ZMANIM - HALACHIC TIMES - Correct for TT #627
Candle lighting - (Matot-Mas'ei) 7:10pm (earliest -plag - 6:18)
Havdala - 8:26pm
Rabbeinu Tam Havdala - 9:02
Ranges are THU-THU 26 Tamuz - 4 Av (July 15-22)
Earliest Shacharit - 4:47-4:52am
Sunrise - 5:44-5:48½am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:14-9:17am (8:20-8:24am)
Sof Z'man T'fila - 10:24-10:26am (9:48-9:51am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:45-12:45½pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:21-1:21pm
Plag Mincha - 6:18-6:15½pm
Sunset - 7:51-7:47½pm (7:46-7:42pm)

Candle Lighting and Havdala for other cities (time in bracket is earliest candle lighting
Shabbat Earliest City Havdala
7:27pm (6:20) Raanana 8:29pm
7:26pm (6:19) Beit Shemesh 8:27pm
7:28pm (6:21) Netanya 8:29pm
7:27pm (6:20) Rehovot 8:28pm
7:07pm (6:20) Petach Tikva 8:29pm
7:25pm (6:19) Modi'in 8:28pm
7:25pm (6:19) Be'er Sheva 8:27pm
7:25pm (6:18) Gush Etzion 8:26pm
7:26pm (6:19) Ginot Shomron 8:28pm
7:10pm (6:18) Maale Adumim 8:26pm
7:22pm (6:19) Tzfat 8:29pm
7:25pm (6:18) K4 & Hevron 8:26pm

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...

We bench Rosh Chodesh this Shabbat. There have been suggestions that we should not announce the month of Av because of the mournful nature of the month. The prevailing opinion, however, is that no month needs to be "benched" more than Av.
Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av will be on Yom Sheni (Monday).
ROSH CHODESH MENACHEM AV YIH-YEH B'YOM SHENI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA
The Molad is today, Shabbat Kodesh, 11 hours, 47 minutes, 15 chalakim
HAMOLAD YIH-YEH HAYOM, SHABBAT KODESH, ARBA'IM VASHEVA DAKOT V'CHAMEISH ESREI CHALAKIM ACHAREI ACHAT ESREI BA'BOKER
which is 12:27pm Israel Summer Time. Rambam notation: Shabbat 17h 861p.
Actual (astronomical) molad is 2:24pm Shabbat afternoon.
Note: With the molad occurring at 12:27pm on Shabbat, the announcement in Israel should be: The molad WILL BE...
But in North America, the molad occurs at 5:27am EDT, 2:27am PDT, etc. - meaning that by the time they (you) bench Rosh Chodesh, the molad will have occurred. Therefore, the announcement in shul in the US and Canada should be: The molad WAS...
That will sound wrong - the molad was 47 minutes 15 parts after 11 - when it's only 10:00am local time - but it is not wrong. It is correct to say WAS.
In England, the molad will be 10:27am local time. Depending upon when a particular shul gets up to Rosh Chodesh Benching, the gabbai will announce WAS, WILL BE, or maybe even The Molad is right now...
Please note that the time of the molad - 11h 47m 15p stays the same all over the world. Do not adjust to local time. Do not adjust for daylight savings time. The time stays as is. Just the way it converts to local clock time gets adjusted.

Lead Tidbit
Impediments to the Plan
We've said it over and over in the pages of Torah Tidbits, in different ways, but it still boils down to this: G-d had a Plan. A simple Plan. Take the Jewish People out of Egypt - He owed that (so to speak) to the Avot - give us the Torah and bring us to Eretz Yisrael... to live a life of Torah in The Place that He meant us to be. A simple Plan. He told it to Moshe at the Bush, and repeated it many times to us in the Torah.

We are now, once again, between the day that symbolizes a betrayal of the commitment to Torah - the 17th of Tammuz, the anniversary of the Golden Calf, and the day that symbolizes the betrayal of Eretz Yisrael - Tish'a b'Av, the anniversary of the Sin of the Spies. But if we realize that, then we must not despair; we must see the continuing opportunities that G-d keeps giving us.

A generation after Dor HaMidbar was decreed to die out in the course of almost 40 years of wandering, the "new" nation is commanded (in Parshat Mas'ei) to cross the Jordan, conquer the Land, and settle it. G-d had given the People another chance! And He continues to do just that throughout Jewish History, right up to our own time. He is still saying to us to cross the Jordan (or the Atlantic, etc.) and settle this Land.

And He repeatedly tells us in the Chumash and ever since, even in our own time, to be faithful to Him, to do Mitzvot, to live a Torah Life in Eretz Yisrael.
The Three Weeks represent the impediments to the Plan. But they also show us that the Plan is still on the table. Whenever G-d "threatened" to destroy the People, Moshe pleaded on our behalf. Apparently, that same scenario continued beyond the timeframe of the Chumash. We still exist as a People and we still can see the Plan to fruition. Let's do our share towards that goal.

Sedra-Stats
Matot Mas'ei M&M
of 54 sedras 42nd 43rd —
of 10 in Bamidbar 9th 10th —
lines in a Torah 190 189 379
rank 29 30 1
Parshiyot 9 8 17
P'tuchot 4 6 10
S'tumot 5 2 7
P'sukim 112 132 244
rank (Torah/Bam.) 24/7 12/5 1/1
Words 1484 1461 2945
rank 29/6 32/7 1/1
Letters 5652 5773 11425
rank 30/7 28/6 1/1
MITZVOT 2 6 8
positive 1 2 3
prohibitions 1 4 5
Drop in rank - p'sukim to words & letters - noticeable for Matot, severe for Mas'ei - results from short p'sukim. P'sukim of Mas'ei are the shortest in the whole Torah.

Matot & Mas'ei - most-often combined of the 7 pairs of sedras that ever combine. They separate (all over the world) only when Rosh HaShana of a 13-month year is Thursday-Friday - frequency: 10.5%. (Last time that happened was 20 years ago, but it is scheduled to occur 4 times in the next 10 years, including next year.) In Israel, they separate another 10% of the time - in 13-month years when Pesach is Shabbat to Fri.

Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes.
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha.

Kohen - First Aliya - 16+12=28 p'sukim - 30:2-31:12
[P> 30:2 (16)] "And Moshe spoke to the leaders of the Tribes of Israel..." The first principle of the topic of Nedarim (vows & oaths) is that a person must fulfill the terms of a vow and it is prohibited to "profane one's word" [407,L157 30:3].

On the other hand, built into the Torah's laws are procedures for release from vows. These procedures also constitute a mitzva, known as HAFARAT N'DARIM [406,A95 30:3]. A girl (12-12½ yrs. old - officially called a NAARA) who vows can have her vows nullified by her father (only on the day he hears of them). Similarly (but with differences), a wife's vows can be nullified by her husband. (In this case, only some vows, those which affect the husband are subject to his nullification.)

MITZVA WATCH
In addition to HAFARAT N'DARIM, the nullification of a wife's or daughter's vow by husband or father, there is another aspect of this mitzva, known as HATARAT N'DARIM. This is the nullification of one's vows (those that halachically CAN be nullified) by a Rav-expert in the laws of N'darim or a panel of three dayanim (even laymen).

Hatarat N'darim is a rare example of a mitzva that is considered Torah law, although there is no clear supporting text in the Written Word. The Mishna in Chagiga assures us that Hatarat N'darim is no less a Torah concept because of the lack of a written source. This is but another in a long series of demonstrations of the absolute necessity of defining Torah as BOTH the Written Word and the Oral Law and Tradition.

[P> 31:1 (12)] G-d next commands Moshe to do battle against Midyan, and then to prepare to take leave of this world. Moshe drafts 1000 men from each tribe for the task.

SDT Commentaries point out that the People were reluctant to comply because they knew that Moshe would die shortly after successful completion of the battle. Moshe, on the other hand, enthusiastically complies with G-d's command, his personal interests to the contrary, notwithstanding. The Chatam Sofer notes that when G-d commands the battle against Midyan, He calls it NIKMAT BNEI YISRAEL, a revenge for Israel's sake. When Moshe calls the people to battle, he refers to revenge for G-d's honor. If the people would be fighting for their own honor, they might forgo the battle and not hasten Moshe's end. But to avenge G-d's honor, they dare not refuse.

Pinchas is sent as "chaplain". The 12,000 strong army succeeded in killing all male Midyanites including 5 kings and Bil'am. The women, children, herds, flocks, and possessions of Midyan were taken as booty. The cities and palaces were destroyed. The army returned to the Israelite camp at Arvot Moav.
Note: There is confusion among commentaries as to whether the tribe of Levi sent a contingent to fight this war or not. If they did, did Menashe and Efrayim combine as the tribe of Yosef, thereby keeping the total number at 12000, or were there actually 13000 who fought. Levi's probable involvement is due to the fact that the war was NOT for the purpose of conquest of territory; had it been, Levi would not be directly involved. If so, Menashe and Efrayim probably fought as the tribe of Yosef in this war against Midyan.

Levi - Second Aliya - 12+17+13=42 p'sukim - 31:13-54
[S> 31:13 (8)] Moshe, Elazar, and the tribal leaders went out to greet the returning army. Moshe was angry that the officers kept the women of Midyan alive since it was they who were instrumental in the downfall of Israel in the Pe'or affair and the consequent plague. The women and male children were killed; the girls remained captive. The soldiers were told to remain outside the camp for seven days because of their ritual impurity as a result of the war.

[S> 31:21 (4)] Elazar HaKohen sets down the laws of purification of vessels. Many of the details of "kashering" and "toveling" of vessels are derived from here.

[S> 31:25 (30)] G-d tells Moshe to order a counting of the spoils of war. The booty is to be divided equally between the soldiers on the one hand and the People on the other. Taxes of 1/500 were imposed upon the soldiers. Detailed itemization takes up many p'sukim of this portion.

And then the half that went to the people is itemized. A tax of 1/50 (the standard amount for T'ruma) is imposed upon the people. These taxes were turned over to Elazar HaKohen. Detailed itemization takes up many more p'sukim.

The officers approach Moshe with more gifts of gold in thanks to G-d for not losing even one person in battle.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 19 p'sukim - 32:1-19
[P> 32:1 (4)] The Torah tells us that the tribes of Reuven and Gad were heavily laden with flocks of sheep and that they noticed that the lands of Ya’zeir and Gil’ad were particularly suited for raising livestock. The came before Moshe, Elazar, and the leaders of the People and they “mentioned” that the territory was good for animals and that they happened to have many animals.
Note the unusual pasuk, 32:3, in which each of its 9 words is the name of a city.

[S> 32:5 (11)] They then requested permission to settle on the east bank of the Jordan River, Moshe's initial reaction is intense anger, fearing that the request of the two tribes would discourage the People of Israel from wanting to proceed into the Land, repeating the experience of the "spies" of almost 40 years earlier.

[S> 32:16 (4)] The key objection on Moshe's part seems to be the potential negative effect on the rest of the People. To this, the tribes replied that they would be prepared to settle their animals and families “here” and they would surely accompany their brethren into Eretz Yisrael and not return to the east bank until all is settled in the Land.

SDT In addition to the main "dressing down" that Moshe gives Reuven and Gad, there is a more subtle rebuke on another issue. The tribes offer to build corrals for their flocks and homes for their children. Later, when Moshe gives them permission to establish themselves on the east bank, he tells them to build homes for their children and accommodations for their animals. Your children go first. Then your property.

R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 23+10+39=72 p'sukim - 32:20-33:49
The fourth Aliya is always the BRIDGE Aliya between two sedras when they are combined. This particular R’VI’I is THE longest Aliya in the Torah. It has more p’sukim than seven different sedras.

[P> 32:20 (23)] Moshe's response is the administration of an oath (many details of the proper form of "conditions" are derived from this famous oath of the 2½ tribes) agreeing to the request to settle on the east side of the Jordan iff (if and only if) the 2½ tribes fight side by side with the other tribes of Israel.
The Torah describes the cities that the 2½ tribes established to settle their families and flocks prior to their crossing the Jordan.

Perhaps the seemingly unnecessary details give us the message that we are dealing with part of Eretz Yisrael, and not just something extraterritorial.
[P> 33:1 (39)] The sedra of Mas'ei begins with a summary listing of the 42 places of encampment during the years of wandering in the Wilderness. Most places are just listed; a few are anecdoted. The present day identity of many of these places is in dispute or unknown. This portion covers the Exodus from Egypt (the city of Ra-m'ses), the passage thru the Sea, and the 3-day journey that brought the People to Mara, with its "water problem" (and solution). From there it was back to Yam Suf, before continuing into the Wilderness.

Travelog These are the places of encampment and some comments...
From Ra-m'ses (0) to Sukkot (1) to Eitam (2) to Pi HaChirot (4) to Mara (5) to Eilim (6) to Yam Suf (7) to Midbar Sin (8) to Dafka (9) to Alush (10) to R'fidim (11) to Midbar Sinai (12) to Kivrot HaTaava (13) to Chatzeirot Ritma (14) to Rimon Peretz (15) to Livna (16) to Risa (17) to K'heilata (18) to Har Shefer (19) to Charada (20) to Mak'heilot (21) to Tachat (22) to Terach (23) to Mitka (24) to Chashmona (25) to Moseirot (26) to Bnei Yaakan (27) to Chor HaGidgad (28) to Yotvata (29) to Avrona (30) to Etzion Gever (31) to Midbar Tzin (= Kadesh) (32) to Hor HaHar (33)...
This is where Aharon died at the age of 123. He died on Rosh Chodesh Av.

Not only is this the only Yahrzeit mentioned in the Torah, but it is interesting that the date is NOT mentioned in Chukat, where we read of his death. It appears here in the recounting of the episode - on Shabbat M’vorchim Av.

[S> 33:40 (10)] The Torah then tells us again that our presence was noted by the K’naani king of Arad in the Negev of Eretz Yisrael. We know from earlier in the Chumash, that the K'naani attacked the people after Aharon's death, but that is not mentioned here. Rather, the list of places then continues...

...to Tzalmona (34) to Punon (35) to Ovot (36) to I'yei HaAvarim (37) to Divon Gad (38) to Almon Divlataima (39) to Harei HaAvarim (40) to Arvot Moav (41).
Apparently, the counting of the encampments includes their first point of departure, which we marked as 0. So the number 42 holds.

G’matriya of RA-M'SES = 430, the number of years from the original prophecy to Avraham Avinu in the BRIT BEIN HA'B'TARIM until the EXODUS (as in Sh'mot 12:40-41).

The first stop out of Raamses is SUKKOT, G'matriya = 480, the number of years from the Exodus until the building of the First Beit HaMikdash - the arrival of the People EL HAMENUCHA V'EL HANACHALA (D'varim 12:9). So just the first leg of the wandering represents (numerically) the major first (and second) leg of the journey of Jewish History.

SUKKOT, says the Baal HaTurim, got its name from the Heavenly Clouds that began "functioning" there.

MIDBAR SIN got an extra YUD and became SINAI to mark the fact that the ASERET HADIBROT were given there. - Baal HaTurim
The Midrash says that it was at ALUSH that the People first received the Manna and where we spent our very first Shabbat. The Manna was given to the People of Israel in the merit of our mother Sarah, who was asked by Avraham to knead and bake cakes for the angels/guests. Her enthusiastic providing of food for others was repaid by G-d, Who provided food for Sarah's children more than 400 years later. The name ALUSH is a play on the word "I will knead".
RITMA was the place from which the spies were sent, and therefore the place where the decree to wander the wilderness was pronounced. One can imagine a qualitative difference in the mental attitude during the first 14 encampments as compared to those following Ritma.

CHASHMONA was the 25th resting place of the People. Centuries later, there was a resting (from battle) on the 25th (of Kislev). The people through whom G-d wrought the miracles of Chanuka were the Chashmona'im. This is considered one of the "hints" to Chanuka from the Torah.

Rashi points out that with 14 places before the decree to wander, and with 8 places in the final year, there were only 20 places that the People moved to and from in 38 years or so. That is not really all that much. G-d was merciful with the People even as He was punishing them.

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 33:50-34:15
[S> 33:50 (7)] G-d speaks to Moshe in Arvot Moav and commands the People to enter, conquer, acquire, and settle the Land, according to the “Divine Lottery”. This is one of the 613 mitzvot according to Ramban - The mitzva of YISHUV ERETZ YISRAEL, the mitzva to live in Israel. Ramban says that this mitzva applies in all times, including our own.

Part of the mitzva, explains the Ramban, is that the people of Israel may not shun G-d’s gift and promise and go conquer and settle elsewhere. Jews who live anywhere in the world outside of Israel should always remember their “stranger in a strange land” status. Adopting someplace else as your own and removing Israel from your personal agenda, seems to con- travene the spirit (and maybe the letter) of this mitzva.

[P> 34:1 (15)] The boundaries of the Land are detailed. These boundaries are now for the 9½ tribes, since Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe have claimed their allotments on the East Bank.

Read the description of the boundaries of the land that is being given by G-d to the Jewish People. To the Jewish People. To the Jewish People. To us. Unlike the identity of many of the encampments, we know where these boundaries are. Eretz Yisrael for the Jewish People goes at least (see next paragraph) from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. The Torah does not seem to indicate that parts of the Promise Land should become a foreign state or be given to enemies of the State of Israel or the Jewish People.

In G-d's original promise to Avraham Avinu, the land to be given to his descendants was to be "from the Egyptian River until the great river, P'rat". The boundaries described in this week's sedra contain a territory significantly smaller than that which was promised. Our Sages tell us that the original promise includes territory to be added to Eretz Yisrael in the future, in the times of the Moshiach.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 14+8=22 p'sukim - 34:16-35:8
[P> 34:16 (14)] Next the Torah lists the new leaders of the tribes who will be in charge of the "Divine lottery" by which the Land will be apportioned.
Elazar and Yehoshua are the overall leaders of the Nation. Kalev b. Yefuneh is the leader of Yehuda. Shimon: Shmuel b. Amihud. Binyamin: Elidad b. Kislon. Dan: Buki b. Yogli. Menashe: Chaniel b. Eifod. Efrayim: K'mu'el b. Shiftan. Zevulun: Elitzafan b. Parnach. Yissachar. Paltiel b. Azan. Aher: Achihud b. Shlomi. Naftali: P'dah'el b. Amihud.

[P> 35:1 (8)] Following the general plans for dividing the Land, the People are instructed to provide cities for the Leviyim [408,A183 35:2], since they, the Leviyim, do not receive Land as inheritance. The cities and their surrounding areas, number 48, including the 6 cities of refuge.

Note that the measure of 2000 amot as "city limit" was subsequently borrowed by the Sages in fixing the distance outside the dwelling place that a person may walk on Shabbat, known as T'CHUM SHABBAT.

Rashi points out that there were three cities of refuge on each side of the Jordan River, even though in the western case, they would serve 9½ tribes and in the eastern case, they would serve 2½ tribes. An inference is drawn that there would be more careless homicides on the eastern side of the river.
These cities, to be given by the tribes to the Leviyim, were given proportional to the populations of the tribes.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya -26+13=39 p'sukim - 35:9-36:13
[P> 35:9 (26)] The cities of refuge (and the other 42 Levite cities,with some differences) serve to protect the inadvertent killer. Even a murderer flees to a protecting city pending trial.

It is forbidden to kill a murderer until he stands trial and is found guilty [409,L292 35:12].

The inadvertent killer is sent - or he flees - to a city of refuge [410,A225 35:25]. The Torah presents guidelines for defining murder and inadvertent killing and sets down some of the court procedures, such as the prohibition of a witness also acting as judge in a criminal case [411,L291 35:30]. We are also warned not to permit substitute punishments for a murderer [412,L296 35:31] and the inadvertent killer [413,L295 35:32]. Strict adherence to all rules of justice assure us continued "quality living" in E. Yisrael, accompanied by the Divine Presence.

MITZVA WATCH
Mitzvot 412 and 413 basically command us to follow other mitzvot in the Torah that require a convicted murder to be executed and a convicted SHOGEG- killer to be exiled to a City of Refuge. How unusual for the Torah to do that. The small Sanhedrins of 23 judges, whose jurisdiction it is to carry out the commands of the Torah in matters of “sentencing” for certain crimes/sins are duty-bound to comply with halacha.

It is quite possible for us to rationalize an alternative punishment or treatment of the convicted murderer - intentional or inadvertent. And sometimes, the alternative suggestion will be more appealing, more logical, more beneficial than the Torah-required procedure. Very tempting. So the Torah comes to reinforce its insistence that its procedures be carried out. Ir Miklat, for example, is punishment, protection, and atonement all rolled into one. And it is the command of G-d. We cannot change it.

[P> 36:1 (13)] Leaders of the family of Menashe to which the daughters of Zelofchad belong, approach Moshe and raise the problem of potential erosion of their tribal allotment if Zelofchad's daughters marry outside their tribe, taking their land with them. Moshe issues a ruling restricting them from marrying outside their tribe. This is not a law in perpetuity (and therefore, it is not counted as a mitzva among the Taryag); it applies only in this case. In compliance, Machla, Tirza, Chogla, Milka, and No'a marry Menasheites.

The Book of BaMidbar ends with the statement, "These are the Mitzvot and the Laws that G-d commanded Moshe to (transmit to) Bnei Yisrael, in Arvot Mo'av on the Jordan (Jericho) River."
Last 3 p'sukim are reread for the Maftir.

Haftara - 28 p'sukim - Yirmiyahu 2:4-28, 3:4, (4:1-2)
This is the 2nd of the 3 Tragic Haftarot read during the Three Weeks. It is the continuation of last week's haftara. In fact, these two haftaras are the only continuous portions of the Prophets read as haftaras on consecutive weeks. G-d, speaking through the prophet, chastises the People of Israel for the terrible double sin of forsaking Him AND turning to gods who are nothingness. Repeatedly, we are asked how it was possible that we turned away from G-d so. Terrible punishment for this betrayal of G-d is prophesied. The haftara ends on the hopeful note that if we return to G-d, then He will return to us and restore His special relationship with us.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 243 • Doubtful Heirs
Assume that after Reuven dies and his estate is divided aming his sons, another person, Levi, comes forward and declares that he too is a son of Reuven. There is a doubt as to the legitimacy of the claim of Levi.

Presumption regarding heirs
The general principle regarding heirs is that when an estate is to be divided, and if there are presumed heirs and doubtful heirs, those who are presumed to be heirs divide the estate and those who are only doubtful heirs do not receive anything. The presumption can arise when at least two witnesses testify before Beth Din that they know it as a fact or it was known to them and to the members of the community at large for a prolonged period of time that Shimon and Dan are the sons of Reuven. Thus Shimon and Dan have inherited or are about to inherit their father Reuven's estate. Levi appears on the scene and pleads that he is also a son of Reuven, and therefore entitled to his share of Reuven's estate; Levi produces no proof or testimony to buttress his claim. Shimon and Dan plead that they do not recognize Levi to be a son of Reuven. The claim of Levi will be dismissed.

In those situations where it is not known whether Reuven had any heirs and now Levi and Yehuda claim that they are the sons of Reuven, since both are doubtful heirs of the same category, they divide the estate.

They could both have claimed that they were uncles of Reuven, if that is the earliest category of heirs to inherit Reuven. It goes without saying that Beth Din will have to be convinced that these two persons are the heirs of Reuven for them to divide Reuven's estate.

Reuven dies and Shimon and Dan are proven or reputed to be his sons. The community has no information one way or the other if Reuven left other sons. Levi arrives on the scene and claims that he is also a son of Reuven and demands to receive a one-third share of the estate of Reuven. Shimon acknowledges Levi to be a brother but Dan denies any knowledge whether Levi is a son of Reuven. Levi can compel Dan to take an oath that he really does not have any knowledge whether Levi is a son of Reuven. Dan receives one half of Reuven's estate, Shimon receives one-third of the estate, and Levi receives one-sixth of Reuven's estate.

Shimon receives one-third because he acknowledges that there are three brothers to share the estate. Levi receives one-half of that which Shimon acknowledges to be Levi's rightful part of the estate. Thereafter Levi dies and leaves no children or other issue, and his father Reuven died before him resulting in his brothers Shimon and Dan (his father's sons) being his heirs. Assume that Levi, when he dies, still has the assets, the one-sixth that he received from Reuven's estate, or other assets that can be traced back to the assets that Levi inherited from Reuven. Beth Din will determine if such assets are traceable to that which Levi inherited from Reuven. Such assets are first returned to Shimon. Then Shimon and Dan divide the balance of Levi's assets equally.

Doubt if the inheriting heir is alive
Reuven dies and leaves no sons surviving him. Reuven is known to have an only child, a daughter, Sarah. Sarah went abroad many years ago and it is not known if she is alive. Reuven left a father, Yaakov, surviving him. If Sarah is not alive when Reuven dies, Yaakov is Reuven's heir. There is a presumption before Beth Din that Sarah is alive. Sarah is a definite heir of Reuven and unless it can be shown otherwise, Beth Din will presume that since Sarah was alive when she went abroad, she is still alive now. Yaakov is only a doubtful heir, depending upon whether or not Sarah is alive. Yaakov receives nothing and Beth Din holds the assets or appoints a conservator to conserve the assets. The general principle regarding heirs is that those who are presumed to be heirs divide the estate and those who are only doubtful heirs do not receive anything.

However, if Sarah was married to Naftali and she and Naftali went abroad and it is known that they died before Reuven, Sarah having died first, but it is not known if Sarah had any children, such children, if any; are doubtful heirs of Reuven; Yaakov, Reuven's father, is now a definite heir because he inherits from Reuven. Yaakov will inherit the assets of Reuven. Should issue of Sarah appear, then they will displace Yaakov as Reuven's heir and retrieve from Yaakov that which he inherited from Reuven.

Simultaneous deaths
Reuven is married to Sarah and they have a son, Shlomo. Sarah dies and Reuven marries Leah, who has assets of her own, and they have a son, David. Then Reuven dies. Leah and David perish in an automobile accident, and it is not known who, if either of them, died first.

Shlomo, who is the closest heir of David, being his brother by a common father, Reuven, pleads that Leah died first and thus David inherited the assets of Leah; in turn, Shlomo inherits the assets of David. The heirs of Leah, such as her father, Pinchas pleads that David died first so that Leah's heir is Pinchas. The heirs of Leah will prevail since her assets belong to her estate until it can be proved otherwise, and Pinchas is certainly her heir. The heirs of David will not prevail because at best there is a doubt whether David survived Leah. A similar situation will prevail if Reuven and his only child, his daughter, Penina, who is married to Aryeh, died in an automobile accident. The father of Reuven pleads that Penina died first and therefore he, the father, is Reuven's heir. Aryeh pleads that Reuven died first and thus Penina inherited the assets of Reuven, and Aryeh inherited the assets from her. The father of Reuven will inherit Reuven's assets, since the assets are presumed to remain where they were before, in the estate of Reuven. Thus his heirs, in this case, the father, inherit the assets, and Aryeh is considered to be a doubtful heir of Reuven.

A house collapsed on Yaakov and his daughter Sarah's son, Levi, and it is not known who died first in this occurrence. (Sarah had died sometime before.) If the grandfather Yaakov died first, then Levi is his heir and the heirs of Levi inherit Yaakov's estate. If Levi died first, Yaakov's estate belongs to Yaakov's heirs. Rambam ruled that the estate of Yaakov is to be divided equally between the heirs of Levi and the heirs of Yaakov.

Yosef, who has considerable assets, has an only son, Asher. Asher owed money to Benjamin, and could not pay the debt. Yosef and Asher died in a plane crash and it is not known who, if either of them, died first. Benjamin pleads that Yosef died first so that Asher inherited Yosef's assets and now the estate of Yosef can pay Benjamin the debt owed to him. The other heirs of Yosef plead that Asher died first so that Yosef did not inherit from him and they; the other heirs, inherit from Yosef and Benjamin gets nothing. The other heirs of Yosef prevail since the money is in his estate and there is no proof to give the moneys to Asher.

The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in volume VIII chapters 273 of A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law by E. Quint. Copies of all volumes can be purchased via email: orders@gefenpublishing.com and via website: www.israelbooks.com and at local Judaica bookstores. Questions to quint@inter.net.il

MEANING IN MITZVOT by Rabbi Asher Meir
Each week we discuss one familiar halakhic practice and try to show its beauty and meaning. The columns are based on Rabbi Meir's Meaning in Mitzvot on Kitzur Shulchan Arukh
Birkhat Kohanim Without Shoes
One of the nine decrees of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai is that the Kohanim are not allowed to wear sandals when they ascend the duchan to bless the congregation (Rosh HaShana 31b). Since most of the other decrees are related to the Temple and especially to adjusting to the destruction of the Mikdash, the natural tendency would be to assume that this decree too is a commemoration of the Temple, where the Kohanim were forbidden to wear any kind of footwear. This seems to find an echo in the Rambam, who writes that the Kohanim are not allowed to wear shoes and then makes the seemingly superfluous addition, “rather they stand barefoot” (Mishneh Torah Tefilla 14:6).

However, we find that the later Sages gave a much different interpretation to this law. In Sota 40a, the gemara gives various examples of the great “awe of the public”, the honor which needs to be given to the congregation. One example given is the prohibition for Kohanim to wear shoes on the duchan; Rashi explains that since the shoes are dirty it is not really respectable for the Kohanim to wear them as they bless the people. This approach finds expression in the ruling that the shoes themselves should be placed out of sight so that the congregation won’t be offended by seeing them (MB 128:15), and in the rule that even socks shouldn’t be worn if they are commonly worn outside and get dirty (MB 128:18).

Yet Rav Ashi, one of the latest sages of the Talmud, gives an entirely different rationale for this decree: “Lest his shoelace become untied, and when he steps aside to tie it people will say that he is the son of a divorcee”, and therefore not a Kohen. For this reason even indoor shoes (such as fabric slippers) are forbidden if they have laces (Arukh HaShulchan OC 128:12).

Let us examine the factual basis for Rav Ashi’s explanation. On the one hand, shoes add to our dignity. Yet they may sometimes come undone; then they become a disgrace. The Kohen would rather step aside from the duchan and endure rumors that he is not a kosher Kohen than remain on the duchan and endure the embarrassment of having everyone see his shoe untied. Evidently Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai concluded that it is better if all Kohanim dispense with shoes altogether; then there is no embarrassment in ascending the duchan barefoot.

We may conjecture that shoes did not come untied so often that unsavory rumors were really a widespread problem. But the very hypothetical situation of the untied shoelaces is a symptom of a grave problem; there is something inherently wrong with our attachment to our shoes if we consider an untied shoe more of a disgrace than a blemished pedigree! In this context, even a tied shoe loses its aura of dignity; it comes to symbolize subjugation to social convention rather than human elevation.

There is nothing wrong with conventions and customs, and the dignity we attach to them. But we also have to know when to put these petty observances aside and focus on our inherent human dignity. As the Kohanim ascend the duchan to bless the people, they need to put aside accouterments of mere social and conventional elevation. They should be concentrating on the unique spiritual elevation which their descent gives them, and which alone enables them to be the vehicle of the special Divine blessing of Birkhat Kohanim.

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

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

TANACH
Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach; JOSHUA, JUDGES,
SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi'im Rishonim) by Dr. Meir Tamari
Miracles of National Redemption 2 (Melachim Bet 7)
Ben Haddad of Aram had stopped his policy of guerilla warfare after the Kiddush Hashem advice of Elisha not to kill prisoners of war but rather to fete them and then send them home. However, soon he substituted open warfare for that previous policy, so that now we find the armies of Aram besieging Shomron.

This siege intensified the 7 years of drought that were already laid upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. We are not told the reasons for the drought and resultant famine nor is there textual reference to any act of Elisha’s to bring it, as there was in the case of Eliyahu. We can only assume that the drought came as Divine punishment for the nation’s sins, in accordance with that foretold in the 2nd paragraph of Shema and the parshiot of Bechukotai and Ki Tavo. The fact that the text makes no reference to the name of king in whose days these chapters (6-8) dealing with miraculous national deliverance took place thus making the period irrelevant, signifies that the national moral issues raised in them exist in all generations, and Torah’s solution is eternally relevant.

Our story opens with the tragic cry to the king for justice. Dispensing justice was an integral part government in Judaism; "House of David, execute justice in the morning, and deliver the spoils out of the hands of the oppressor" (Yermiyahu 21:12). This was a legal system parallel to the Torah law. Nevertheless, the request ranged far beyond normal human experience since the woman involved asked him to adjudicate between her and her neighbor regarding the right to eat the body of her dead child. Owing to the famine, they had agreed to kill their sons and eat them. The text is unclear whether both children had already died and she only desired to bury his body, whether she did not to share it or whether the boy was alive and she did not want to keep her bargain. Irrespective, it is a picture of inhuman suffering quite beyond the comprehension of our modern world, yet: "And you will eat the flesh of your children… because of the siege" (Devarim 28:53); "hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children" (Eicha 3:10).

The king’s reaction was to tear his clothes in mourning for the troubles of his people. While standing on the city walls he revealed in public the sackcloth worn under the clothes, even though the act could lower the morale of the people. There are 2 important lessons concerning Jewish leadership taught here.

The first, that one cannot be a Jewish leader without identifying earnestly with the troubles of Jews. During Israel's war with Amalek, Moshe sat upon a rock rather than the appropriate throne, in sympathy with his people's suffering. Likewise, he offered his own destruction rather than agreeing that Israel should be destroyed in punishment for the Golden Calf. Hashem rewarded him with the Shechina shining from his face (Shmot 34:29). In contrast, Elimelech and his sons died for going to Moav rather than sharing and alleviating the suffering of famine. "Those who mourn for Zion shall see her comforting"; so is it customary to call to the comforting reading of the Torah in the Mincha of Tisha B’Av, the same people whole had been called to the Shacharit reading of future suffering.

The fact that the king's sackcloth was hidden beneath his royal garments comes to teach the necessity of honoring kingship; even an evil king as were those of the Northern Kingdom. "Great honor accrues to the king, awe and fear have to be rendered to him, as it is written; 'you may appoint a king, in order that his fear shall descend on you' (Sanhedrin 19b on Devarim 17:15). So no one may ride his horse, sit on his throne, or make use of the scepter or any of his articles of office. A king who waives his honor, his honor is not waived" (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melachim 2:1-3). After all, the king represents the totality of Am Yisrael; "The king is the very heart of Yisrael" (Admor of Sochochow). So Eliyahu ran before the chariot of Achav all the way to Yezreel; this despite the judgment of the Tanach that he did greater evil than all who preceded him (Melachim Alef 16:30).

Despair filled the people of Shomron as they saw no sign of deliverance from the famine or from the Arameans. However, Hashem revealed to Elisha that redemption was at hand from both of them.

Because of the famine, the people even ate unkosher animals, rodents and reptiles. "Man should live by observing the mitzvot but not die through that observance" (Ralbag based on Yoma 85b). A donkey's head sold for 80 shekel and a small measure of dove's dung - either for firewood or for the kernels of grain found in their crop (Radak) - for 5 shekel. Then Elisha prophesied that on the morrow, a se'ah [according to some, approximately 14 liter; others hold 8 1/3 liter] of fine flour and 2 se'ah of barley would only cost a shekel apiece in the market of Shomron. The king's officer mocked and asked: "Will the Lord cause wheat and barley to pour through windows in the sky like Manna, causing this drop in their price?" Elisha's reply was that as a punishment for such a lack of faith in the ability of Hashem to cause miracles, the officer would see the miracle yet not benefit from it. Indeed, on the morrow, that officer, while trying to gather much grain in order to prolong the famine and thus earn a profit for the king, was trampled to death in the mob's rush for food.

Educating against this negation of G-d as The Provider, lies at the root of many mitzvoth - Bikurim, Tzedaka, the non-interest loan, weights and measures etc. For instance, concerning Shemita we read: "When you will say what will there be for us to eat that year? Then I shall command My blessings in the 6th year and the land shall bring forth enough for the 3 years [6th, 7th and 8th]" (Vayikra 25:20-21).

This is the 45th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times”

MISC section - contents:
[1] Vebbe Rebbe
[2] Touch of Wisdom; Touch of Wit
[3] Candle by Day
[4] MicroUlpan
[5] From Aloh Naaleh
[6] Various Divrei Torah
[7] G'matriya Match
[8] Torah from Nature
[9] From the desk of the director

[1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center.The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah...

Here's the story: Last week's Vebbe Rebbe question was about SHE'HE'CHE'YANU during the Three Weeks. Since we had a page on that topic, we went with the Matot- Mas'ei Vebbe Rebbe question on Kiddush before Chatzot. That left us without a VRQ this week. So we are reprinting a timely question (and answer) from two years ago. May we soon see the day when this question and others like it will be completely outdated, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU, AMEN.
Q Is it permitted to make a Bar- Mitzva during the Nine Days (before Tisha B’Av )?

A The meal held in honor of a bar-mitzva is considered a seudat mitzva (a meal which it is a mitzva to partake in) (Yam Shel Shlomo, Bava Kama, 7:37). His main source is Kiddushin 31a, in reference to a statement by the blind amora, Rav Yosef. Rav Yosef said that if he would be convinced that the blind are obligated in mitzvot, he would make a seuda for his colleagues, because one who is commanded in mitzvot receives more reward for their fulfillment. If a celebration is in place just for finding out that one has always been obligated, all the more so is it appropriate when the obligations begin, when one becomes a bar-mitzva. Other sources in Chazal include Bereishit Rabba 53:10. This is certainly so when the party is held on the Jewish birthday itself (assuming the boy is sufficiently physically developed, which we are not required to check). The Magen Avraham (225:4) rules that even a bar-mitzva that is not on the birthday can be considered a seudat mitzva if the bar-mitzva boy publicly says diveri Torah. The apparent logic is that those present are reminded that this boy is indeed involved in the study of Torah, as he is now commanded, and they feel the cause for celebration.

It is permitted to partake of meat and wine at a seudat mitzva even during the week of Tisha B’Av (Rama, Orach Chaim 551:5), and this ruling should apply to a bar-mitzva as well (Yad Ephraim, ad loc.) Some want to learn from the Shulchan Aruch’s silence on the matter that he does not allow meat at a seudat mitzva during the week of Tisha B’Av (see Kaf Hachaim, OC 551:33). However, most poskim are lenient in the matter even for Sefardim. Even a delayed bar-mitzva with divrei Torah may be done during the Nine Days, but it should not be delayed for that purpose (Yad Efrayim, ibid; Kaf Hachaim. Ibid:158 )
During the first part of the Nine Days, one may invite whomever they would normally invite to the seuda, but people who just happen to be around may not take part in the meat and wine. During the week of Tisha B’Av, one should invite only reasonably close relatives and a small group of friends (Rama, ibid; Taz, ad loc.: 12); Mishna Berura, ad loc: 77). Some suggest serving fish and thereby removing the complication this situation raises. Others are lenient with the guest list even on the week of Tisha B’Av (Maharam, quoted in Taz, ibid; Yalkut Yosef pg. 568; see Aruch Hashulchan 551:30), and there is room to rely upon those opinions.

Participants at permitted bar-mitzva celebrations at this time may sing, but neither live nor recorded music should be played.

Receiving an aliya to the Torah and the accompanying ceremonies in shul on Shabbat are not problematic (see Igrot Moshe, Orach Chayim IV, 112.1)
This response is based on a teshuva in Bemareh Habazak III, 61.

Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to info@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Subscribe/English (for the English version) or Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
A TOUCH OF WISDOM A TOUCH OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
One of the early freethinkers, who wished to poke fun at Jewish Tradition, tauntingly asked R' Meir Leibush, the Malbim, "Rebbe, can you find a way in which I may smoke on Shabbos?"
"Certainly", said the Malbim, "just smoke in a different manner from the way you usually do."
"How?"
"Place the lit end in your mouth."

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

[3] Candle by Day
It is greater to understand something than to know everything. - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[4] Micro Ulpan - a word (or two) from HaAcademiya LaLashon Ha-Ivrit
Here's a fun topic: Anesthesia, The better-known Hebrew word is HARDAMA. The other word is ILCHUSH (from ALCHUSH, without feeling). HARDAMA is related to sleep. So take your pick, but HARDAMA is used for both general and local and ILCHUSHis used for local only.

Here's a good one - How do you say RED TAPE in Hebrew? DIKDUKEI S'RAD

[5] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
Parshat Mas'ei, and thus the book of Bamidbar, ends with a renewed discussion regarding the five daughters of Tzelofchad. This addendum to Moshe's original question about how to deal with the request of these stalwart women for their rightful inheritance in the Land of Israel is the closing scene of the trials and travails of the Jewish people in the desert. Only then does the Torah conclude the book with: "These are the commandments and the judgments which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moshe."

Contrast this with the end of the previous parsha, Matot, where inheritance is also a subject of concern. There the 2½ tribes are berated by Moshe. The tribes protest: they do not wish to abandon their people. They are simply happy in the lush pastureland on the east bank of the Jordan. They are, however, ready and willing to lead the battle for the conquest of Eretz Yisrael.

These two episodes represent the dynamic tension that exists within so many of us. We want to have a portion of the Land of Israel; but we are also very comfortable outside the land. We have the things we want in life which have become the things we need in life. We are prepared to support Israel and send our children to learn there, but we continue to build ourselves homes and businesses that create more ties to the Diaspora.

The Torah alludes to a way of resolving this tension: "These are the commandments and the judgments which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moshe…" It is very difficult to convince yourself to give up a good life-style. You can only do it out of a belief in God's commandment to Moshe that all Jews should live and flourish in the Land of Israel.

Yaacov Peterseil, Jerusalem
TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah

[6] Various Divrei Torah
The SHLA"H HAKADOSH asks and answers: Why did Moshe get angry with the officers for leaving the women of Moav alive? They were not commanded to kill them? He says that we are held responsible for things our logic tells us, even if we were not directly commanded. And we learn this from here.

[7] G'matriya Match
K'ASHER TZIVA HASHEM ET MOSHE KEN A'SU B'NOT TZLOFCHOD: (Bamidbar 36:10)
"As G-d commanded Moshe, so the daughters of Tzelofchad did." Can we suggest that the proper behavior of these women lent itself to contribute to the acceptability of the words of another woman, 917 years later...

U'MA'AM',AR ESTHER KI'YEIM DIVREI HAPURIM HA'ELA V'NICHTAV BASEFER: (Bamidbar 36:10)
The p'sukim are g'matriya twins (2510).

[8] MA RABU MAASECHA HASHEM...
Yapok a.k.a. water oppossum, is the only marsupial (pouched animal) that is aquatic (mostly lives in the water). Most marsupials are native to Australia, but the yapok lives in Central and northern South America, as its "cousin" the oppossum lives in North America... Head and body length is 27-40 cm, tail 31-43 cm... weight ranges from 600-800 grams... heavier in captivity... short dense fur with round black patches on its back and head, contrasting with gray or white on the belly long, ratlike tail... dense, water-repellent fur, webbed hind feet, a streamlined body, and, females, a rear-opening, waterproof pouch. Both sexes actually have a pouch (the male's pouch has nothing to do with the offspring) ... The female is able to swim with the young in her pouch. A well-developed sphincter muscle closes the pouch, creating a watertight compartment, and the young can tolerate low oxygen levels for many minutes... freshwater streams and lakes... nocturnal ...excellent swimmer and diver... largely carnivorous, feeding on crayfish, shrimp, and fish... also may eat some aquatic vegetation and fruits... solitary animal... litters of 2-5... greatest known longevity for a captive yapok is 3 years... Yapok is an endangered species.

[9] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Matot describes the battle with the Midianites, the primary goal of which was to wreak vengeance on a nation whose women had seduced Bnei Yisrael into harlotry. We recall that among the many spoils were cooking utensils.

Moshe became angry with the military officers for sparing the women who had participated in the orgies. Then, comments Rashi, this anger caused Moshe to err in the matter of ruling on the exact way in which the foreign utensils could be prepared for use by Bnei Yisrael – for it was not Moshe but Elazar the Kohen who taught that, “This is the decree of Torah” (Bemidbar 31:21).

Since Moshe did not actually give a mistaken ruling, the Lubavitcher Rebbe asks what was Moshe’s lapse? From the details ascribed to Elazar’s clarification, it seems that Moshe’s error was failing, at that moment of irritation, to distinguish between the ritual purification of the vessels and the purging of their non-kosher residues.

The Rebbe extrapolates from this distinction to our own service of Hashem. It is one thing to “purify” ourselves from external influences. It is quite another to expunge those urges and deflective influences that corrode our inner selves. It appears that avoiding anger might be one way to reach the appropriate balance.
Shabbat Shalom Menachem Persoff

SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.
A Tale of Two Kohanim!
TT reader from Ramot writes, "…You said (see TT May 14-15 '04) that the Asham Metzora (Guilt Offering of the "leper", note Vayikra 14:13,14) was unique among all Korbanot in that two Kohanim received the blood after slaughter (Kabalat HaDam). One Kohein caught the blood (that gushed from the neck of the slaughtered animal) in a Kli Shareit (a sacred "service" vessel) in the usual manner and the other Kohein caught the blood in his cupped right hand. I know you quoted Rambam but could you give me the original source of this Halacha?"

Halachot do not evolve in mid-air; they have a venerable history extending back to Ma'amad Har Sinai. Without the oral traditions and the Halachic expositions of our Sages throughout the millennia, the laws ordained in the Five Books of Moses cannot be understood, let alone properly observed. The source for the abovementioned Halacha is a Beraita cited in a marvelous Talmudic discourse based on the first Mishna of the celebrated 5th chapter of Zevachim, "Eizehu Mekoman" (ibid. 47b). A wonderful example of rabbinic dialectics at its best, this Gemara endeavors to find justification in the Torah for the unique Halacha which differentiates the Asham Metzora from all other Korbanot; two Kohanim instead of one received the blood after slaughter. (Beraitot are Mishnaic material not included in the "official" Mishna edited by R' Yehuda HaNasi. Though they are "extraneous", Beraitot are frequently referred to in the Gemara as authoritative sources of Tana'itic opinion on practical Halacha and the Amora'im constantly utilized them in their deliberations.) The central theme of Eizehu Mekoman is an in-depth study and analysis of where exactly in the Azara the various Korbanot were slaughtered, how their blood was received, the nature of the blood applications made on the sacrificial altar or within the Heichal, and where and by whom could the sacrificial meat be eaten. The first Mishna of the Perek begins by noting that all Kodshei Kodashim, sacrifices of a higher level of sanctity, must be slaughtered north of the Mizbei'ach. But even though, as we shall see, the Halacha also requires Kabalat HaDam with a Kli Shareit from all Kodshei Kodashim, the Tanna saw fit not to include this basic ordinance in the opening statement of the Mishna. Instead he chose to continually repeat this requirement each time he discussed another Kodesh Kodashim sacrifice. Why was this elementary requirement omitted in the "introduction"? The Gemara answers, "Since there is (a Kodesh Kodashim sacrifice, i.e. the Asham Metzora) whose blood is received (by the Kohein) in his hand (and not in a Kli like other Kodshei Kodashim), the Tanna omitted (the general requirement of a Kli from the opening verse of the Mishna)."

But the 5th Mishna in our Perek reads, "The Nazir's Asham, the Asham Metzora… their slaughter is in the north …and the receiving of their blood is performed with a Kli Shareit in the north…" (Ibid. 5:5). Is there not a contradiction here? The Gemara explains, "At first he (the Tanna) indeed thought that the blood (of the Asham Metzora) was received only in the hand so he omitted (saying that all Kodshei Kodashim require Kabalat Hadam with a Kli), but when he saw that Kabalat HaDam could not be performed properly without a Kli Shareit, he 're-included' it (in the 5th Mishna)." Is it possible that, in contra- distinction to the procedure common to every other Korban, the Asham Metzora had two Kabalot HaDam? Yes it is! "It has been taught in a Beraita, '(The Kohein) shall take (from the blood of the Asham and apply it to the Metzora) (Vayikra 14:14). You might think that the Kohein could also "take" (i.e. receive) the blood (of the Asham Metzora) in a Kli Shareit! (Therefore, immediately afterward in the same Pasuk), the Torah continues, 'and the Kohein shall apply (the blood to the requisite parts of the Metzora's body). Just like the application (of the Asham's blood on the Metzora's body) is done through the Kohein himself, i.e. he uses his finger, so is the 'taking of the (Asham Metzora's) blood by the Kohein himself" i.e. with his hand. (The Torah does not specifically say that the Kohein must place the blood on the Metzora with his finger but it does mandate that the Kohein use his finger when he subsequently anointed the Metzora in a similar fashion with olive oil (Vayikra 14:17). Therefore, through the principle of Binyan Av - a general principle derived from one Pasuk can logically be applied to analogous cases - we learn that the blood is also applied to the Metzora's body with the finger.)

But if that is the case, perhaps the blood destined to be tossed on the Mizbei'ach, and not applied to the Metzora, should be also received in the Kohein's cupped hand and not in a Kli Shareit? "Therefore," the Gemara elucidates, "The Torah says, 'The Asham is similar to the Chatat (the sin offering). Just like the Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat requires a Kli, so does the Kabalat HaDam of an Asham require a Kli." But how do we really know that Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat requires a Kli? There is no specific Pasuk in the Torah that ordains the use of a Kli for the Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat. However the Torah does compare the Chatat with the Olah (the burnt offering) and the aforementioned Halacha is derived through a Gezeira Shava, a "verbal analogy". "Regarding the Chatat, the Torah says, 'And the Kohein shall take (V'lakach) from the blood of the Chatat… (Vayikra 4:34). Shemot 24:6 reads, "And Moses took (Vayikach) half of the blood (of Olot) and placed it in basins…'" i.e. Moses used Klei Shareit to receive the blood from Olot. The Gezeira Shava connecting the two Pesukim (forms of the word Lakach, "take") teaches us that the Kohein receives the blood of the Chatat as well as the Olah in a Kli. And because the Torah then goes on to compare the Asham to the Chatat, it is clear that Kabalat HaDam of the Asham also requires a Kli (note Vayikra 14:13). Obviously this would include the Asham Metzora. But this equation of Asham and Chatat with the Olah does not exclude the possibility that at least some of the Asham Metzora's blood was also received in a Kohein's cupped hand as well as in a Kli. Therefore if some of the Asham Metzora's blood must be received in the hand and some in a Kli, the Gemara can only conclude "that two Kohanim received the blood of the Asham Metzora, one (Kohein received it) in his hand and the other (Kohein) in a vessel. He who received it in a vessel went to the Mizbei'ach (and tossed the blood). He who received the blood in his hand went to the Metzora (and applied the blood to his right ear, thumb, and big toe as ordained)." The Rambam rules that after the Asham Metzora is slaughtered, "two Kohanim receive its blood. One receives the blood in a Kli and tosses it on the Mizbei'ach and the other receives the blood in his right hand. The Kohein then spills the blood into his left hand and mixes it with his right index finger. …First the Kohein who received some of the blood in a Kli conveys it to the Mizbei'ach and tosses it, Afterwards, the Kohein who received the blood in his palm approaches the Metzora and places blood from his palm in his right ear-lobe… his right thumb… and his right big toe… (Hilchot Mechusrei Chapara 4:2)

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
And they traveled FROM... and they camped IN...
From is the prefix letter MEM; IN is the prefix letter BET.
Let's review the vowel rules for these two prefixes.

The "from" MEM will get a CHIRIK before all letters except for ALEF, HEI, CHET, AYIN, and REISH, and the first letter of the name of the place will get a DAGESH CHAZAK. If the first letter has a DAGESH KAL (BET, GIMEL, DALET, KAF, PEI, TAV), then that DAGESH becomes a DAGESH CHAZAL.
VAYIS-U (and they traveled) MIMARA, from MARA. MILIVNA, MITACHAT, and many others. The "from" MEM has a CHIRIK and the effect of the DAGESH CHAZAK that follows it is to close the first syllable of the word. MIM, MIL, MIT... as if the letter with the DAGESH CHAZAK is double, the first letter closing the previous syllable and the second letter beginning the next syllable. Take pasuk 33:37: And they traveled from KADEISH. The syllables are MIK, KA, and DEISH. (Accent on the DEISH.) The big difference between a real double letter and a "virtual" double courtesy of a DAGESH CHAZAK, is that if there really were two KUFs, we'd be careful not to swallow the second one. We'd say MIK-KA-DEISH. With the DAGESH CHAZAK, we melt the two KUFs together as if they are one letter - which they are, so the word is MIK, linger on the KUF and continue to say KADEISH.

When the MEM is before an ALEF, HEI, CHET, AYIN, or REISH, it is voweled with a TZEIREI. Since these five letters do not get a DAGESH CHAZAK, the first syllable of the word would be "weak" with a MEM/CHIRIK. The MEM/TZEIREI is a "stronger" letter and vowel which can and does stand well as a syllable. So they traveled MEI-RITMA, not MI-RITMA, their first point of departure - And they traveled MEI- RA-M'SEIS (not RA'AM-SEIS), MEI-EITAM, MEI-ARVO- NA, MEI-ALUSH, MEI-RIMON-PERETZ, etc.

On the arrival side, and they camped IN... The Bet gets a SH'VA NA as in B'RISA, B'TZALMONA, B'HAR- SHAFER, etc. If the name of the place starts with a SH'VAed letter, then the BET gets a CHIRIK. R'FIDIM gives BIR-FI-DIM. BIK-HEILATA. BIV-NEI YA'AKON. And, third possibility, if the name of the place begins with a letter that has a CHATAF-PATACH, then the prefixed BET will have a PATACH. The place is CHATZEIROT. There is a CHATAF-PATACH under the CHET. So when they traveled from KIVROT HATA'AVA they camped BACHATZEIROT. Notice: B'CHASHMONA, but BACHATZEIROT. The CHET of CHASHMONA has a regular PATACH. The BET gets a SH'VA. The CHET of CHATZEIROT has a CHATAF-PATACH; BET-PATACH.

Parsha Pix
An “oldie but goodie” ParshaPix, with a little addition to keep you on your toes. .
Upper-right. Father and daughter; husband and wife. The two pairs involved in HAFARAT NEDARIM.
Five crown plus one with a sword under it refers to the five kings and Bil’am who saw their end during the battle against Midyan.
The face-to-face sheep, cows, and donkeys represent the even split of the spoils of war from Midyan, divided between the army and the rest of the people.
The pot of gold refers to the contribution of the officers of the battle in thanks to G-d for the zero casualty rate.
The Pyramids, the many arrows, and the outline of Israel, of course, stand for the travels of the people from Exodus to Eretz Yisrael.
The quill refers to the Torah’s statement that Moshe wrote down the travelog of Bnei Yisrael.
The map above the Pyramids with a big 3 on each side of the Jordan River refers to the Cities of Refuge to be designated in Eretz Yisrael.
The scales of justice are for the careful attention that the courts must pay in cases of homicide (the example from this week’s sedra) in determining culpability of the guilty party.
The road sign to Hebron is one of the requirements for Cities of Refuge (which Hevron is one of). Roads to them must be well-marked to facilitate the escape to them of one who committed a homicide, regardless of the outcome of his trial.
The cow with the horns stands for the rare (this once only) occurrence of the TROP called KARNEI PARA.
The big rock under the sword is TZUR, the name of one of the late Midyanite kings. the mathematically incorrect statement, that a quarter is equal to a fifth. A quarter is REVA, one of the five kings (1/5) killed in the Midyanite battle.
Lower-right is the logo of YOTVATA, the choir is for MAK-HEILATA, the Lulav for SUKKOT, and the dreidel is for CHASHMONA - all names of places of encampment.
There is another Chatan-Kallah, this time multiplied by 5, representing the daughters of Zelofchad who marry distant cousins to solve the old “land going from one tribe to another tribe” problem.
Which leaves...

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. 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 (BALAK) TTriddles:
[1] One of two of three (times 2)(Special stand-alone TTriddle challenge)
[2] Top of the 5th can be first; bottom of the 5th can be last
[3] The befuddled barefoot sea
[4] Gad got double on the 8+2+14
[5] Reuven, Menashe • Shimon, Gad, Zevulun, Efrayim, Binyamin, Asher • Yehuda • Yissachar, Dan, Naftali
[6] What connects Pinchas to Yitzchak, Eliyahu, and Yirmiyahu?

And the envelope, please...
[1] There are 13 or so 3-word p'sukim in the Torah. One of them from Parshat Pinchas is: UV-NEI FALU ELIAV. And the sons (plural) of PALU are/is ELIAV. Eliav is ONE of TWO (minimum B'NEI is TWO), of the THREE-word pasuk. Times 2 refers to the other 3-word pasuk very similar to this one. UV-NEI DAN CHUSHIM. Separate prize for correct solutions to this TTriddle.
[2] Top of the 5th is the first part of the fifth Aliya in Pinchas, can be the first Aliya on a weekday Rosh Chodesh. Bottom of the 5th can be the last Aliya (maftir) of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.
[3] Barefoot is YACHAF, YUD-CHET-PEI. Sea is SAMACH-YUD. Befuddled means scramble those letters and the answer is PINCHAS.
[4] YOM HASHISHI, the 6th day. That was the day of the gift of the leader of the Tribe of GAD. That was the day that a double portion of Manna fell. That was the day of Sukkot that the Musaf was made up of 8 Parim + 2 Eilim + 14 K'vasim.
[5] This is a list of the Tribes of Israel, obviously. The way they are divided up (with a big dot between groups) is based on the TROP mark on the name of the tribe in the census from Parshat Pinchas. Check it in a Chumash. Bnei Reuven and Bnei Menashe are both MUNACH-R'VI'I. The next group is the largest, with six of the tribes having a ZARKA (or sqiggly, as we used to call it). Yehuda alone has a TIPCHA, but a pasuk later he too has a squiggly. And the last group (of three sh'vatim) have a PASHTA.
[6] The connection to Eliyahu and Yirmiyahu is via the haftarot of Parshat Pinchas: one if it falls before the Three Weeks and one if it falls during (respectively). Of course, the connection to Eliyahu is much stronger than the haftara - Several sources identify Pinchas as Eliyahu. Can't get a closer connection than that. And the connection to Yitzchak is via g'matriya, both total 208.

This week's TTriddles:
[1] Sarah Schenirer's flocks and the residents of the neighborhood bordering 100 gates.
[2] Two consecutive words that are almost Heb-Eng translations
[3] Three is common to the five
[4] If there were six fewer of these, the opening word of the sedra would fit perfectly
[5] So when is Chani Eim coming?
[6] One element from the ParshaPixPuzzle

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Schedule for Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat (Fri-Fri), 27 Tammuz - 5 Av (July 16-23)

Friday
9:00am: (men & women) - Overview of Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen

"Locals", Join us for davening and shiurim of our In-House Shabbaton, as follows...
"Early Shabbat Minyan" This week: 6:03pm, Carlebach-style Kabbalat Shabbat, Mincha 15 mins. before Plag; Kabbalat Shabbat after Plag • next weeks: 6:00, 5:56, 5:51

Leil Shabbat, 9:00pm (approx.) Oneg Shabbat and...Enlightening, educating, entertaining shiur on... (We'll let him tell you) by Rabbi Edward Davis

Shabbat DAY
7:30am • Pre-davening mini-shiur by Phil
8:00am Shacharit, Torah Reading, Rosh Chodesh, Benching, Drasha by Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Musaf, Kiddush
11:30am Shiur on Parshat HaShavua by Rabbi Davis
2:30pm Mincha (another Mincha at 6:00pm IY"H)
3:00pm Shiur on the Mitzvot in M&M - Phil
5:00pm Shiur in Pirkei Avot - Rabbi Eddie Abramson
6:00pm Ask the Rabbis session (Shoo"T the Eddies)
8:15pm Maariv and Havdala (Shabbat out after 8:26)

Motza”Sh
Motza'ei Shabbat M&M, M'vorchim, July 17th, 9:30pm: Review of The Nine Days with Phil Chernofsky

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10:00am The Weekly Mitzvot and Concepts from Minchat Chinuch by Rabbi Dovid Zitter
1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year)
on hold Daf Yomi by Rabbi Shmuel Halpern
4:30pm Shiur in Masechet Sanhedrin by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel

Sunday
N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:30am to 12:45pm
9:30am: (women) Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year with Golda Warhaftig
10:30am (women) Yom Kippur Machzor with Tonia Frohwein
1130am: (men & women) Parshat HaShavua with Shprintzee Herskovits
SUN, MON, TUE, WED • July 18, 19, 20, 21 • 29T, 1,2,3 Av: Conference on Har HaBayit and the Beit HaMikdash, Two lectures each afternoon, after Mincha (1:20pm) (in English)
2:00pm: The Temple Mount Today - Rabbi Mordechai Rabinowitz
3:00pm: On the other hand... - Rabbi Jay Marcus
Program at the Israel Center • hosted by the Israel Center, Yisrael Hatza'ir in Israel, Young Israel Rabbis in Israel, and Yeshiva University Israel Alumni
7:30pm: (men & women) Issues in Jewish Thought as they emerges from the Torah with the help of Ramban's Commentary - Now studying: The Early Generations & Bnei HaElohim - Who are they? with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Sundays, 8:00-9:30pm - PREP - Call (02) 582-7958 for details
Dr. David Luchins, National Associate Vice President of the Orthodox Union, Chairman of the Political Science Department at Touro College, Most senior visiting (from Galut) guest speaker at the Israel Center will be speaking at the Israel Center, on...Shifting Sands: the United States, Israel and the Palestinians, Sunday, July 18th, 8:00pm

Monday N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:00-12:30
9:15am (men & women) excursions into the world of nevi'im with Mrs. Pearl Borow
10:30am (men &women), Rambam’s 13 Principles by Rabbi Zev Leff
Dr. Henry Goldblum's Jewish History series will resume IY"H in September
Monday, July 19th, 11:35am (men & women) Who angers, frustrates, or disappoints you? How would you like them to change? Learn "The Work of Byron Katie" a simple powerful method of self-inquiry that will change your life. Facilitated by Dr. Moshe Dann
11:36am (women): Resumes Next Week (July 26) with Aviva Nissim
Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise class for women of all ages at the Israel Center Gentle exercises to improve your flexibility, circulation, posture, etc. Breathing and relaxation skills to use every day. Satisfaction guaranteed! Mondays, 11:35-12:45pm , Call Sura Faecher, 9932524
Video and Lunch: Monday, July 19th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free): “Halachic Estate Planning (Kosher Wills)” by Rabbi Dr. Benzion Greenberger
3:00pm Women's Beit Midrash: Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew - join us! Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow, Aspects of Sefer Torah - Phil Chernofsky
Conference on Har HaBayit and the Beit HaMikdash, See more details on SUNDAY 2:00pm: Prof. Daniel Michaelson on Temple Mount Boundaries
3:00pm: Rabbi Aryeh Shames on The Temple Mount Experience
Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop with Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) & Mindy Aber Barad (643-5276) Mondays: 5:20-7:20pm
MON 8:30pm • AM SEGULA “Curing the Jewish Heart” lecture series with Eli Yosef
MASK - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids: J'lem Chapter at the OU Israel Center • www.maskjerusalem.cjb.net • 050-754-2717, Biweekly, Monday night meetings will resume at summer's end
Monday, July 19th - Rosh Chodesh Av - 7:45pm: Special Shiur on the 3277th yahrzeit of Aharon HaKohein, Why did Aharon's death cause a Jewish Civil War? (Talmud Yerushalmi) And its message for TODAY by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher

TUESDAY
The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association, 14th year • over 3000 loans
granted: Gemach - Free Loan Society to provide interest-free loans for people in
financial distress (living in the Jerusalem area)., Interviews at the Center on Tuesdays
from 10:00-12:00 • Please bring ID
Rabbi Adler and Rabbi Gold will resume IY"H Elul-ish
9:00am& 9:55am: Free Will and First Cause with Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50am: Parshat HaShavua with Rabbi Spiegelman
11:00am; Hebrew: The Mitzva of Tzedaka with Dr. Hayim Abramson
11:45am (women) Review of the weekly Farbrengens of the Lubavitcher Rebbe with Raizel Zisk
Lunch and Video: Tuesday, July 20 12:30pm, in the Library (free), Tisha B’Av is Coming by Phil Chernofsky
Conference on Har HaBayit and the Beit HaMikdash, See more details on SUNDAY
2:00pm: Architect Gideon Charlap on A Temple on the Mount
3:00pm: Rabbi Chaim Richman on Third Mikdash: Divine or Human
Tuesday, July 20th, 8:00pm: Can Mourning Produce Joy? An Israeli's view from the Golah, Exploring the deep meaning of" All who mourn Yerushalayim will be privileged and see its rejoicing", the philosophy of mourning in general and "old mourning" in particular, Guest speaker: Rabbi Eddie Abramson

Wednesday
Suggestions for Ending the Churban, Wednesday, July 21st, 10:00am by Rabbi Meyer Fendel
Rabbi Gordon and Rabbi Gold will resume IY"H Elul-ish
Wednesdays 11:45am: Hebrew-reading Ulpan with Chani Abramson
Lunch and Video: Wednesday, July 21st, 12:30pm, in the Library (free), JUDEOPHOBIA (Jew Hatred) Then and Now by Prof. Gustavo Perednik
3:00pm: (men & women) Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow
Women's Beit Midrash, Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew - join us!, Women in Tanach: Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow
Conference on Har HaBayit and the Beit HaMikdash, See more details on SUNDAY 2:00pm: Rabbi Chaim Richman part two (see Tuesday)
3:00pm: Atty. Baruch Ben Yosef on The Temple Mount and the Law
7:30pm: (men & women) Jewish Philosophy: Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed - Now WED 8-10pm: Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass

Thursday
10:30am: Shiur while you fold...Meet a New Sefer... or an old one with Phil Chernofsky
THU: Dvar Torah by Menachem Persoff
Shmooze while you fold: Divrei Torah, verbal tidbits, Q&A, and...with Phil (Some time
IY”H, sometimes B”N)
Gush Katif comes to Jerusalem, Thursday, 4 Av, July 22, 5:00-7:00pm (in English), Come and hear their stories, learn the facts about the Biblical and pre-state Katif and see a beautiful movie about life in the Gush today. Learn what you can do to help keep Gush Katif in Israel. Men and women, followed by Mincha and Tehillim. Co-sponsored by Emunah Jerusalem and the Israel Center
Root & Branch Association (in cooperation with the Israel Center), Thursday, July 22nd • 19:00: "Israeli Civil War: Trick or Treat?" by Mr. Yoni Ariel Editor, Ma'ariv International [www.maarivenglish.com], Info: rb@rb.org.il • NIS25 per person, members NIS20, students NIS10
8:00pm: Legends from the Gemara with Reb Yosef Schreiber

Friday
9:00am (men & women) Overview of Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen

Upcoming at the Israel Center
SUN. July 25 • 7 Av (Pre-Tish'a b'Av Yom Iyun)
9:00am: Rabbi Aharon Adler on Rav Soloveitchik on Kinot
10:15am: Rabbi Sholom Gold on The Biblical Readings for Tish'a b'Av
11:30am: Rabbi Macy Gordon on The Laws of Tish'a b'Av

Tish'a b'Av
Monday, July 26th
7:00pm: Seudat HaMafseket (pita, egg, water) and last-minute review of Laws and Customs of 9 b'Av, Please let us know if you are coming to this part of the program, so we may prepare properly.
8:10pm: Maariv & Eicha with Rabbi Sidney Silberg, Rabbi Neil Winkler, and others
Tuesday, July 27th
8:30am: Shacharit & Kinot with explanations and commentary by Dr. David Luchins, and with the participation of R' Winkler (prepare for a slow, long morning, but a very meaningful one)
1:20pm: Mincha Gedola for Tish'a b'Av

Motza'Sh Nachamu, July 31, 9:30pm: The Best of "THOSE WERE THE DAYS", An Evening of Song, Humor and Nostalgia with HOWIE KAHN featuring Jewish Music of the 60's and 70's, Broadway, Folk and Popular Hits, Period Trivia plus A Salute to Naomi Shemer

Hold this date: THU August 5th, 8:00pm, On the Interface:Medical Futility - a Torah Perspective, Special lecture by Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler - In memory of Naomi Wolinetz A"H

A beautiful Mitzva Returned - P'til Tekhelet
Talitot and Tzitzit, factory visits, Bar Mitzvas,shul and school trips
For more info: Moshe Malkinson
054-642-1991 • Ptil2004@yahoo.com

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

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