ROSH HASHANA
TT #587 - This Shabbat is the 1st day (of 355) of 5764; the 1st (of 51) Shabbat
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 K'tivah V'ChatimahTova

Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel Summer Time
Correct for TT #587 • Ranges are for THU-THU, 28 Elul - 6 Tishrei - September 25 - October 2
Candle lighting - 5:56pm (2nd night RH not before, - 7:08pm)
Havdala - 7:07pm (Rabbeinu Tam - 7:47pm)
Earliest Shacharit 5:39-5:43am
Sunrise - 6:29-6:33am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:29-9:30am (8:44-8:46am)
Sof Z'man Shacharit - 10:30-10:30am (10:00-10:00am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:31-12:28½pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:02-12:59pm
Plag Mincha - 5:17 - 5:09½pm
Sunset - 6:37 - 6:28pm (6:33-6:23½pm)

Shabbat times for other cities: (Nitzavim-Vayeilech)
Candles (2nd night, not before) city RH out
6:22pm (7:08) Raanana 7:07pm
6:12pm (7:08) Beit Shemesh 7:06pm
6:12pm (7:08) Netanya 7:07pm
6:11pm (7:08) Rehovot 7:07pm
5:53pm (7:08) Petach Tikva 7:07pm
6:11pm (7:08) Modi'in area 7:06pm
6:13pm (7:08) Be'er Sheva 7:07pm
6:11pm (7:08) Gush Etzion 7:07pm
6:11pm (7:07) Ginot Shomron 7:06pm
5:56pm (7:06) Maale Adumim 7:05pm
6:05pm (7:07) Tzfat 7:06pm
6:11pm (7:09) K4 & Hevron 7:08pm

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...

With RH postponed from the day of the molad of Tishrei, because of the rules for fixing the day of RH, we will find that this carries through the year, meaning that the molad of each month will be a day or two before Rosh Chodesh. (Last year, most moladot coincided with Rosh Chodesh.)
This in turn will manifest itself in a seemingly earlier starting date for Kiddush L'vana and for a seemingly earlier "last opportunity" for K.L.

Speaking of which... first opportunity for KL (according to Minhag Yerushalayim) is right after Tzom Gedaliya. People who say KL then, should first break their fast. Most people will wait for Motza'ei Yom Kippur to say KL, based on the better mood that we have after YK, contrasted with the somber mood of Aseret Y'mei T'shuva. There is also the feeling of immersing oneself in mitzvot after YK.

Another look at No-Shofar
Here are some points to underscore the amazing decree of the Sages in banning
Shofar from Rosh HaShana, when it falls on Shabbat. Assume we were allowed to blow Shofar on Shabbat, as the Torah commands us. Most Shofar-hearing Jews live in areas with an Eiruv, where there is no risk of inadvertent Shabbat violation in the way that motivated the rabbinic ban. Most Jews in a non-eiruv area know that one may not carry a Shofar in the street. Or they don't have a Shofar in the first place. Look what you would need to err in the way Chazal envisioned it. A Jew with a Shofar, who doesn't know how to blow on his own, who lives in an area without an eiruv, who knows and cares enough about Shofar to want to hear it, but doesn't know that you cannot violate Shabbat for that purpose.

And even if a person violates Shabbat thinking (mistakingly) that it is permis- sible to do so for the sake of the mitzva, he is then not considered culpable even on a SHOGEG level; such a "violator" would not have to bring a CHATAT to the HaMikdash. Yet every single Jew withdraws his hand and ears from that which the Torah commands us to hear.

Consider this: The command to hear the Shofar is couched in the cryptic wording of YOM T'RU'A YIHYEH LACHEM. Have a T'ru'a Day. And the Torah elsewhere speaks of ZICHRON T'RU'A, implying that sometimes we must have a T'ru'a Day by hearing the sound of the Shofar. And sometimes we are to have a commemorative of the T'RU'A Day, without actually hearing the Shofar.

And consider this: One may not walk outside the Shabbat or Yom Tov limit in order to fulfill the mitzva of Shofar. Chazal made no decree, "lest someone inadvertently violate" for that possibil- ity. Nor for many others.

"What's Rosh HaShana without Shofar", asked the non-observant Jew who came to shul for one of his three days a year.

That's exactly the point. RH is usually made into a Yom T'ru'a by the sounds of the Shofar. But there are other ways.

Rosh HaShanaTorah Readings& Haftarot

First Day...
First Torah, B’reishit34 p'sukim - 21:1-34
This is the total for the reading in the first Torah; it is not broken down Aliya-by-Aliya style.

According to Tradition, Sara Imeinu was "remembered" on Rosh HaShana, she became pregnant, and subsequently gave birth to Yitzchak, despite her advanced age of 90. On the first day of Rosh HaShana we read perek 21 of B'reishit, from Parshat Vayeira, about the birth and early years of Yitzchak, and about the Sara-Hagar- Yishmael episode.

This first section of the reading is contained in a single Parsha S’tuma, is made up of 21 of the 34 p’sukim, and is divided among the first five of the seven Aliyot for Shabbat-Rosh HaSha- na. (When the first day of RH is not on Shabbat, this portion makes up the first three of five Aliyot.)
The last part of this reading is a single Parsha P’tucha of 13 p’sukim and is about the treaty made between Avraham and Avimelech. This part of the reading is divided between the last two Aliyot of the first Torah (i.e. Shishi and Sh’vi’i when RH is Shabbat, and R’vi’i and Chamishi when RH falls during the week). Commentaries point out that it was in the merit of the prayers of Avraham on behalf of the people of Avimelech's household, that his (Avraham's) and Sara's prayers for themselves were also answered. This fits with one of the powerful themes and messages of RH, namely the power of prayer.

2nd Torah, Bamidbar 6 p'sukim - 29:1-6
Then the Maftir is called to the second Torah and the first 6 p'sukim of Bamidbar 29 (in Parshat Pinchas) are read. The reading is about the Musaf of Rosh HaShana (mentioning that the Musaf of Rosh CHodesh is also brought on RH) and the mitzva of hearing the Shofar blowing.

Haftara, Shmuel Alef38 p'sukim - 1:1-2:10
The Haftara of the first day of Rosh HaShana echoes and reinforces the theme of the Power of Prayer, as well as giving us another example of the "barren matriarch" who conceived after praying, It is the story of Chana, mother of Shmuel HaNavi.
The silent nature of the Amida is attributed to Chana.
The main connection to the Torah reading and the guiding force, so to speak, as to the choice of haftara for the first day of Rosh HaShana, is the story of a woman who was barren for a long time and then was blessed with a child.
Sara in the Torah reading and Chana in the haftara, are joined by Rachel from the haftara of the second day.
In a different way, we can add Yosef HaTzadik, who was also “remembered” by G-d. Tradition tells us that he was removed from prison to appear before Par’o on Rosh HaShana.

Mincha...
When Rosh Hashana is Shabbat, Yom Kippur will be Monday and Sukkot will be Shabbat. That means that there is no Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, which means that Haazinu is the Shabbat Shuva reading and the beginning of Haazinu is the reading for Shabbat afternoon of Rosh HaShana. As always, 3 people are called to the Torah at Shabbat Mincha.

SPECIAL NOTICE
When there is Yom Tov on Motz'aei Shabbat, one has to be careful to eat Seuda Shlishit for Shabbat, on the one hand, and to still have an appetite for the Yom Tov meal at night, on the other hand. This takes a little planning, but both Kavod Shabbat and Kavod Yom Tov are at stake, so the effort is well-rewarded. A practical suggestion for Rosh HaShana day, when lunch tends to be on the late side, is to split lunch by benching after the appetizer (or something like that), take a learning break, and then wash again for the main dish. This second half of lunch can qualify as Seuda Shlishit. It’s not a good idea to skip Seuda Shlishit, especially since this is the first Shabbat of the new year, and patterns and habits can develop from it.

Second Day...

First Torah, B’reishit24 p'sukim - 22:1-24
In the first Sefer Torah, we continue reading from where we left off on the first day of RH. Five people are called to the Torah in the first Sefer. The second day of RH cannot fall on Shabbat, so there is no other side of this coin. Perek 22 is the portion of the Akeida. It is arguably the most dramatic and emotion-evoking portion of the whole Torah. Tradition tells us that the Akeida took place on Rosh HaShana. ZICHRONOT (remembrances) is one of the three major themes of Rosh Hashana, and the Akeida is the main element of ZICHRONOT. Not only is it the topic of the Torah reading, but it is the basis of the choice of Shofar — namely, the Ram’s Horn — and it is an oft repeated theme in davening.
We stand before G-d on Yom HaDin and we proclaim that we are not only the biological descendants of Avraham and Yitzchak (and Yaakov), but the spiritual heirs as well. We are not just telling stories; we are inspired to emulate our forefathers and develop a total commit- ment to G-d and Torah.
Perhaps it is much more than that. The old question about the zebra (of Shel Silverstein’s poem), as to whether it is a black animal with white stripes or a white animal with black stripes, is very applicable to that average Jew. Each of us does mitzvot which earn us credit, so to speak, and sins that are held against us. Whatever the ratio, the question is what kind of Jews are we. Am I a good Jew with episodes of sin or am I a wicked Jew who does mitzvot from time to time. And this is not merely a matter of numbers. It is possible that we are evaluated as good Jews who slip, even if the slipping is significant... because we are the descendants of the Avot and Imahot. This is part of why we mention the Akeida so often on Rosh HaShana.

2nd Torah, Bamidbar6 p'sukim - 29:1-6
The Maftir from the second Torah is the same as the day before - the Musaf of Rosh HaShana.

Haftara, Yirmiyahu19 p'sukim - 31:2-20
Once again, we find one of the matriarchs who was without child for a long time. This time, Rachel Imeinu represents the people of Israel (more specifically, the tribes of the kingdom of Israel, under the flag of Efrayim, so to speak, who are in bad shape in their countries of Exile. The closing words of the Haftara contain G-d's promise of mercy.

The readings of Rosh HaShana are not just Bible stories and we shouldn’t take them as such. We read about an amazing love relationship between G-d and His people, us. Emotion is the key. We need to “open up” on Rosh HaSha- na, so that we can see the vital nature of T’shuva and of our membership in Klal Yisrael. And it is not just we who must warm to the relationship between HaShem and Am Yisrael. G-d too, so to speak, will hopefully respond to the feelings He has always had for us, and relate to us as He related to the Avot and Imahot.

Notes for Candle Lighting & Havdala
Suggestion: Before you light Shabbat- Yom Tov candles, light a 24-hr. candle so that you will have a flame available for the second night of Rosh HaShana.

Friday night
Candle lighting on Friday is the same as every week, i.e. light first, cover your eyes, and then say the bracha (in this case, brachot). The bracha for the candles combines Shabbat and Yom Tov. L’HADLIK NER SHEL SHABBAT V’SHEL YOM TOV. (Some communities say YOM HAZIKARON rather than YOM TOV. If you don’t remember which you have always said, find someone who does remember.)

Motza’ei Shabbat
On Motza’ei Shabbat, the second night of Rosh HaShana, a woman should say BARUCH HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L’KODESH after 7:08pm (unless she davens Maariv and remembered to say VATODI’EINU). Only after a HAVDALA statement (of one kind or the other) is it permissible to set up the candles for the second night, light them, begin Yom Tov cooking, etc.

When lighting the candles on the second night, it is proper to recite the brachot first and then to light the candles. It is forbidden to strike a match or flick a lighter on Yom Tov. Transfer of a pre-existing flame to a match or candle is permitted. What- ever you use to light the candles may not be extinguished. Just put it down on a safe surface and let it go out by itself.

SH'HECH'E'YANU
Most authorities express a doubt as to whether a SHE’HE’CHE’YANU is war- ranted on the second night (especially if we view the two days of RH as one long day). Hence, they recommend that you have a new fruit or garment ready for the second night, and when you say the SHE’HE’CHE’YANU at candle lighting or Kiddush, you can have the fruit or garment in mind, thus resolving the SAFEK (doubt). Even if you don’t have a new fruit or garment, you still say SHE’HE’CHE’- YANU on the candles or at Kiddush. The Vilna Gaon was known to hold that it is unnecessary to “cover” the SHE’HE’CHE’YANU; it is fully legitimate for the second night of RH, on its own.

YAK'N'HAZ
Havdala for Shabbat is combined with Kiddush for Yom Tov on a single cup of wine. There is a fascinating eight-way dispute in the Talmud as to the order of the brachot to be said at this combination Kiddush and Havdala, and this is the prevailing practice.

First, the Borei Pri HaGafen (YAYIN) is said over the Kiddush Cup. This is followed by MELECH AL KOL HA’ARETZ M’KADEISH YISRAEL V’YOM HAZIKA- RON (this bracha is known as KIDDUSH or Kiddush HaYom). So far, things are like any Leil Yom Tov. We now switch over to Havdala. No separate wine bracha is said; the one for Kiddush covers the Havadala as well. We now say BOREI M’OREI HA’EISH over the Yom Tov candles or an incandescent bulb (we do NOT light a Havdala candle for the occasion) (NER). This is followed by a modified HAVDALA bracha, ending in HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L’KODESH, He Who distinguishes between one level of sanctity (the higher one of Shabbat) and another level of sanctity (the lesser one of Yom Tov). All of the above is concluded with the SHE’ HE’CHE’YANU, known as ZMAN, time. The sequence of these five brachot is known by the initial letters of the brachot - YAKNEHAZ, i.e. YAYIN (wine), KIDDUSH, NER, HAVDALA, and ZMAN. B’samim (spices) are not used on Motza’ei Shabbat that is Yom Tov; the Yom Tov is considered as a spiritual “spice”, rendering actual spices unnecessary.

Sunday night
On Sunday night, we say Havdala (between Kodesh and Chol), but we use neither candle nor spices, nor do we say the introductory p’sukim (They are said only at havdala after Shabbat).

By the way, it is only the transition from a higher Kedusha to a lower that is accompanied by the recitation of Havdala. That includes Shabbat to weekday, Shabbat to Yom Tov, Shabbat to Chol HaMoed, and Yom Tov to Chol HaMoed. It does not include Yom Tov to Shabbat or Chol HaMoed to Yom Tov or Shabbat.

SUGGESTION
A little overlap with the TBDATR column of this week, but other aspects of the topic are presented.

When you daven on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur... take your time. No one is rushing you. If your shul is faster than you are, and you are still saying your Amida when the chazan has begun the repetition — so what? Let them go. Your private, silent Amida is your priority.

It takes concentration. The shul sounds in the background can be distracting. Don’t let them be. You’ve got work to do. Find yourself a good spot to stand for your Amida. A place where you won’t be bothering anyone else, especially if you are taking a long time with your Amida.

If you are still in your Amida when the congregation is ready for Kedusha, then you have to stop, wait, and listen - but you do not say Kedusha with everyone else. Don’t worry. Your listening is considered “K’ILU”, as if you are saying it. Except that you are not saying it, because you cannot interrupt your own Amida. Nor can you continue davening while the KAHAL is saying Kedusha. Stop, look, and listen.

It is important not to inconvenience others in your attempt to daven better. Violating interpersonal mitzvot while seeking to fulfill a Jew-to-G-d mitzva is kind of counter-productive.

What you will mostly miss out on are the many PIYUTIM, liturgical poetry, that was added to the siddur and machzor over many centuries of Jewish life and experience. The PIYUTIM are beautiful and precious to us, but they do not supersede the basic text of the Amida.

Also, there is nothing wrong with davening in Hebrew and looking over to the English translation to help you understand what you are saying. It is even permitted (and maybe preferable) to daven in English, if you don’t understand the Hebrew at all.

On the other hand, a tremendous amount of thought and work went into the Hebrew wording of our prayers, and if you can handle davening in Hebrew (especially with the ability to read the English at the same time), it is preferable.
Bottom line: Daven well.

Hatarat Nedarim
Many people say HN on Erev Rosh HaShana. If you are not able to say it then, try to say it during Aseret Y’mei T’shuva.
One of the ideas behind saying HN before the Yamim Nora’im is this:
Let’s say that a person wants to diet, but chocolate chip cookies are his “undoing”. He so much cannot resist them, that he takes an oath or a vow not to eat them anymore. (It is not necessary to use the terminology of swearing or promising; sometimes “merely” saying something is tanta- mount to a vow.) Said person is at a party sometime later, sees a plate of chocolate chip cookies, and has just one.

Believe it or not, eating that cookie for that person is the same (sort of) as eating a cheese burger or ham sandwich. Sounds like an exaggeration, but it really isn’t. Eating ham violates the prohibition against eating the meat of non-kosher animals. Eating that cookie violates (for the one who took the vow) the prohibition of profaning one’s word.

And, we can suggest, that the one who eats the CCC (that's chocolate chip cookies, not to be confused with CCR, chocolate covered raisins) is even a little worse! Eating ham is a sin. Eating a cookie isn’t a sin, except for the one who swore he wouldn’t eat them. So the vow-taker creates upon himself the possibility of sinning, where none need have existed.

You want to abstain from something, do it. But don’t swear to it. You want to do good things? Do them. No need to swear and put yourself in a difficult situation.
A person who undertakes (without the protection of saying B’LI NEDER) to, let’s say, give Tzedaka every day has created new pitfalls for himself. Every day that you don’t give Tzedaka constitutes a violation of pledges. Serious offense. And it could have been avoided.

Saying HN is not meant to stop you from doing mitzvot. By all means, give Tzedaka every day. Say T’hilim, learn Mishnayot, visit the sick, etc. Just don’t turn such beautiful mitzva- practices into potential sins. HN works retro-actively. Swear off coffee on Sunday, have a cup on Monday - sin. Nullify the vow on Tuesday and it takes away the oath from Sunday. What you did on Monday is now not a sin. Powerful. Don’t misuse it.

And now we turn to HaShem and ask him to dissolve the rest of our sins as only He can - like our Hatarat Nedarim.

ASHREI H'AB YO'D'EI TERUAH
Fortunate (or happy) is the nation that KNOWS the T'ru'a...

This pasuk in T'hilim does not say, "hear" the shofar; it says KNOWS the sound of the Shofar.

There's a big difference, even though the same word is used for both hearing and knowing (or understand- ing). LISHMO'A. The hear. And sometimes it means to understand.

Our commitment at Sinai, for example, was NAASEH V'NISHMA. "We will do, and we will understand (what G-d wants of us)". Not just "we will hear".
Can we not suggest that the bracha for Shofar - LiSHMO'A KOL SHOFAR, implies that understanding is essential to the mitzva, not just hearing the sounds.
Remember several years back when we were first introduced to "call waiting"? Until then, we had learned to distinguish between a "no answer, nobody home" kind of ring, and a busy signal. It is not enough to HEAR those telephone rings. You must understand what they mean. Along comes call waiting and a third sound. It took us all time to learn that this new sound meant, [1] that the person we wanted to call is talking to someone else. [2] That the person heard a beep in his ear telling him that someone else is trying to call him. See how important knowledge of the sounds is? How many people used to (and maybe still do) hang on as the call waiting sound continues, without realizing that the beep in the other person's ear stops after three rings. Or what about think- ing that the person is not home when he actually is. Add to that the sound, different from the abovementioned ones, that indicate that a call didn't even go through. You think the other person heard your attempted call, when that is totally not the case.

We have to hear, and understand, and not misunderstand. And we have to react appropriately.

Everyone except for the profoundly deaf, can HEAR the sounds of the shofar. But do you straighten with pride of membership in the Jewish people when you hear the T'KI'A? Are you humbled and broken when you hear the broken, wail of the T'RU'A or the sob of the H'VARIM. Does the T'KI'A remind you of the experience of MATAN TORAH? Do the broken sounds inspire you to introspection and set you on the path to T'shuva.

Not enough to hear the sounds. You have to understand them. If a blind person hears the slow click and fast click at an intersection, but does not KNOW what each means, he cannot take a step in safety.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 203 (Gifts - part five) • Miscellaneous Laws
The topic of gifts made by persons who are not critically ill takes up many chapters in the Shulhan Aruch. I will in this lesson have just a few of the many halachot dealing with gifts that have not been included in the prior lessons, and should be of interest to the readers of Torah Tidbits. We are dealing only with gifts made by people who are not critically ill. The topic of gifts made by critically ill persons begins IYH with the next lesson.

Reuven, a person who is not critically ill, sends gifts from a faraway place with a messenger or by mail and writes that they should be divided among his children. (The actual word used in the codes is lebanai, sons. However, the term can also be used for "children".) The law is the same if he stated the gift should be divided among members of his household. They are to be given to both his sons and daughters. Those items that are more appropriate for males should be given to the sons. (The examples given are books, weapons for the males. I assume that nowadays books are just as appropriate for girls as for boys.) Those items more appropriate for females should be given to the daughters. In case of dispute, Beth Din should appoint a person to divide the articles depending on the age, interest, sex of the recipient and any other criteria Beth Din may determine. Since mores and styles change, such changes should be taken into account. Beth Din should also take into account the married or single status of the children; there are things that may more appropriate for the sons-in-law or daughters-in-law of the donor. Sons- and daughters-in-law are also considered children.

Reuven sends home articles without specifying for whom he intended the various articles. He did not specify that the articles were for his children as he did in the prior paragraph. If all of the articles are appropriate only for females, then they should be given to his daughters and daughters-in-law. It is reasonable for Beth Din to assume that the he sent the gift for the females only. If the gift is appropriate only for males, it is to be divided among the males only. There is an opinion that holds that if Reuven has a wife at home, the entire gift is for her, since he did not specify that the gift was for his children as he did in the prior paragraph.

One may legally renege on a promise to make a gift. However, if the gift that is promised is small enough that the promisee can reasonably expect that it will be given, if he reneges on the promise, the promisor will be known as a person lacking faith.

If the promised gift is a large gift, the promisee does not really expect that the gift will be given. Then, if the promisor reneges on the promise, the promisor is not known as a person lacking faith. Beth Din must determine what size gift leaves the promisee with the expectation that the gift will be fulfilled. They should take into account the economic situation of the donor, the donee, and the community.

If the promise is made to a poor person, whether the gift is small or large, the promise must be kept, since in such circumstances, it is deemed a vow.
A person should not promise a young child a gift if he has no intention to give it. The reason is that the child should not learn that people tell lies.
A Jew should not give a gift to a heathen unless he is friendly with him or for the purpose of maintaining peaceful relations with the surrounding heathens. There are many things that the Jew is instructed to do in order to live in peaceful surroundings with the non-Jewish neighbors, such as extending greetings to them, not stopping the poor heathen from picking up gleanings from the fields together with the Jewish poor, providing meals for the heathen poor, burying and eulogizing the heathen dead, visiting heathen mourners, visiting the heathen sick in hospitals (whether or not at the same time visiting Jewish sick), taking possession of lost items of heathens in order to protect the items for them, and other things that will promote better relations between the Jew and the heathen.

An exception is made in the case of a resident stranger to whom gifts may be given.

Reuven gives a gift to a married woman. Shulhan Aruch 249:3 states, "If one gives a gift to a slave or a married woman, the gift is acquired by the master or the husband respectively. A master acquires the principal but the husband acquires only the profits, but the principal remains hers in case she becomes widowed or divorced.

As explained in [Shulhan Aruch] Eben haEzer 85:4 - "If one writes that all of his belongings are given to his slave, he [the slave] acquires himself as a freeman as is explained in [Shulhan Aruch] Yoreh Deah 267. Her husband, Shimon, receives the use of the property, but the principal of the gift belongs to her and he will have full use of the principle should he divorce her or die before her.

Reuven states, "I give the following assets to Rachel [who is not married], and after her to Levi." Thereafter, Rachel marries Asher. The principal belongs to Asher, and Levi gets nothing when Rachel dies, since when Rachel married Asher, it was the equivalent to her selling the principal (as well as her other assets) to him. However, if Rachel was already married when Reuven made the gift, upon her death, the principal will go to Levi and not to her husband, unless she disposed of the principal to a stranger.

Reuven states, "I give the following assets to Shimon, and if Shimon violates a certain condition, the gift should be given to Levi, as of now." Thereafter, Levi assigns all his interest in the gift to Shimon and then dies. Even if Shimon then violates the condition, he will retain the principal by virtue of the assignment from Levi. This holds true even if Shimon violates the condition after he obtained the assignment from Levi. The reason is that Levi obtained the principal retroactively because Ruven had stated that the gift to Levi was ''as of now."

Rabbi Karo concludes the laws of gifts with the following statement: "it is a trait of perfectly righteous men not to accept any gifts but rather to put their trust in God that He will sufficiently provide for their needs as it is stated ‘But he that hates gifts shall live.’ (Proverbs 15:27)” The statement of Rabi Karo appears in all of the earlier and later codes.

The subject matter of this lesson is more fully presented in Volume VII Chapters 249 of"A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law" byE. Quint, published by Jason Aronson, Inc. and on sale at local Judaica bookstores.
Questions to quint@inter.net.il

MEANING IN MITZVOT by Rabbi Asher Meir
Each week we discuss one familiar halakhic practice and try to show its beauty and meaning. The columns are based on Rabbi Meir's Meaning in Mitzvot on Kitzur Shulchan Arukh
The Great Shofar
In the musaf prayer of Rosh HaShana (as well as in the regular weekday amida), we ask HaShem to blow the great shofar of redemption. What is the special significance of the great shofar of redemption? Is there a shofar of redemption which is not great?

Rav Kook explains that there are indeed different types of shofar of redemption, corresponding to the different types of shofar distinguished in the halacha. The Shulchan Arukh explains that there are three different levels of fitness for a shofar:

1. Whenever possible we should use a shofar which comes from a ram.
2. When this is not possible, we may use any shofar (which comes from a kosher species and is the kind of horn which is called a shofar).
3. A shofar from a non-kosher animal, or from one which is dedicated to idol worship is unfit to use; but if we hear its call we have fulfilled our obligation. If there is no other shofar available, we avail ourselves of such a shofar, but we do not make a blessing on it (See Shulchan Arukh OC 586 and Mishna Berura).
Rav Kook explains that just as there are three different kinds of shofar calls on Rosh HaShana, there are three different kinds of calls to redemption - three different "shofars of redemption".

1. Ideally, the redemption and the ingathering of the exiles will take place because the Jewish people are alert to the great call of holiness, the desire to fully fulfill our destiny as a holy people which can only be done in the holy Land of Israel. This corresponds to the shofar of a ram. (Presumably because the ram recalls the binding of Yitzchak and therefore connects us to the heritage of the Avot and the covenant that their offspring will be G-d's people in the Land of Israel.) This is the great shofar, the ideal redemption which we pray for.
2. If we are not attentive to this call, then there is another call to the ingathering of the exiles: a person with ordinary, natural and healthy human nature longs to live with his or her own people in a free and orderly state in a national homeland. This is not the redemption we pray for, but it is a perfectly kosher redemption and worthy of blessing if this happens to be our national circumstance. This corre- sponds to an ordinary shofar, which has no particular disqualification and is used with a blessing if the need arises.
3. If the Jewish people are not inspired to gather in Eretz Yisrael due to their desire for holiness, and are not drawn even by the normal, healthy human desire for natural sovereignty, there is a third kind of shofar of redemption: the horn of an unkosher animal is trans- formed into the shofar of the Moshiach! Our wicked enemies (Rav Kook mentioned in particular the name of Hitler ym"s) awaken us to redemption.
One who did not hear the first call of holiness, and whose ears were sealed even to the second call, will be com- pelled to hear the call of the defiled and unfit shofar. Furthermore, even if he comes to Eretz Yisrael because of this shofar he has fulfilled his obligation; but we do not pray for this kind of redemption and we don't even make a blessing on it.

Our prayer is that we shouldn't have to be driven to the land of Israel by the wrath of tyrants, nor even attracted to it by lukewarm secular nationalistic sentiments. We pray to be inspired to Eretz Yisrael by the great shofar of redemption, the call which comes from the depths of holiness of the Jewish soul.
(Rav Kook's drasha was given seventy years ago on Rosh HaShana 5694, only a few months after Hitler ym"s rose to power in Germany and has not lost a bit of relevance.)

“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 8:22-23)
Ever since the dawn of history till our own times and in all societies, the questions of social organization, of forms of government and of the rights and obligations of governed and governors, have occupied the minds of people.

We be should be aware that the terms usually used in these discussions - kings, democracy, freedom, judges etc. - do not have exactly the same significance and meaning nor exist unrestricted to the same extent, in Jewish sources as in the general ones. Here the questions are dealt with solely in the moral and spiritual perspectives of Torah law and commandment.

The completely different criteria used in other sources are very clearly spelt out in a phrase that is repeated throughout the Books of Kings; “and all the other acts of king… [over and above those evaluated in the light of Torah]... are they not written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel [or Yehuda as the case may be, irrelevant in a Jewish framework that has not preserved the chronicles]?”

Our verses in chapter 8 are the first discussion on the subject that occurs in Neviim. Midian was conquered and the country was at peace. The tribes, out of a sense of gratitude or perhaps seeking an assurance that that peace would endure, offered Gideon kingship over them; an act duplicated very often in world history, with a similar reason. Kingship differed from the Judges that had led until then, in the former being an inheritance “both you and your son and your son’s son” (Judges 8:22). However, nothing in their offer or actions related to the Torah’s treatment of kingship.

We could have expected that Gideon’s answer would have reflected a truly Torah answer. After all, at the very outset of his story, he had shown great Ahavat Yisrael, a trait that is basic and essential to all Jewish leadership. The greeting of the angel who had come to tell him of G-d’s choosing him to deliver Israel from Midian, had been, “The Lord be with you, man of valor”. To this Gideon had replied, “If G-d be with us then why has He given us into the hands of Midian?” This is seen as an expression of Ahavat Yisrael and a defense of Israel and so the angel said, “go in this your strength” (Judges 6:13 as explained in Yalkut Shimoni and Midrash Tanchuma). Nevertheless, Gideon’s refusal solely on the basis that G-d was their ruler, does not reflect Judaism’s position on the subject, in that it would suggest that kingship was something forbidden by the Torah. He failed to see the special and significant essence of Judaism’s teaching that recognizing and serving G-d was to be achieved in the mundane and natural activities of human living; ‘sanctify yourself by what is permitted to you’. When conducted in the way that the Torah commanded, the establishment of a political-social structure of government, an activity common to all mankind, becomes a way of worshiping G-d and sanctifying Him, just like prayer or ritual.

So, contrary to Gideon’s words the Torah said, “Three mitzvot Israel was commanded to observe after they would cross the Jordan, to anoint a king, to wipe out the memory of Amalek and to build the Bet HaMikdash” (Rambam, Hilkhot Melakhim, 1:1). The theme common to all three of these mitzvot viz. the unification of Israel, highlights the essential purpose of kingship in Judaism. The king does so through providing social, political and military unity. His crown is round demon- strating a closed unity, while he is the heart of Israel and so the Torah said, “ one from among your brothers you shall choose” (Devarim, 17:15).

Amalek disrupts the unity between one Jew and the other as well as their unity with G-d; “he surprised you on the way and cut down all those that were weakly straggling behind” (Devarim, 20:18). Bet HaMikdash is the spiritual center point of Israel, as we see from Shlomo’s prayer at its consecration (1Kings 8:22-53). Its destruction would be caused by revolting against the word of Hashem and by the ‘sinat chinam’, both of which destroyed that unity of Israel (Shem Mi Shmuel, Shoftim, 5680).

It is common for government officials, elected representatives and kings or political leaders to become arrogant and therefore corrupt, since power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. However, when the governors are bound and acknowledge an authority and a power higher than their own, that their rule is dependent on Him and that He removes them from office when they disobey Him, then, “then his [their] heart be not raised above his [their] brothers” (Devarim, 17:20). So in the Jewish scheme of things, all the ruler’s obligations and duties are clearly spelt out in the Torah, but none of the rights or privileges are even mentioned. These only come some hundreds of years later, when the prophet Samuel lays out for the power of the king that Israel had requested (1 Samuel, 8:11-18).

Furthermore, the real source of the power of the governors and the ultimate authority was clearly defined halakhically. The king had initially to be appointed by a prophet and the Sanhedrin, who were ultimately, the represen- tatives so to speak of HaShem and His Torah (Hilkhot Melakhim 1:3). This ensured that even a socio-political function like govern- ment would become truly a means of achieving holiness through everyday social living.
This is the seventh installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times”

MISC section - contents:
1. Vebbe Rebbe
2. Words of Wisdom; Words of Wit
3. Candle by Day
4. Torah from Nature
5. MicroUlpan
6. Torah Tidbits this 'n that
7. From Aloh Naaleh
8. NEW piece: Spiritual & Physical Well-being
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, 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 When is one supposed to do Tashlich when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbat?
A First a little background on the origin of Tashlich, which will also have pertinence to the answer to your question.

The first known mention of the minhag is by the Maharil (early 15th century l'minyanam, Ashkenaz), towards the beginning of his discussion of Rosh Hashana. The rationale for the timing of the practice is based on the midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Vayeira 99). Avraham and Yitzchak were walking on the way to Akeidat Yitzchak and were impeded by the Satan who formed a river. They continued into the water up to their mouths and turned to Hashem in request to allow them to complete their mitzva. Since that day was Rosh Hashana, we use the body of water, which conjures up memory of the merit of the forefathers, as an appropriate place to ask that our sins be "thrown into the depths of the sea". Others see a river as a sign of blessing because of how it flows or as the historic place for the coronation of kings (see Yechave Da'at I, 56). In any case, this minhag, which apparently has its origin in Ashkenaz, has spread through- out the Jewish world (in part, due to the Ari z"l), and the minhag of Israel is considered like Torah.

There is nothing innate to the process of Tashlich that makes it halachically inappropriate on Shabbat (consensus of poskim). There is a difference of opinion as to whether it is proper from the perspective of Kabala, and we do not have what to add on that point. In fact, it can be clearly inferred from the Maharil that the practice was to do Tashlich on Shabbat as well. Yet, over the last few hundred years minhagim have devel- oped to restrict it on Shabbat.

The main issue appears to be the possibility of being mechalel Shabbat by carrying to the riverside (Pri Megadim, Eshel Avraham 583:5; Mishna Berura 583:5). The question already arose in the Maharil. He objected to the minhag of some to throw bread to the fish during Tashlich. While his main concern is in regard to the laws of feeding animals on Yom Tov (beyond our present scope), he also objects to carrying the bread without an eiruv. This can be a problem on Yom Tov (see Maharil and Pri Megadim, ibid.) but is an even bigger problem on Shabbat. Of course, when the river is outside the eiruv, one cannot carry anything there on Shabbat, but that does not necessarily mean that one cannot go the riverside without carrying.

Tracing the sources historically (see Yabia Omer IV, OC 47), the following theory seems likely. In the time of the Maharil, only the few p'sukim of "Mi kel kamocha..." were said, and it was probably not necessary for people to carry siddurim with them. So Tashlich went on without a hitch on Shabbat. But as additional tefillot were added to Tashlich, people started bringing siddurim with them. Thus, chilul Shabbat in places without an eiruv (or if it didn't extend to the river) became a real problem, and minhagim developed to stop Tashlich on Shabbat. According to this minhag, during years when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbat, we do Tashlich on the second day of Rosh Hashana. Carrying the siddur is permitted, as it is done for the needs of Yom Tov. R. Ovadia Yosef (ibid.) rules as practical considerations seem to dictate. Communities that use an eiruv that reaches the body of water should do Tashlich on the first day, even on Shabbat. Places without such an eiruv should wait. The more common minhag is to always delay.

As teenagers, some of our rabbeim reacted to the questionable atmosphere in some places at Tashlich by claiming we picked up more aveirot than we got rid of there. We can apply similar reasoning to this matter. It is legitimate for a rav to decide to go either way on this point. However, if the community minhag is to push off Tashlich or it is to go as a group on Shabbat, one should conform to the minhag and avoid machloket on a public matter on this holy day.

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
Like R' Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, R' Elimelech of Lizhensk was known for always seeking the welfare of the Jewish people and defending them before G-d. Once, on Rosh HaShana, before the blowing of the Shofar, he addressed the following plea to HaShem:

HaShem, in our prayers today we say that You 'acquire Your servants (or slaves) through justice'. HaShem, permit me, Elimelech ben Eliezer Lipa, to remind You, with trembing, of the Gemara (Kiddushin 20A). Whoever acquires a Jewish servant acquires a master for himself, because the master has to ensure his servant's welfare in accordance with the verse (D'varim 15:16), 'for it is good for him with you'. This means that the master has to feed his slaves properly. Since we are Your servants, as it states in the Torah (Vayikra 25:42), 'for they are My slaves', You are required to have mercy on Your nation this Day of Judgment and to see to the provisions of Your people throughout the coming year."

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
Let us graciously accept all unjust accusations of ourselves as a kind of atonement for all such accusations that we ourselves have been guilty of, and as substitutes for all of the accusations which may justifiably be leveled against us. - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[4] MA RABU MA'ASECH HASHEM KULAM B'CHOCHMA ASITA MAL'AH HA'ARETZ KINYANECHA • Kudu
Although the Ashkenazi practice is to use the horn of a ram for the mitzva of Shofar, MRMH would like to introduce you to another possible Shofar. Meet the kudu...
The greater kudu is considered by many to be one of the most handsome of antelopes... Kudus have stripes and spots on the body... when threatened they stand still and are well-camouflaged because of their varied markings... males have long, spiral horns... spectacular... as long as 72 inches (almost 2m), making 2½ graceful twists. These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, honey containers and symbolic ritual objects (how’s that for describing a Rosh HaShana shofar!). They are browsers... leaves and shoots... can leaps of up to 8 feet high... calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. Lions, leopards, hunting dogs, spotted hyenas, and humans hunt kudu...

[5] Micro Ulpan - a word (or two) from HaAcademiya LaLashon Ha-Ivrit
A few weeks ago, when we learned the correct Hebrew word for LOBBY - not LOBI bur M'VO'A, we flippantly suggested not using it since hardly anyone would know what you are talking about.

In fact, we should use correct Hebrew words whenever possible (especially if we are talking Hebrew), but we also must be ready to meet with blank stares until more people learn these words too. Do you know what a MARKO'A is? I would venture to guess that 99.44% of all makolet and supermarket owners and clerks would not know what to give you if you asked for MARKO'A. If that happens to you, it would be okay to lapse into "sloppy Hebrew" and ask for BISCUITS, pronouncing it, of course, BISKVITIM.

[6] Torah Tidbits this 'n that
We hope that you have the Shofar and Tashlich Pull-Outs from last week's Torah Tidbits. We included them in last week's issue for two reasons: To "spread the load" between the two issues, and for those who will not get the Rosh HaShana issue in time for Rosh HaShana.

Also, the candle lighting and havdala chart and the Rosh HaShana Pull-Out with Kiddush and the Y'HI RATZONs for the table were sent out in our Rosh HaShana mailing. We wanted readers of Torah Tidbits to have these two "pieces"; this resulted in a significant amount of duplica- tion. You can help alleviate that situation by passing on any doubles to a friend, relative, neighbor... Thank you.

We would like to thank all of you who help distribute Torah Tidbits each week. This thank you includes our "major" distributors who handle hundreds of TTs and dozens of distribution points, people who pick up and deliver a batch or two of TTs to their shul, and individuals who pass on even a single copy of TT to someone who might not otherwise get it. Thank you for your time and energy... and concern.

Of course, our thanks go to the team of volunteers who fold (and also try to weed out the blank or defective pages), without whom the distributors would not have what to distribute.

[7] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
U'V'SHOFAR GADOL YITAKA. V'KOL D'MAMA DAKA YISHAMA
On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we recite the moving and emotional prayer, UNETANEH TOKEF, which men- tions "the great shofar that is sounded" and "the gentle whisper that is heard." How can it be that a most powerful instrument is blown, and yet only a thin whisper of a sound is heard? And, furthermore, why is it that only the angels respond to the sound of the shofar? Why do ordinary men and women not hear and react to the call?

We know that in order to hear a radio broadcast or watch a television show, we must first switch on the radio or the TV. Sounds and pictures are broadcast all the time all over the world, but in order for us to receive the signals, the radio or TV must be operating and tuned to the right frequency. God too is constantly sending out messages, but only those people who are "tuned in" to the right frequency are able to hear these messages.

55 years ago, G-d created the State of Israel, broadcasting a clear and simple message to the Jewish people all over the World: "Come Home." But apparently the antenna of the Jewish people was tuned to the wrong frequency, and so they failed to respond. In 1967, God sent out another major wake-up call to the Jewish people. Some of our people began to respond and headed home. But that message was soon lost among those Jews still living on the Diaspora frequency, and they did not return. And so, the messages continue, every day and in so many ways.

When you hear the Shofar this Rosh Hashana, will you hear the message, "Come Home," or the usual hundred blasts that you have heard for so many years?
Will you be tuned in?
Rabbi Yaakov Zev, 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

Spiritual and Physical Well-being in Judaism
Elul/Tishrei is the season of T'shuva (return). This "return to the path" typically refers to the path of emotional and spiritual health, but, as we will see today, it is also connected to the forces of nature as well as our physical health. The change of the seasons from the hot summer to cooler fall stimulates us to begin this tshuva process. The Maharal (Netzach Yisrael, Chapter 8, Ner Mitzva) explains that during the seasons in which the sun, which produces physical energetic strength, is at its highest or lowest, then the strength of Israel's opposing forces are greatest. The sun is at its highest range approximately every year from the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av, when many calamities, including the destruction of the two Temples occurred. The lowest point of the sun occurs approximately at the 25th of Kislev, immediately before Chanuka, which celebrates our victory over Greece, the empire of darkness, who tried to stamp out the light of Torah. In contrast, the sun is at a midpoint in the spring and fall, the times of Nissan and Tishrei. This balance of the physical cosmic energies potentiates holiness within the world. Nissan and Tishrei bring two different types of T'shuva. The T'shuva of Nissan is like an explosion of spiritual energies, followed by a swift return to ground level, followed by a slow reintegration of this spirituality through- out the time of S'firat Haomer (Counting of the Omer) until we reach Shavuot. In contrast, the T'shuva of Tishrei is a 40-day period from Elul to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), in parallel to the 40 day period of the 17th of Tammuz until Elul. During this time, we slowly reflect on ourselves, internalise our lessons learned, and gradually return to the path toward fulfilment of our individual purposes while coming closer to Hashem. Once we build up to a certain level, bringing light from below, during the month Elul, we are joined by the divine light from above on Rosh HaShana (Rav Kook, Midbar Shur, p170)

The contrast in the types of T'shuva parallels the contrast in cosmic energies of the spring and fall seasons. Spring bring an explosion of life, greening of the earth, with plants and flowers covering the land. When this vital energy is still in balance, then K'dusha, holiness, has the potential to flourish. The extreme imbalance of physical energies, of high summer, only brings the negation of holiness. And then, the weakening of the physical energies, allowing the spirit to manifest, brings again the tendency toward holiness of the fall. Nature also helps us to do the physical T'shuva that accompanies the spiritual T'shuva. We can see this in the fruits and vegetables that appear in the spring and fall seasons in Eretz Yisrael. The spring produces mostly green grasses and vegetables, for connective tissue and liver cleansing, along with the varied flowers and herbs to provide concentrated foods to strengthen our immune, hormonal and nervous systems. The late summer and fall, in contrast, produces a variety of red and black fruits, full of iron to cleanse and strengthen the blood along with the liver.

These include dark grapes, plums, figs, watermelon (native Malal species) and pomegranate. The cleansing of the blood, rather than connective tissue, is very appropriate for the T'shuva of Tishrei, in that "the blood is the soul (nefesh)" (D'varim 12:23) and that the liver is the seat of the soul (nefesh) (Vilna Gaon, Even Shleima).

As we can see, nature provides the exact ingredients to help us to become both physically and spiritually healthy. <cont. next week>
by Yehuda Ben-Asher, M.D., is from his bimonthly newsletter, The Natural Path. Dr. Ben-Asher has a Jerusalem practice in Naturopathic Medicine. 993-3446

[9] Divrei Menachem
As we celebrate first day Rosh HaShana on Shabbat this year we may be forgiven for feeling the absence of the shofar. For do we not call this awesome day "Yom Teru'ah", the Day of Sounding the Shofar? Do we not recall standing at our parents' feet as children, peering up to catch a nervous glimpse as the Ba'al Tekia blows that mysterious sound?

The mitzva is to hear the "kolot", the sounds of the shofar. Perhaps the most profound of reasons is that of the Rambam who wrote: "Awake you sleepers and ponder your deeds; remember your Creator and return to Him in penitence!"

Before we hear the shofar on Rosh HaShana, the congregation reads Psalm 47 that proclaims: "All you nations… sound the shofar to G-d." And then, "G-d has ascended with a blast; Hashem with the sound of the shofar."

The first sound of the shofar is the trumpet call that acknowledges G-d as King (Malbim). The latter blast has the striking effect of signifying repentance, causing Hashem, as it were, to arise from the Throne of Judgment and ascend to the Throne of Mercy (Midrash Rabba 29). And there, for those of us who are unworthy, the "Kolot" invoke the memory of our ancestor Ya'akov whose piety serves as our defender. For, as the Sefat Emet reminds us, the unfashioned sound is ultimately, "Hakol Kol Ya'akov" (Bereishit 27:22).
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
The night of Yom Kippur is almost synonymous in our minds with the marvelously plaintive melody of Kol Nedrei. The identity of the author of this celebrated prayer and the date of its composition is uncertain, but it cannot have been composed much earlier than the Geonic period i.e. the early Middle Ages. There was no equivalent in the Mikdash of Kol Nedrei or of the magnificent Piyutim (liturgical hymns) we say on Leil Yom Kippur. On the eve of Yom Kippur, the Bayit was closed, the Levitical choir silent and the great gilded doors of the Azara shut. The Beit HaMikdash, a glowing gold and white panopticon under the silver rays of the moon, was empty except for Kohanim standing guard and Leviyim on their nightly rounds. But high above the Sha'ar HaMayim in the southern wall of the Azara, in the illuminated studio-workshop of the master spice-apothecaries of Beit Avtinas, the Kohein Gadol was receiving his last instructions as to how to correctly perform the Yom Kippur Avoda. For reasons of ritual purity, it was also essential that the Kohein Gadol remain awake the whole night. "If he - the Kohein Gadol - was a scholar, he used to expound (that part of the Torah which explains the Yom Kippur Avoda, Vayikra 16, Acharei Mot); if not, the disciples of the Sages used to expound before him. If he was versed in reading, he read, and if not, they read before him. And from what did they read before him? Out of Iyov (Job), Ezra and Devrei HaYamim (Chronicles). Zecharia ben Kavutal says, 'Many times I read before him out of Daniel.' If he sought to slumber, young Kohanim would snap their middle finger before him and say to him, 'My lord Kohein Gadol, get up and drive away (sleep) this once by walking (barefoot) on the (cold) floor. And they kept him occupied until the time for slaughtering (the morning Tamid offering) drew near." (Yoma 1:6,7)

The Halacha required the Kohein Gadol personally to perform all the Avodot in the Mikdash on Yom Kippur, both the ordinary daily Avodot, such as offering the Tamidin (daily sacrifices) and trimming the Menora, as well as the Avodot particular to holy days such as offering the Musafin (additional sacrifices). Similarly, the special Avodot unique to Yom Kippur, such as sprinkling the Ketoret onto the burning coals of the Machta (fire-pan) in Kodesh HaKodashim, were valid only if performed by him. When the Kohein Gadol performed the daily Avodot or those common to all the Holy Days, he wore his eight special well-known vestments which were called Bigdei Zahav, the "golden garments". These Avodot are called Avodot Chutz, "outer" acts of Divine Service. The Avodot particular to Yom Kippur which are specified in Acharei Mot are called Avodot Pnim, "inner" acts of Divine Service, and for those Avodot, the Kohein Gadol wore four special white linen garments called Bigdei Lavan. The Avodot Pnim included the Avodot centered around the confessions of sin and sacrifice of the bullock of the Kohein Gadol, casting lots over the two identical he-goats to determine which goat was for "Hashem" and which was for "Azazel", bringing the Ketoret into Kodesh HaKodashim and later removing the Machta with the cooling embers from there. The Avodot Pnim also included all the Avodot centered on the goat designated for "Hashem", confessing the sins of K'lal Yisrael over the goat destined for Azazel and sending it forth into the wilderness. He also wore Bigdei Lavan when he ascended a wooden platform in the Ezrat Nashim and read before the people Parshat Acharei Mot and other appropriate Yom Kippur-related Pesukim from the Torah. However, strictly speaking this Keriyat HaTorah was not an Avoda. "R. Hisda said, 'why does not the Kohein Gadol enter the inner sanctum - Kodesh HaKodashim - in Bigdei Zahav to perform the Avoda there? Because the accuser may not act as the defender.' (Rosh HaShana 26a)" Gold is too reminiscent of the sin of the golden calf, the primeval sin of Israel. White is the color of purity and holiness and even the angels in Heaven wear linen. (Yechezkel 9:2)

At dawn, "when the whole east was alight until Hevron", the Kohein Gadol immersed in the Mikva above Sha'ar HaMayim that was adjacent to the Beit Avtinas workshop. The Sages had ordained that before going into the Azara, anyone, even if he were in a state of ritual purity, had to immerse in a Mikva beforehand. For this reason the Kohein Gadol could not use the Mikva in the Azara for the first of five immersions he would do that day. If he was "aged or infirm", the waters of the Mikva were pre-heated. Then "they brought him the Bigdei Zahav and he put them on and sanctified (washed) his hands and feet." He then began the regular daily Avoda by slaughtering the morning Tamid. Since all the Avodot on Yom Kippur were valid only if done by him, he had to do the Shechita, Kabalat HaDam (collecting the blood from the neck of the slaughtered animal in a Mizrak, a Mikdash bowl), convey the blood to the Mizbei'ach in the Mizrak, and the Zerika (tossing the blood against the northeast and southwest corners of the Mizbei'ach) himself. Therefore in contradistinction to standard procedure, when slaughtering a sacrificial animal, "he made the incision - thus cutting the windpipe and gullet, enough to be Kasher - and another Kohein taking the knife - completed the slaughtering on his behalf and he - the Kohein Gadol - received the blood and tossed it (Yoma 3:4)." The utilization of a second Kohein to complete the Shechita enabled the Kohein Gadol to have his hands free to catch the blood in the Mizrak, an act which was considered an Avoda in its own right. He then carried the full Mizrak to the Mizbei'ach and dashed the blood against the corners. R. Ya'akov Emden, the Ya'abez, postulates that, at this point, the Kohein Gadol joined the other Kohanim in Lishkat HaGazit, the Chamber of Hewn Stone, to recite the Shema, the Aseret Hadebrot, and various other Tefilot. The Mishna continues, "He went inside (the Bayit) to burn the morning daily Ketoret (not the special Yom Kippur Ketoret) and to tend the Menora and then he went to offer the head and the limbs (of the Tamid on the Mizbei'ach which other Kohanim had already flayed and dismembered), Chavitin (daily offering of griddle-cakes brought by the Kohein Gadol), wine libation" (together with a measure of fine flour mixed with olive oil) and cast them into the fire on the Mizbei'ach. The Tamid was an Olah and therefore was completely burnt. The wine libation was accompanied by the Leviyim's singing Shir Shel Yom. Then the Kohein Gadol sacrificed the special Musafin of Yom Kippur, a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, all Olot. As the wine libation that accompanied the Musafin was being poured, the Levitical Choir sang Borchi Nafshi (Tehilim 104). This completed the first part of the day's Avoda. He then sanctified his hands and feet (2nd washing), removed the Bigdei Zahav and immersed in the Mikva in the Azara (2nd Tevila). "They brought him the Bigdei Lavan; he put them on and sanctified his hands and his feet" (3rd washing). Dressed in white, the Kohein Gadol began the special Yom Kippur Avoda, the first of the series of Avodot Pnim. <to be continued>

Catriel Sugarman (acatriel@netvision.net.il, 02-652-7531) gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. Catriel is in the process of writing a book: 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 #86. 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.

Our regular, meaning everyday and every week, davening, and the brachot we say all the time, present one type of problem for proper davening. Mistakes we make are so routine for us that we are suprised to learn that we actually are in error.

Once a year dfavening presents another problem. Throughout the coming weeks, we will be challenged with both sides of the coin, since the davenings coming up are a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar prayers.

Really, the best overall advice "towards better davening..." is to use a siddur and/or machzor, look at the words, read them. Don't relay on memory and rote. Even before that, one should try to acquire an accurate siddur/machzor to daven from. Some, but not all, mark SH'VA NAs and or KAMETZ KATANs and/or MIL'EILs and MILRAs. These are helpful because they account for a large share of "sloppy" pronunciations.

And another suggestion is to slow down. Most shuls tend to go too fast. Somebody must be able to daven well at warp speed, but I don't know anyone who can. It is more important to daven your silent Amida well than to participate in the chazan's repetition. This is especially so on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur when many PIYUTIM are said. Your davening should take priority.

Even the dramatic and emotional UNETANEH TOKEF (for example) should not cause you to speed up your Amida.

What goes hand-in-hand with davening slowly is finding a place to stand where you will not block others from access to the aisle or door. This applies to completely blocking others, and to "forcing" someone to walk in front of you while you are saying the Amida. One may not walk directly in front of someone saying the Amida. Either people know this and act on it, or they don't know or don't think it is important. Or just don't think.

In all cases, if you are standing in such a position that people will need to go in front of you - for those who won't pass in front of you because they know and are aware of the prohibition, you will "merely" cause them annoyance. Not something you should do anytime, but not something you want to do on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. And for those who will pass in front of you, you will be the cause of what is considered to be a dispectful act to G-d. We don't want that on our heads either. And don't think that a wave of the hand to “allow” someone to pass in front of you makes it all right. The prohibition of walking in front of someone saying the Amida is because it is considered disrespectful to G-d. We cannot waive that rule. So try to choose a place to say the Amida (especially if you expect to take a long time davening) that will allow you to daven with as much KAVANA as possible, and will take into account your interpersonal behavior as well.

To review another issue that is problematic on Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, and Chagim:
No matter how long the chazan stretches the end of a bracha, and no matter how many other people say AMEN prematurely - you must be careful to wait until you hear the end of the bracha before answering AMEN. A premature AMEN is called AMEN CHATUFA, a hasty AMEN.
Another topic... In ZOCHREINU L’CHAYIM - separate MELECH and CHAFEITZ because of the ease with which one CH gets swallowed. Really, the CHAF and the CHET are not pro- nounced the same, so this should not be an example of D’VEIKIM (the last sound of a word sticking to the first sound of the next word), but for us Ashkenazim, CHET and CHAF are the same sound, so we have a de facto D’VEIKIM situation. Daven well and may G-d respond favorably.

Parsha Pix
The ParshaPix is a familiar collection of Rosh HaShana items, yet it can be trhe stimulus to discussions with your family and guests.
You have your shofar and your apple and honey.
You have pomegranate and the head of a fish, as two represntatives of the "SIMANIM" at the Rosh HaShana table.
The crown, Akeida sceen, and Moshe on Sinai are three of the themes of Shofar.
And then there is the Tashlich scene in the upper- left of the ParshaPix.
Standard things; nothing hard. But it will work well with younger children. See who spots the ram caught in the bush by its horns.

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 (Nitzavim-Vayeilech) TTriddles:
[1] Freckles are hereditary
[2] The missing city
[3] Nitzavim-Vayeilech has enough for Simchat Torah
[4] Everyone in each
[5] from Arcturus’s (probably) to Sadalmelik’s
[6] First alone then with his successor
[7] Yaakov, no; Moshe, yes; who else yes?
[8] Final score: Nunson 6 - Koenig 2

And the envelope please...
[1] This was a nice & easy TTriddle, gotten by several solvers (which does not take away from the accomplishment of solving TTriddles). Freckles are dots upon one’s face. There is a scribal tradition to write dots above the words LANU ULVANEINU (plus the AYIN of the next word, AD). With freckles on both “us” and “our children”, the TTriddle-conclusion to be drawn is that freckles are hereditary.
[2] Back in Vayeira when G-d tells Avraham Avinu about His plans for Sedom and environs, Avraham pleads on behalf of the people of the area and insists that if there are 50 worthy people then the cities should be spared. Rashi explains that Avraham was hoping for ten people in each of the five cities to save them all from destruction. The cities were Sedom, Amora, Adma, Tz’voyim, and Bela, a.k.a. Tzo’ar. We had learned the names of the cities of the Sedom confederacy in Lech Lecha in the Torah’s description of the battle of the four kings against the five. All five cities were slated for destruction, but as Lot and family were fleeing Sedom, he ask the angels for permission to take refuge in Tzo’ar, and it was spared because of that. That is why the Torah in Nitzavim tells us about the four cities that were destroyed. The missing city is BELA/TZO’AR.
[3] For the Torah reading on Simchat Torah, we need three Sifrei Torah. (If a shul has only one or two Torahs, they still read all three readings, of course, but they have to roll the scroll (Roll the Scroll - sounds like the title of a Shlock Rock song), which for Simchat Torah includes rolling from the very end back until the very beginning. Make sure you have a gabbai with strong arms and wrists for the job. But we digress. The words Sefer HaTorah or B’Sefer HaTorah appear 10 times in Tanach - four in D’varim, twice each in Yehoshua and Melachim Bet, and once each in Nechemya and Divrei HaYamim. Of the four in D’varim, three are in Nitzvim-Vayeilech - enough for Simchat Torah.
[4] The beginning of Nitzavim speaks of all the people standing before G-d. In Vayeilech we have the mitzva of HAK-HEIL, again requiring everyone to be present. So everyone is in each of the two sedras, Nitzavim and Vayeilech.
[5] A few veteran solvers knew what this TTriddle was intended for, but di not have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. Here it is. Arcturus is the alpha star of the constellation Bootes (pronounced bo-O-tez), the herdsman or plowman. There are various legends about the names of constellations and stars. An ancient legend about this constellation is that it was named in honor of the inventor of the plow. (The Big Dipper, which is part of the Great Bear, is also known as the Plow.) The inventor of the plow must have (probably) cut down a tree or two and therefore Arcturus in this TTriddle represents CHOTEIV EITZECHA, the wood-cutters. Sadalmelik is the alpha star of Aquarius, the Water Drawer, completing the phrase in Nitzavim, from your wood- cutters to your water drawers.
[6] The answer is VAYEILECH. First, we find VAYEILECH MOSHE. Alone. Later in the sedra, it says VAYEILECH MOSHE VIHOSHUA, with his successor.
[7] In the Torah, ther term B’ACHARIT HAYAMIM, in the End of Days, appears four times. Yaakov, no - because he wanted to talk about it with his children, but G-d withdrew the RU’ACH AHKODESH from him. In Nitzavaim-Vayeilech, Moshe does speak about it to the people. The other person in the Torah who also spoke about ACHARIT HAYAMIM was... drumroll - BIL’AM.
[8] Kol HaKavod to DM for this one, which he solve, by his own word, with hard detective work - none of this computer search stuff. Nunson is Yehoshua, son of Nun. The phrase CHAZAK VE-EMATZ (or something like that) appears six times associated with Yehoshua. Koenig means king. There are two uses of that phrase between David HaMelech and his son Shlomo.
Again, the ParshaPix was unexplained last week, due to lack of space in the issue. Of note in the PP are George Washington who (supposedly) chopped down the cherry tree and Jack & Jill who went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Therefore together they represent the same phrase from the beginning of Nitzavim as TTriddle [5].
There is also a plant growing a tzedaka box, as in the haftara (specifically, Yeshayahu 61:11) - so too will G-d... YATZMI’ACH TZEDAKA...
Winner this week is YYW with honorable mention (and a CD from NOAM) to DM and RHM.
Here’s the TTriddle that was left out of the reoprt on p.14,36. 5,6,7, MAZAL TOV. Sheva Brachot, specifically the 5th, 6th, and 7th. First pasuk in the haftara has SOS ASIS and Chatan & Kallah...

This week's 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 here’s a fun math challenge in honor of the new year 5764. Use the numbers 5, 7, 6, and 4 - in that order only, and any math symbols you’d like, to form expressions that equal the numbers from 0-100.
E.g. 5x7+64 = 99 • 5x(7-6)-4 = 1
Submit your list to tt@ou.org or fax: (02) 561-7432 - prizes for top lists

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NESTO - Native English Speaking Teen Olim
The last week of the year was actually the first week of NESTO. As we all know, NESTO rules nature. Our opening-of-the-year banquet took place just last week and here we are surprised to see that the whole Jewish world is beginning the year too…

The BBQ was mamesh amazing, about 100 Native English-Speaking Teens were there, singing, yelling, and what not. What a start. We all hope it will just be better and lots and lots of fun.

This year NESTO is divided into three groups. The junior group meets every other Wednesday at 6:30pm. The senior group meets every week Tuesdays at 6:30pm, and the senior+ group meets Tuesdays 7:00pm. All activities take place at the Israel Center, in the Teichman Youth Center. The three groups are pretty packed but we could never say no to a nice young English-speaking teen who would want to join.

Lots of programs, events and trips are planned for the year, keep in touch.

This week in NESTO we discussed the many issues related to Rosh HaShana and its deepest meanings.

We would like to send a Shana Tova greeting to all NESTO members, their parents, families, all our soldiers, and all of Am Yisrael. May we all have the best year and a Ktiva Vechatima Tova.

This is a good opportunity to thank the Israel Center, parents and especially our madrichim who are doing a great job volunteering with NESTO. Thank you all, and a special big thank you to Tanya, our bat sherut, for all.

Shana Tova, Yehoshua
P.S. Who’s Yehoshua, you wonder? He’s the new NESTO Coordinator (check it out in the box below!) He’ll tell you more about himself in a future column. Meanwhile, NESTO- ers will find out on their own as they attend NESTO activities and get to know him.

Sundry
Your tax-deductible support for the Malki Foundation / Keren Malki helps us enable quality home-care for seriously disabled children in Israel. Ph. 058 853317 • ww.kerenmalki.org • In loving memory of Malka Chana Roth HY"D murdered in the Sbarro bombing, 9 Aug. ‘01

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

Tiyulim and Shabbatonim
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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)

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

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 TT587
"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

Special thank you to the gentlemen who maintained our“Early Shabbat” minyan throughout “Summer Time” season
Thank you to Mr. Shimon Sorscher for his Gabbai-shipand to those who spelled him from time to time.

There will be no shiur or Mincha at the Center this Shabbat.
See UPCOMINGs for details of the Shabbat Shuva schedule.
The Center will be closed from 12:30pm on Friday, Erev Rosh HaShana until Monday morning, Tzom Gedaliya
The schedule throughout the Holiday period is very different from the regular one, and is subject to changes. When in doubt, call to confirm

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...

MONDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - closed
9:15am (men & women) • Jonah and the Whale • Pearl Borow
Monday, Sep 29, 10:00am-12:30pm Pre-Sukkot Sale by Cheryl Mandel and the Etzion Judaica Center (www.judaica.org.il) All Israel Center shoppers will be honorary residents of Gush Etzion and will be eligible for a 20% discount on all merchandise. Credit Cards accepted; VAT forms for tourists. We have unusual Sukka decorations and many other items. Call in advance (993 4040) for special orders Through your purchases you help support the residents of Gush Etzion and Israeli artists in these difficult times.
10:30am (men &women) • Preparing for Yom Kippur • Rabbi Zev Leff
11:36 (men and women) • Jewish History series: part 2: Assessing the Contribution of R’ Jochananben Zakai, before and after the Churban with Dr. Henry Goldblum
11:36am (women) Emulating G-d's 13 Attributes of Mercy • Aviva Nissim
SLIM FOR LIFE Group weight-loss program for women - No obligation for the first session - Qualified nutritional advisor on hand - NOW on Mondays, from 11:35am Elisheva, 999-6479
Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise class for women of all ages at the Israel Center - Gentle exercises to improve your flexibility, circulation, posture, etc. - Breathing and relaxation skills to use every day - Mondays, 12:45-1:45pm Satisfaction guaranteed! - Further information: Sura Faecher, 9932524
VIDEO 12:30pm • Rebbe Nachman: New Approach to T'shuva by Rabbi Chaim Brovender
2:00 • Hebrew Reading Ulpan with Chani Abramson
Women's Beit Midrash: MON (and WED) 3:00-5:00pm • Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew - join us! Guided Chavruta study with Pearl Borow; In-Depth study of Chumash B'reishit with Rashi - Shiur by Rabbi David Derovan
Program for Tzom Gedaliya
Times in last week’s TT were in error - these are correct:
4:30pm Shiur by Rabbi Efraim Specher in memory of his father z”l: Is there a bypass road to Gan Eden?
5:30pm Mincha for the Fast Day (slow paced)
6:20pm (est.) Mini-shiur on Aseret Y’mei T’shuva (Phil)
6:45pm Maariv (fast ends 6:55) • Break-fast • D’var Torah
Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop - Mondays: 5:30-7:30pm with Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) & Mindy Aber Barad (643-5276)
Dr. Zornberg’s classes are in recess • Watch for announcements
MASK - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids; J'lem Chapter at the OU Israel Center -Dr. Judy Belsky, PhD - Group Facilitator; Join us at our next bi-weekly meeting - MONDAY, September 29, 8:00-9:30pm • Also in Ramat Beit Shemesh: Meetings resume after the summer. Call 02-999-6686 or 999-6162
8:30pm • AM SEGULA: “Curing the Jewish Heart” series with Eli Yosef:
Monday, September 29th, 8:30pm • Evening in memory of Elsa Cohen HY"D; Shiur (in English) byRabbi Aharon Adler: “Yom Kippur Service and Acts of Kiddush HaShem”; Memorial tributes (in Hebrew) byDr. Mina Ofran, Mrs. Ruth Shteinman,HaRav Yossi Sarid from Kollel Meretz,Prof. Avraham Steinberg

TUESDAY
N'SHEI LIBRARY - CLOSED
9:00-10:00am • The Yom Kippur Machzor with Rabbi Aharon Adler
10:15-11:15am • The Haftara of Yom Kippur with Rabbi Sholom Gold
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 T'shuva and Geula Dr. Hayim Abramson
10:50am Parshat HaShavua Rabbi Mordechai Spiegelman
resumes in November Chabad insights into Parshat HaShavua and the Actualia of Our Time (women only) Raizel Zisk
The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association, 14th year • over 3000 loans granted Gemach - Free Loan Society to provide interest-free loans for people in financial distress. Interviews at the Center on Tuesdays from 10:00-12:00 • Please bring ID
The Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center and the Jewish Values Education Institute of the Israel Center • Lunch & Torah Videotapes; Bring your own lunch (the Center Cafe is open) to the library and watch a video of an Israel Center lecture • NO FEE Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • 12:30-1:30pm; Yom Kippur: Happiest Day of the Year by Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Tuesday, September 30, 8:00pm • Rabbi Berel Wein on Spiritual Reflections

WEDNESDAY
9:00am • Kol Nidrei with Rabbi Macy Gordon
9:30am (men & women) Towards More Meaningful Davening, (Yamim Nora’im Davening - bring YK Machzor if you can) by Dr. Joel Luber
10:30am • Sukkot: Regaining Paradise Lost with Rabbi Yehoshua Fass of Nefesh B'Nefesh
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 - Rachel and the Ingathering by Mrs. Pearl Borow
2:00 • Hebrew Reading Ulpan with Chani Abramson
3:00-5:00 • Women's Beit Midrash • Acquire study skills and knowledge crucial to your life as a Jew - join us!
3:00pm • (men & women) Women in Tanach with Pearl Borow
WED • 7:30pm • NEW TOPIC: Jewish Philosophy • Road Map to the Prophets - Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed; Now studying: Taamei HaMitzvot - Criminal Law with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Am Segula presents...The Language of Self: Introspective Creative Writing Class;This 4-class weekly writing workshop will begin Wednesday, September 10thwith the goal of preparing spiritually for the High Holidays.No experience needed! The only requirements are a desire to use creativity to come closer to self and to HaShem. Further questions, please call Jonathan at 054-668-674
WED 8-10pm • Aliya Counseling with Miriam Bass

Thursday
10:30am • Mesilat Yesharim- Path of the Just with Rabbi David J. Derovan
Shmooze while you fold; Divrei Torah, verbal tidbits, Q&A, and...with Phil (Some time IY”H sometimes B”N
ONE TIME switch of days from SUN, 7:30pm to THU 7:30pm • Jewish Thought (NEW TOPIC) as it emerges from the Torah with the help of Ramban's Commentary; Now studying: The Torah: “The Book of Humankind”? by Rabbi Chaim Eisen
8:00pm • Stories from the Gemara with Reb Yosef Schreiber
Summer Time ends at 1:00am on Friday, October 3 when we turn the clocks back one hour

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

upcoming Shabbat Shuva
Shabbat Parshat Haazinu, October 4th
3:30pm Shabbat Shuva Drasha (in English) 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"

Arba Minim sale - TUE, WED, THU October 7,8,9 - between YK & Sukkot

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