manner: light them, cover your eyes, make the brachot, then open your eyes and "benefit" from the light. When a woman lights Yom Kippur candles, she accepts upon herself all the restrictions of Yom Kippur - both the Fast Day aspect as well as the Shabbat-work restrictions. If there is a compelling reason to do so, a woman may make a (mental/verbal) condition that she is not yet taking upon herself Yom Kippur with the lighting. In such a case, she should NOT say SHE'HE'CHE'YANU with lighting (she does say L'HADLIK), but waits until shul to say it with the congregation, after Kol Nidrei and before Maariv.

A woman who says SHE'HE'CHE'YANU at candle lighting, does not repeat it in shul.

She should, of course, answer AMEN when the Chazan and congregation says it.

There are opinions that no bracha is to be said for YK candles. The prevalent practice, however, is to say brachot. It is proper that one should use the light of Yom Kippur candles upon return from shul in order to justify the bracha.

Remember: No handling them, but perhaps one can read a bit by the lights, prepare for bed, or something like that.

Havdala for Motzei Yom Kippur, Monday, October 6th, 5:57pm
Uniquely different from Motza'ei Shabbat, the Havdala candle for Yom Kippur should be lit from a flame that "rested" over Yom Kippur, rather than one that is lit from a struck match. The flame is called NER SH'SHAVAT The role of the candle on Motza'ei Shabbat is to commemorate the gift of fire from HaShem to Adam and Chava on the very first Motza'ei Shabbat. Therefore, we light the havdala candle with fire that we produce "fresh" for the occasion. On Motza'ei Yom Kippur (that is not also Motza"Sh), the use of the candle in havdala makes the point that during Yom Kippur, we were forbidden to handle fire. This point is made by using a flame that was lit BEFORE Yom Kippur and remained untouched throughout Yom Kippur in fulfillment of the rules of the day, and then used in the havdala to announce, so to speak, the fact that the day is done.
If the Havdala-maker drank a sufficient amount of wine for an "after bracha" (which is desirable), he says this:

SHIR SHEL HAYOM L'YOM KIPPUR
Minhag Yerushalayim is to say this Psalm (32) instead of the regular Monday SHIR.
Some say it in addition to the regular Yom Sheini Psalm. Others say only Monday’s.

Introduction to VIDUI “verbal confession”
When you finish the main body of the Amida - with HAMEVARECH ET AMO YISRAEL BASHALOM - Mincha of Erev Yom Kippur, and Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha of Yom Kippur (Ne'ila has different text), you can put your Machzor down and use the 8-page VIDUI, found herein. The text has been supplemented by English MEANINGS (rather than translations) to help focus your KAVANA while saying this important part of the YK davening. Also, added to each word of the ASHAMNU part of VIDUI are other sins associated with the same letter of the Alef-Bet, which the CHAYEI ADAM and other sources recommend be on one's mind, in one's heart, (and from one's lips), during VIDUI. The alphabetical presentation of ASHAMNU does not mean that there are only 24 sins or kinds of sin; rather, it is meant to convey that we - as individuals and as a community - have sinned "from A to Z". The letter KAF, for example, stands for KIZAVNU, we have deceived. But KAF also stands for other sins, such as anger (KA’AS), being ungrateful (KAFUI TOV), not paying wages on time, calling others by pejorative nicknames, and