Shabbat Parshat SHO-F'TIM
TT #684 -
September 9-10, '05, 6 Elul 5765
This Shabbat is the 360th day (of 383); the 52nd Shabbat (of 55) of 5765
We read/learn the SIXTH perek of Pirkei Avot this Shabbat
AL PI HATORA ASHER YORUCHA...TAASEH, LO TASSUR... (D'varim 17:11)
HALACHIC TIMES
Ranges are THU-THU 27 4-11 Elul (September 8-15)
Earliest Talit & T'filin - 5:28-5:33am
Sunrise - 6:19-6:23am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:27-9:28am (8:41-8:43am)
Sof Z'man T'fila - 10:30-10:30am (10:00-10:00am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:37-12:34pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:09-1:06pm
Plag Mincha - 5:36-5:28pm
Sunset - 6:59-6:50pm (6:54-6:45pm)
*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 684 • Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 8:05pm
6:17pm (5:35) Jerusalem 7:29pm
6:36pm (5:38) Gush Katif 7:32pm
6:34pm (5:37) Raanana 7:30pm
6:33pm (5:36) Beit Shemesh 7:30pm
6:34pm (5:37) Netanya 7:31pm
6.34pm (5:37) Rehovot 7:30pm
6:14pm (5:36) Petach Tikva 7:30pm
6:34pm (5:36) Modi'in 7:30pm
6:34pm (5:36) Be'er Sheva 7:30pm
6:32pm (5:35) Gush Etzion 7:29pm
6:33pm (5:36) Ginot Shomron 7:29pm
6:17pm (5:35) Maale Adumim 7:28pm
6:33pm (5:35) K4 & Hevron 7:29pm
6:27pm (5:34) Tzfat 7:29pm
Jerusalem lights candles 40 minutes before sunset. (Except for those who
don’t follow that custom.) Which sunset? Important question. The standard
practice is to count 40 minutes before “sunset of elevation”. Jerusalem is a
little over 800m above sea level. If one could see the sun set over a
horizon at sea level (which can be done from some parts of J’lem), it would
set about 5 minutes later than someone watching from sea level, or seeing
the sun set beyond mountains that are approx. the same height as Jerusalem
is. Since the sunset on the same plane is 5 minutes earlier, and for Shabbat
purposes is the sunset we would have to consider because of the strictness
of Shabbat, then J’lem candle lighting time is really only 35 minutes before
“the other” sunset. All other places at some height above sea level have
similar problems. Tzfat lights candles 30 minutes before sunset. Official
candle lighting for Petach Tikva is 40 minutes before sunset, just like
Jerusalem. Not everybody holds by that timing. Some communities calculate
Shabbat out at 33 minutes after sunset. Some use the angle of the sun below
the horizon to “end Shabbat” (8.5 deg). Bottom line for now: until we get
the chart running smoothly, don’t rely on it exclusively. Cross-check times
with calendars and charts. Please report discrepancies to us, so that we can
improve our time table. Also realize that Sfardim and Ashkenazim often has
differences in minhag.
Explanation of the Z'manim
Sunrise for Jerusalem does not take into account elevation, since the
eastern horizon (where the sun rises) consists of the Hills of Moav across
the Jordan River, which are approx. at the same elevation as Jerusalem
Sunset, on the other hand, is
given for an elevation of 825m and, in parentheses, as if at sea level.
There are different opinions as to which sunset time should be used for
halachic purposes. We present both times.
The deadlines for the SH'MA and
the Shacharit Amida can be calculated in two ways. Either considering the
day to be from sunrise to sunset or from dawn to stars out. The first way of
reckoning is known as the opinion of the GR"A, and is the first time given
in each case. The second method is known as the Magen Avraham, and is
presented in parentheses.
Aside from candle lighting and
havdala, the times are presented as a range, from the current Thursday of
the issue of Torah Tidbits until the coming Thursday, a span of 8 days. Days
between the two Thursdays can be determined by interpolation (which means: a
method by which to estimate a value of between two known values-this is
something that people above a certain age might remember from high school
trigonometry and logarithms, but younger people who went to school during
the calculator era might not be familiar with).
It is usually wise to "pad" the
times with a minute or two in the "play it safe" direction. E.g. Plag Mincha.
Better to finish Mincha a minute or two before the given time. But, better
to not light candles until a minute or two after the given time.
WORD OF THE MONTH
A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual
aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of
HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem...
First opportunity for Kiddush
L’vana for the 3-day after the molad minhag, was Wed. night, Sep. 7th.
KL this month for 7 days after
the molad people, is complicated. Some hold 7 full days under all
circumstances. For them, first KL this month is Motza”Sh, Sep. 10, from
10:43pm on. Some will say KL on the 7th night, even before the exact time of
7 full days. Some will do that in the winter, when frequent clouds might
make KL difficult to "catch”. Some will do so on Motza’ei Shabbat. Some will
do so on Motza”Sh in the wintertime only.
Tachlis: Say KL this Motza”Sh
after Maariv unless you are a strict 7-day minhag no exception person. Then
you must wait until 10:43pm.
[Or unless you’ve said it
already from Wed. Sep. 7, following the 3-day after the molad Minhag
Yerushalayim.]
The Package Deal of Judaism
We’ve done this before - more than once - but it bears repetition, so that
we can hopefully renew our commitment to the idea... and even spread it
around. Or at least make it a topic of conversation.
Jewish Law involves a package
consisting of the Written Word, the Oral Law, and Rabbinic legislation. Not
only are these components all important to living a Torah life, but the
distinction and interplay between Torah Law and Rabbinic Law is also
essential. Let’s use food to illustrate, specifically the topic of Basar
B’Chalav, rendered into English inaccurately, but nonetheless instructive,
as Milk & Meat. Question: Can a Jew cook baby goat milk in its own mother’s
milk? Of course not. By what authority? Torah law. Correct. Next: Can a Jew
eat the dish described in the first question - baby goat meat pouched in its
mother’s milk? Of course not. By what authority?
If you answered Rabbinic, you
would be mistaken. Although the Written Torah uses the term LO T’VASHEIL,
thou shalt not cook..., we are taught by the Oral Law that the Torah’s
prohibitions include eating Basar B’Chalav. Can you feed the above-described
dish to your cat? No. And this too is a Torah prohibition. If one were to
object to this statement because it is not written in the Torah, then one is
missing the significance of the relationship between the Written Word and
the Oral Law. BOTH are part of Torah. Eating Meat-in-Milk is no less a
prohibition than cooking it, because the former is taught in the Talmud and
the latter fits the literal meaning of the Written Word. When the Sages
teach us that eating Basar B’Chalav is forbidden, they are not interpreting
the Torah, nor are they legislating Torah-inspired laws. They are DEFINING
G-d’s words to us, as G-d explained them to Moshe Rabeinu.
How about cooking cubes of lamb
meat in cow milk? Forbidden, of course. By what authority? Again, the answer
is Biblical. Torah Law. D’Oraita. But the lamb and the cow are not related -
and the Torah says, G’DI (the young of a domesticated animal) in the milk of
its mother? Oral law teaches us that G-d defined the prohibition for Moshe
and told him to teach the people His intended guidelines for the mitzva. The
meat of cow, goat, and sheep is forbidden to be cooked with the milk of cow,
goat, and sheep. By Torah law. We are forbidden to eat such mixtures or
derive any benefit from them. By Torah Law.
Can one eat a salami (glatt
kosher) and cheese (chalav Yisrael) sandwich? No. By what authority?
Rabbinic. The salami and cheese are not cooked together. The making of such
a sandwich is not forbidden (even by Rabbinic law). The eating of it is a
Rabbinic prohibition. There is much more to say on this specific topic, and
more so on the general idea.
Let us suffice it here to say
that G-d gave the Sages the awesome responsibility of transmitting Torah to
the successive generations of Jews, to protect and promote Torah observance
by carefully legislating a wide variety of Rabbinic laws. He commanded us in
D’varim 17:11 to faithfully live by the whole package of Torah Judaism.
SHO-F’TIM Stats
48th of the 54 sedras; 5th of 11 in D'varim
Written on 191.6 lines in a Sefer Torah (rank: 27)
18 Parshiyot; 3 open, 15 closed
97 p'sukim - ranks 36th (tied with Tzav, but larger)
1523 words - ranks 28th
5590 letters - ranks 31st
7th in D'varim in all categories
Relatively large p'sukim, like most of D'varim
Mitzvot:
41 mitzvot - 14 positive, 27 prohibitions;
ranks 6th in mitzvot among the sedras
Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND
Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y
is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes.
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)]
indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is
Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in
the parsha.
Kohen - First Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 16:18-17:13
[S> 16:18 (3)] Judges to clarify the law (and try cases) and agents of the
court to enforce the law are to be appointed throughout the Land [491, A176
16:18], and they are to carry out their duties fairly. They must not slant
the law, nor show favoritism, nor take bribes which blind and pervert even
the fairest and most righteous of people. Justice is to be ardently pursued
so that we will be worthy of living and flourishing in Eretz Yisrael.
What if a judge was going to vote in favor of the briber, even without the
bribe. Justice is still being served. Is the bribe any less a serious
offense? The answer is NO. A bribe is a bribe. One leads to another, and
justice will be perverted.
SDT TZEDEK TZEDEK TIRDOF -
Justice you shall surely pursue. The doubling of the word TZEDEK can be seen
as a reminder that not only shall justice be pursued, but the means employed
in the pursuit of justice shall also be just. We do not subscribe to the
concept that the end justifies the means. Perpetrating a mockery of justice
and claiming that it is justice, is the greatest offense of all. TZEDEK (B')TZEDEK,
justice with justice...
[S> 16:21 (2)] Planting trees in the courtyard of the Mikdash (or near the
Mizbei'ach) is forbidden [492,L13 16:21] - it is an idolatrous practice.
(This prohibition still applies today.)
Erecting monuments (as is done
in idol worship) to G-d (even with "proper" motives) is forbidden [493,L11
16:22]
SDT Perversion of justice is
juxtaposed to idolatry to emphasize how serious is the former sin. Pirkei
Avot states that "the sword comes to the world because of perversion of
justice... exile comes because of idolatry." Both sins cause us to lose our
hold on Eretz Yisrael. And conversely, remaining faithful to G-d and dealing
with each other with honesty and justice will secure us our hold on our
Land. The Gemara states that "appointing inappropriate judges is tantamount
to planting a tree near the Altar". Planting a tree in an attempt to
beautify the Temple, is a completely misguided act. The beauty of the Beit
HaMikdash flows from itself and its spiritual essence. To think that
external decoration can contribute to the beauty is to lack understanding of
what the Beit HaMikdash is. So too, to appoint a judge because of personal
appearance, wealth, stature, etc. (and not because of scholarship and
worthiness to judge) is equally "missing the point".
[S> 17:1 (1)] Sacrificing
blemished animals is forbidden [494,L95 17:1]. (Elsewhere the Torah
enumerated types of blemishes; the Gemara deals with the details.)
[S> 17:2 (6)] The Torah next
stresses that idolatry is a most serious sin. If we find among us a fellow
Jew who worships anyone (or thing) other than G-d, we must most scrupulously
investigate the case against him (or her). If the person is convicted by the
court, the punishment is death by stoning, thereby uprooting evil from our
midst.
It is the eye-witness testimony
of a minimum of two that shall be necessary to convict. No one can be
sentenced to die (or be otherwise punished) by the testimony of only a
solitary witness. The witnesses them- selves are often to be involved in the
carrying out of the sentence.
[P> 17:8 (6)] The Torah next
establishes the mechanism for the perpetuation of Judaism throughout the
generations (by emphasizing, among other things, that if disputes arise or a
halachic point needs clarification, that we are to consult the judges IN OUR
TIME) and the dynamic applicability of Halacha for all times (by giving the
Sages the mechanism to enact laws for the protection of the Torah and its
proper observance).
We are required to do all that
the Sanhedrin (the Supreme Halachic Authority) teaches and commands
[495,A174 17:10]. We must not veer from their rulings "neither to the right
nor to the left" [496,L312 17:11].
MitzvaWatch
Rambam's Book of Mitzvot contains 14 "rules" by which Rambam counts the
Torah's 613 mitzvot. Rule #1 states that rabbinic mitzvot such as Chanuka
and Purim shall not be counted among the Taryag. This might seem obvious,
but Rambam feels compelled to state this rule in opposition to mitzva-
counters who DID include some "rabbinic mitzvot" among Taryag.
Why would someone consider the
post-biblical mitzvot of Chanuka and Purim as Torah law? Similarly, why is
it that the bracha for mitzvot, which states "...Who has sanctified with his
mitzvot and commanded us..." is also recited for 6 rabbinic commandments?
(Shabbat & Yom Tov candles, Chanuka candles, Megilat Esther and the other
Megilot, Netilat Yadayim, Hallel, and the three types of Eiruv.)
The answer to both questions is
based on the p'sukim in the beginning of this week's sedra which speak about
the authority of the Sanhedrin - mitzvot 495 & 496 above. In essence, the
Torah commands us to observe rabbinic law. Therefore, it can be argued that
rabbinic law IS Torah Law. It follows that one might consider counting
Chanuka and Purim among the 613, and it makes sense to use the mitzva-bracha
formula for Rabbinic mitzvot. Rambam does not argue against this. He
insists, however, that we cannot possibly count Rabbinic mitzvot separately
among the 613. This could lead to the untenable situation of having to
re-adjust the mitzva count each time a Sanhedrin would make a new rabbinic
mitzva.
One who does not light Chanuka
candles, for example, is at the same time in non-fulfillment of a rabbinic
command and double violation of the Torah’s mitzvot of TAASEH and LO TASUR.
Does this mean that violations of rabbinic law are equivalent to (or even
more severe) than violations of Torah law? The general understanding is that
the Torah "put its authority" behind rabbinic law, but rabbinic law remains
"one notch", so to speak, below Torah law. Without this distinction,
Rabbinic Law might have been forbidden because of BAL TOSIF (adding to the
Torah).
Included in Sanhedrin-edicts
which we are obligated to follow, are their presentation of Oral Law, their
derivation of Torah Law by the 13 "Talmudic" principles of analysis, both of
which would be considered "D'O'rayta" (Torah law), and the various decrees
and measures that the Sanhedrin enacts as protection for Torah Laws, or
because of similarity to Torah Law, or for whatever other reason they have
for their rulings. We who stood at Sinai, accepted a "package deal" of
Judaism (see Lead Tidbit).
A Torah scholar with authority
to render Halachic decisions who defies the Sanhedrin and encourages others
to disregard their ruling, can (under certain circumstances) be put to
death. Such an individual is known as ZAKEN MAMREI and is ultimately judged
by the Great Sanhedrin. This shall serve as a deterrent to the People not to
behave similarly. The average Jew is not similarly subject to possible
execution, but still is warned of the seriousness of flouting Rabbinic
authority. [It is likely that there never actually was an individual who was
executed as a Zaken Mamrei, yet the idea adds tremendous weight to the
seriousness of Rabbinic Law.] We might say that G-d’s Plan and his Torah
included Rabbinic Law in the total picture of what He wants of us.
Levi - Second Aliya - 7 p'sukim - 17:14-20
[S> 17:14 (7)] When the People will enter the Land, conquer it, and settle
down, and they will ask for a king (like the nations around them - this
phrase contains an implicit warning against asking for the wrong reasons),
it is a mitzva to "place over us" a king (of G-d's choosing) from among the
Jewish People [497,A17317:15]; we may not choose a non-Jew as king [498,L362
17:15]. The king must not possess too many horses [499,L363 17:16] (i.e. in
excess of those necessary for his army, etc.) nor may he lead the People
back to Egypt - it is forbidden for us to dwell in Egypt [500,L46 17:16].
(Visits are permitted.) A king may not have an excessive number of wives
(more than 18) [501,L364 17:17], nor may he amass excessive wealth [502,L365
17:17]. (referring to wealth for its own sake; any funds necessary for
running the kingdom are excluded from the prohibition.)
A king must write a Sefer Torah
for himself [503,A17 17:18] (in addition to the one he is commanded to write
as a Jew - mitzva #613). This Torah is to be copied from THE Sefer Torah of
the Beit HaMikdash.
A king of Israel has awesome
powers over his subjects. He therefore requires the "humbling force" and
moral restraints of the Torah constantly before him. The Torah is his guide
for proper rule. A king who is guided by Torah law and values is a great
asset to the People of Israel. A king who isn't, is our worst liability.
Shlishi - Third Aliya - 5 p'sukim - 18:1-5
[S> 18:1 (2)] The Kohanim-Leviyim are not to receive land in Eretz Yisrael
[504,L169 18:1] (other than the cities which are given to them by the
Tribes) nor share in the spoils of war [505, L170 18:1] - their holy service
in the Mikdash is considered their share.
[S> 18:3 (3)] (Among other
gifts to the kohen,) the kohen is to receive specific parts of every animal
slaughtered for food - the forelimb, tongue and surrounding cheeks, stomach
and surrounding fat [506,A143 18:3], T'ruma from produce [507,A126 18:4],
and the first-shearing of the sheep [508,A144 18:4]. These gifts are due the
kohen because of his sacred service.
Note: Whereas T'ruma and other
gifts which are sacred, cannot be given at the present time because of
issues of ritual impurity, both "gifts" [506] and Reishit HaGeiz [508] apply
today and can be given. If this becomes a practical issue for you, consult a
Rav for details.
First shearing applies only in
Eretz Yisrael, even though it is not related to the Land. This is learned
from its partner in the pasuk, T'RUMA, and by the use of the word REISHIT.
R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 18:6-13
[S> 18:6 (3)] Kohanim and Leviyim are supposed to distribute their workloads
at Holiday time equally among the different family units [509,A36 18:6].
[S> 18:9 (14)] Another warning
follows, to be on guard against learning from and adopting any of the
abominable practices of the nations that we will encounter in Eretz Yisrael.
The implication here is that we must not "learn to do" the terrible things,
but we may learn about them in order to understand their ways and to better
instruct our fellow Jews in this area. (Tur Shulchan Aruch, based on the
Gemara)
On the practical side of this
ruling, one has to be very well established in his own Judaism before
reading and learning about other world religions and pagan practices. Such a
study should be done under the supervision of one's mentor.
Shun the practices of passing
one's children through fire (a vivid example of a reprehensible pagan
practice, counted elsewhere], divination and certain types of meditations
meant to "read the future" [510,L3 18:10], astrological predictions [counted
elsewhere; some other aspects of astrology are not halachically
objectionable, but one must be careful), reliance on omens [counted else-
where], conjuring & witchcraft [511, L34 18:10], incantations [512,L35
18:10], mediums [513,L36 18:11], oracles [514,L37 18:11], and necromancy (seances,
contacting the dead) [515,L38 18:11]. All the above- mentioned practices -
and there are different opinions as to exactly what each Torah-term refers
to - pull a Jew away from his straight- forward, "pure" relationship with
G-d. We must strive for that direct, honest relationship.
Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 18:14-19:13
It is the other nations who listen to the practitioners of the occult arts.
G-d did not make us so. We have prophets (like Moshe) who arise from our
midst, and it is their prophecies to which we must hearken [516,A172 18:15].
This was part of the "deal"
made with G-d at Sinai, when we asked that we not hear G-d's "voice"
directly. G-d agreed with our request on the condition that we would listen
to true prophets who would communicate to us what G-d asks of us. Anyone who
does not listen to the Word of G-d through the prophet will be "answer-able
to Him". But a prophet dares not speak in G-d's name under false pretenses
[517,L27 18:20], or speak in the name of an idolatry [518,L26 18:20]. How
are we to know what is and what isn't G-d's word? A prophet must have a 100%
"track record" - anything less is an indication of a false prophet.
(Prophecies of bad things to befall the People can be reversed through
sincere repentance and there- fore do not cast doubt upon the prophet.)
We must not be afraid to defy a
false prophet and bring him to justice (and execution) [519,L29 18:22]. Of
course, we are not supposed to be afraid to do any mitzva in the Torah. In
the case of a false prophet, we are often dealing with a charismatic
individual who might have a very large following. Defying him might be a
very unpopular thing to do. The Torah is bolstering our resolve to rid
ourselves of false prophets by commanding us not to be afraid. Perhaps we
can draw from this mitzva a lesson to apply to all mitzvot. Do not be afraid
to keep the Shabbat, be kosher, daven Mincha, avoid Lashon HaRa, etc. etc.
etc. even when doing so will meet with scoffing of others. Adhere to halacha
and don't be afraid or embarrassed to do so.
[S> 19:1 (10)] When matters are
settled in Eretz Yisrael, we are required to designate another three cities
of refuge [520,A182 19:3]. Roads to the cities are to be prepared and
identified so that the killer can easily find refuge. The cities will
protect the inadvertent killer from the blood-avenging relative of the the
victim. If (when) we will merit expansion of our Land, another three cities
will be selected. This is to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
[P> 19:11 (3)] An intentional murderer also flees to a city of refuge, but
is removed therefrom to stand trial. We must not ignore these situations -
and those concerning assault [521,L279 19:13], so that we will thereby
eliminate the shedding of innocent blood and merit a good life.
Rashi raises an interesting
argument against capital punishment, which he rejects. On the words, Do not
have pity on him (the killer), Rashi says, don’t say that the victim is dead
any- way, why should we take another life and there will be two people dead.
The implication is clear that despite that argument, capital punishment
stands. (One can be opposed to capital punishment in today’s society without
it being considered clashing with Torah.)
Shishi - Sixth Aliya -17 p'sukim - 19:14-20:9
[S> 19:14 (1)] One may not encroach upon another's territory [522,L246
19:14]. This literally refers to the prohibition of moving a boundary-
marker between your land and your neighbor's thereby stealing some of his
property. Although stealing is already forbidden (and counted among the
613), this prohibition comes to emphasize the seriousness of stealing land,
specifically in Eretz Yisrael.
This prohibition extends to
other forms of encroachment, e.g. unfair competition that steals someone's
business.
[S> 19:15 (7)] It is forbidden
to render judgments (in most cases) based on the testimony of a single
witness [523,L288 19:15]; a minimum of two witnesses are required. (Some-
times, what one person says will point the judges in a certain direction,
but not as formal testimony.)
If false witnesses shall plot
to victimize the accused (and their plot is uncovered in a specific way and
at a specific point in the trial) they are to be punished in the manner that
they plotted against their fellow [524,A180 19:19].
This topic is known as EIDIM
ZOM’MIM - plotting witnesses. It is a subset of false witnesses that differs
from “regular” false witnesses in several interesting and sometimes
enigmatic ways.
[S> 20:1 (9)] When we go out to
battle our enemies and see their horses and vehicles, armaments, etc. and we
might tend to panic... we are forbidden to be afraid, because G-d is on our
side [525,L58 20:1,3].
A kohein is anointed as
chaplain (sort of) and delivers the pre-battle speech to the potential army
[526,A191 20:3] He and the Sho-t’rim speak to the people and send home those
that have recently built a house, become engaged to marry, and/or planted a
vineyard. (In all three cases, the point is that each pursuit is asyet
“unfinished”. Such a person faces serious distraction from the goals of
battle.) They also dismiss from service someone who fears that he has
insufficient merit to survive battle. (This is one of several ways of
looking at this topic.)
Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 20 p'sukim - 20:10-21:19
[S> 20:10 (9)] Before attacking an enemy city, an offer of peace must be
sent [527,A190 20:10]. (This applies to all enemies including Amalek!, but
excluding Amon and Moav.) This offer is conditional upon the acceptance of
the 7 Noahide Laws and other restrictions. If these terms are not met, we
attack and destroy the male population. Female captives and spoils of war
may be taken, except for the "7 nations" [528,L49 20:16]. These nations are
to be totally eradicated in order to eliminate their evil influence.
[S> 20:19 (2)] When laying
siege to a city, care must be taken not to destroy fruit trees [529,L57
20:19]. Only shade trees may be cut down so that siege equipment can be
built. This prohibition of BAL TASHCHIT is expanded by Chazal to include
many types of wanton wastefulness.
[P> 21:1 (9)] If a corpse is
found in a field, and it is not known who has committed the murder,
measurements are made to determine the nearest town. The elders of that town
perform a ceremony which includes killing a calf [530,A181 21:1] to
emphasize the senselessness of bloodshed. The area where the ceremony is
performed may never be planted nor worked [531, L309 21:4]. The elders
proclaim that they are not responsible for the loss of life. The whole
procedure has a sobering effect on all involved, and hopefully there is
sincere mending of ways and atonement granted by G-d because all the People
now take "life" more seriously. [3-pasukMaftir.]
Haftara - 24 p'sukim - Yeshayahu 51:12-52:12
4th of the 7 haftarot of consolation. The predominant message of the haftara
is that G-d has a special relationship with the People of Israel (an
appropriate reminder for the beginning of Elul) and that we have nothing to
be afraid of, because the end to difficult times is coming. This can be
summed up by the end of the famous saying (song) of Rabbi Nachman - "And the
essential thing is not to be afraid at all".
THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson #300 •Robbing Real Estate - The Trespasser Enriches the Real Estate
Only 109 MLB players have hit 300 or more home runs. Only 22 pitchers in MLB
history have won 300 or more games. Only 4 quarterbacks in NFL history have
thrown 300 or more touchdown passes. Only 1 person has ever written 300 or
more columns on Jewish Law for Torah Tidbits. Kol HaKavod, Rabbi Quint, on
this milestone achievement.
Shimon, the owner of real
estate, the (“field”), protests and demands that Reuven not enter onto his
field and not to do any work there. Reuven nevertheless enters. He has no
claims whatsoever against Shimon for the plantings, construction or repairs
that he does.
Reuven, without authorization
from Shimon, enters upon Shimon’s real estate and plants trees thereon.
Assume that the real estate was worth $100 without the trees thereon and is
worth $130 with the trees thereon and that the expense to Reuven in planting
the trees is $20.
Shimon has several options: (1)
He may demand that Reuven remove the trees. (Reuven does not have the option
to remove the trees if Shimon demands that they remain.) (2) Shimon may
state that the trees should remain on the real estate. (3) Shimon may do
nothing. (4) Shimon may complete the plantings started by Reuven.
Assume that the field planted
by Reuven is usually not planted by Shimon. (1) If Shimon demands that
Reuven remove the trees he must do so and failing to do so Shimon can have
the trees removed at Reuven’s expense.; this holds true even if Shimon saw
Reuven do the planting and did not protest. (2) If Shimon says that the
trees can remain on the field, and Shimon was not aware of the planting that
Reuven was doing, then Shimon must pay Reuven the lower of Reuven’s expenses
or the enhancement of the field (in the above case $20). (3) If Shimon does
nothing, Reuven can collect $20 from Shimon, (4) If Shimon completes the
plantings or in any other way shows that he is pleased with the plantings,
then Shimon must pay to Reuven the higher of the expenses or the enhancement
of the field (in the above case $30). Once Shimon has shown that he is
pleased with the plantings that Reuven made, he can no longer demand that
Reuven remove the plantings. Conversely, Once Shimon has demanded that
Reuven remove the trees, he may not change his mind and demand that the
trees remain there. There is a difference of opinion as to whether or not
the demand by Shimon to remove the trees must be made in Beth Din to bind
him so that he may no longer change his mind, or if it can be done even by
demand made outside of Beth Din.
All that has been said
regarding Reuven planting trees in Shimon’s field applies to a structure
built by Reuven on Shimon’s land. For example, Shimon bought real estate to
place bungalows thereon and Reuven built a bungalow thereon. It is stated
above that Reuven does not have the option of uprooting his plantings. There
is an opinion that if Reuven builds a structure on Shimon’s field that can
be removed without damage to the field then he may do so, although he may
not do so regarding plantings. In the case of the structure, this holds true
if there is no foundation or anything else that will leave the field in
worse condition that it was before Reuven placed the structure thereon. In
the case of plantings, the field will always be in worse condition than
before if he removes the plantings. Even regarding plantings, he may do so
if they have not yet taken root.
Assume that the field where
Reuven planted the trees is usually planted by Shimon. (1) If Shimon demands
that Reuven remove the trees, he must do so, and failing to do so, Shimon
can have the trees removed at Reuven’s expense; this holds true even if
Shimon saw Reuven do the planting and he did not protest. (2) If Shimon says
that the trees can remain on the field, then Shimon must pay to Reuven the
higher of Reuven’s expenses or the enhancement of the field (in the above
case $30). (3) If Shimon does nothing, Reuven can (in the case above)
collect $30 from Shimon, (4) If Shimon completes the planting or in any
other way shows that he is pleased with the plantings, then Shimon must pay
to Reuven the higher of the expenses or the enhancement of the field ($30 in
the above case).
If Reuven plans in Shimon’s
field with Shimon’s authority, then Shimon must pay to Reuven the higher of
the expenses or the enrichment of the field. In the above example, always
$30. This holds true even if the field is one that is not usually planted.
Assume that Levi possesses
Shimon’s field as a sharecropper. Reuven plants or does other work in the
field. Shimon has no liability to Reuven. Levi does. The amount of the
compensation that Levi owes to Reuven is the sum that a sharecropper would
pay to have the work done that Reuven did.
Assume that Levi is the husband
of a minor girl and possess her field in what we call a NICHSAI MELOG
arrangement. In essence he works her field and keeps the profits, he is
recognized in the law as a person who enters upon the owner’s field with
authority and is compensated the higher of the expenses or the enhancement
of the field. The Sages of the Talmud instituted this rule so that a husband
would take better care of his wife’s property.
Assume that Levi and Shimon are
partners in the ownership of the field. If Levi makes repairs to the field
or plants there, he is deemed a person who enters someone’s field with
authority. Reuven enters upon Shimon’s house and makes repairs and the rents
the house to Aharon. The rent that he is paid is deducted from the money
owed by Shimon to Reuven for the repairs. To hold otherwise would permit
Reuven to do business with Shimon’s property. This holds true even if Shimon
does not hold out his house for lease.
If Shimon, the owner of a
structure that is in danger of collapse, instructs Reuven not to enter upon
the structure and not to make any repairs, then if Reuven makes repairs,
Reuven will not be compensated and he may not undo the repairs.
Whenever it is held that Shimon
must pay to Reuven the amount of his expenditures, Reuven must first take an
oath holding a sacred object stating how much he expended. If Shimon is to
pay for the enhancement, Beth Din may fix the amount, including asking for
expert testimony; in this situation, Reuven need not take an oath.
Assume that Shimon is required
to make payments to Reuven as above stated and Shimon pleads that he paid
Reuven and Reuven pleads that he was not paid. Reuven will win the lawsuit
if he takes an oath that he was not paid. This holds true if there was not
sufficient time for Shimon to pay Reuven after the amount of payment was
fixed by Beth Din. The best practice would be for Shimon to obtain a receipt
when he pays Reuven or to pay him in front of witnesses.
With this lesson we complete
the laws of Robbery. IYH the next lessons will return to Dina D’Malchuta
Dina.
The subject matter of this
lesson is more fully discussed in volume IX chapter 375 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
Confusing the Accuser - part
one
A theme which we encounter repeatedly in the mitzva of Shofar is "confusing
the accuser" (Satan). For instance:
1. The gemara tells us that we blow the shofar on Rosh HaShana both sitting
and standing "in order to confuse the accuser" (Rosh HaShana 16b).
2. In the siddur of Rav Amram Gaon and in Machzor Vitry, this is given as
one reason for the wide variety of different shofar calls we sound on the
holiday.
3. The Tur (OC 581) gives it as one reason for blowing the shofar every day
in Elul;
4. While the Maharil gives it as a reason why we stop sounding the shofar on
the last day before Rosh HaShana.
Let us study the simple meaning
and some deeper insights of this concept.
The word satan in the Bible
seems to mean merely "opponent". For instance, the angel who obstructs
Bilaam's progress is described as a satan (Bamidbar 22:22), and the captains
of the Philistines are afraid that if David fights by their side he will not
be an ally but rather a satan, an opponent (Shmuel I 29:4).
But many times we find it has a
more specific meaning: an angel who is specially designated by God to act as
a prosecuting attorney when He judges men (Zekharya 3:2, Iyov 1,2). Although
God already knows all of our thoughts and actions, Divine judgment is
described to us in Scripture as following equitable and transparent
procedures, with advocates making claims and counterclaims, in order to
educate us that this judgment it is not arbitrary but rather fair and
balanced.
In the Talmud, we find an
additional dimension: Satan is sometimes presented not merely as an accuser,
but also as a tempter, someone who confronts our righteousness with trials
in order to test us.
While we certainly try to avoid
Satan and his judgment and adhere stead- fastly to the mitzvot, the Gemara
also teaches us that we have to respect his mission which is after all a
necessary part of the administration of justice in the world. When the sage
Palemo cursed Satan, Satan came to embarrass him and then rebuked him for
his curses. It's enough to ask Hashem to keep Satan far away; it's not
necessary to curse him (Kidushin 81b).
Let's return to confusing Satan
by blowing the shofar. The Ran brings an explanation related to the idea of
Satan as tempter, identified with "the evil urge": The stirring sound of the
shofar instills awe in the listeners and subdues their urges and
temptations.
But most commentators seem to
associate "confusing Satan" with the idea of Satan as accuser. For example,
Rashi writes that sounding the shofar when the congregation is both sitting
and standing impresses him with our devotion to the mitzvot; the result is
that he is timid in his accusations. Tosafot explains that when he hears the
persistence of the shofar (because it is blown so often) he will think that
he is hearing the shofar of the final Redemption, when his job comes to an
end (because righteousness will reign) (Rashi, Tosafot and Ran on Rosh
HaShana 17b).
The Maharil (a Rishon who wrote
a compendium of customs) gives a slightly different explanation: The shofar
announces the day of judgment, which enables Satan to know when he is
summoned to "court" to present his case against men. But when the shofar is
blown so many times, he may become confused and "miss his court date". Of
course Satan is a loyal public servant and will keep coming back each time
the shofar is blown in Elul, but then the shofar is omitted on Rosh HaShana
eve and he may conclude that the case is over and he can just pack up.
Satan has shown himself to be a
remarkably devoted and resourceful functionary, and it is probably not so
easy to fool him. But we also must remember that his function is not to
cause us suffering, but rather to create accountability in the world in
order to motivate us to righteousness.
When we hear the shofar in
Elul, it's not only Satan who remembers that judgment day is approaching; we
ourselves are reminded. We allow ourselves to be fooled into seeing the
Prosecutor right away; thus we subdue our urges (as the Ran states) and are
stirred to repentance. When we hear the shofar blast numerous times and ways
on Rosh HaShana, staying in shul hours beyond what we are accustomed yet
without impatience, we are astounded at our own devotion to mitzvot; this
truly silences the accuser. (As we find in Rashi.) When we reach Rosh
HaShana in a state of perfect repentance, we may find that our righteousness
is so complete that we don't win our case, we actually find it dismissed
"for lack of public concern". After all, the purpose of the judgment itself
is only to give an incentive for right conduct; when we find ourselves
independently motivated to act rightly the trial is superfluous and the
prosecutor can go home. (As we find in Tosafot and the Maharil.)
The various customs of blowing
the shofar have the effect of "tricking" us into preparing for judgment well
in advance; thus we find ourselves well prepared on the Days of Awe and the
prosecution will be muted and confused.
MISC section - contents:
[1] Vebbe Rebbe
[2] Candle by Day
[3] From Aloh Naaleh
[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit
[5] Review
[6] Parsha Points to Ponder
[7] Torah from Nature
[8] Portion from the Portion
[9] From the desk of the director
[1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in
areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz
Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav
Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l,
to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in
Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim
Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from
Eretz Hemdah...
Q: It bothers me that at the
shul where I usually daven, we often miss Sof Z'man Kri’at Sh’ma (SZKS) (the
end of the time by which Kri’at Sh’ma (=KS) should properly be said). What
can I do about this problem, and is it proper for me to continue davening in
that shul?
A: In many shuls during certain
times of the year, the congregation does not reach KS by SZKS, which is half
way between the beginning of the morning and the middle of the day. (We will
have to ignore the discussion as to how to calculate when this time is.)
This is an issue primarily on Shabbat and the late minyan on Sunday (in the
Diaspora). Even if one missed KS at the proper time, he can recite it
normally for at least another full halachic hour, with a qualitatively lower
fulfillment of the mitzva (Shulchan Aruch Orach, Chayim 58:6).
We will mention solutions to
this problem, in a descending order of preference. If the congregation will
miss SZKS by a matter of minutes, you can go ahead (inconspicuously) and
recite KS at the right time and wait during the following portion of the
tefila, which is the long b’racha after KS. During that time, you should
answer only "Amen, Y'hei Sh'mei Rabba…," Amen at the end of Kaddish and
Borchu. When the congregation gets up to KS, you should cover your eyes and
make believe you are saying it with everyone else, as it is generally
important not to look like one who doesn't join in saying KS (Shulchan Aruch,
OC 65:3). According to most opinions, one can wait at that point in the
tefila for a long time, but it may be preferable to say a sentence every few
minutes (Mishna Berura 65:4).
This system works well
halachically but is not appropriate for every situation. It is too
complicated for some people. Other people are not good at being
inconspicuous and/or are in a shul where their neighbors would be upset if
they caught him doing such a thing. It may be wrong for people to be so
sensitive to that which strikes them as "holier than thou" behavior.
However, this reaction is such a common human reaction and its results are
so negative that scores of halachot are based on avoiding these feelings.
A simpler idea is to recite the
three sections of KS prior to tefila at their proper time to fulfill the
main mitzva and repeat them along with their b’rachot as part of tefila.
There are opinions that this is a serious problem, as the KS that leads into
Shemoneh Esrei should be the one that fulfills that mitzva. However,
classical poskim seem to deal with this situation as a reasonable one (Rama
46:9 and Mishna Berura, 46:32). If one is not sure if the congregation will
make SZKS, then some say it is possible to have in mind to fulfill the
mitzva of KS only if it ends up that the congregation doesn't make it on
time (notes of R. Akiva Eiger, ad loc). (There is a fascinating discussion
whether or not this works; see Yalkut Yosef, Kriat Shema 4 and elsewhere).
If the congregation will not even make it to Sof Z'man Tefila (a halachic
hour later), it is halachically better to daven without a minyan at the
right time (Mishna Berura 46:32)
The question whether it is okay
to daven in a shul that misses SZKS is one that cannot be answered in a
vacuum and one that cannot be ignored. Many shuls have a hashkama minyan,
and SZKS can properly be a factor in favor of attending it. It is also
proper to consider it when picking a minyan on Sunday mornings. Realize that
it is a rabbi's responsibility to realistically determine what is best for
his congregation, in this regard as well. Once he has done so, it is
important for the "religiously stronger" members to consider the needs of
the k'lal as something that binds them to make some compromises on that
which is halachically preferable. If one cannot do so with a smile, then he
might do more harm than good by staying in the shul. One can discuss the
matter with the local rabbi, assuming that he can do so in a way that is not
only intended to be respectful but is received that way as well.
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
We find out who our real friends are when we forget to send them an
invitation.
From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein
[3] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
The Talmud (Makot 7) derives from our parsha that outside Israel, courts
must be established only in the major population centers, whereas in Israel,
they must be set up even in smaller towns. If the role of judges is to
adjudicate disputes between litigants, why don't courts have to be set up
even in the smaller towns outside Israel?
At the end of our parsha the
Torah describes the EGLA ARUFA ceremony. When a murdered person's body is
found outside a town and it is not known who caused his death, judges from
the nearest town must bring a calf, break its neck and declare that they are
not guilty. Who would have thought that the judges were involved in the
homicide?! The Talmud (Sota 45) explains that the judges do bear some
responsibility, for they acted with insufficient generosity when they failed
to provide the murder victim with ample provisions upon his departure from
town. Judges do not only resolve legal disputes; they must set a high
standard for inter- personal conduct so that the public will learn from
their example.
Why then is there a distinction
between Israel and Chutz La'aretz? The Torah seems to be hinting at one of
the basic underpinnings of Israeli society unique to Eretz Israel. The
charge to perform generous acts of chesed is not merely to alter an
individual's behavior. Instead its purpose is to inculcate chesed into the
very fiber of every hamlet in the Land of Israel. Since Israel is the shared
home of the Jewish people and of God we must not only learn the language of
our roommate but also establish an environment where we can coexist. The
only realm where we can find common ground with God is in the area of chesed.
For this reason the Torah stresses the import of establishing courts (whose
job goes beyond adjudicating disputes) even in the smallest towns of Israel
to help facilitate an atmosphere of chesed and concern for our fellow man so
that we can approach God on his terms.
Chana Tannenbaum, Dean and
Director of Shaalvim for Women
[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit
A freethinker, out to provoke R' Elazar Moshe of Pinsk, asked the rabbi a
seemingly innocent question.
"Rebbe," he said, "is there any way that smoking is permitted on Shabbos?"
"Indeed there is," answered R' Elazar Moshe.
"And what is it?" the man asked him.
"Have the action carried out by a non-Jew," replied R' Elazar Moshe with a
smile.
(Another version of this story, perhaps a similar but different episode, has
the rabbi answering, “Perform the action with a shinui (a change), put the
lighted end in your mouth.”)
[Of course, the real answer should be that you are not allowed to smoke at
all.]
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] Review
The name of this week’s sedra is typical of many words that begin with a
consonant voweled with a CHOLAM followed by a letter with a SH’VA. Many
people pronounce the SH’VA as a NACH and attach the SH’VAed letter to the
opening syllable - in error. In fact, the CHOLAMed letter is its own
syllable and the SH’VA is NA and leads the second syllable. The syllables
are SHO and F’TIM, not SHOF and TIM. SHO-F’TIM V’SHO-T’RIM...
[6] Parsha Points to Ponder -SHO-F’TIM
1) The Parsha begins by teaching Judges and Policemen you should give LECHA
? to you. Why does Moshe use the superfluous words TO YOU?
2) Why does the Torah use the superfluous language of RIGHTEOUS- NESS,
RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU SHALL PURSUE? (16:20)
3) Why is the Egla Arufa slaughtered specifically from the back of the neck,
forwards?
THESE ARE THE ANSWERS
Ponder the questions first, then read here
1) Rav Moshe Feinstein answers that this teaches that aside from the need
for society to have judges and officers, individuals must be both a judge
and officer over themselves as well.
2) Rav Elya Meir Bloch answered that this comes to teach that when we pursue
righteousness, we must do so with righteousness. We should not fell prey to
rationalizations and justifications while pursuing a righteous goal and do
so in an inappropriate and unjust way.
3) The Seforno answers that this act, performed by the elders of the city,
symbolizes that this murder was done privately and, therefore, could not
have been prevented.
Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman of Beit Shemesh ppp@israelcenter.co.il
[7] Torah from Nature
Last week, the MRMH column on the Egyptian Fruit Bat got a little messed up.
The electronic versions were more presentable. Without repeating everything,
we leave it at this: E. Fruit Bat is one of 32 species of bats found in
Israel... 900- 1000 species worldwide... two major types - larger fruit bats
and smaller insect-eating bats... 3 species of vampire bats who feed on
blood of birds, mammals (and even humans)... local to Central and South
America; none here. Vampire bats are the only true parasites among mammals
(maybe some humans too). Insect-eating bats are very helpful to the
ecology...
GECKO FEET
The following is from a recent New York Times science report:
Geckos, lizards that are notorious for their sticky feet, can run up walls
and across ceilings, and hang tauntingly by one toe. They have no suction
cups, hooks or glue on their feet, so how do they do it?
5 years ago, researchers at the U. of C., Berkeley; Stanford; and Lewis and
Clark College found the secret: 500,000 minute hairs cover the sole of each
foot, and the tip of each hair splits into hundreds more. The hairs are so
elastic that they can bend or squish to conform to microscopic nooks and
crannies under the creature's feet, even on the glass walls of an aquarium.
As a result, the tiny hairs touch so much surface area so closely that weak
forces of attraction between molecules in the hairs and in whatever surface
the animal is walking on add up and become sufficient to let the gecko hang
on. The connection breaks when the gecko shifts its foot enough to change
the angle between the hairs and the surface. The discovery intrigued
scientists, who immediately realized that if synthetic gecko-foot hairs
could be made, they might be a great adhesive - strong, glue-free, dry,
reusable and capable of working in a vacuum like outer space... recent issue
of the journal Chemical Communications... produced synthetic hairs, with 200
times the sticking power of the ones made by nature... "Think of it almost
like nano-Velcro" ...synthetic hairs- 1/10000 the width of a human hair -
are made of highly flexible carbon cylinders, or nanotubes, embedded in a
plastic base like bristles in a hairbrush... strong, practically
unbreakable...
[8] Portion for the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum
Every Shabbat I must prepare meals for my family that they will enjoy, but
cooking is not one of my favorite activities. One way I have found to
motivate myself to cook is to look into the weekly Torah portion to find a
recipe that is related ( in some way ) to the parsha. The family has to find
the connection to the parsha and if they can't at least they are more
interested in hearing the Dvar Torah. Here I'll start with the Dvar Torah
and end with the recipe.
When mentioning the gifts the
people must give to the kohanim, it states: "This shall be the law (of what
the) kohanim (receive) from the people: When any ox sheep or goat is
slaughtered as food, you must give the kohein the shoulder, the jaw and the
maw. You must (also) give him the first portion of your grain, wine, and oil
and the first of your shearing." (18:3-4)
In order to remind ourselves
that everything comes from Hashem, we must give Teruma to the Kohanim from
the staples of life. In the merit of separating Teruma, the produce of the
field is blessed. But what is the use of this blessing if the owner is ill
and can't eat? Oznayim LaTorah says, therefore, the owner of the animal is
instructed to give the kohein the shoulder, jaw and maw. This acts as a
blessing insuring that the owner will be in good health and will be able to
partake of his bounty. The shoulder signifies the hand - to put the food in
his mouth, the mouth and jaw - that he is able to chew, and the stomach
(maw) that he is able to digest his food.
I have prepared recipes from
the parts mentioned in the priestly gifts - shoulder and jaw (tongue).
Please send FEEDback (pun intended) on the Dvar Torah and recipes and send
in your own recipes related to this or other parshiot.
Shoulder Steak Bake
4 shoulder steaks
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. apple juice (or any fruit juice)
3 tbsp. soya sauce
1 tbsp. vinegar
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. chili powder
Place meat in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with onion
soup. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and bake at 350°F
for 2 hours, or until tender. Yield: 4 servings
Sweet and Sour Tongue
1 (3lb.) tongue, unpickled (1.360kg)
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce (450g total)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ lb. raisins (a little more than 100g)
1½ cups water
¼ lb. dried apricots (a little more than 100g)
Cook tongue for about 3 hours. Cool, peel off skin and slice thinly. Heat
all other ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil. Place sliced tongue in this
sauce. Simmer 45 minutes over low heat. Yield: 12 servings
[9] Divrei Menachem
Shoftim opens with the injunction that, "You shall appoint judges and
officers in all your cities… and they shall judge the people with righteous
judgment" (D'varim 16:18). This ruling appears immediately after the command
to Jewish males to appear three times a year at the Bet HaMikdash in
Jerusalem where they would meet the highest judges in the country, the
rabbis of the Great Sanhedrin.
Despite the prestige of the
Great Sanhedrin, local courts were to be set up in every gate and a high
court was to be established for every tribe. The officers of the court would
then be responsible to enforce the decisions of the judges.
The Hebrew text indicates that
the judges should be set up for you (Lecha). Just as that expression
indicated to Avraham that it was for his benefit to go to Eretz Yisrael (Rashi
on Lech Lecha), so the creation of a Torah-based judicial system is
beneficial to society. The Chassidic masters, however, understood this in a
different way: Before you become a judge of others, first become a judge of
yourself!
Not surprisingly, the Torah
lays down stringent criteria for the judges and demands that the courts be
beyond reproach. This is a timely and fitting preamble for a parsha that
goes on to describe the tasks of kings and prophets and others designated to
lead a model Jewish society.
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.
Herod Refurbishes the
Mikdash
The next couple of Mikdash columns are in answer to a number of emails I
received requesting more details about Herod's refurbishing of the Mikdash.
Our readers also wanted to know why a "Rasha" like him would even want to
restore the Mikdash. The answer is not simple; Herod had an exceedingly
complex personality. In contradistinction to the Gemara's narration, where,
after consultation with Baba ben Buta, Herod decided to refurbish the
Mikdash as a "compensation" to Am Yisrael for "killing the sages" (Baba
Batra 4a, see last week's TT), Josephus claims that master builder Herod
embarked on this grandiose project simply because he was amegalomaniac and
yearned for glory. Stunning in their beauty, size, brilliance, strategic
importance and originality, Herod's monumental buildings changed the face of
Eretz Yisrael and many Greek cities abroad as well. His most magnificent
showpieces in Eretz Yisrael were the new (Greco-Roman) cities Caesarea
Maritimaand Sebaste. The noted scholar Peter Richardson writes, "Caesarea
Maritima… was a major outlet to the Mediterranean, home for the Judean navy,
the largest harbor in the Mediterranean… it was a city where Hellenistic and
Roman ideals jostled with Jewish convictions (it) included a large number of
state-sponsored and royal structures: the harbor itself with its
installations and warehouses; water and sewage facilities; gates; streets;
…and the Temple of Roma and Augustus hovering over the whole at the focal
point of the harbor. Sebaste… (was) symbolically valuable (and built on the
site of) the ancient capital of the Northern kingdom of Israel. The Temple
of Roma and Augustus in Sebaste was built directly over the old royal
palaces of Ahab, perhaps intended to make explicit the symbolic succession."
The celebrated historian, Joseph Klausner, wrote, "All that can truthfully
be said, is (that) he (Herod) sought honor and fame wherever he might get
it; and since he knew that it was more easily obtained abroad than at home,
from the Greeks rather from the Jews; and since he required abundant wealth
for the buildings and statues and munificent acts which alone could ensure
his fame and spread his reputation, for this reason he forcibly raised the
means from his Jewish subjects and gave it to strangers…"
After the completion of these
great projects, Josephus writes, "…Herod …undertook a very great work, that
is to build of himself the temple of G-d, and make it larger in boundary,
and to raise it to a most magnificent altitude, as esteeming it to be the
most glorious of all his actions… to bring it to perfection; and this would
be sufficient for an everlasting memorial… (Antiquities b.15:11;1). Though
Herod boasted of his close ties with the ruling Romans, ("I am at amity with
and well regarded by the Romans."), surprisingly enough, the Gemara conveys
a totally different impression. When Baba ben But a suggested that Herod
refurbish the Mikdash, he demurred, "I am afraid … (of Rome)." For all his
haughty pretenses, bravado and "administrative massacres", Herod the "Great"
understood that he was only a client king. He knew very well that he was not
an independent agent and he understood that his Roman masters might not take
kindly to his glorifying the Beit HaMikdash, always a center of anti-Roman
agitation. They knew that a spectacular "world class" temple in Jerusalem
would increase the prestige and renown of the most rebellious city in the
Empire.
Striving to overcome Herod's
fears, Baba ben Buta suggested, "Send an envoy, and let him take a year on
the way and staying Rome a year, and in the meantime you can pull down the
Temple and rebuild it. He did so and received the following message (from
Rome); 'If you have not pulled it down, do not do so. If you have pulled it
down, do not rebuild it. If you pulled it down and already rebuilt it, you
are one of those bad servants who first do something and then ask
permission." Even though Herod was "their man" in Eretz Yisrael and his
extreme brutality served their interests, the Gemara notes exactly what the
Romans thought of him. "Though you strut with your sword, your genealogy
(lit. your book) is here. You are neither a Reka (rex, king) nor the son of
a Reka. You are Herod the slave…" Rashi explains, "If you are proud of your
weapons of war by which you killed the house of your masters (the
Chashmona'im and the scores of thousands of other murdered Jews), …we know
exactly what you are, a slave…" (Baba Batra 4a). The mass murderer Herod's
sudden interest in the Beit HaMikdash terrified many people and his public
address outlining his proposals fell on deaf ears. "…for they were afraid
that he would pull down the whole edifice and not be able to bring his
intentions to perfection for its rebuilding; and this danger appeared to
them to be very great, and the vastness of the undertaking to be such as
hardly be accomplished. But while they were in this disposition, the king
encouraged them and told them that he would not pull down their temple until
all things were gotten ready for building up entirely again. And as he
promised this beforehand, so he did not break his word with them, but got
ready a 1000 wagons, that were to bring stones for the building, and chose
out 10,000 of the most skillful workmen, and bought a 1000 sacerdotal
garments for as many of the priests, and had some of them (the Kohanim)
taught the art of stone cutters, and others of carpenters, and then began to
build: but not until everything was well prepared for the work" (Antiquities
b.15:11;2). Herod's beautification of the Mikdash began in the fifteenth
year of his reign, 25 BCE.
Rectangular in shape with
asymmetrical sides, Herod's refurbished Temple Mount became the site of the
largest religious compound in the ancient world. Its unprecedented massive
retaining walls measured 485m on the west (the "Kotel" is only a small
part), 315m on the south, 460m on the east and 280m on the south for a total
length of 1540 meters. Doubling the area of Har Habayit, Herod filled in a
valley to the north-east of Har HaBayit and erected a wall rising 38m above
bedrock. The valley at the south-west corner of Har HaBayit was also closed
in and a buttressing wall built to the height of 32m. Engraved with margins
of 8 to 15 centimeters around a flat central boss, the size of the average
stone used by Herod's stonecutters was 3m long and 1m high with many stones
12m long and weighing 100 tons. The largest ashlars were found in a side
tunnel including a giant stone about 60m long, 3m high and 4m wide. This
monster stone, the largest carved building block uncovered anywhere in the
world, weighs about 400 tons! In order to withstand the soil pressure of the
filling behind the retaining walls, the rows of stones were laid in a
"terrace", each row being set back a few centimeters relative to the one
beneath it. Constructed of enormous ashlar stones with great precision and
without the use of cement, the walls thus slant slightly inward. This
factor, the incredible weight of the stones, and the supreme accuracy of the
cutting account for the extraordinary stability of these retaining walls. It
is likely that the upper exterior faces of these walls - no longer extant -
were built with pilasters- half columns - similar to those still visible in
the upper courses of the original Herodian structure covering Ma'arat
HaMachpeila in Hevron. <to be continued>
Catriel's book in progress: The
Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim’s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the
Temple and the Divine Service
Parsha Pix
Upper-left are the symbols of SHO-F’TIM (gavel) and SHO-T’RIM (sheriff’s
star).
Negation circle over the planting of a sappling = prohibition of planting
trees in the Mikdash or Mizbei’ach area
Tilted scales = perversion of justice - a recurring theme in the sedra
Crown is for the mitzva of appointing a king.
He must write a special Torah (quill & parchment).
He may not own an excessive number of horses (3 chess knights is too many).
Gift-wrapped present represents MATANOT, the gifts to a kohein, specific-
ally the parts of an slaughtered animal.
Negation of veering to the right or left times 2 because all are commanded
so, and the king is additionally commanded the same thing.
Rabbit in hat stands for magic (but is not the same kind that the Torah
forbids - That's why it is not in a negation circle.)
Ax handle detached from head - classic SHOGEG situation.
Bulldozer (earth mover, as it is called today) (below gavel and above crown)
is to prepare the roads to IR MIKLAT for better access to the cities of
refuge.
Bottom, from left. Three military deferments: Building new house, engagement
to marry, and vineyard.
Lower-right is KI HA’ADAM EITZ HASADEH, for man is like the tree of the
field.
Home Sweet Home picture with the pyramids is negated because we are not
allowed to return to Egypt to live there.
There is an eye with the letter I in it, which is a play on AYIN B'AYIN. The
phrase appears only three times in all of Tanach. Two of those times are
Parshat Sho-f’tim and the haftara for Parshat Sho-f’tim!
The dice are double-4, which is for the 4 double words in the haftara -
check them out.
The peace symbol in a speech bubble stands for the mitzva to offer peace to
an enemy before engaging it in battle.
The recycling symbol reminds us to avoid the prohibition of BAL TASHCHIT.
That leaves 2 unexplained items as visual TTriddles, one of which is a
double.
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 (R’EI) TTriddles:
[1] E.T., cane, cane, sort of all blue
[2] strong like a stone
[3] false prophets and witnesses
[4] Don't try Friday night's suggestion this Shabbat morning
[5] Shabbat and spring with, all the mitzvot without
[6] plus two elements from the Parsha Pix, and...
And the envelope, please...
[1] LO TAASUN... Do not do... appears four times in Tanach, all in Chumash,
twice in Parshat R’ei. G-d says (in the end of Yitro, after the Aseret
HaDibrot), do not do “with me” (ITI, i.e. E.T.) gods of silver... When Moshe
is speaking with the leaders of Reuven and Gad, he says V’IM LO TAASUN KEIN...
and if you will not do thus... In R’EI, we find KEIN (cane) again: Do not do
thus to G-d... and again, do not do K’CHOL, like all that you have done
until now... K’CHOL sounds like KACHOL, blue.
[2] RAK (rock) CHAZAK... a strong rock, or strong like a stone. Parshat R;ei
has 6 of the 41 RAKs in the Torah. When you listen to the sedra, the word
sort of jumps out at you. And one of them said: Make a TTriddle out of me.
So we did.
[3] In R’ei, we find the expression KI YAKUM, if there arises from your
midst, a (false) prophet of dream dreamer... KI YAKUM occurs only one other
time in Chumash - in the portion of the specific type of false witness known
as EIDIM ZOM’MIM, plotting witnesses and once more in the book of IYOV.
That’s it.
[4] In the Friday night davening, at the conclusion of the BAMEH MADLIKIN
“interlude between Kabbalat SHabbat and Maariv, we find a quote from
Yeshayahu 54:13, V’CHOL BANAYICH LIMUDEI HASHEM... and we are told to read
the word BANAYICH (your sons) as BONAYICH (your builders). This allows a
DRASH on the pasuk. However, don’t take that suggestion on Shabbat morning
of Parshat R’ei, when we read that pasuk in the haftara. If you read the
word as BONAIYCH, you will be instructed to reread it correctly - BANAYICH.
[5] SHAMOR ET YOM HASHABBAT L’KAD’SHO... Preserve the Shabbat... (from
Va’etchanan, second version of the Aseret HaDibrot). SHAMOR ET CHODESH
HA’AVIV... Preserve the spring month - make sure it is spring when you bring
the Korban Pesach. Those are the only two times the phrase SHAMOR ET occurs
in Tanach. There is one other occurrence with SHAMOR spelled without the VAV
that it has the two other times. In Ki Tavo, Moshe and the Elders command
the people to SHAMOR ET KOL HAMITZVA... preserve all the mitzvot...
[6] At the top of R’ei’s ParshaPix there were three arrows crossed out. They
represent the haftara of Machar Chodesh which did not preempt the haftara of
R’ei as it ordinarily preempts the weekly haftara of Shabbat Erev Rosh
Chodesh. And even those shuls that followed the haftara of R’ei with the
first and last pasuk of the Machar Chodesh haftara did not read of the three
arrows that were a signal between Yonatan and David.
[7] The small photo is of actor Raymond Burr in his signature role as Perry
Mason. In 88 novels, 10 years worth of weekly TV shows, and several movies
(not to mention a radio series and other media formats), Perry Mason proved
himself worthy of representing, in TTriddle form, the mitzva in R’ei of
questioning and cross-examining witnesses - V’DARASHTA, V’CHAKARTA, V’SHALTA
HEITEIV...
[8] And that leaves us with the unmentioned - but no less so - TTriddle,
namely the Word of the Month Mazal-Pic. Beginning with the torus that
replaced Taurus for Iyar, we’ve had a Minnesota Twins baseball cap for
Sivan, a crab (apple) for Tammuz, and Snagglepuss representing Av. To
introduce Elul’s mazal, here is the subject line of the email received from
AW (another CD is due him), “yes, virginia, there is a symbol for the month”
AW is correct that the symbol in the Word of the Month box is the outline of
the state of Virginia, which was named for Queen Elizabeth the first, who
was known as the Virgin Queen.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] 27 79-47 (8 with 29), 39 47-79, (1 with 29)
[2] Confused knowledge is surrounded by falsehood
[3] oaths one witness
[4] Besides righteous people, whose words?
[5] plus 2 elements from the ParshaPixs, one of which is a double.
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9-16)
Friday
9:00am (men & women) Overview of Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Elul Mini-Series: Friday, 10:00am, Sept. 9,16,23,30 - A Serious Look into
the Book of Job (Iyov) in Light of Contemporary Injustices with R' Yaacov
Yisroel Bar-Chaiim, Educational counselor, writer, Slonimer Chossid
Friday Eve
"Early Shabbat" Sho-f’tim, Fri. Sep. 9, Mincha will be 5:20pm, Plag is
5:35pm, Kabbalat Shabbat, Maariv, Ki Teitzei 5:12pm • Ki Tavo 5:05pm (Shabbaton)
• Nitzavim 4:57pm, Last “early” of the season
Shabbat day
Shabbat Parshat R’ei - September 3rd, 5:00pm • Mincha 6:00pm, Yaacov
Peterseil & Co.
Motza'ei Shabbat Parshat Sho-f’tim, September 10th, 9:30pm: The first public
first-person accounts by young disengagement prisoners, Moderator: David
Bedein Investigative Journalist
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 - closed this Sunday
9:30am( women) Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year by Golda
Warhaftig
10:30am (women) Yom Kippur Machzor with Tonia Frohwein
11:30am (men & women) Parshat HaShavua with Shprintzee Herskovits
Sundays 12:30pm • Creative Life Education • Presenter: Aharon Romm, The
Master Key to Living (not just Exisitng)
Sunday 7:30pm (men & women) Issues in Jewish Thought as they emerge from the
Torah with the help of Ramban's Commentary - Migdal Bavel: Who said they did
anything wrong? with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Sunday, September 11th, 8:00pm: Remembering 9/11, The Twin Towers - Teshuva,
Tefila, Tzedaka - Surviving these Awesome Days, Video: “Standing at the
Threshold”; “Even in the darkest moments” co-authors: Zeev Breier and Dr.
Mori Bank, “Solomon’s Choice at the End of Days” - R’ Meir Solomon (Hatzalah
Family at Twin Towers); “The Tshuva Challenge - The End of Galut”, HaRav
Boruch Horwitz, Rosh Yeshiva Dvar Yerushalayim, Refreshments
Note change in time: Sundays at 8:45pm - 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) Excursions into the world of the IMAHOT with Mrs. Pearl
Borow
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
Mondays, 11:35am: Jewish History Series by Dr. Henry Goldblum - 2nd cent.
BCE: Countdown to Revolution (part 1)
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, September 12th, 1230pm, in the Library (free) - Torah video and
lunch: Dealing with Guilt by Rabbi Yosef Wolicki
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)
B'OR HA'TORAH - ISRAEL CENTER LECTURE SERIES
Celebrating the publication of volume 15 of the B'Or Ha'Torah Journal of
Science, Art & Modern Life in the Light of the Torah (all lectures in
English)
Monday, September 12th • 8:00pm: "Spirituality and Health" - Yakir Kaufman,
MD, a continuation of the popular talk he gave at the Israel Center last
year, A neurologist at Herzog Hospital, Dr. Kaufman also conducts research
and teaches at The Hebrew University Hadassah Hospital of Medicine,
Jerusalem. He specializes in psychoneuroimmunology and the soul-body
connection
Upcoming dates & speakers in this series: Tue. Sep. 20, Judith Bendheim
Guedalia; Tue. Sep. 27, Prof. Nathan Aviezer
www.borhatorah.org • info@borhatorah.org • tel/fax (02) 642-7521
MASK - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids: J'lem Chapter at the OU Israel
Center • www.maskjerusalem.cjb.net • 050-754-2717, NEXT MEETING: Monday,
September 12th, 7:30-9:30pm with Judy Belsky
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 the Gemach- Tue. 7:00-8:30pm
Tuesday mornings, 9:00am: Yamim Nora’im via Sefer HaChinuch with Rabbi
Aharon Adler
Tuesday, September 13th, 10:15am: Ki Teitzei’s 74! - Phil Chernofsky - Rabbi
Gold will resume IY"H on September 20th
9:00am: Dr. Hayim Abramson: The Names of Hashem
11:00am (in Hebrew) Torah Reading for the Yomim Nora'im with Dr. Hayim
Abramson
11:00am: Rabbi Eddie Abramson on Parshat HaShavua
12:00pm (women) Review of the weekly Farbrengens of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
with Raizel Zisk
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
Tuesday, September 13th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free), Lunch and Video
Sukkot: More Special than You Realize by Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Shiur in memory of Danny Frei hy"d - Tuesday, September 13th at 7:45pm at
the Israel Center, Tefilat Yonah by Rav Avraham Rivlin, Ram Kerem B'Yavneh
Wednesday
Wednesdays, 9:10am Current Issues in Halacha • Rabbi Macy Gordon - How to
buy an Etrog... and the rest
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. September 14th, 12:30pm, in the Library (free), The Yom Kippur Machzor
by Rabbi Aharon Adler
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 -
New Topic: Mussar in the Guide, Rambam's extraordinary conclusion to his
epic work with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
In honor of the publication of his new book: Grow with Gemara – A Hands-On
Guide to Improving Gemara Skills, Rabbi Chaim Perlmutter will deliver a
special lecture: How I can help my child (or grandchild) excel in the study
of Gemara. The lecture will take place at the Center on 10 Elul, Wed. Sep.
14 at 20:00. It will provide hands on advice how to motivate and to provide
tools for the study, understand, and establish a connection with the sacred
text of the Gemara. The book “Grow With Gemara” (English), and Rabbi
Perlmutter’s previous book: “Tools for Tosafos” (English or Hebrew) will be
available at the Center at the night of the lecture
Thursday
Dvar Torah by Menachem Persoff
12:00 (BN): Shiur while you fold. with Phil Chernofsky
JOIN US AT THE ART WORKSHOP THURSDAYS 10:00-12:00, call Rachael @ (02)
627-1577
Root & Branch Association in cooperation with the Israel Center
Thursday, September 15th • 20:00
"How to Teach Jews About Judaism in Today's World (Kiruv Skills)" by Rabbi
Adam Winston Author (both publ. by Feldheim) "Pleasures - A Jewish Approach
to Life", "G-d - Tools to Experience the Ultimate"
Info: rb@rb.org.il/www.rb.org.il, NIS 25 per person, members NIS 20,
students NIS 10
8:00pm: Legends from the Gemara with Reb Yosef Schreiber
Friday
9:00am (men & women) Overview of Pirkei Avot with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
Elul Mini-Series: Friday, 10:00am, Sept. 9,16,23,30 - A Serious Look into
the Book of Job (Iyov) in Light of Contemporary Injustices with R' Yaacov
Yisroel Bar-Chaiim, Educational counselor, writer, Slonimer Chossid
UPCOMING at the Israel Center
Shabbat afternoon Shiurim (5:00pm, followed by Mincha at 6:00pm)
Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei Sep. 17th Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko
Shabbat Parshat Ki Tavo Sep. 24th Shabbaton speaker (4:45pm)
Please note that the Shabbat afternoon shiur takes place IY”H throughout the
year; the time obviously gets progressively earlier for the next few months.
We thank our speakers and those who attended, for making our Shabbat
afternoon shiur successful. We are planning for Nitzavim, the Shabbat before
Rosh HaShana, and for Shabbat Shuva-Vayeilech. And then for the Shabbat
between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, as well as Shabbat Chol HaMoed. Watch for
further announcements
Monday, Sept. 19 - 8:00pm: The events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina - Is
there a connection - Lecture and slide by Dan Altura, Ph.D
ICVC (no charge) Tuesday, Sept. 20th, 7:00pm - "Cast a Giant Shadow":
(Replay for the evening crowd.) Kirk Douglas as Mickey Marcus, the US army
officer who came to Israel in '48 to help form and lead an army for the
fledgling state. Also with John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner
Wednesday, Sept. 21 - 8:00pm: Poetry, Stories, Photos from Gush Katif - What
did we learn? with Rachel Klein
First Slichot in OHEL SHMUEL, The Wolinetz Family Shul of the Seymour J.
Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center (the Israel Center), Motza'ei
Shabbat, Parshat Ki Tavo, September 24th
9:15pm - First Shiur: Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko on Confronting Your
Character
10:15pm - Slichot Baal T’fila: David Holstein
11:30pm - Second ShiurRabbi Ephraim Sprecher - Rosh HaShana: Day of Awe or
Day of Joy? (is weeping ok?)
12:30am (after Chatzotz)Slichot - Chazan Binyamin Munk and his son Mordechai
Gush Katif
YOU can help Gush Katif Evacuees!
To contribute funds (Israeli tax-deductible): Join the OU International
Campaign to assist the children evacuees from Gush Katif (Gaza) and North
Shomron. These funds will be applied to special spiritual and educational
needs of the children and youth.
Send checks to the Israel Center, P.O. Box 37015, Jerusalem 91370
The check should be made out to the Israel Center and marked “Children”
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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