HALACHIC TIMES
Ranges are THU-THU 7-14 Tamuz (July 14-21)
Earliest Talit & T'filin - 4:46-4:51am
Sunrise - 5:43½-5:48am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:14-9:16am (8:20-8:23am)
Sof Z'man T'fila - 10:24-10:26am (9:48-9:50am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:45-12:45½pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:21-1:21pm
Plag Mincha - 6:18½-6:16pm
Sunset - 7:51½-7:48pm (7:46-7:43pm)

*Concerning "Earliest Shacharit", the time is actually the earliest time for Tallit & T'fillin. In extenuating circumstances, one may daven earlier than T&T time, but will have to do so without T&T, until their later time. A fast begins earlier than T&T time, namely Olot HaShachar.

Candle lighting (regular and earliest) and Havdala times - Israel Summer Time (DST) - Correct for TT 676 • Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 9:10pm
7:11pm (6:18) Jerusalem 8:27pm
7:28pm (6:21) Gush Katif 8:29pm
7:28pm (6:21) Raanana 8:30pm
7:26pm (6:19) Beit Shemesh 8:28pm
7:28pm (6:21) Netanya 8:30pm
7:27pm (6:20) Rehovot 8:29pm
7:07pm (6:20) Petach Tikva 8:29pm
7:26pm (6:19) Modi'in area 8:28pm
7:26pm (6:19) Be'er Sheva 8:27pm
7:25pm (6:18) Gush Etzion 8:27pm
7:27pm (6:20) Ginot Shomron 8:29pm
7:11pm (6:18) Maale Adumim 8:27pm
7:22pm (6:20) Tzfat 8:29pm
7:25pm (6:19) K4 & Hevron 8:27pm

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...

As we said last week, this Motza"Sh (Balak) will be the big Kiddush L'vana evening of the month. It is after everyone's earliest time, and only the eve of the 10th of the month (far enough from the last op not to make anyone nervous). And, of course, Motza'ei Shabbat is a favored time for KL. Last op is Wednesday, July 20 all night long.

9 Tammuz 5004 (which was Erev Shabbat Parshat Chukat that year, 1244ce), 24 wagon-loads of sifrei kodesh were burned in France. A fast day was observed on Erev Shabbat Chukat thereafter (but not on the 9th of Tammuz).

9 Tammuz 3338, based on the book of Yirmiyahu, Jerusalem was breached, prior to the Churban of Bayit Rishon. The date was not made into a public fast, but 17 Tammuz was, because it was the date in the time of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash.

Lead Tidbit
A really different sedra
Most sedras contain mitzvot from among the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. 37 of the 54 sedras, to be specific, contain mitzvot. Most of the 17 sedras that have no mitzvot per se, do have moral and educational teachings. We basically spend a lifetime studying the Torah and learning its mitzvot and its lessons... and doing them. Living by them. What's with Parshat Balak?

Balak is a relatively simple sedra. It contains two "stories". The first is a long, 95-pasuk parsha that tells us about Balak and Bil'am teaming up to destroy the Jewish People. We were not met with an army of sword-weilding Emorites or an attacking force of Amalakites. Actually, we were conducting our everyday lives on the plains of Moav, totally oblivious to what was taking place on a hilltop with a view of the encampment of the People of Israel. Sacrifices were offered and Bil'am's attempts, with Balak's encouragement, to wage "unconventional" warfare against repeatedly failed. Or, more correctly put, repeatedly thwarted by G-d. The entire episode of Bil'am and Balak took place without our involvement or knowledge. Of course, it's nice to know that G-d protects His people, even when we had angered Him, so to speak, over and over again. It's not just nice to know, it is important that we should know.

Perhaps one of the lessons from Balak is that our enemies cannot touch us... because of G-d's protection, and unless G-d allows them to. And the end of the sedra, the second "story", the short 9-pasuk parsha, shows us what can happen when G-d allows us to be attacked. In this case, it was a plague that took a toll of 24,000 people until Pinchas's action in defense of G-d's honor put a stop to the plague.

We don't know clearly how G-d works, but we do have a rough, partial idea. And we certainly know what He expects and demands of us, as individuals and as a nation. We have His promises, but they are often conditional.

BALAK Stats
40th of 54 sedras; 7th of 10 in Bamidbar
Written on 177.8 lines in a Sefer Torah (ranks 35)
2 Parshiyot; 1 closed, 1 open
104 p'sukim - ranks 34th (8th Bamidbar)
1455 words - ranks 33rd (8th Bamidbar)
5357 letters - ranks 35th (8th Bamidbar)
Balak is close to average for the Torah's sedras but is on the small side for Bamidbar

Mitzvot:
Contains none of the Taryag mitzvot
17 sedras (almost a third of the Torah’s 54) have no mitzvot counted among the 613.

Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha.

Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 22:2-12
[S> 22:2 (95!)] Balak was a weaker king than his neighbors in the region. The defeat of the others (OG and SICHON) instilled fear in Balak's heart, and he realized that waging a “conventional” war against Israel would be futile. His plan (following research of the matter) was to enlist Bil'am to curse the People of Israel. To this end, Balak sends a delegation to Bil'am in Midyan. Bil'am invites the envoys to spend the night so that he (Bil'am) can be spoken to by G-d. G-d does "appear" to Bil'am and asks him who these people are. Bil'am tells G-d and He warns Bil'am not to go with the delegation, nor to curse the people, because "they are blessed".

SDT How come Balak, a sworn enemy of Israel, rates having a sedra named after him? Commentaries suggest that Balak was an "honest enemy" of Israel. His antagonism was based on his fear of Israel; his intentions and actions were clear-cut. We have been plagued by many enemies throughout history who have hidden behind a smile, a mask of friendship, or a hand- shake and photo-op only to try to stab us in the back (or worse). Dear uncle- grandfather Lavan, is perhaps the prime model of the "sneaky" enemy.

SDT Commentaries point out that Moav and Midyan were bitter enemies. Nonetheless, they put their differences aside and united to fight against Israel. This shows the power of anti-Semitism in this world. See what our enemies are ready to do because they hate us so much.

But it also must teach us another lesson. We too must be prepared to set aside that which divides the Jewish People into fragments, so that we can fight our common enemy with greater strength. This is not to suggest that we must ignore, overlook, or forgive these differences. But we have to know when we should put our religious-secular battles "on hold", in order to be united against the enemies of the Jewish People. We must all work together - Ashkenazim & S'faradim, National Religious and Haredi, left and right, religious and secular, to strengthen our position against those who would harm us, take parts of Eretz Yisrael from us, and divide our capital.

SDT Rashi says that when G-d told Bil’am not to go with Balak’s emissaries, Bil’am asked if he could curse the People from home. G-d said no. So Bil’am offered to bless them (us). G-d said, keep your honey and your sting.

Levi - Second Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 22:13-20
In the morning, Bil'am (reluctantly) dispatches Balak's messengers with his message of refusal. Balak sends a larger and more prestigious delegation to Bil'am, with offers of great honor and wealth if Bil'am would only agree to Balak's request. Bil'am again refuses, but does invite the new delegation to spend the night. This time G-d permits Bil'am to accompany the Moabites, but warns him not to do anything other than what G-d tells him. (Commentaries draw from this the notion: "In the direction a person is inclined, there he is lead" Also like, "Rope to hang himself with".)

SDT Why was Bil'am to be punished for going with Balak's delegation, when G-d permitted him to go? Sort of told him to go. Certainly, a person is held accountable for violations of G-d's prohibitions, but are we also responsible for things which are not specifically prohibited, although it is reasonable to assume that G-d does not want us to do them?

The answer is YES. This is one of the concepts we actually derive from the episode of Bil'am. The Torah gives us a very good idea of what HaShem wants of us. Many sins are spelled out very clearly - in fact, there is a notion of "one will not be punished unless expressly warned"; yet we are warned that G-d will be angry, so to speak, if we do things that we (should) know are contrary to His wishes.

This is something that exists in human relationships too. Parents, for example, expect children to behave a certain way, even without being specifically told. We are not programmed robots; we are human beings with the ability to reason. And G-d wants us to make the right decision in areas He left “open”, so to speak.

In the straight reading of the Chumash, it seems that Bil'am is truly a man of G-d who only wants to do what G-d wants him to do. Tradition describes him differently, as one who knows that he is totally in G-d's control but tries to fight it at every step of the way. What a blow to Bil'am's ego to be thought of so highly among people, yet to know that G-d calls every shot.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 22:21-38
Bil'am arises in the morning, saddles his donkey (by himself), and goes with the Moav officers. (The implication in the pasuk is that Bil'am went with a great deal of enthusiasm to "hopefully" curse the People of Israel. Contrast this with Avraham's enthusiasm on his way to fulfill G-d’s command with the Akeida.) G-d is "angry" with Bil'am for going (even though He permitted it) and sends an angel in an attempt to dissuade him from continuing. The Torah recounts that on three separate occasions - symbolically, it happened in increasingly narrower passages - the donkey sees the angel blocking the way, but Bil'am does not. Bil'am strikes the donkey each time, until G-d gives the power of speech to the donkey, who admonishes Bil'am for his deeds. Then G-d permits Bil'am to see the angel and Bil'am acknowledges his sin. He offers to return, but the angel allows him to proceed, with the warning not to say anything "unauthorized".

(In Pirkei Avot it says that the "mouth of the donkey" was one of 10 special items that G-d created in the instant before He rested from further creation on the very first Shabbat. One of the lessons from this concept is SOF MA'ASEH B'MACHSHAVA T'CHILA, what happens in the end was in G-d's thought and plan at the beginning. We should not think that the "mouth of the Earth" that swallowed Korach & Co. or the talking donkey, or No'ach's rainbow, et al, were "afterthoughts" of G-d. No such thing.)

Balak goes out to greet Bil'am, who tells Balak that he is powerless to act on his own and must say only what G-d "puts in his mouth". (This is the significance of the "mouth of the donkey" - viz. that it is G-d Who grants the gift of speech; one should not be arrogant about his ability to speak well. In the words of the beautiful prayer of the Shali’ach Tzibur on Rosh HaShana, OCHILA LAKEIL, the human being thinks thoughts in his heart, but from G-d comes the ability to express them with his mouth and lips... or the lack of the ability.)

SDT The favored weapon of the nations of the world is the sword. The "weapon" of Israel is "the power of speech" (prayer, divrei Torah, kind words, etc.). Bil'am arrogantly lays "his weapon" aside and attempts to harm the People of Israel with their (our) own weapon. G-d, so to speak, went against Bil'am with his abandoned weapon - the angel's drawn sword. And ultimately, the Torah tells us, Bil'am fell by the sword. - Rashi

R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 15 p'sukim - 22:39-23:12
Balak makes sacrifices on the occasion, and Bil'am orders seven altars to be built for the special offerings.

(All that is done is highly significant - e.g. the Torah records that our three Patriarchs offered seven korbanot at various times. Bil'am hoped to "neutralize" the effect of those sacrifices in G-d's eyes by repeatedly offering seven sacrifices of his own.)

After meditation, Bil'am "speaks" about the People of Israel. He does not curse them, but rather beautifully describes the uniqueness of Israel. Balak is upset, but Bil'am reminds him that he (Bil'am) can only transmit that which G-d wants him to.

If we are unique among the nations of the world, it is because of the Torah and our commitment to it, not some- thing genetic, nor a mere accident of birth. We must preserve that uniqueness by remaining true to Torah, faithful to HaShem, and distinct from the other nations. And, as Bil’am pointed out, our uniqueness depends upon being different from the other nations (not wanting to be just like everyone else.)

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 23:13-26
Balak takes Bil'am to a different vantage point, in the hopes that he will be able to curse the People this time. Once again, seven altars are built and sacrifices offered. Once again, Bil'am meditates and then utters magnificent descriptions of the Nation of Israel. Balak says his piece and Bil'am again explains his restrictions. (Difficult for someone who is considered the quintessence of arrogance.)

Rashi says that Balak chose Rosh HaPisga as a place from where Bil'am might succeed in cursing the people, because he foresaw that Moshe would die there.

Rashi says that Balak knew this about the place but Bil'am didn’t - that Balak was a more gifted prophet.

Twice we find, And Bil'am said to Balak, build for me "with this" seven altars and prepare for me "with this" seven bulls and seven rams (23:1 and 29). With this, BA'ZEH. We are taught that all the prophets of Israel prophesy with KOH (AMAR HASHEM), except Moshe, who prophesies with ZEH. Bil'am felt that he was on Moshe's level and kept throwing around the ZEH. G-d says to Bil'am, go back to Balak, and thus - KOH - you shall speak. Enough with the pretension to ZEH; you say KOH. Bil'am gets the message and switches to KOH when he speaks to Balak.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 23:27-24:13
Balak suggests yet a different vantage point from which to observe Israel; maybe G-d will permit them to be cursed. Bil'am again asks for seven altars to be built, and a bull and a ram to be offered on each. This time, Bil'am does not meditate in his usual manner, expecting similar results, namely that blessings will emerge from him - and he really wants to curse Israel.

SDT Balak takes Bil'am to Rosh HaP'or. Having seen in a vision that Israel will soon fall at P'or, Balak mistakingly assumes that the cursing from there would be successful (Rashi).

Targum Onkeles indicates that Bil'am was "reminding" G-d of the Golden Calf, so that He would allow the People to be cursed. However, when he saw the multitude encamped in such a special manner, he was endowed with "Ruach HaKodesh" and he blessed the People of Israel a third time. Balak had "had enough", spoke harshly to Bil'am, and "sent him packing".

We quote the words that emerged from Bil’am’s mouth - MA TOVU... Sometimes it takes a non-Jew’s observation for us to appreciate something we might not see.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 24:14-25:9
Before Bil'am takes leave of Balak, Bil'am prophesies about the other nations in the region... which was, in different words, a prophecy that each nation shall eventually perish, as will those who will bring about the earlier nations’ destruction.

[P> 25:1 (9)] Bil'am's final advice, his attempts to curse the People having failed, is to entice the People to idolatry and immoral behavior which will turn G-d Himself against them. This plan works, as 24,000 perish in a plague following the immoral and idolatrous worship of Baal Pe'or. Only the bold action of Pinchas b. Elazar b. Aharon HaKohen in defending G-d's honor, stops the devastating plague.

SDT This final lesson of the sedra must be learned well by us today. What Balak and Bil'am discovered is that if Israel is in G-d's favor, it will be invincible from outside attack. No nation can succeed against Israel, when we are "on good terms" with G-d. If we, however, incur G-d's anger, by being unfaithful to Him, by disregarding Torah and mitzvot, then we are extremely vulnerable to our enemies. And they might not even have to actually fight against us (as in terror attacks) - we can, G-d forbid, destroy ourselves (as in road accidents, and more). This was true more than 3000 years ago; it is no less true today.

On a certain level, Parshat Balak is extremely simple and straightforward, with an extremely powerful message - because of that simplicity. For 95 p'sukim, we feel the protection of G-d as Balak and Bil'am fail time and again in what almost looks like a comical farce. The Gemara says that Bil'am was in some ways superior to Moshe Rabeinu, that when he was around, G-d Himself was extra vigilant in protecting us. For those 95 p'sukim, we beam with pride at the grudging admiration of a unique nation as expressed by Bil'am.

And then comes the last 9 p'sukim of the sedra. Bil'am went back home. So did Balak. No danger anymore. WHAM! We did it to ourselves. G-d protected us from Bil'am by giving him his words. By not letting him speak on his own. And then we turned around and betrayed G-d. 24,000 fatalities. And the toll would have been greater, except for the bold action of Pinchas. The sedra is shouting its message to us. All we have to do is listen to it.

Last 3 p'sukim are reread for Maftir.

Note that the Pinchas episode is interrupted by the break between sedras. Zimri and Kozbi are not identified yet, G-d's reaction comes next week. Just for now - the plague stopped! The swiftness with which the plague struck is matched by the swift action of Pinchas. For now, that’s the point. More next week.

Haftara - 17 p'sukim - Micha 5:6-6:8
Micha's prophecies include the state- of-affairs that finds Israel dispersed among the nations of the world, the promise of the end of war and restoration of Israel to its Land, and the "settling of accounts" between G-d and the other nations, and G-d and Israel. This portion contains a reference to the advice of Balak and Bil'am's response to it - thus the appropriate choice of this portion as the haftara for Parshat Balak. Note the "credit" to Balak for the advice that caused the failing of Israel as opposed to the implication from the Torah that it was Bil'am's idea.

Note the reference to the leaders of the People as Moshe, Aharon, and MIRIAM.

The haftara ends with the famous encapsulation of our responsibilities to G-d: "What does G-d demand of us, ONLY to behave justly, love chesed, and walk modestly (humbly) before G-d." This is the formula for the greatest protection we can have from the Balaks and Bil'ams of the world. And its disregard makes us terribly vulnerable. What a contrast between the end of the sedra and the end of the haftara! Again, we have the simple but powerful point. This is how we are supposed to behave. This is how we behaved... and what happened to us.

THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson # 292 •Help the Robber Repent; Return of the Robbed Object
The Talmud relates the following story (Baba Kama 94b) It once happened that a certain man who was a robber wanted to make restitution. His wife said to him “Empty-headed, if you are going to make restitution, even the belt that you are wearing would not remain with you.” The Rabbis declared that if robbers or usurers are prepared to make restitution, it would not be right to accept the robbed objects from them, and he who does, does not obtain the approval of the Rabbis. (This does not contradict the idea that the victim may accept return of the robbed object. In this latter situation there is a single theft. In our lesson the robber earns substantially all of his livelihood by robbing and the robbed object is no longer in existence.) There are several conditions that have to be present and then the victim is advised not to accept the return of the robbed object. (1) The robber Reuven is a known robber. Since this is his way of making a living, it would be very difficult for him to return all that he robbed, which will impede his desire to repent. Not only is the object not accepted from him, the money substitute is also not accepted. But if Reuven is an occasional robber, then Shimon may accept the restitution of the robbed object. (2) Reuven wants to repent on his own. But if he is compelled to repent by the community or by Beth Din in a law suit brought by Shimon, then Shimon may accept the return of the robbed object. (3) Reuven does not have the robbed object. But if Reuven has the robbed object, it is accepted back by Shimon. Even in this rule there are notable exceptions, such as Reuven having robbed a long wooden beam that he built into his house. The beam is still owned by Shimon but to have Reuven return the beam would require Reuven to destroy his house. The beam is deemed not to be in existence for the purpose of return, and Reuven returns money instead. There is an opinion that the foregoing does not apply to real estate. Even if Reuven improves the real estate that he robbed, he must return it to Shimon, but he may remove all his materials and even raze the structures that he erected. I would hope that is such a situation Reuven and Shimon would work out an equitable arrangement regarding structures that Reuven erected on Shimon’s real estate.

Assume that Reuven attempts to return the object to Shimon and Shimon declares that he does not want it back in keeping with the advice of the Rabbis. If Reuven then insists that Shimon take back the object so that he can fulfill his obligation to Heaven, Shimon may take back the object.

If the Victim cannot be Specified
Reuven is a shepherd who grazes his own flocks on real estate belonging to many people in the community, which in essence is robbing all these people. Or Reuven is a tax collector who is dishonest in assessing the taxes and in essence robs the people of the community. When Reuven, in either role wants to make restitution, he does not know to whom to specifically pay the money. The Rabbis instituted a rule that he contribute to communal projects such as paving and maintenance of roads, water supply system repairs, communal bath houses, and the like. Since there is a great likelihood that the victims will make use of the projects to which Reuven contributes, he will have made restitution to the victims. Although when Reuven robs an individual, Beth Din can compel him to make restitution, Beth Din will not do it when he has robbed the community at large, as when he was a corrupt tax collector.

Where to Restore the Robbed Object
Robbers must return the object to the place where it was robbed. If Reuven robbed the object where Shimon currently resides, then Reuven, even if he lives far away, must return the object to Shimon. If when the object was robbed, Shimon resided in the same community where Reuven resides and now Shimon resides far away, Reuven is not obligated to go to the community where Shimon resides, but may notify Shimon that he holds the object and that Shimon should retrieve it from him; Reuven must maintain the object until Shimon comes to retrieve it. Whenever Reuven must return the object to a faraway place he may deposit the object with Beth Din, which is to notify Shimon that it will send the object to Shimon or Beth Din may send the object with an agent appointed by Shimon. If Shimon dies before Reuven returns the object to him, Reuven must return the object (or the money if the object is no linger available to be restored) to the heirs of Shimon.

Robbing One’s Father or a Proselyte
Reuven robbed his father Shimon and denied it under oath and then Shimon died. If the robbed object is in existence, Reuven must divest himself of the robbed object to his brothers, who are the heirs of Shimon. If the object is no longer in existence he gives to his brothers their share of the capital value of the object. If Reuven has no brothers and he is Shimon’s sole heir, Reuven may deliver the object to his own sons. If he has no sons he may give the object to his own creditors or to charity. Once he disposes of the object he is cleared of the robbery, even if he gives it all away as a gift. All this is conditioned upon his telling the recipient “This is what was taken by robbery.”

If Reuven robs a proselyte who died without heirs, (only a proselyte can die without heirs, Every other Jew has some heirs when he dies.) then the object should be divested by Reuven. In the time of the Holy Temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our days, Reuven robbed a proselyte and denied it under oath and then confessed and the proselyte died, the object together with an additional fifth (which is actually an additional 25%, which becomes a fifth of the total amount returned) was given to the kohanim of the current watch at the Temple. During those days, if Reuven had an object belonging to Shimon resulting from a robbery and (1) Reuven denied that he robbed the object, (2) takes a false oath to the effect that he did not rob the object, (3) later confesses that he did rob the object, Reuven must repay the capital plus one fifth and he had to bring a sacrifice.

The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in volume IX chapter 366 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
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 by Rabbi Asher Meir

Audacity in G-d's Service
At the very beginning of the Shulchan Arukh, the Rema provides a series of instructions on maintaining a proper attitude in performing the mitzvot.

Among them, he writes: "And don't be ashamed before others who mock you in serving G^d." This would seem to be a very simple and uncontroversial suggestion, but actually it is the topic of a wide-ranging halakhic discussion.

The Tur also opens with moral instruction, citing the mishnaic admonition of Yehuda ben Teima: "Be audacious as a tiger, and light as an eagle, and swift as a deer, and mighty as a lion to perform the will of your father in heaven" (Avot 5:20). He goes on to explain why audacity may be necessary:
"For at times a person wants to perform a mitzva but refrains from doing it because people mock him; thus, he [Yehuda ben Teima] cautions that you should be brazen in the face of the mockers, and not refrain from per- forming the mitzva." (Tur Orach Chaim 1. This passage is the proximate source for the ruling of the Rema.)

The Beit Yosef perceives a note of qualification in this explanation:
Audacity is called for specifically to fore- stall refraining from a mitzva due to shame. Otherwise it is not appropriate. "For the quality of impudence is very disgraceful, as has been mentioned, and it is not appropriate to make use of it at all, even in the service of Hashem to speak boldly against the scoffers, for this will accustom his nature to be audacious even when not in the service of Hashem. Therefore, he [the Tur] writes, don't be ashamed, that is, when I say to you to be brazen in the face of the scoffers, this doesn't mean to speak brazenly, rather it is [only] for the purpose of not being ashamed of them".

In other words, audacity in God's service can be countenanced only as a defensive measure, to prevent a person from becoming ashamed of performing commandments. But it is not appropriate in and of itself, even to counter those who scoff and mock our devotion to the commandments.

The Be'ur Halakha clarifies that audacity may be necessary to prevent the scoffers from turning others away from mitzvot. If impious leaders try and create an atmosphere that will discourage commitment to mitzva observance, then it is legitimate to be bold in opposing their efforts, even if the particular individuals leading the struggle are not worried about their own devotion to Torah being compromised. But the basic idea is the same: the importance of modesty, and the disdain for brazenness, imply that it is improper to act in a brazen and audacious way, even against those who scoff at the Torah, unless this attitude is necessary to keep someone from being shamed into neglecting Torah observance. As the Be'er Heiteiv writes, a person should be ashamed of those who mock him, but "at any rate he should not bicker with them".

This topic was deliberately chosen for the ominous season facing us. An awe- some period of national deliberation is upon us; fateful decisions are being made with very cogent claims on both sides. It goes without saying that fear of heaven does not permit us to mock those who disagree with us, but we can learn from the Tur and the commentators that even to respond in a brazen way against those who mock our point of view offends our natural Jewish sense of shame and modesty. Rather, the entire discussion -- and struggle, where appropriate -- must be carried out in a spirit of respect and humility.

TANACH
SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE BEREISHIT STORIES by Dr. Meir Tamari
"Then to call in the name of G-d became profaned" (B'reishit 4:26)
Philosophers, anthropologists and others teach that monotheism gradually developed from a more primitive stage of idolatry; our text teaches the opposite. The first generations knew and worshiped only Hashem, then gradually this became perverted and profaned into idolatry, until Avraham came and taught that there was only One G-d. Furthermore, during that process of idolatry, without the fear of Hashem who knows, sees and remembers everything and rewards or punishes all actions of men and woman, it became clear that there can be neither morality nor justice.

Cain's t'shuva had earned Hashem's mercy and he bore His mark, so for us, the "mark of Cain" was not a badge of shame as the phrase is commonly used, but rather a sign of G-d's protection. Nevertheless, Seth, meaning support or foundation, was born to replace not only Hevel who had been killed, but also Cain who had destroyed thereby his own future and that of his descendants. "And Cain turned away from G-d" - so it seemed that the holy task of mankind would find its fulfillment in Seth, yet that was not to be. "For in the days of Enosh, the son of Seth, he and his generation erred greatly, as then they began to call in the Name of G-d. That is a euphemism for saying that they believed that Hashem was far too great and far too distant to take cognizance of the actions of men and to be approachable by them. Just as one approaches a great king through his nobles and servants, they would serve Hashem through the worship of the Sun, the Moon and Stars, and the forces of nature, that He had created. To give anybody or anything, in any way or degree, any of the powers and attributes of G-d, is idolatry" (Rambam, Hilkhot Avodat Kochavim 1:1-3).

As a consequence of this perversion of monotheism, mankind became debased physically, spiritually and morally. "The Torah (5:1-3) says of Seth and of Enosh that they were created in the likeness of Adam, who was created like the image of G-d, whereas of the following generation there is no such reference. In the days of Enosh, the mountains became rocky [Adam and Chava had disturbed the natural equilibrium that existed in nature, so nature became an adversary that had to battled against] and men had the appearance of monkeys and became wild horsemen [actually the phrase used was centaurs, half horse and half man, to denote their fierceness; uncivilized and warlike, replacing the peace of Eden]. Disease appeared in the world [Adam was created in Divine Wisdom, perfect in every way, now after Enosh by their idolatry they caused the environment to become impure and hazardous to their health; that was expressed in the gradual shortening of human lives. This comment by Ramban, Abarbanel and Radak offers a different view than the one often held that their years were measured differently than ours]. Rabbi Yitzchak taught that they who started to do harm to themselves by becoming idolaters, thus demeaning their humanity, ended up in worshiping and subjecting themselves to the strong and powerful men [The real source of moral democracy and freedom lies not in the elitist Greek cities, but in the Torah which sees all human beings as created in His image]" (B'reishit Rabba 23:6).

The teaching that idolatry must lead to oppression and immorality is the basis for understanding of what the generations leading to the Flood, were guilty. "Chazal teach us that the decree against that generation was only sealed when they indulged in theft. This is difficult to understand since we know that they were guilty of the three major sins - idolatry, sexual immorality and murder. However, when there is theft, the whole fabric of society begins to unravel and the other sins follow" (Shem MiShmuel). " The sons of the godly race saw the daughters of men, that they were faitr and they took themselves wives from wherever they chose" (B'reishit6:2). "The pious sons of Seth did not look from where the women were descended - the degenerate Cainites - and did not consider the types of mothers they would make for their children; therein lay their sin" (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch). The sons of the judges and the rulers, often called elohim in the Tanach, who abused their power and their status and took these women by force (Ramban). Alternatively, the generations indulged in casual sex (Abarbanel).

There is a fascinating insight in the Midrash that sounds as though it was written today. When there had only been a few people on earth, there was plenty of space, water, land and natural resources for everyone. However, when the population multiplied, everybody became concerned that their quality of life would decline and that the resultant scarce resources would not suffice to support them all. Furthermore, as a result, inferior species would develop among the plants, the animals and the birds. So they legislated that only superior specimens could mate and in order to keep down general population growth they sought out non-procreative sex like homosexuality and bestiality thus perverting the whole creation. Then they started to steal from each other and when anyone opposed the thieves they simply killed them; idolatry, sexual immorality and bloodshed.

"There were 10 generations from Adam until Noah and each generation destroyed one tenth of the world that Hashem created by Ten Divine sayings" (Avnei Nezer).
This is the 90th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times”

MISC section - contents:
[1] Vebbe Rebbe
[2] Candle by Day
[3] From Aloh Naaleh
[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit
[5] Parsha Points to Ponder
[6] Torah from Nature
[7] MicroUlpan
[8] Pirkei Avot
[9] G'matriya Twins
[10] About BALAK
[11] From the desk of the director

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

Q: My family wants to take a cab to the kotel and walk back. We have a stroller for our baby, and we need a car seat for our son. Is the car seat muktzeh (it has no other use)? If so, can I fold it up and put it on the stroller before Shabbat and thereby bring it home?

A: We must deal with three questions. To what category of utensil does the car seat belong? If it is muktzeh, can you find a use for it that allows you to carry it? If it is forbidden to carry, can you push it along with permitted things (i.e. the baby) in the stroller?

Category: A car seat is a kli shemelachto l’isur (=KSHMLI - a utensil whose main use is for forbidden activity). It is true that the seat is not directly doing the driving, unlike most cases of KSHMLI, which are directly involved in a violation (e.g. pen, car, etc.). However, other utensils which serve an otherwise permitted function within the framework of a violation are KSHMLI. This includes phone books and car doors (regardless of activating lights) (see Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchata (=SSK) 20:17 and more).

Possibility to move such an object: One may move a KSHMLI only for a permissible function or if it is in the way, but not to protect it (Shulchan Aruch, OC 308:3). You want to protect the car seat from getting lost. But the Magen Avraham (308:8) allows thinking up a use for the KSHMLI and moving it with that excuse even if one’s main intention is protecting it. The Mishna Berura (=MB - 308:17) accepts the premise, but perhaps only for a “real need,” but Machatzit HaShekel, Yalkut Yosef (ad loc.) and Rav Sh. Z. Orbach allow contriving a need. However, you have to have a real plan to use the car seat after coming home, and some require that for the use you design, you cannot easily use a non-muktzeh utensil (MB 308:12; SSK 20:8). If you can be creative, great.

Carrying with other things: Pushing a stroller with muktzeh in it is indirect moving, which is forbidden if done for the muktzeh’s “welfare” (Shul. Ar. 311:8). In our case, the stroller’s other contents, especially the baby, are more significant than the car seat, and you can push the stroller for their sake (ibid. 309:3).However, the gemara (Shabbat 142a) says that if fruit and a stone are in a basket, one must shake out the stone if he can do so without doing damage. So must you remove the car seat or not put it in to start with? Most poskim rule that even if the only thing to be damaged (or, in this case, lost) is the muktzeh, one need not shake it out (Sha’ar Hatziyun 309:17). So you should be able to leave the car seat in the stroller.

Yet there is still a problem. What is the nature of the permission to keep the muktzeh in a case of damage? Is it because when one pushes muktzeh and non-muktzeh together, it is a permissible act unless one refuses the opportunity to remove the muktzeh? Or is it considered moving muktzeh, but it is permitted because of the need? If the latter is true, then the need may be suspect here. After all, you want to create a situation where the car seat, which you may not move to protect, is on the stroller so that you have an excuse not to shake it off. Indeed, Tosafot and the Ritva (on Shabbat 142a) say that carrying the basket with the fruit and stone is carrying muktzeh and is permitted only because of need. (Rambam, Shabbat 25:16 can be explained either way- Chazon Ish, OC 47:22). We have not found a source discussing purposely creating a “joint basket” of muktzeh and non-muktzeh before Shabbat, and our inclination is that it is not proper.

There are those who permit moving a KSHMLI if one puts a non-muktzeh object on it (Shul. Ar. 308:5; see MB, ad. loc.). Another possible but not unanimous idea for a fold-up car seat is to carry it in a backpack from before Shabbat. This is because one may continue carrying a KSHMLI when he started doing so permissibly (see MB 308:13, SSK 20:26 and sources cited there). Thus, we cannot rule out the grounds and means for leniency, especially in a case of need.

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] Candle by Day
Half-baked truths should not be discarded but returned to the oven.
From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[3] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
The "blessing" of Bil'am, "ma tovu ohalekha ya'akov…." is the subject of one of Rashi's better known commentaries. Rashi remarks that Bil'am, inspired by the sight of the Jewish encampment in the desert, praised the camp for its planning, which took into consideration human needs and respect for privacy. In our daily lives, we interpret this verse differently, for we recite this verse when we enter a shul. This practice is based on a midrash which under- stands the tents and the "mishkanot" mentioned by Bil'am as a reference to the shuls and study halls of Israel. This midrash is, in turn, a reworking of another midrash which identifies the "tent" with the "ohel mo'ed" and the "mishkan" with the mishkan of Shilo.

Transforming the tent and the mishkan into shul and study hall is a common theme in midrashic literature. It is meant to help us think that the devastation of the destruction of the Temple was not total and that we survive in our shuls and study halls. The daily use of this interpretation of the verse shows us how much Judaism outside of Israel is focused on shul and yeshiva life. Outside of Israel, we are not able to build a Jewish society that reflects the human values which inspired Bil'am.

The focusing of Jewish life in the shul is, how- ever, only temporary, as all of Jewish existence in exile is temporary. It is well known that many shuls outside Israel have been converted to churches. I tell people who build magnificent edifices for shuls that they should take into consideration that their shul may one day turn into a church. Only in the land of Israel do we find permanent Jewish existence, as reflected not only in the shul and study hall, but also in the matrix of day-to-day life. If we have not been able to fulfill this to the extent to which we desire, it is in great part due to the fact that our brethren who think like us have not come here to help us build the Jewish society that we prefer.

Joseph Tabory, 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

[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit
A certain wealthy Chasid came to R' Yitzchak of Worka (Poland). This Chasid was known to be extremely miserly. He did not even spend money on himself and lived on little more than bread and water.
R' Yitzchak rebuked him and said:
"If Hashem has blessed you with wealth, you have to live well and must eat meat and fish, and drink wine."
The Chasidim present were astonished. When the man left they asked R' Yitzchak:
"Rebbe, why did you rebuke him in this fashion? What difference does it make if he doesn't eat meat and drink wine?"
"It's not for him that I said what I said," explained R' Yitzchak, "but for the poor. If he eats meat and drinks wine, he will give the poor some bread to eat. However, if he himself eats only bread, what will there be left for him to give to the poor?"

"There isn't a thing in this world for which one cannot find an imitation or copy. The only exception to this is the truth, because there is no such thing as an imitation of the truth." —R' Mendel of Kotsk

"The easiest thing to do is write; the hardest is to erase." —R' Yisrael of Salant

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).
Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder

[5] Parsha Points to Ponder -for BALAK
1) The Torah relates that G-d would not grant Bil'am permission to curse the Jewish people (see 22:12). Why didn't G-d permit him to do so and then simply stop the curse from having any effect on the Jewish people?
2) Why did G-d perform the seemingly unnecessary miracle of Bil'am's donkey speaking?
3) How could Bil'am and Balak have thought that simply their speech could obliterate the Jewish people after all they had heard and seen G-d do for this people?

Last week's Parsha Points to Ponder (CHUKAT)

(1) CORRECT WORDING OF QUESTION: Why did G-d instruct Moshe to speak to the rock in this week's Parsha but he was told to hit the rock in Parshat Beshalach (see Sh'mot 17:1-7)

Rav Hirsch explains that in the beginning of the sojourn in the desert, it was important for the people to experience Moshe's greatness as he ascended to the position of leadership. Therefore, Hashem had Moshe take a more direct and active part in the miracle by hitting the rock. At the end of the 40 years, the Jewish people had to be weaned off of Moshe's leadership and to experience G-d's intervention. Therefore, Moshe was instructed to speak to the rock which would clearly display that it is G-d's strength and power which provides for them.

(2) When the Jews complained about their situation in the desert, G-d punished them by killing them with snakes. (21:6) How did this fulfill G-d's approach to punish measure for measure?

Commentaries explain that since the snake was punished for speaking evil in B'reishit, it is used to punish the Jews for speaking evil about Hashem and Moshe. Furthermore, the snake for whom everything tastes like dust as a result of its sin, is fitting to use to punish those who complained about the manna which changed to any desired taste.

(3) When the Jews were killed by snakes, Moshe ended the plague by placing a snake on a staff and having the people look (see 21:8-9). Why did G-d command Moshe to use the same thing which killed as the cure instead of using something sacred?

I once heard the following answer. It is critical for people to learn to confront things which we fear and not to run away from them. In Sh'mos, Moshe's staff turned into a snake and Moshe ran from it. G-d told him to go back and grab the snake he feared. Moshe did so and it turned back into a staff (see Sh'mos 4:1-5). This approach was the key to Moshe's survival throughout all of his difficulties. Moshe now teaches that same lesson to the Jewish people by using the snake to cure the people. The goal is to take the very thing which you fear and transform it into something positive and a source of strength.

Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman of Beit Shemesh ppp@israelcenter.co.il • Answers will appear in the next issue of TT, Beginning this week or next, answers to the current sedra's Parsha Points to Ponder will appear in the same issue

[6] Torah From Nature
JERBOA
small jumping desert rodent of Asia and northern Africa that resembles a mouse with a long tufted tail and very long hind legs... small forelegs are not used for locomotion. In general, Asiatic jerboas have five toes on their hind feet and African jerboas have three; the shapes of their ears vary widely between species.

Jerboa fur is long, soft and silky. Diet varies considerably: some are specialist seed, insect, or plant eaters, others are omnivores... Their ability to hop is presumed to be an adaptation to help them escape from predators, and perhaps to assist with the longer journeys a desert-living animal must make to find food. It is interesting to note that although jerboas are not closely related to the hopping mice of Australia or the kangaroo rats of North America, all three groups... have a similar set of adaptations to life in the deep desert... Jerboas are nocturnal. During the heat of the day, they shelter in burrows... different species make different kinds of burrows... temporary burrows are plain tubes: those used to escape from predators during the night are just 10 to 20 cm deep, unsealed and not camouflaged; temporary daytime burrows are well-hidden and sealed with a plug of sand to keep heat out and moisture in... Permanent burrows are also sealed and camouflaged, and often have multiple entrances... much more elaborate with a nesting chamber... winter burrows have food storage chambers... and a hibernation chamber... Perhaps the best-known species is the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus), one of the few species of jerboa found in Israel (Yarboa Gadol)... does not drink at all, relying on its food to provide enough moisture for survival... aestivates (a form of hibernation) during the hottest summer months, and has the ability to leap more than a metre to escape a predator.

[7] MicroUlpan
A storage room or closet for food is called, in English, a PANTRY.
In Hebrew? M'ZAVEH.
Fruit basket for serving fruit. KELET.
And here's a good one. You know those little fluted pieces of paper that make a little holder for chocolates or little cookies, petit fours, etc. SALSILA.
One more. Chocolates with something in them - cherries, nuts, cream... MULYA.

[8] Pirkei Avot
Following the list of 10 items that were created in the instant before the first Shabbat (Avot 5:9, mishnayot numbering varies in different editions of Avot), there are a few other items that "some say" were also created then, including AL TZVAT BITZVAT ASUYA, lit. tongs made with tongs. This can be explained as follows:
G-d provided mankind with an abundance of raw materials in this world. So too, he created humans with the intelligence to use the raw materials in many creative ways. But brain-power and material are often just not enough to produce a desired result. The first pair of tongs represents an additional helping hand from G-d to facilitate human progress. You can make tongs by holding a piece of metal in a fire and then shaping the pliable metal in the shape of tongs. But who made the first pair of tongs? This mishna suggests that G-d provided that (and similar objects) in addition to all that He created. Or, at least, (at best?) endowed the human being with that combination of insight, inspiration, ingenuity, spark of creativity, ability to think out of the box... that allows us to accomplish so much.

[9]G'matriya Twins
VAYOMER BILAM EL BALAK B'NEI LI BA-ZEH SHIVA MIZBACHOT V'HA'CHEN LI BAZEH SHIVA PARIM V'SHIVA EILIM:
Biil'am's plan to build altars and make sacrifices in order to be allowed to curse Bnei Yisrael cannot succeed, because of our command to bring korbanot, as it says:
U'S'EIR IZIM ECHAD CHATAT MILVAD OLAT HATAMID MINCHATA V'NISKA: (G'matriya Twins)

[10] About BALAK
BALAK was a descendant of Lot (Bamidbar Raba). RUTH was the daughter of EGLON (a later king of Moav), who was the son of BALAK (G'mara - Sota). As reward for the 42 korbanot that wicked BALAK brought, he merited to have RUTH descend from him (G'mara Nazir). [Because of the 42 korbanot, 42 children were attacked and mauled by bears (from the same G'mara Sota, reference to Melachim Bet 2:24)]. BALAK was a superior conjurer and diviner to BIL'AM (Bamidbar Raba). The Zohar says that BALAK was a descendant of YITRO, but did not want to convert to Judaism. BALAK was the father of KOZBI, an exceedingly beautify woman (Midrash Agada Bamidbar).

[11] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Balak reminds us - once again - of the sickly efforts that the nations of the world are prepared to undertake in order to undermine the integrity of the Jewish people. We just have to look at the lengths to which Balak b. Tzippor, King of Moab, takes to entice the arch sorcerer Bila'am to curse Bnei Yisrael pending their entry to Eretz Yisrael.

Initially, Bila'am refuses to go along with Balak's plans, ostensibly on account of G-d's injunction to him not to curse a people that are blessed. And all the gold and silver in Balak's coffers will not lure him to do so. Moreover, after much badgering from Balak, G-d even allows Bila'am to accompany Balak's princes.

Yet when he does "go along" with those very prestigious leaders, G-d is so angry that he places an angel in front of Bila'am to confuse him (cf. B'midbar 22:20-23). What happened? Was it greed? Was Bila'am going to disobey G-d after all?

Ramban notes that having made his previous declarations of loyalty to G-d, Bila'am should have reiterated them as a condition of his now being seen in the presence of Moab. His silence, however, symbolized acquiescence to the evil mission, even as he could only repeat what G-d would put into his mouth. Clearly, such sharing of company with Israel's enemies is reason enough to arouse G-d's ire. It should be of concern to us too.

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.

Cinnamon and Ketoret (Food for Thought)
From Avishai: "Dear Catriel, While learning the Daf Yomi yesterday, (Shabbat 63a), I came across a most unusual Gemara; "The logs used (for fuel) in Yerushalayim, were made of cinnamon, and when they were burned, their fragrance would waft through the Land. But when Yerushalayim was destroyed, the trees were hidden, etc."Is this Gemara to be taken literally, or is there a deeper message hidden within? Can't anyone plant cinnamon trees? What does it mean then that they were hidden, and a bit remained? Who was Queen Tzimtzemai?"

Ramban quotes Midrash Shir HaShirim (4:29) which states that cinnamon grew in Eretz Yisrael and that it was so plentiful that it was used as fodder for goats. Even the wild gazelles ate it. (Bereishit Raba 65:13 furnishes us with another extraordinary detail. "The goats were so large that they were able to eat from the tops of the cinnamon trees." And cinnamon trees grow seven meters tall!) After the destruction of Jerusalem, the fabulous cinnamon trees vanished. While it is true that "anyone can plant cinnamon trees", nevertheless, in today's Eretz Yisrael, they would not survive because the climate is not wet enough. Incidentally the Gemara tells us about another botanical marvel which vanished when Bayit Rishon was destroyed. "When Solomon built the Temple, he planted therein all sorts of precious golden trees which brought fruit in their season. …and they (the golden fruit) were a source of income for the Kehuna … but when the enemy entered the Heichal, the trees dried up… In the future world the Holy One Blessed be He will restore them to us" (Yoma 39b).

Midrashim or Aggadata can be understood in many ways and on many levels. Our Sages were great teachers; they were not simply storytellers. "The purview of Aggadata… is the Jewish world of ideas… principles of faith, the philosophy, and the ethical ideals of Judaism… (An) important difference between the two domains of the Oral Torah is that whereas Halachic discussions are rigorously logical, Aggadata is often noticeably obscure. This obscurity is intentional… The Sages' decision to commit the Oral Torah to writing created no problem with the laws of Jewish behavior, i.e. the Halacha. But with the more abstruse concepts of Judaism, the Sages found themselves in a dilemma, these concepts cannot be readily understood by everyone. The problem was solved by writing these ideas down in, as it were, coded form; the obscure form of parable and hint. The keys to their true meaning would continue to be transmitted orally… In this manner, the Torah's deepest wisdom would be preserved, and at the same time, it would still be protected from the ravages of misunderstanding. Wise students would be shown the way to divine the true meanings behind the parables, while the inept would take them for nothing more than charming tales…" (This passage is taken from R. Aharon Feldman's The Juggler and the King. Based as it is on "an elaboration of the Vilna Gaon's insights into the hidden wisdom of the Sages", I consider a careful reading of this book indispensable for the development of a mature approach to Aggadata. Shedding light on many obscure passages, the study of the classical commentaries on the Aggadata of the Maharsha (R. Shemu'el Eliezer Edel 1155-1631), the Maharal of Prague, and the Ramchal (R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1747) is also basic for a proper understanding of the Aggadata.) It not likely that the air of Jerusalem was perfumed by the sweet and pungent aroma of burning cinnamon logs. Certainly there is a deeper meaning.

After the destruction of Jerusalem, "only as much as a barley grain was left (from all the Eretz Yisrael cinnamon trees) and that was found in the queen's collection of rarities (Shabbat 63a). According to Rashi the queen's name was Tzimtzemai. The Maharsha quotes the Pesikta (a Midrash) which derives her name from the Hebrew root Letzamtzeim, to contract or press close together. "When Israel stood at Har Sinai, 'Hayu Metzamtzemin Atzman' - they pressed themselves (against one another, in reverence thereby not arrogantly calling attention to themselves). Like a bride when she disrobes, she (modestly) divests one part of her garment while holding the other." And how are we to understand similar Midrashim that "mega-emphasize" the strength of the fragrance of the Ketoret? "Rabba ben Bar Chana said, the goats in Jericho used to sneeze because of the fragrance of the Ketoret, the women of Jericho did not have to perfume themselves because of the fragrance of the Ketoret. The bride in Jerusalem did not have to perfume herself because of the Ketoret." If women in distant Jericho did not have to perfume themselves because of the Ketoret, Kal VaChomer, a bride in Jerusalem certainly should not have to do so. What is Rabba b. Bar Chana trying to teach us? "R. Yosi b. Diglai said, 'My father had goats on the mountains of Michvar (in Transjordan) and they used to sneeze because of the odor of the Ketoret. R. Chiya b. Abin said in the name of R. Yehoshu'a ben Karcha, 'An old man once told me, once I walked towards Shilo (the location of the Mishkan for many years) and I could (still) smell the fragrance of the Ketoret emanating from its walls" (Yoma 39b). Perhaps an abundance of "Ketoret Midrashim" should not surprise us since no part of the Avoda was more beloved by the Kohanim, and spiritualized more by the Sages. It was said that the incense offering was the most beloved Avoda by Heaven as well. Is not true prayer compared to the offering of incense in the Beit HaMikdash? Sincere prayer, like the rising vapors of Ketoret, is wafted straight on High. "Let my prayer be set forth as Ketoret before Thee" (T'hilim 141:2).

"R' Yitzchak ben Eliezer said, 'Know that they constructed the Mishkan and all its vessels, slaughtered and sacrificed the Korbanot on the Mizbei'ach, placed the Lechem HaPanim (the Bread of the Presence) on the Shulchan, and lit the Menora. They did everything - but the Shechina - the Divine Presence - did not descend on the Mishkan until they offered up the Ketoret. How do we know this? It is written, 'Awake thou north, come thou south, blow upon my garden that the perfumes flow out. Let my Beloved come into His garden and eat His precious fruits.'" (Shir Hashirim 4:16). 'Awake thou north'- these are the burnt offerings which were slaughtered north of the Mizbei'ach. 'Come thou south'- these are the peace offerings which were slaughtered south of the Mizbei'ach. 'Blow upon my garden that the perfumes flow out.' - this is the perfumed Ketoret. 'Let my Beloved come …this is the Shechina …and eat His precious fruit… these are the now accepted Korbanot."(Midrash Tanchuma, Tetzaveh with commentary of the Eitz Yosef.)

Said the Holy One Blessed be He, 'By means of the Ketoret you attained atonement in this world; so shall it be in the Future World…" (ibid. 15)
Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
The word PAR (bull) appears 32 times in the Torah. All of them, except 4 times, the PEI is voweled with a PATACH. The other four times - all in Parshat Balak, the PEI has a KAMATZ under it. In the S'faradi way of pronouncing Hebrew, the two words are indistinguishable. But in Ashkenazis (and in the Yemenite pronunciation), the common one is PAR and the rare, in Balak only ones are PAWR. When PAR has a HEI-HAY'DI'A - which accounts for another 20 or so times, the PEI always has a KAMATZ. HA-PAWR. Or HAPAR in Israeli Hebrew. No grammatical explanation is herein offered, nor does it seem to be a "serious" mistake if a Baal Korei misreads the word. But this column is about fine-tuning and paying attention. So there you have it.

Now look in B'midbar 23:18. There's a word with a CHATAF-PATACH under a SHIN. That's kind of rare, since CHATAF-vowels usually are found under the guttural letters - ALEF, AYIN, HEI, CHET. When there is a non-G'RONIT (throat-letter) with a CHATAF-PATACH, there are three different opinions as to how to pronounce the letters. Some do it like a SH'VA NA. U-SH'MA, in this case. Some pronounce the CHATAF-PATACH, U-SHAMA. And some opinions distinguish among the situations of the specific occurrence and sometimes read it like a SH'VA NA and sometimes like a slightly shortened PATACH. (Those conditions are too complicated to include here.) Note that in this case, had there been a a SH'VA under the SHIN, as there is in SH'MA without the SHURUK-ed VAV prefixed to it, the word would be pronounced USH-MA, considering the SHIN's SH'VA to be NACH. Here it is clearly meant to stay with the MA syllable, so the word is U- SH'MA. The CHATAF-PATACH can signal that the SH'VA is atypically NA in this word.

Parsha Pix
Upper left is from one of the first ParshaPixPuzzles. There is a BLOCK (sounds like BALAK) in a nest, which makes it BLOCK BEN TZIPOR.
Moving to the right, we find a globe wearing an eye patch. Balak said that Israel was so numerous that we covered EIN HAARETZ, the eye of the Earth (as does the patch).

Next, the messengers from Moav came to Bil'am with K'SAMIM B'YADAM, represented by the magic trick in the hand.

Bil'am's donkey saw the sword drawn in the angel's hand; Bil'am did not see it at first (or second or third).

Second row, left. When the donkey talks to Bil'am, she asks him why he has hit her these three REGALIM, three times. Commentaries point out that it doesn't say P'AMIM, three times, but rather uses the word that refers to our cycle of holidays and to the People who observe them. The angel repeats the reference to SHALOSH REGALIM.

The speech-bubble for the donkey contains the question (mark) about the three festivals, represented by the Lulav, Matza,and Torah.

To the right we find a Chicago basketball player, one of the BULLS and a St. Louis football player, one of the RAMS. Bulls and rams , 7 of each, (hence the large numeral 7) were repeatedly offered as sacrifices by Bil’am and Balak. We suggest that you try to get this out of your kids rather than giving it away to them. (That is, if they follow American sports. Otherwise, teach them.)

The lion cub was one of the ways that Bil'am described the Jewish People.

Below the donkey are Clapping hands - a representation of Balak striking his hands together in disgust at Bil’am’s repeated failure to do as requested.

VAYISPOK. A unique word in Tanach, appearing no where else.

The Xed out snake is also from Bil'am's words, that there is no NACHASH in Yaakov. His meaning is that we do not rely on omens.

Below the snake is a "house filled with money" - sort of what Balak told Bil'am that he missed out on by not uttering one teensy weeny curse.

The shul in the lower-left corner reminds us of the famous MA TOVU OHALECHA YAAKOV...

Lying across the bottom of the ParshaPix is the ROMACH, the spear that Pinchas used to protect G-d’s honor.

The river of oil from the pitcher is mentioned in the haftara.

On the reverse side of a US dollar bill is a picture of the Great Seal: A pyramid with an all-seeing eye on top. Sometimes called the enlightened eye. Bil'am calls himself the man with SH'TUM HA-AYIN. Living Torah brings these translations: enlightened, future-seeing, seeing, open, true-sighted, sleepless, evil, dislocated, blinded.

Worthy of repetition is something Zev Frank of Arutz-7 discovered. ROMACH, spelled in the Torah REISH-MEM-CHET is numerically equivalent to 248, which immediately brings to mind the number of positive mitzvot in the Torah. Pinchas armed himself with the RAMACH (248) mitzvot in his righteous defense of G-d's honor. But Zev did not stop there. What about the prohibitions in the Torah? There are 365 of them. If we count just the prohibitions, starting from GID HANASHE and follow the count of the Sefer HaChinuch through the sedras, we come to an amazing discovery. The 248th prohibition in the Torah is at the end of Va'etchanan, and it is the prohibition of intermarriage and of taking a woman from another nation. Exactly the sin that Zimri was guilty of. Pinchas not only armed himself with a physical weapon, and not only did he have the 248 positive mitzvot guiding him, but he also had a numeric match to the specific prohibition at issue.

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 (CHUKAT) TTriddles:
[1] an extra dot at the end
[2] The eye passes by silently
[3] Assuming the first two are covered by the first word here, what's missing?
[4] The king who sent you, Ish Yehuda and what?
[5] 11 times past the bar, only 5 with: lamb, cow, horses, oil, gift
[6] plus one easy visual TTriddle from the ParshaPix
[7] and one almost impossible

And the envelope, please...
[1] The word K'LI (vessel) has a SH'VA (2 dots) under the KAF. When the word is at the end of a pasuk (or at an ETNACHTA), it is pronounced KE-LI (accent on the first syllable). The KAF then has a SEGOL (3 dots) under it - an extra dot at the end.
[2] In B'midbar 20:17, emissaries from Bnei Yisrael ask the king of Edom for permission to pass through their land. LA-B'RA NA V'ARTZECHA... The second letter of NA-B'RA is an AYIN (eye) that is silent (for Ashkenazim) because it is voweled with the unusual- for-an-AYIN SH'VA (NACH). The eye (AYIN) passes by (NA-B'RA) silently (unpronounced).
[3] When Bnei Yisrael complained about the lack of water after Miriam died, they said, Why did you take us out of Egypt to this bad place (the Midbar), it is not a place of ZERA (seed), let's say that includes wheat and barley, UT-EINA V'GEFEN V'RIMON, nor one with figs, grapes, or pomegranate. What's missing from the Seven Species? Olives and dates.
[4] The word V'DIBARTEM, and you (plural) shall speak to... appears only three times in Tanach. In Parshat Chukat, G-d told Moshe and Aharon to speak to the rock (that's the answer to the TTriddle). M'lachim Bet begins with the story of King Achazya falling ill and sending emissaries to inquire about his fate from the BAAL Z'VUV ELOHEI EKRON. An angel of G-d tells Eliya(hu) HaNavi to send the messengers back to Achazya, and you shall speak (V'DIBARTEM) to the king who sent you... And G-d told Yirmiyahu to speak to ISH YEHUDA and YOSH'VEI YERUSHALAYIM.
[5] YIK-CHU means the will (or shall) take. VAYIK- CHU means (and) they took. The VAV with a PATACH flips the tense of the word from future to past. The word V'YIKCHU means and you shall take. The tense stays future (command) and the VAV has a SH'VA under it. No flip of tense. There are only 5 times in Tanach that the word spelled VAV-YUD-KUF-CHET- VAV is pronounced V'YIKCHU. That which is being asked to be taken is a lamb (or baby goat) for Korabn Pesach, a red cow in Parshat Chukat, five horses (M'lachim Bet 7:13), olive oil for the Menora, and the donations for the construction of the Mishkan. VAYIKCHU occurs 55 times in Tanach - that's 11 times as many as V'YIKCHU, 11 times it is past tense with the PATACH (bar). Only 5 with : (that's a SH'VA, not a colon as it was meant to look like.
[6] The easy visual TTriddle is the epaulet of the rank of lieutenant-general in the IDF. This is the rank of the chief of staff. It has a sword crossing an olive branch and two leaves (known affectionately as falafels). This represents Yiftach (from the haftara) who was asked to be ROSH and KATZIN, head and officer.
[7] The "impossible" TTriddle was included without expectation of anyone solving it, but rather to present the answer this week in the TTriddles report. This TTriddle, as most do, started with the solution and then an attempt to create the TTriddle with that solution. The solution is MELECH CHESHBON, the king of Cheshbon. In TTriddle talk, that means the math king. Sichon, the king of the Emori, is also referred to as MELECH CHESHBON, as in the haftara of Chukat. (In Chukat, there is reference to Sichon Melech HaEmori, who sits in (the city of) Cheshbon. One way or another, for the TTriddle, we look for the king of Math. Check the internet. Not so easy to find agreement. Here is what we found.
The most significant mathematician of all time, Leonhard Euler (pronounced oiler) was born in Basel in 1707. He contributed to areas of both pure and applied mathematics, including calculus, analysis, number theory, topology, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytical mechanics, hydrodynamics, and the theory of the moon's motion. That is who is pictured in the Torah Tidbits, and we are honoring him as the TTriddle for MELECH CHESHBON.
Personal note from Phil: I've said this before. TTriddles are not just for those who can solve them. Many other TT readers can enjoy the TTriddles with their answers a week later, and learn a thing or two as well. Remember, TTriddles are fun. In case of headache, take two Acamol and don't call me in the morning.
Here's a TTriddle for Parshat Balak; try it on for size:
...son of Joel and Mary Ann (Britton), was born 25 Aug. 1844 in Linn County, Iowa... died 8 April 1923 in Waterloo, Iowa (There are others, but one will do for TTriddle purposes.)

This week's TTriddles:
[1] From 626 to 728, more than 100 numbers, there's only one of these.
[2] 4 saw, 1 heard, 1 told - who? x 6
[3] For openers, a connection to last week's haftara
[4] Bil'am and Zerubavel are the only 2

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There is now a Gemach Box in the lower/café level of the Israel Center. Clothes, household items, toys, and NON-PERISHABLE food may be placed in or taken out as appropriate. Thank you for your cooperation and participation. When much more has been given than taken, we distribute many of the contents of the Gemach Box to needy individuals and families.
The Israel Center clothing Gemach located on the café level is now seeking pots, pans, and other kitchen items in addition to clothing. There are Israeli families, specifically Ethiopian olim that desperately need these items. Either bring them or, if you have a lot, call Mark 054-582-0517 to have them picked up.
Thank you and "Yasher Ko'ach" to the many people who brought in used clothes and kitchen items for our G'mach. If... call Mark 054-582-0517

NESTO Native English-Speaking Teen Olim
Since the current school year has ended and with it, the NESTO pe'ulot, we felt it would be appropriate to thank all the wonderful madrichim. They have spent so much time and effort in making this year memorable and we are grateful for all the wonderful things they have done (pe'ulot, Shabbatonim, tiyulim, volunteering) and all the support they have showed us throughout the year.
Even though the madrichim did not have a lot of time this year, they still found time for NESTO because of there love for it and for that love, we would like to thank them... every single one of you personally - Avi Jacobs, Shevy Kass, Serena Nurkin, Yoel Rosby, Jeremy Saltan, Devora Levine, Moriah Erani, David Robber,Robert Pearl, Lisa Weingarden, Asher Meckler, Natah Katz, Daphna Davidman, Noam Vasl, and a special thanks goes to our special Bat Sherut, Talya Honig.
Good luck to our soldiers/madrichim, Aryeh Halpern (Senior NESTOer)
And we can definitely not forget to give a big Mazal Tov to former madrich Moshe Feifer and his kalla Aviva Ivri on their marriage.
We are looking for MADRICHIM for next year.If you have hadracha skills, are over 21,want to make a difference, and live around the Yerushalayim area, give us a call. 050-556-0249 - NESTO
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Sundry
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THE TRAVEL DESK...
for making reservations and receiving info of Israel Center tiyulim. And, to help you - whether you live in Israel or are visiting - plan private tiyulim and make in-Israel travel arrangements. At your service 9:00am-1:00pm, Sundays to Thursdays. Call the Israel Center Travel Desk, 566-7787 ext. 244; fax: 566-0156• tiyul@israelcenter.co.il
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TIYUL. 18nis will get you a sandwich (your choice), a refreshing drink (regular or diet) and a dessert. Your lunch will be ready for you when you board the bus.
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Announcing our next Israel Center In-House Shabbaton - Shabbat Parshat Matot, Bench Menachem Av, July 29-30, '05 - Great shiurim: Dr. Meir Tamari: Ethical Causes of the Churban; Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher: Was R' Yochanan b. Zakai able to save the Beit HaMikdash?Living with decisions; Phil Chernofsky: YAKNEHA"Z, Delicious meals by Schocketino, wonderful camaraderie, special Shabbat morning davening by Chazan Binyamin Munk and Sons accompanied by the Pirchei Machon Yerushalyim L'Chazanut Mini-Choir, Drasha by Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Divrei Torah • Tidbits • Q&A, 230NIS (non-mem 260NIS), Filling fast Call 566-7787 ext. 204

Please note: When a tiyul is listed as BOOKED - call to be wait listed, and you call, you will be called back if there is a cancellation or when we fix a new date for the same tiyul.

Thursday, July 21st • 8:00am - 6:30pm (approx.), Inter-generational tour of the Raanana and Hadera areas, Many new places you have yet to see, Join us for an exciting, interesting, inspiring tiyul, Spice Farm at Giv'at Chen, Hefziba - a reconstructed 100 year old, delightful area in the heart of nature, along the Hadera stream, Gigantic parrots and buffalo, New park with pumping station, waterfalls, sand dunes, and new sculpture promenade, Exciting audio-visual presentation on the area, Only 70/90NIS - bring your own lunch, Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come - You will surely enjoy her delicious sweets!

Friday, July 22nd, 10:00am-noon: Tour of the Jerusalem Bird Observatory, Did you know that a half billion birds fly over Israel twice a year? (you didn't?) Learn about the bird migration, peek at urban wildlife, participate in a ringing session... and more, Limited to 36 participants, 36nis p.p. (42 for non-mem)

Sunday, July 31st, 8:45am check-in (to noon, approx.) - Tour of the Herzl Center Experiential Museum with Nachman Kupietzky, Followed by a tour of Yad Sarah, incl. video presentation • 30/40NIS • Limited to 25 people

Palmach Museum, Tel Aviv, Wed. Aug. 24, with Nachman Kupietzky, Check-in 9:45am • Leave Center, 10:00am • Return 2:45pm (approx.), See the newest state-of-the-art museum vividly portraying the pre-state defense army of Israel, 70NIS (80NIS n/m) • pay in advance, Limit: 25 people Call Travel Desk, (ext. 261 or 244) to reserve

Tour the new state-of-the-art Historical Pavilion at Yad VaShem, The remarkable Rena Quint will be our guide, 30NIS p.p. (including headphones), Monday, August 1st (1:15pm) Advanced reservations required, Call the travel desk to reserve and pay (02) 566-7787 ext. 261 or 244

HAON Vacation Village on the south eastern side of the Kinneret 4 days - 3 nights • Sun-Wed, August 28-31, Vacation cottages for couples and families • Many attractions nearby, Separate bathing in the Kinneret all day, Mehadrin buffet meals under supervision of Rav Bistritzky of Tzfat, Activities for all ages • Scholar-in-residence • Daf Yomi, (Early bird prices, correct for July. Prices will go up in August)
HAON Vacation: Prices are per night, H/B 3 nites 2 nites 1 nite
Per person, double occupancy 295NIS 310 325
Child (2-15) in parents' room 150 150 165
3 children in their own room, in same unit 650 665 680
4 children in their own room, in same unit 720 730 740
Third adult in room and single supplement prices upon request

For reservations at the hotels listed below or any other Israeli hotels, please call the Travel Desk 566 7787, ext. 244.
Please note: Hotels are sometimes booked by the time you respond to the deals on this page. Or sometimes they make last minute changes in their deals. It is frustrating to both you & us. We ask for your understanding. We will do our best to help out.

Sheraton, Dead Sea, valid Wednesday nights until Aug. 11
600NIS per couple, H/B

Regency, Jerusalem, valid SHABBATOT until Aug. 13
Friday night - Shabbat, 950NIS per couple, F/B
BONUS: 2 free tickets to the Israel Museum or the Biblical Zoo

King Solomon, Tiberias, valid Aug. 19-20, 26-27
SHABBAT (Glatt-Mehadrin for these dates), 1050NIS per couple, F/B

Regency, Jerusalem, valid July 17-20
3-night SPA package, 1965NIS per couple, B/B
includes entrance to the spa, one FREE 45-min. treatment per person and 2 tickets to one of the following: Israel Museum, Biblical Zoo, Science Museum, Migdal David Museum

Inbal, Jerusalem, valid until Aug. 31
Friday night + SHABBAT, 1820NIS per couple, F/B

Sheraton, Tiberias, valid until July 21-23
650NIS per couple, per night, B/B

B/B = Bed & Breakfast • H/B = Half Board (breakfast + one meal) • F/B (3 meals a day), Midweek = SUN, MON, TUE, WED nights • Weekends = THU, FRI, Motza"Sh nights (some, not all hotels)

The Back Page of TT676

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

Schedule for Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat (Fri-Fri), 8-15 Tammuz (July 15-22)

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

Friday EVE
"Early Shabbat" BALAK, Friday July 15th, Mincha will be 6:03pm, Plag is 6:18pm, Kabbalat Shabbat, Maariv, Pinchas 6:01pm • Matot 5:57pm (Shabbaton) • Mas'ei 5:53pm

Shabbat day
Shabbat Parshat Balak - July 16, 5:00pm • Mincha 6:00pm, shiur by Yaacov Peterseil & Co.

Motza”Sh, July 16th, 9:30pm
The Knesset will vote on Wednesday, July 20th on a bill to delay the implementation of Sharon's Disengagement... which involves forcible removal of Jewish communities and ceding strategic positions to Palestinian security services in a state of war with Israel
What can YOU do to influence the outcome of that vote?
Analysis: David Bedein Investigative Journalist www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

Sun - Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor)
10:00am Masechet Kiddushin with Rabbi Pesach (Paul) Greenman
1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year)
3:00pm Daf Yomi by Rabbi Shmuel Halpern
4:30pm Shiur in Masechet Sanhedrin by Rabbi Hillel Ruvel

Sunday
N'SHEI LIBRARY 10:30 - 12:45
9:30am (women) Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year with Golda Warhaftig
10:30am (women) Let's Learn Chumash with Tonia Frohwein
11:30am (men and women)- Parshat HaShavua with Shprintzee Herskovits
Sundays 12:30pm • Creative Life Education • This Golden Age We Live In, Alternating presenters, incl. Dr. Vivienne Damelin, Aharon Romm
Sunday 7:30pm (men & women) Issues in Jewish Thought as they emerge from the Torah with the help of Ramban's Commentary -Call to verify whether this class will take place with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Sundays at 9:00pm (following Rabbi Eisen's class & Maariv): Nesivos Shalom on Pirkei Avot with R' Yaacov Yisroel Bar-Chaiim, IY"H we will be building a coherent picture of how this classic contemporary Chassidic sefer approaches character development

Monday
N'SHEI LIBRARY - 10:00-12:30
9:15am (men & women) A look at the Mitzvot of Pinchas with Pinchas (Phil) Chernofsky - Mrs. Pearl Borow's class resumes July 25
On sale: Jewish Books for Adults and Children by Simcha Publishing • Mondays 10:00-12:00
10:30am (men & women) Rambam’s 13 Principles with Rabbi Zev Leff
in recess until September - Mondays, 11:35am- Jewish History Series by Dr. Henry Goldblum
Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages, Mondays 11:35-12:30pm, Gentle exercises to improve flexibility, circulation, posture, etc. Breathing and relaxation skills to use every day
Monday, July 18th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free) - Torah video and lunch: "Understanding Halacha" (Part 1) by Rabbi Natan Lopes-Cardozo
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, Fine Tuning Shabbat (with text) - Phil Chernofsky
Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop with Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) & Mindy Aber Barad (643-5276)
MASK - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids: J'lem Chapter at the OU Israel Center • www.maskjerusalem.cjb.net • 050-754-2717, NEXT MEETING: Monday, July 25th, 7:30-9:30pm with guest Yudy Weiner
Lecture by Dr. David Luchins Chair, Dept. of Political Science, Touro College ; OU Vice President, longtime Senior advisor to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Monday, July 18, 8:00pm - After Arafat :the United States, Israel and the Palestinians
Monday, August 1, 8:00pm - Are we still one? Jewish Pluarlism in a polarized age
Tuesday, August 9, 8:00pm - Should American Jews take sides in Israeli politics?
Mondays, 8:30pm • AM SEGULA presents:: “Curing the Jewish Heart” with Eli Yosef, The History of the Zionist movement understood through the teachings of the Maharal of Prague

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 - New additional hours for theGemach- Tue. 7:00-9:00pm
9:00am: The Meaning of Mitzvot • Rabbi Aharon Adler
Tuesdays, 10:15am - The Parsha thru the Eyes of the Haftara with Rabbi Sholom Gold
9:00am: Dr. Hayim Abramson: The Names of G-d
11:00am The Essence of Torah
NEW TIME: 11:00am: Rabbi Spiegelman on Parshat HaShavua
12:00pm (women) Review of the weekly Farbrengens of the Lubavitcher Rebbe with Raizel Zisk
Tuesday, July 19th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free), Lunch and Video "The Essence of Spirituality" by Rabbi Zev Leff
Circles within Circles Tuesdays, 12:00-2:00pm - The Growth of the Self within Avodat HaShem A workshop series combining study, discussion, and writing... with Mrs. Esther Sutton
Health mini-Lunch with Lecture • Tuesday, July 19, 12:30pm
Lecture by Dr. Yisrael Yaffa, MD, Israel's authority on Natural Hormone Balancing in Israel, Dr. Yaffa combines conventional and natural medicine. In this lecture he culls from his 20 years of medical practice and will present the reasons and methods for natural remedies of major medical problems, Co-sponsored by the Israel Center and Moadon Sanhedria (an affiliate of the J'lem Municipality), Reserve with the Travel Desk (566-7787 ext. 261 or 244), Only 18NIS p.p. • Bring your friends and family for a great time!
Tuesdays, 1:40pm (last session): A Health Program for Living Your Mature Years to the Fullest: Practical ways to Relieve Stress with Leah Zitter B.Sc. M.A.
A class for the serious and the curious... THE LANGUAGES OF THE TENACH on Tuesday evenings, at 8:00pm - with Yoel Lerner
Israel Center Video Club presents... FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Tuesday, July 19, 7:00pm - If you've seen it before, "See it again, for the first time!" Approx. 3 hrs. Be prepared for a long - but wonderful movie experience.

Wednesday
Wednesdays, 9:10am • Current Issues in Halacha: with Rabbi Macy Gordon
Wednesdays, 10:30am: Rabbi Yosef Wolicki on Parshat HaShavua
Wednesdays, 10:30am (women only) • Chani Abramson: Songs from the Siddur - Meaning & Melodies
Wednesdays, 11:30am (men & women): Stories of Inspiration & Chesed, Share these stories and make a difference with Jackie Lowenstein
Wed. July 19th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free), "Lessons from the no. 2 Bus Tragedy" with Mrs. Ora Cohen
3:00pm: (men & women) Women in the Talmud with Pearl Borow, 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
7:30pm (Men & Women) Jewish Philosophy: Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed - (or alternate shiur/shiur-giver) with Rabbi Chaim Eisen

Thursday
Dvar Torah by Menachem Persoff
12:00 (BL): Shiur while you fold. with Phil Chernofsky
JOIN US AT THE ART WORKSHOP THURSDAYS 10:00-12:00, call Rachael @ (02) 627-1577
Thursdays 10:00-12:00 Lifenotes Memoir Writing Workshop with Ellen Greenfield (052-331-1884)
Root & Branch Association in cooperation with the Israel Center
Thursday, July 21st • 19:00
"City of David: New Archaeological and Historical Discoveries and their Implications for the coming Restoration of the House of David", Illustrated Lecture by Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Bohrer, Beit-El Tradition Tours;Yeshiva of Beit-El, 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 or...

UPCOMING at the Israel Center
Shabbat afternoon Shiurim (5:00pm, followed by Mincha at 6:00pm)
Shabbat Parshat Pinchas July 23th Yaacov Peterseil & Co.
Shabbat Parshat Matot July 30th Rabbi Efraim Sprecher (Shabbaton)
Shabbat Parshat Mas'ei Aug. 6th Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko
Shabbat Chazon Aug. 13th Rabbi Binyamin Wolff

Fast of the 17th of Tammuz • Sunday, July 24th
5:30pm Topical shiur - TBA
6:45pm Mincha (slow-paced)
7:40pm Mini-shiur on the Three Weeks
8:00pm Maariv & refreshments (after 8:10)

Video Specials: August 2, 2:00pm: Operation Thunderbolt (about the Entebbe rescue)
August 16, 7:00pm:(rerun for night people) Hill 24 Doesn't Answer

Help the Gush Katif farmers and show your support for the threatened Jewish Communities in Gaza and the Shomron!! With the disengagement plan looming, the besieged communities of Gaza and the Shomron are in need of your support, now more than ever, both morally and financially. Especially now, after the government has imposed a travel ban to the Gaza region.

You can give extra business to the flower and plant growers in Gush Katif. They are facing an uncertain future and don't know if the plants that they are growing now will be destroyed or left for the Arabs, together with their own homes. By buying from them now, you can help them reduce inventory and give them much needed financial support.

For "Chai" or $18 you can purchase a beautiful houseplant. We intend to send them as gifts to every household in Gush Katif and the threatened Shomron over the coming months together with this message of support in Hebrew and English, We send you a gift of a plant to show you that we care about you and hope that you will be able to continue to put down strong roots in your communities for generations to come?

If you wish to join in this gesture of support please let me know as soon as possible so that I can arrange the deliveries. Payment can be made with any of the major credit cards.

The delivery charge per plant will be $5.00. If you would like further information on how to order please send me your e-mail address or phone number or look on the web site www.richardsflowers.co.il and I will be happy to phone you or write and give you more details.

With thanks, Richard Kovler, Richard's Flower Shop, Jerusalem
e-mail richkov@netvision.net.il, Web site www.richardsflowers.co.il , Tel. 9722 5665161, Fax 9722 5633994, Tel. 972523 722470 and 972528 229234

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
Harvey Wolinetz, 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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