Shabbat Parshat No'ach Shabbat Parshat No'ach is the 36th day (of 355) and the sixth Shabbat (of 51) of 5767 ...YONA MATZA VO MANO'ACH, V'SHAM YANUCHU Y'GI'EI KOACH: (Z'mirot L'Shabbat) HALACHIC TIMES Candle lighting and Havdala - Standard (winter) time, Note about Candle Lighting and Havdala times. Candle lighting times are rounded down to the minute, in other words, seconds are ignored. Havdala times, on the other hand, are round up to the next minute. Further explanations and notes on Z'manim are available on the website www.ou.org/torah/tt - click on Halachic times WORD OF THE MONTH The first opportunity for KL this month is Wed. night, eve of the 4th of Cheshvan. This is for those who follow the practice of the GR"A, namely, to say KL as early as 3 full days following the molad (which was this past Sunday morning). The other practice is to wait until seven full days have passed. First op for that opinion is Sunday night, Oct. 29. There are some people who will wait for Motza'ei Shabbat, rather than say KL on Wed. or Thu. And there are 7-day people who will say KL this Motza"Sh, even though it is only "within" the seventh day from the molad. This is especially so during the rainy season, when clear nights for Kiddush L'vana are not always to be found in abundance. Whichever custom you follow, remember to say this special bracha which is considered as "welcoming the Divine Presence". Good rain, bad rain, no rain We read Parshat No'ach in the beginning of the month of Cheshvan. We read about the MABUL (Flood) which began and ended during the second month; there is a dispute as to whether that is Cheshvan or Iyar. It is in Cheshvan that we begin to ask G-d for blessed rainfall. (In Eretz Yisrael, that is.) In fact, the Mishna speaks of the situation in Israel where rain has not fallen by the 17th of Cheshvan, that individuals would accept upon themselves to fast three fasts, to intensify their prayers and petition to G-d for rainfall. That is the very date given by the Torah for the beginning of the Flood. So far, we've spoken of no rain, destructive rain, and blessed rain. And that is the point. Rain (like other things in nature) can be good and can be bad. And it is actually up to us - as a community and each of us as individuals, do our part in getting blessed, beneficial rainfall - not too much, not too little, and certainly not in the destructive form of devastating storms but rather GISHMEI BRACHA. We know the harm that hurricanes and tsunami waves have wrought in certain parts of the world. We are equally aware of the devastation of drought. What can we do about these things? No way! Take a look at what caused the almost total destruction of the world. It wasn't people omitting TAL UMATAR. It was corrupt and immoral behavior of society that brought about G-d's "regret" (so to speak) that He had created mankind. Can we change the world? Yes we can. Starting with ourselves, we must unceasingly strive to uphold Torah values and practice. Big job, but worth it. No'ach STATS MITZVOT Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Kohen - First Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 6:9-22 The only high note of this universal downslide comes at the end of the sedra: "But No'ach found favor in G-d's eyes". The Torah essentially repeats that No'ach had three sons - Sheim, Cham, and Yefet, and that the world was totally corrupt. Commentaries point out that No'ach was given ample time to try to influence his generation to mend its ways. He either didn't succeed or didn't try too hard. He did exactly as he was told (and not more?). Think about this... What G-d did do is command No'ach to build an ark of a specific size, a three-tiered floating structure, and to gather all the food necessary to feed many, many animals and his family for a year. This, say some commentaries, cannot be done without a heavy dose of miracle, of suspension of the laws of nature. But it wasn't all supernatural. No'ach was part of it. And that is what G-d usually wants when it comes to miracles. We, as humans, relate so much better to that kind of miracle. Nachshon b. Aminadav needed to jump into the Sea before it would split. We need to see some familiar nature inside a miracle... and we also need to see the miracle inside nature. SDT: Baal HaTurim points out that the Torah says EILEH TO-L'DOT... four times (as opposed to V'EILEH -PC), and each time it comes to negate what came before it. EILEH TO-L'DOT SHAMAYIM VA'ARETZ... nullifies the TOHU VAVOHU (chaos and emptiness that preceded formation of this world). ...NO'ACH, to negate the generations that came before him. ...SHEIM (No'ach's son), to negate CHAM and YEFET. ...YAAKOV, to negate EISAV. The MABUL was KEITZ KOL BASAR, the END of all "flesh"... KEITZ, KUF-TZADI is 190, corresponding to the 40 days of rain and 150 days of surging water that made up the destructive aspect of the Flood. One of the Chassidic masters suggests reasons for No'ach's naming of his sons: SHEIM, one should always remember HaShem; CHAM, and do His bidding with warmth and enthusiasm; YEFET, only to do things that are TIF'ERET to the doer and in the eyes of others. (Not all his sons lived the life he wanted for them.) Levi - Second Aliya - 16 p'sukim - 7:1-16 G-d's commands to No'ach to take pairs of animals as well as 7 pairs of kosher animals and birds, are two separate matters. The pairs of animals were for the survival and continuation of the species. These animals, we are taught, came on their own by instinct of self- preservation. On the other hand, No'ach had to bring into the Teiva the other animals, whose destiny, so to speak, was the Altar and the dinner table. How many deers were in the Ark? Rabbi Zev Leff explains that B'nei No'ach are permitted to offer sacrifices from ANY kosher animal or bird; No'ach was not restricted to cow, goat, sheep, and two types of doves - the only acceptable Korbanot of a Jew in the Mikdash. Hence, for either reason, it would seem that there were seven pairs of deer, giraffe, gnu, chicken, sparrow, peafowl, etc. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 7:17-8:14 R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 15 p'sukim - 8:15-9:7 HERE'S A THOUGHT... We can see in the account of the Flood and its aftermath, a continuation of creation. It is as if stage 1 of creation was recorded in Breishit and here we have stage 2. In other words, the world as we know it came into existence during the 6 days of creation AND during the Flood which took place 10 generations later. Sort of like a rough draft and a further revision. And we, by the way, constantly affect the continuous further dynamic revisions. G'matriya Twins The g'matriya of each of these "matched bookends" p'sukim is the same! (2701, BTW.) No claim is being made for g'matriyas proving anything; it is just a cherry on top of the cake or ice cream sundae (or walnut on top of the quinoa, for those on a diet). G-d blessed and commanded No'ach and his family (and all of mankind) to "be fruitful and multiply". No'ach receives permission to eat meat (this was denied to the previous generations), but was warned not to eat from a live animal. Murder and the other Noahide Laws are referred to and/or inferred, at this point. Again (third time?), No'ach and family are told to be fruitful and repopulate the world. Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 10 p'sukim - 9:8-17 We acknowledge the significance of a rainbow by reciting a bracha when we see one "...He Who remembers the Covenant, is faithful to it, and keeps His word.” Of the 10 items mentioned in Avot as having been created at the instant between the Six Days of Creation and the first Shabbat, all but the rainbow are supernatural. The rainbow, then, can be seen as a bridge between the natural and the supernatural. Put differently, we should see G-d's handiwork in all the elements of nature, not just in obvious miracles. "The mouth of the Earth" was a one-time creation to dispose of Korach and his gang. But regular rocks and hills, crags and clefts are no less part of G-d's handiwork. Some say that a rainbow is a sign that G-d is angry with the world and would want to destroy it - except He promised not to. On the other hand, Yechezkel describes the Heavenly Throne as like a rainbow, and the radiance of the Kohen Gadol upon leaving the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur is also likened to a rainbow in the sky. And it's beautiful, too. Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 44 p'sukim - 9:18-10:32 The arithmetic of No'ach's years (600 before + 350 after = 950) seems not to take into account the year of the Flood. There is a good case to be made for not considering the duration of the Flood in calculations of the chronology of the world. We might look at the Flood as a period of "suspended animation" - laws of nature were not in effect; perhaps time as we know it cannot apply to that interval. The animals in the ark did not function in their normal ways. No'ach had no sleep during the whole period (if we take statements made as literal). [P> 10:1 (14)] The Torah next outlines the generations that followed No'ach including mention of Nimrod, the mighty rebel against G-d, and the nations that came from Sheim, Cham and Yefet. These are the descendants of No’ach (numbers in brackets count the 70 nations of the world). We’ll call NO’ACH the zero generation. That makes SHEIM, CHAM, and YEFET, the first generation after No’ach. The Torah starts the genealogy with Yefet. Generation 2 from Yefet are: Third generation from Noach via Yefet’s children: 2nd generation from No’ach via Cham: 3rd generation via Cham’s children: Kush also fathered Nimrod, not numbered among the 70. From Mitzrayim: [26] Ludim, [27] A- namim, [28] L’havim, [29] Naftuchim, [30] Patrusim, [31] Kasluchim, (from either 30 or 31 came [32] P’lishtim - according to Rashi, Patrusim and Kasluchim swapped wives a lot and the P'lishtim came from both of them), [33] Kaftorim (who might also have come from Patrusim/Kasluchim or from Mitzrayim - this is disputed by commentaries). No one from Put. [S> 10:15 (6)] From K’na’an: [34] Tzidon, [35] Cheit, [36] the Yevusi, [37] the Emori, [38] the Girgashi, [39] the Chivi, [40] the Arki, [41] the Sini, [42] the Arvadi, [43] the Tz’mari, and [44] the Chamati. So far, 25 from Yefet, 19 from Cham. [S> 10:21 (12)] From Sheim: [45] Eilam, [46] Ashur, [47] Arpachshad, [48] Lud, [49] Aram. From Aram: [50] Utz, [51] Chul, [52] Geter, [53] Mash. From Arpachshad came [54] Shelach and from him came [55] Eiver. Eiver is 4th generation. He had [56] Peleg and [57] Yaktan (5th generation). From Yaktan: [58] Almodad, [59] She- lef, [60] Chatzarmavet, [61] Yerach, [62] Hadoram, [63] Uzal, [64] Dikla, [65] Oval, [66] Avima’el, [67] Sh’va (same name as 24), [68] Ofir, [69] Chavila (same name as 20), and [70] Yovav. That’s 26 from Sheim. Total 70. It should not be lost on us that the birth of the world population is describe as the 70 nations, and the birth of Israel begins with “70 souls”. Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 32 p'sukim - 11:1-32 SDT: Commentaries contrast the two sinful generations in this sedra. Dor HaMabul was destroyed because their sins included the destruction of society by total disregard of a person for his fellow. Dor HaPlaga sinned against G-d alone, not against each other. Such a society (albeit altered) can survive; G-d can permit it to continue under these circumstances. [P> 11:10 (2)] The sedra returns to the lineage of No'ach, this time tracing only through Sheim. We find for each generation, the name of the "main" person, his age when his "main, named" son was born, how many years he lived after his "main" son was born, and the fact that other sons and daughters were born. Note that the total length of life for these second "10 generations" is not given, as it was in the first set of 10 generations. For example, Yered (back in B'reishit) was 162 years old when Chanoch was born. Yered lived for 800 more years after Chanoch was born. Yered's total number of years was 962 - doing the arithmeticfor us. Here, in No'ach, we get the two numbers and have to add them up on our own. Sheim was 100 when he had Arpachshad (two years after the Flood). He lived a further 500 years (600). [P> 11:12 (2)] Arpachshad had Shelach at 35. Lived 403 more years (438). The Torah makes a point of telling us that Sarai was barren. Terach takes his son Avram, his grandson Lot, his daughter-in-law Sarai, they leave Ur Kasdim and head out for the land of K'naan. They make it as far as Charan and settle there. Terach dies in Charan at 205 years of age (the only one since No'ach with a recorded age at death). The events the Torah mentions at the end of Parshat No'ach did not happen in the sequence recorded. Commentaries explain why. The sedra thus ends with the stage set for the next major phase of world development - the return to belief in one G-d and the "birth of Judaism". Haftara - 22 p'sukim -Yeshayahu - 54:1-55:5 THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW - Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean The twofold, Fourfoldand Fivefold Payments If a person steals an object by theft and the stolen object is found in his possession, the Torah states that the Beit Din must award double damages. (Sh'mot 22:3) This means that the thief must pay back twice the value of the stolen object even though he still has it in his possession. The case of the stealthy thief is placed in stark contrast to one involving robbery. The brazen person who robs people openly with no attempt to hide his identity, if found liable need pay only the principal amount. The distinction between theft and robbery is based one the idea that the thief, while not being fearful of violating the Divine injunction against stealing, is fearful of people and thus takes property stealthily. The robber on the other hand, because he does not place the Divine injunction on a lower level than the fear of people (being fearful of neither) is not subject to the additional punishment. When the thief pays double the value of the stolen object, the amount of the object is in the nature of indemnification and the additional amount is considered a penalty. Another case of civil remedy for antisocial conduct mentioned in the Mishna is the case of someone stealing a sheep or an ox and either selling it or slaughtering it. If the thief sold or slaughtered a sheep, he must pay four times the worth of the animal; however, if he sold or slaughtered the ox, he must pay five timesthe animal’s value. Here too, the value of the sheep or the ox is indemnification and the additional payment is penalty. Robbery and Mayhem Rape and Seduction The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed in volume 1 chapter 1 of Jewish Jurisprudence by Emanuel Quint & Neil Hecht. Copies of both volumes can be purchased at local Judaica bookstores. Questions to quint@inter.net.il TANACH "And Yosef would bring evil reports about them to his father." Since the verse reads brought and not "motzi", extracted evil reports, as it does with regard to the Spies (Bamidbar 13:32), we can understand that Yosef did not create or falsify their actions but rather brought reports of actions to Yaakov. The Baalei Hatosafot saw this as his reporting what he heard from people in the market place, according to Radak he told his father that they hated him and belittled him, while Ibn Ezra, taking the verse explicitly, explains that Yosef's evil report was that the brothers made him a servant to the sons of Bilha and Zilpa. There is no indication that the brothers actually did any of these things, rather there was a misconception on the part of Yosef who, through his youthful misjudgment, brought biased reports based on his own interpretation of his brothers actions that presented them as wrongdoers. They ate the flesh of calves born to mothers that had been ritually slaughtered but had died before they calved; he did not know that such calves did not require shechita. They had contact with the Cananite women during their trade and not as he envisaged it, for purposes of marriage. They made a distinction between the sons of Zilpa and Bilha and those of the Matriarchs that appeared to Yosef to be tantamount to treating them as servants. "Yehuda ben Pazi taught, "the scales of justice are the Lord's" (Proverbs 16:11), so Yosef was repaid, when the brothers slaughtered the goat to show their father's his blood soaked tunic, when he himself was sold into slavery, and when the wife of Potiphar cast her eyes on him" (B'reishit Rabba 84:7). "It is a negative mitzva not to hide our hate (mitzva 238) and a positive mitzva to admonish our fellows and help them to correct their ways (mitzva 239); as it is written; 'You shall not hate your brother in your heart, [The brothers to their credit could not talk peacefully to Yosef and thus hid their hatred and jealousyfor him], you shall surely admonish him' (Vayikra 19:17)" (Sefer Hachinuch). Avraham had upbraided Avimelech concerning the wells, Yaakov had openly spoken against Lavan's treatment despite the danger posed to him by the presence of Lavan's kinsmen, and Moshe had rebuked the Israelite who struck his fellow. The autonomous Jewish communities used the herem to show public displeasure of those individuals who broke the moral code; people who pleaded bankruptcy to avoid their creditors (Vaad Arba Aratzot, enactments of 1624; Be'er HaGola), while the public recitation of Mi Shepara is to be used against those who do not keep their contracts,verbal or written (Choshen Mishpat 204). Public disapproval and censure is the most powerful weapon against corruption, evil and immorality. "It was wrong for Yosef to bring these reports [irrespective of how we understand them] to Yaakov, their father. Rather he should have directly upbraided his brothers and thereby made them aware of their shortcomings and so lead to their spiritual improvement. Yosef was too humble to correct the brothers directly as he was the youngest of the sons and so felt inadequate to admonish them. In this, his humility was like that of Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas whose humility led to the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Second Temple (Gittin 56). That rabbi did not consider himself worthy of ruling that Bar Kamza should be put to death when he convinced Vespasian to send a sacrifice that he had blemished to make it unworthy for the Altar. That rejected sacrifice convinced the Romans that the Jews were planning rebellion and therefore they attacked and destroyed Yerushalayim; so Yosef's humility had led to his sale and the exile in Egypt" (Shem Mi Shmuel). MISC section - contents: [1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Q: I was approached by a friend who was surprised to see your column using an expression that comes straight out of another religion’s writings. Is that permitted? A: We will omit the specific expression, as we will explain later. In truth, I was unaware of the expression’s source. While I have had a lot of exposure to American culture, I am quite ignorant regarding other prevalent religions and do not plan to study them to avoid any such problem. Yet, the question remains: may one knowingly use terms from their texts or lore in a context that is not religious in nature? The Torah forbids us to copy CHUKOT HAGOYIM (gentile practices) (Shulchan Aruch, YD 178:1). It is hard to delineate the extent of this halacha, but let us mention some guidelines. One should not perform a strange or problematic gentile practice, which would indicate that he is doing so to copy them or makes it apparent that the practice is related to the service of their religion (Rama, ad loc.). Logical practices of society are permitted, even if they originate from non-Jewish elements, especially if they are not geared specifically toward the non-Jews (see Igrot Moshe YD I, 81). [Ed. note: Classic example of this is medical personel wearing white coats.] The use of idioms and phrases is a logical practice. However, perhaps the origin in the context of a different religion, not general society, is a problem. A parallel case that is discussed by poskim is using a secular date that is associated with a central event of a different religion. Most poskim permit using these dates,which even appear sporadically in rabbinic literature without incident. The issue was raised prominently by Hungarian poskim at the height of the struggle against the Reform movement. The Maharam Shick (Shut, YD 171) strongly opposed the innovation of writing the gentile date on a tombstone. He considered it a violationof the prohibition to cause others to utter the name of gods of others by extending it to people thinking about other religions’ beliefs, as he felt the date would do. Tzitz Eliezer (VIII, 8) argues that using a date of gentile origin per se is not a problem, even according to the Maharam Shick. Rather the initials that follow, which indicate its religious context, are the issue. The same date in a “pareve” context is not a problem. After all, the Maharam Shick identifies the problem as what one is led to think about, not the practice itself, as it is regarding regular CHUKOT HAGOYIM. Thus, context is crucial. Admittedly, the Tzitz Eliezer (and Yabia Omer III, YD 9 who takes a different approach) while permitting use of the secular date, stresses to do so only when there is a specific need. One should realize that even if a phrase’s source is the sacred books of a certain religion, if its use as a phrase or idiom freely crosses religious lines, it does not represent that religion. One can prove this from our own religious texts, l’havdil elef havdalot. One should not write three words from the Torah without underlining the scroll. Yet, the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 284:2) allows doing so if the words are used as an idiom, not as a reference to the ideas as found in the Torah. Also, one can recite phrases from the Torah in a non-Torah context before reciting BIRKAT HATORAH (Mishna Berura 47:4). Similarly, phrases that emanate from other religions should be able to be removed from their context and status. Let us summarize. One can be respected for avoiding non-Jewish cultural associations in strict adherence to the spirit of the laws of CHUKOT HAGOYIM. Yet, many of us legitimately value the advantages of integration, to the extent permitted by halacha, in the general society of our origin, which has strong roots in other religions. At least when using society’s standard phrases does not conjure up thoughts of the tenets and texts of other religions, it is permitted. We purposely left out examples. Why should we cause the power of suggestion to make people self-conscious about common phrases that good Jews use without giving a second thoughtto their origin? 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 [3] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively) From where did the dove bring the olive leaf? Rabbi Levi son of Kahana says from Eretz Yisrael; Rabbi Levi says from the Mount of Olives. For the Land of Israel was not flooded in the deluge. - Midrash Rabba Following are comments of my saintly teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Rogov which elucidate the Midrash: [4] Wisdom and Wit “Imagine”, he said, “that you know a person who comes to shul only on Yom Kippur. While you would deplore his actions the rest of the year, you still need to acknowledge the fact that at least on Yom Kippur that person comes to shul, and for that reason alone he is praiseworthy. Now, every Jew who lives in Eretz Yisrael is not only in shul each day of the year, but is in fact living in the Palace of the king - Eretz Yisrael - 365 days a year. Surely such a person is praiseworthy for that alone.” “The world is so evil that it is impossible to live in it”, said a man to R’ Wolf of Strikov. 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). [5] Portion for the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum - FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il And yet No'ach drank just a bit too much and he became drunk. In the portion of Bereshit we are warned against eating out of proportion, in the story of No'ach we should learn to be careful about how much we drink (Daat Mikra). Hashem tells us that wine on one hand "gladdens the heart of man" (T'hilim 104:15) but He warns "It is not for Kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink? Lest he drink and forget the decree, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted" (Mishlei 31:4-7). We must be careful around wine. A bit about wine... Making a good wine involves taking a great grape, growing it in the right soil, ushering it through the fermentation process, aging it in the right way, and releasing it at just the right time. There are hundreds of types of wine in the world, each with its own flavors and styles. Red, white and sparkling wines are themost popular, and are also known as light wines, because they only contain approximately 10-14% alcohol. The aperitif (appetizer wine) and dessert wine contain 14-20% alcohol, and are fortified to make them richer and sweeter. The main rule to remember about pairing wine with food is that there are no rules: you should drink the wines you like with the foods you like. That being said, there are some basic guidelines that can help you maximize your enjoyment of wine-food pairing. Generally speaking, the types of wine that go well with fish, chicken, turkey and Chinese food are white wines (which can be very dry to sweet and should be served chilled). Red wines (usually dry) go well with red meats such as beef, roasts, lamb, duck, veal, pastas and sausages. However, this rule is not absolute. For example some white wines might go very well with red meat. Conversely,a particular red wine could be the perfect compliment to your fish cuisine. Rosé wines (also called "pink wines") can be served with almost any dish, but go best with fish, salads, cold cuts, and curries. Sparkling wines can be served at any meal with any course but are best as an aperitif or with certain entrees. They are usually saved for special occasions such as a banquet, formal dinner or wedding. They can be white, red or rosé. Generalizations are simply guidelines developed by professionals within the wine community. Feel free to experiment with different types of wine and food combinations and such things as matching the weight and texture of the food to the weight and texture of the wine, balancing the intensity of flavors in the food and the wine, balancing the tastes of the food to the wine, matching flavors of the food and wine or counterpointing the flavors. And the toast we all make when taking up a cup of wine "L'CHAYIM - to life" has been proven by some researchers to be true. Regular consumption of up to 1-2 drinks (dry red is recommended for this) a day reduces the risk of heart disease. Too much alcohol on the other hand as we see from this week's portion is not advisable. [6] A little Torah reading point... [7] Parsha Points to Ponder - NO'ACH 2) Why does G-D promise No'ach and his sons that animals will fear them (9:2) if that promise was already made to Adam in Parshat Beraishit (see 1:28)? 3) How can the rainbow, a predictable natural phenomenon, serve as the sign of the covenant between G-d and man that we will not experience another flood? THESE ARE THE ANSWERS 1) Rav Dovid Feinstein suggests an answer based on a Gemara regarding the two goats in the Yom Kippur service. The Torah specifically mentions that there were two goats (see Vayikra 16:5) despite this being obvious from the rest of the command to teach us that they must be exactly alike. No'ach's sons turned out quite different from one another. Shem emulated No'ach while Yafet and Cham were influenced negatively by the environment around them to different degrees. The Torah, by emphasizing that there were three sons, is revealing to us that when they were born, they were equals and each had the same spiritual potential. This teaches that no one is born with more or less of an ability to fight this battle and if a person is on guard like Shem, the possibility does exist to fight off the negative influences of the secular culture. 2) The Kli Yakar points to the fact that after the flood G-D permitted people to eat animal meat. As a result, there could be legitimate concern that while animals might have feared man to some degree based on the earlier blessing, they would not willingly submit themselves to be slaughtered to be eaten. Thus, G-D repeats this promise in stronger terms thereby reassuring No'ach and his sons that they would be able to eat the animals. 3) While many of the primary commentators do try to reconcile these two ideas, R' Yehonatan Eibeschutz understands that the Torah is not referring to the regular rainbow which we experience but, rather, to a techelet/blue-colored rainbow. This unique type of rainbow serves as a sign of G-d's covenant because of the similarity between the words TECHEILET and KELAYA which means destruction. Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim, Tiferet, and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and RBS and is the author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith",just re-published by Feldheim, ppp@israelcenter.co.il [8] Torah from Nature [9] Torah KidBits by Yaffa Ganz (©2006) popular author of Jewish children's books, creator of Savta Simcha and other delightful characters. Wow! How many people do you know who are righteous and perfect and who walk with G-d? Not many, I bet. But there are people like that and not just famous rabbis either. The Torah doesn't call No'ach a rabbi or a wise man. So why was he a tzadik and why did he deserve to be saved from the Flood? Well, first of all, we can learn something about No'ach from his name. No'ach comes from the Hebrew word NACH. It means comfort, rest, to be still. The words NACHAT (satisfaction), MENUCHA (rest), and NECHAMA (consolation) all come from the word NACH. It is related to the word CHEIN - pleasant, gracious, agreeable. And indeed, the Midrash tells us that NO'ACH MATZA CHEYN - he found favor with the people of the world and with G-d. He invented the plow and other agricultural tools, and when he was born, the land began to produce better fruits. No'ach was indeed a source of blessing and NACHAT - satisfaction - for the world. No'ach was also TAMIM - perfect and complete. When G-d commanded, No'ach obeyed. He didn't argue, or question, or complain. He did whatever he was told to do, even when he didn't understand. Noach was also a quiet man. The only time we hear him speak is when he blesses his sons after the Flood. For 120 long years before the Flood, while his neighbors laughed and made fun of him for building the ark, he never complained. And even when the Flood began, he had no rest. The Ark was no vacation cruise! No'ach became a full time zoo-keeper. Can you imagine looking after thousands of animals for an entire year? How long did you ever look after just one dog or goldfish or parakeet before you gave up and left the job for your mom? It was a dirty, difficult, thankless job but No'ach never once said: It's not my turn to feed the snakes today. I fed them yesterday - and the day before! Can't someone else do it today? He did whatever he was told to do. And he did the best job he possibly could. Perhaps that's why Noach was both a tzadik and tamim. Because he worked hard and never complained. Because he was always pleasant and gracious and agreeable. The biggest tzadikim are often the quietest, simplest people around. The ones who trust Hashem. The ones who will always help. The ones who work hard and don't ask to be repaid. How many tzadikim do you know? [10] V'tein Tal U'matar Livracha If you remember that you forgot T&M in the Shacharit Amida, for example, anytime during the morning (not just right after the Amida or when you are still davening), then you have to "stand" another Amida. And if it is in the middle of the afternoon that you remember your omission, then you say a second Mincha Amida as TASHLUMIN for Shacharit (as if you didn't say it in the first place). If you catch your omission when you are still in the Amida, then it depends, as follows: This is preferred to repeating one or more brachot, because this too is a good spot for requests (as we know from the other things that are inserted into Sh'ma Koleinu). If you pass the point of insertion in Sh'ma Koleinu, but haven't said G-d's name in the end of the bracha, then say T&M and continue with KI ATA SHOMEI'A... If you finish Sh'ma Koleinu but haven't said the word R'TZEI yet, you can say V'tein Tal U'matar Livracha after SHOMEI'A T'FILA and before R'TZEI. Since you have not begun R'TZEI, it is still considered being in the "brachot of request" section of the Amida, and T&M fits. Once you say the word R'TZEI (and you haven't asked for T&M yet), you must go back to BAREICH ALEINU (not just SH'MA KOLEINU) and say the Amida straight from there. Although this involves repeated brachot you have already said, this is what must be done. This rule applies from R'TZEI until you finish the Amida. That point is either when you finish YI'HU L'RATZON IMREI FI V'HEGYON LIBI L'FANECHA, HASHEM TZURI V'GO'ALI. or when you begin taking your first step back. If it is only then that you realize that you have not said T&M, then you must say the Amida all over again. One should be impressed by the fact that 19 brachot are declared invalid when one omits T&M. After all, the person said "Give a blessing". That's not so bad. Is it? Halacha tells us that without T&M, it is like asking for the opposite of a bracha. And that must be remedied. [11] Divrei Menachem On the face of it, the ideal appears very worthwhile: to reach the skies, to reach closer to G-d. Here is a united front wherein, "the whole earth was of one language and of common purpose". Is that not the most noble of goals? With Hashem's promise never again to destroy the world still fresh in their minds and the Holy Tongue on all their lips (Rashi), this people seemed poised for greatness. Yet the consequences of this plan belied this honorable view of a saintly people. The Akeidat Yitzchak explains that from a Kabbalastic perspective, had the tower been built, the unity between Hashem and His creation would have been disrupted. Thus, measure for measure, the people's unity was destroyed and their predilection materialized. It appears then that the search for unity can be deceiving. It is neither the search nor the acquisition of unity per se that counts. What really matters is that having attained this elusive goal, what will then be achieved? Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH... The Segan and Meir Hakohein bring Shelamim An hour later, surrounded by an accompanying honor guard of young Kohanim, the Kohein Gadol and Meir exited the Mikdash and stepped into the brisk night air. To the cheers of hundreds of thousands, the priestly entourage passed through the Eastern Gate. (After Ne'ila, everybody had gone home, broken their fast, rested a few minutes and returned to as close to Har Habayit as they could get. Even the people who had not spent Yom Kippur in the Mikdash were there, men, women and children.) Filling the vast Har Habayit plaza and the all the adjoining streets, the size of the white-clad throng was unbelievable and growing by the minute. Everybody wanted to celebrate the man who came forth safely from Kodesh Hakodashim and obtained forgiveness of the sins of Am Yisrael. As the priestly entourage slowly inched forward through the adoring crowd, the masses of doting people started to jump up and down. With a spirit of exaltation, they burst into enthusiastic song. "How was he glorified when the people gathered around him, In his coming out of the House of the Veil. So was the visage of the kohen! Then suddenly the heavens lit up; gold, silver, pink, white, green, blue, purple, every color of the rainbow and then some! The sky became full of sparkling celestial wheels, palm trees, waterfalls; there was a barrage of globes, shooting stars, and chrysanthemums. "See, in the old days, the people used to greet their Kohein Gadol carrying torches," whispered Meir, "today, they meet him with fireworks!" At that moment, the Kohein Gadol - Segan decided to bring Shelamim in thanksgiving. He would ask his old friend, Meir Hakohein, to be his partner. Shelamim were one of those Korbanot that could be brought in partnership. The Mishna states, "Shelamim - the 'Peace Offering' are Kodashim Kalim, they were slaughtered anywhere in the Azara and their blood required two acts of sprinkling (which are indeed four) and they could be eaten anywhere in the City (of Jerusalem), by anyone, and cooked for food after any fashion, during two days and a night… (Zevachim 5:7). The term "Shelamim is from the word "Shalom" - peace - because the Shelamim ' bought peace to the world' since the Mizbei'ach, the Kohanim and the Ba'al Hakorban all received their share.' The blood application was similar to the Olah and the Asham, i.e. the blood was thrown on the northeast and southwest corners of the Mizbei'ach. The ministering Kohein took care that the blood splattered on all four sides. The Ba'alei Hakorban brought Shelamim to convey joy and thanksgiving, and after the events of the last couple of months, the Segan felt he had what to be joyous and thankful for. On the appointed morning, the Segan and Meir led a female calf into the Azara. They could just have easily chosen a sheep or goat of either sex for their sacrificial animal. Since Shelamim were sacrifices of a lower level of sanctity - they could be slaughtered anywhere in the Azara, however, because of the superior facilities in the area to the north of the Mizbei'ach, the Segan and Meir took their Shelamim to be slaughtered there. The first Ba'al Hakorban, the Segan, stood behind his sacrificial animal and faced the Bayit. Performing Semicha, he placed both hands on the calf's head and pressed down with all his might all the while reciting words of praise. Then the second Ba'al Hakorban, Meir followed suit. When he finished, they lowered the animal to the floor and opened one of the 24 iron rings embedded in the stone floor and placed the head of the animal inside, "its head to the south and its face to the west." The Segan made use of his newly honed Shechita abilities and slaughtered the calf while Meir Hakohein caught the blood in a Kli Shareit, brought it to the Mizbei'ach, and tossed it on the northeast and southwest corners. He poured the remaining blood in the vessel into one of the two holes in the southwest corner of the Yesod. Naftali, the chief Shocheit of the Mikdash, swiftly dismembered the slaughtered animal and the three Kohanim "waved" the Emurim (the portions burnt on the Mizbei'ach), the breast and the right hind thigh. Taking salt from a pile on the Kevesh, the Kohanim salted the Emurim and tossed them into the fire on the Mizbei'ach. The remainder of the calf's meat belonged to the Ba'alei Hakorban and Naftali expertly removed the sciatic nerve from the hindquarters. It was a wonderful evening. Family, friends, and neighbors (all in a state of purity) gathered on Meir Hakohein's spacious veranda overlooking Har Habayit. The massive gold and white Bayit dominated the horizon. The Segan, Meir Hakohein and some of the guests took turns in giving Divrei Torah. As the meat of the Shelamim roasted, Meir's gracious wife Yehudit saw to her guest's comfort. In fact, she even gave a Devar Torah of her own! Before they made Hamotzi, everyone dipped their hands in the Mikveh that Meir, like so many other Kohanim, had on his premises. This immersion of the hands had been ordained by the Sages before the eating of Kodashim. And as the evening progressed, interspersed between the songs, the Segan and Meir said words of praise. 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 TTRIDDLES... Last issue’s (B'reishit) TTriddles: This week's TTriddles: Israel Center Miscellany Judaism A-Z Hotline Who's Who and What's What - The People and Programs of OU Israel by Rabbi Avi Baumol, Director of OU Israel Communities “Kum Hit-halech BaAretz” – One of the most important, exciting, and popular "locations" n the Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • Jerusalem World Center, is the Travel Desk. Day in day out Naomi at the desk is fielding calls, meeting with people, booking times and filling up buses. To what do we attribute such resounding success? Two special women offer an answer. The Torah imperative to explore the land is taken very seriously by Shulamit Neaman and Naomi Liebersohn. Shulamit and her husband Yehoshua and family started volunteering at the Israel Center so many years ago she can’t remember when. She made Aliya from New York 34 years ago, and lives in Ramot Eshkol. She has organized hundreds of Tiyulim over the years in an effort to educate and inspire. She says that by strengthening your knowledge of the Land you increase your love of the Land and you get closer to God through appreciating His special gift to His nation. When Shulamit chooses destinations for tiyulim, every corner of the land is considered. Whether learning about the 2000 year old Jewish community in Ein Gedi, or revealing the beauty of the nature in the Galil, Shulamit is certain every tiyul will be an adventure as well as a spiritual experience, by hiring tour guides who possess a great love for the Land, a pleasant and entertaining disposition, and a Tanach under their arms. Planning the tiyul is one aspect of the desk, but nothing would get done if it weren’t for Naomi, the in house coordinator. She is the voice of the Travel Desk, concerning all matters relating to traveling throughout the country and learning about our heritage. Of the most attended and most often sold out Tiyulim are trips to evacuees of Gush Katif communities to show support to these heroic people, and to learn about how the communities are grappling with the traumatic issues they faced and how to rebuild. This month, groups will be going with David Magence on November 4th to trace the steps of Sir Moses Montefiore as well as a trip north with Avi Dobuler on November 14th to Caesarea, the Atlit detention camp and the Jewish Legion Museum. So call Naomi at the Travel Desk, sign up for a tiyul planned by Shulamit, and enjoy excellent guides giving inspiring accounts of the holiness and uniqueness of Eretz Yisrael. NESTO Native English-Speaking Teen Olim Jr. NESTO is for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders, Travel Desk: 566-7787 ext. 261 And to help you - whether you live in Israel or abroad -make hotel reservations throughout Israel (thru Efrat Tours - www.efratour.co.il). At your service SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY Call Naomi at the Israel Center Travel Desk, 566-7787 ext. 261; fax: 566-0156 • tiyul@israelcenter.co.il - *if you call outside Travel Desk hours, or if we miss your call for any reason, please leave a message and we will return your call. LUNCH? When a tiyul says “bring your own lunch”, you can order one instead from the Israel Center Cafe. When you make your reservation for the tiyul, request a box lunch, or call the CAFE (ext. 257) up to the day before the 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. BOOKED? When a tiyul is listed as BOOKED - you can call to be wait-listed; if you call, you will be called back if there is a cancellation, if we add a bus, or when we fix a new date for the tiyul. CANCELLATION POLICIES: We reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee in case of last-minute cancellations. Also... Price of tiyul is based on a minimum number of participants. STUDENTS FROM ABROAD: Parents visiting you this year? If so, speak to us! (566-7787 ext. 261) to see if we have any tiyulim or Shabbatonim (call Ita Rochel ext. 204) that they might be interested in. KASHRUT POLICY: Food for Israel Center In-House programs is supervised by OU-in-Israel-Mehadrin. Israel Center sponsored trips and programs are Mehadrin. Hotels, restaurants, and tiyulim advertised by outside parties are not necessarily Mehadrin and are not endorsed by the OU or the Israel Center. Calls from abroad: Due to time differences, we recommend that people from abroad fax 972-2-5660156 for attention of Travel Desk or email tiyul@israelcenter.co.il. Please be sure to include email or fax number for reply, in addition to phone number. Jerusalem Month by Month - CHESHVAN led by DAVID MAGENCE our exceptional licensed guide; this time - MOTSA'EI SHABBAT, November 4th from 7:30-9:30pm (approx), "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE" - Establishment of the first neighborhood outside the Walled City. This took place in the month of Heshvan 1860 (=5621)(and Sir Monetfiore was also born during this month), We will visit the famous windmill, the Montefiore Carriage, Mishkenot Shaananim and Yemin Moshe, The Panoramic View of the area is breathtaking in itself. You must register in advance, Call travel desk 566-7787 ext. 261 • NIS36 members / 40 non-members “The Loss and Recovery of Jewish Sovereignty in Eretz Yisrael” featuring Avi Dobuler, veteran licensed tour guide Visit the Jewish Legion Museum - Zeev Jabotinsky & Joseph Trumpeldor worked tirelessly to form a Jewish unit within the British Army to free Eretz Yisrael from the Turkish Ottoman Empire learn about Caesaria - the port city built by King Herod and used as the Roman Procurators’s office. See the new Visitors’ Center, with lovely time machine film, hologram discussions with historical personalities & watch the ruins come alive in a virtual presentation tour the Atlit detention camp - hear about the heart-rending plight of Holocaust survivors who went from barbed wire concentration camps of the Nazis to a barbed wire detention camp of the British in the surviviors’ attempt to come to Eretz Yisrael Bring your own lunch • 160/175NIS • Call the Travel Desk to sign up - 566 7787 x 261 The Palmach Museum, Tel Aviv with Nachman Kupietzky; Wednesday, December 20th Chanuka - Check-in 10:30am • Leave Center 10:45am PROMPTLY • Return 3:30pm (approx.), See the newest state-of-the-art museum vividly portraying the pre-state defense army of Israel, 85NIS (100NIS non-members) • must pay in advance, Limit: 25 people • Call Travel Desk (ext. 261) to reserve The Back Page of TT737 Schedule for Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat, 5-12 Cheshvan (OCT 27 - NOV 3) Friday Shabbat day Motza'ei Shabbat SUN-Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Upcoming at the Israel Center The next Monthly Mini Health Luncheon will be IY"H on Monday, November 6th at 12:30 (at the Israel Center) featuring international authority in education visiting guest lecturer from USA - Dr. Gertrude Webb: "HOW YOUR AMAZING BRAIN REMEMBERS... RECALLS AND RETRIEVES!" cosponsored by the Israel Center and Moadon Sanhedria - an affiliate of Jerusalem Municipality - Shulamit Neaman, Coordinator; call Naomi at the travel desk for Reservations - 566-7787 ext. 261, NIS25 per person, We will be saluting Dr. Morris Mandel, famous author, journalist, lecturer, for his years of devoted service to the Jewish community worldwide Yesha Fair Monday Nov 6, 10:00-15:00 • Judaica, gifts, cosmetics, olive oil, paper products, wines, cookies • Organic eggs, organic whole wheat flour, parve soup mix w/o MSG (must order from Avi this week 052-233-0081 for pickup on Nov 6th) UPCOMING in November The biennial convention of the Orthodox Union is taking place IY"H at the Jerusalem Renaissance Hotel from Wednesday evening thru Sunday morning, November 22-26; The OU family in Israel (that includes OU Israel Center members) are invited to join the convention participants for the Convention Shabbaton - Shabbat Parshat Toldot, November 24-25 at a subsidized rate, as follows: Invitation: In addition to the Convention Shabbat opportunity, members of the OU family in Israel are invited to join convention participants for shiurim and sessions throughout the convention. NCSY Alumni Reunion Melave Malka - Motza'ei Shabbat November 25th, Jerusalem Renaissance Hotel - Enjoy a great evening together with old NCSY friends from throughout Israel as well as hundreds attending the OU Convention from abroad 9:00pm - Welcoming and All Star Alumni Concert featuring: Alan Freishtat who will do a show on music sung at NCSY from when he was the band (70s - '82) OU ISRAEL CENTER [The Parshat No'ach Homepage]
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