Shabbat Parshat Korach - M'vorchim June 19-203, 2009 - 28 Sivan 5769 This Shabbat is the 264th day (of 354), 38th Shabbat (of 50) of 5769 Chutz LaAretz - Parshat Sh'lach - third perek of Pirkei Avot 4th perek of Pirkei Avot in Israel ...CHAIM SHE'YIMALEI HASHEM MISHALOT LIBEINU L'TOVA, AMEIN SELA. Orthodox Union OU Kashrut • NCSY • Jewish Action • NJCD / Yachad / Our Way • IPA • Synagogue Support Services • OURadio.org • Young Leadership • Project Areivim • OU West Coast Stephen Savitsky, President, Orthodox Union Harvey Blitz, Chairman of the Board, Orthodox Union Rabbi Steven Weil, Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Exec. V.P. Emeritus Headquarters: 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212-563-4000 • website: www.ou.org OU ISRAEL Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • Jerusalem World Center Founders and initial benefactors of the Israel Center: George z"l and Ilse Falk OU Israel Center programs • Makom BaLev • Lev Yehudi • Pearl & Harold M. Jacobs ZULA Center • Machon Maayan • NESTO • The Jack Gindi Oraita Program • Mashiv HaRuach • OU Kashrut Israel Yitzchak Fund, President, OU Israel Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President Stuart Hershkowitz, Vaad member Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member Zvi Sand, Vaad member Harvey Wolinetz, Vaad member Rabbi Avi Berman, Director-General, OU Israel David Katz, CFO, OU Israel Menachem Persoff, Director of Programs, Israel Center Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor 22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem 91370 phone: (02) 560 9100 • fax: (02) 566-0156 email: office@ouisrael.org • website: www.ouisrael.org Torah Tidbits and many of the projects of OU Israel are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel Founders and initial benefactors of the Israel Center: George z”l and Ilse Falk Torah Tidbits Phil Chernofsky, editor • tt@ouisrael.org • (02) 560-9100 ext. 124 Advertising: Ita Rochel • ttads@ouisrael.org • (02) 560-9100 ext. 125 Torah Tidbits is produced, printed*, collated, and folded in-house at the Israel Center TT Distribution • ttdist@ouisrael.org • 0505-772-111 website: www.ou.org/torah/tt Ranges are 10 days, WED-FRI 25 Sivan - 4 Tamuz (June 17-26) Earliest Talit & T'filin 4:34-4:36am Sunrise 5:34-5:36am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:06-9:08am (Magen Avraham: 8:11-8:13am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:17-10:19am (Magen Avraham: 9:40-9:42am) Chatzot 12:40-12:42pm (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 1:16-1:18pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 6:18-6:19½pm Sunset 7:51-7:53pm (based on sea level: 7:46-7:48pm) Candle Lighting (Earliest candle lighting - PLAG) and Havdala times - Israel Summer Time Correct for TT 864 - Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 9:15pm 7:12 (6:19) Yerushalayim 8:30pm 7:28 (6:20) S'derot 8:32pm 7:27 (6:19) Gush Etzion 8:30pm 7:29 (6:21) Raanana 8:33pm 7:27 (6:19) Beit Shemesh 8:31pm 7:28 (6:20) Rehovot 8:32pm 7:29 (6:21) Netanya 8:34pm 7:25 (6:19) Be'er Sheva 8:30pm 7:28 (6:20) Modi'in 8:32pm 7:12 (6:20) Petach Tikva 8:33pm 7:12 (6:18) Maale Adumim 8:30pm 7:28 (6:20) Ginot Shomron 8:32pm 7:27 (6:19) Gush Shiloh 8:31pm 7:26 (6:18) K4 & Hevron 8:30pm 7:27 (6:19) Giv'at Ze'ev 8:31pm 7:28 (6:20) Yad Binyamin 8:32pm 7:29 (6:21) Ashkelon 8:33pm 7:19 (6:20) Tzfat 8:33pm NOTES: 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 * Important clarifications concerning the Candle Lighting times Petach Tikva officially accepts upon itself to light Shabbat candles according to the Jerusalem custom. (This is due to the fact that the Ashkenazi community of PT was founded by people from Jerusalem who brought their customs with them.) Up until this week, we understood that to mean that in PT one lights candles 40 minutes before sunset, just like we do in Jerusalem. We contacted the Religious Council in PT and found out that the official candle lighting time for PT is the same as Jerusalem's (not 40 min. before sunset, but the same time as J'lem). Petach Tikvians (or whatever they are called) must realize that their sunset is earlier than Jerusalem's and therefore they do NOT have 40 minutes after the posted time until sunset - more like 30-35. So too for Maale Adumim. They light candles at the same time as J'lem too. Sunset is also earlier in Maalei Adumim. One of the rabbis from Ascent of Safed (that's Tzfat) told us that there are differing opinions concerning when Candle Lighting is there. All say 30 min. before sunset, but some say the sunset that does not take into account the elevation of Tzfat, and some say to use the sunset time that does take elevation into account. We print the earlier time, in case. Halachic Zmanim and Shabbat times in Torah Tidbits are calculated by CHAZON SHAMAYIM, a computer program by R' Eitan Zakuni of Netivot. The latest version (beta), called HAZON NET is available as a free download on www.sky-view.co.il 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... Sivan has 30 days in our fixed calendar. Consequently, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz is two days - the 30th of Sivan and the first of Tammuz. Rosh Chodesh Tammuz is on Yom Sheini and Yom Sh'lishi (Monday and Tuesday, June 22,23). The molad is Mon 20h 35m 4p, which is Monday, June 22nd, 9:14pm Israel Summer Time. HAMOLAD YIH-YEH B’LEIL SHISHI*, SHLOSHIM V’CHAMEISH DAKOT V’ARBAA CHALAKIM ACHAREI SHMONE. * Leil Sh'lishi is the night before Tuesday - what we call Monday night. In Rambam notation: TUESDAY 2:634 Actual molad: Monday, 10:35pm ROSH CHODESH TAMZ YIH-YEH B'YOM SHENI* UVYOM SHLISHI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA: *Don't say U’L’MACHRATO between days unless Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat-Sun. For your information... Rosh Chodesh Tamuz can be MON-TUE (28.5%), WED-THU (28%), THU-FRI (11.5%), or Shabbat-SUN (32%) Ramban on the Korach Rebellion Sometimes, an SDT (Short Dvar Torah) will do the trick. Sometimes, an LDT is necessary to make a point or clarify something. And once in a while, to avoid the risk of a point or clarification getting lost within the Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary, a Lead Tidbit is required to do the job. This one started with the question as to when the Korach episode that we read in this week's sedra actually happened. Knowing that can give us an insight into the dynamics of rebellion and the challenge of authority in general and religious authority in particular. The obvious answer as to when Korach rebelled is right when the Torah tells us about it - sometime shortly after the Sin of the Spies. And most commentaries seem to say so. No need to claim that the Torah is out of chronological order unless there is a compelling reason to suggest it, and invoke the famous - EIN SEIDER MUKDAM UM'UCHAR BATORAH, the Torah does not (necessarily) record things in the order in which they occurred. In this case, the Ibn Ezra seems to be in the minority by saying that Korach's rebellion took place right after the exchange of the Leviyim for the firstborns of the rest of the tribes. That is when his role as a Levi was set down and distinguished from the role of Aharon and his sons. Ramban quotes the Ibn Ezra, but disputes the timing of the rebellion. Ramban says that at the time of the Sanctification of the Leviyim, Moshe Rabeinu was "popular" among the people and a challenge to his authority would not find allies within the population. Korach was angered at that earlier time - with the appointment of his younger cousin as head of the K'hat family unit (and his envy of Aharon's position), but he chose to wait for a better time to challenge Moshe. That opportunity presented itself in the aftermath of the Sin of the Spies. The people saw, for the first time, that Moshe's petition to G-d for forgiveness on behalf of the people did not completely work. They were being punished; the decree against that generation was severe. This time suited Korach well. And Datan and Aviram took the position that Moshe's promises of going into the land of Israel were not true because of the decree against that generation because of their panic at the report of the Meraglim. And even when Moshe was vindicated, the cost in lives of the people was high. All the more to give credit to Korach's sons for siding with Moshe. KORACH STATS 38th of the 54 sedras; 5th of 10 in Bamidbar Written on 184 lines in a Torah (ranks 32nd) 13 Parshiyot; 7 open and 6 closed 95 p'sukim - ranks 39th (9th of 10 in Bamidbar) 1409 words - ranks 36th (9th of 10) 5325 letters - ranks 35th (9th of 10) Above average in words & letters per pasuk. Korach is a short sedra (in a Book with many long sedras) with fairly long p'sukim (in a Book with lots of short-pasuk sedras) Mitzvot 9 mitzvot of 613; 5 positive and 4 prohibitions 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 - 13 p'sukim - 16:1-13 [P> 16:1 (19)] "And Korach took". Commentators suggest different meanings for this phrase: Korach took himself away from Moshe and the mainstream population, to challenge Moshe's authority; Korach took some of his fellow Leviyim and some Reuvenites with him in his rebellion against Moshe; Korach "took with words" (i.e. persuaded) others to join his rebellion; Korach "took apart" - split the people between himself and Moshe. SDT: Korach is identified as the son of Yitzhar, grandson of K'hat, great grandson of Levi. It is quite unusual to identify biblical personalities that way. Rashi points out that the lineage mentioned in the pasuk stops before reaching Yaakov Avinu who foresaw Korach's wickedness and pleaded with G-d not to be included in the Torah's account of Korach's deeds. On the other hand, it reached back to Levi because Korach's being from Levi was the major factor involved in the whole episode. Korach, Datan & Aviram and On b. Pelet (who backed out in time) challenge Moshe's authority. Korach enlists 250 men to publicize his/their "cause". Ponder this... Korach was a first cousin of Moshe and Aharon. He felt slighted by the fact that both top positions - the leadership and Kohen Gadolship - went to two of his uncle Amram's sons (Moshe & Aharon) and the leadership of the K'hat family went to another cousin, the son of Korach's father's younger brother - Elitzafan b. Uziel. Korach found sympathy for his cause within the tribe of Reuven because Reuven himself was passed over for the leadership (which went to Yehuda), the birthright (Yosef received the double portion of the firstborn in the form of the tribes of Efrayim and Menashe) and the Kehuna/Leviya went to Levi. This is not to whitewash Korach's actions, but to show some of his motivation. Moshe proposes a test - both Aharon and Korach's people will offer incense before G-d and G-d will indicate whom He chooses. Moshe tries to talk Korach out of his fight by telling him that being a Levi is special - why show dissatisfation and ingratitude by seeking more? Moshe then calls for Datan & Aviram, but they arrogantly refuse Moshe's summons. SDT: Sources tell us that Korach taunted Moshe Rabeinu with two mocking questions - A talit made completely of T'cheilet, does it require Tzitzit (with the T'cheilet strand)? A house filled with Torah scrolls, does it require a mezuza? Both questions pointed to the same argument: A Nation of holy people, people who heard G-d's Voice at Sinai, do they require holy leaders? The basis of suggesting the talit question is the juxtaposition of the Korach episode to the portion of Tzitzit at the end of last week's sedra. Kli Yakar suggests that the mezuza question is alluded to by the description of Datan & Aviram arrogantly standing at the doorway of their tent and mocking G-d's commandments and Moshe's leadership. The answer, in fact, is that Tzitzit with T'cheilet is required of every four-cornered garment, even one made totally of T'cheilet wool. And a dwelling (and other types of rooms) requires a Mezuza, regardless of how many Sifrei Torah are in the room. A homiletical "explanation" of the significance of a Mezuza on the doorpost of a room filled with Sifrei Torah and other holy books, is that the holiness represented by the content of the room (and the Torah study done there) are, by definition, internal. It remains within the "four walls of the Beit Midrash". The Mezuza placed on the doorpost represents the spread of the Torah and its holiness to the outside world. This extension of the domain of sanctity to the "outside world" is an important challenge for the Torah community. (Heard from Rabbi Asaf Bednarsh) Levi - Second Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 16:14-19 Datan & Aviram, two people with a long record of evil behavior, com- pounded their wickedness with the unpardonable affront to the Land of Israel by referring to Egypt as "the land flowing with milk and honey" that Moshe took us out of, to "kill us in the wilderness". Moshe angrily asks G-d not to accept the incense offerings of Korach's group. Moshe then reiterates the challenge to Korach. Korach gathers the People to witness the "showdown"; the 250 people and Aharon will each have the special vessel onto which they will place a glowing coal, onto which they will put the incense and they will all be standing at the entrance to the Ohel Mo'ed. G-d's "glory" was revealed to the People. SDT: The Gemara tells us that when Korach challenged Moshe's authority, it was the Sun and the Moon that appeared before G-d and said: If you side with the son of Amram (i.e. Moshe), then we will continue to shine; if not, we stop shining. What is the significance of this statement from the Gemara? One commentator points out that the Sun and the Moon were originally of equal greatness, and the Moon was diminished because "two kings cannot rule with one crown". This was exactly one of the problems with Korach's arguments, so the Sun and Moon were particularly appropriate participants in this issue. Notice that not only must the sun acknowledge the situation, but so must the moon. Korach's downfall was his lack of acceptance of a moon-like role. Most Aliya breaks happen at Parsha breaks. This is reasonable to expect. When an Aliya break occurs in the middle of a parsha, and more so, in the middle of a small number of p'sukim that are telling us one episode - then we can pause for a moment and try to see if our attention is being called to something specific. The Aliya-break between Kohein and Levi comes right in the middle of the confrontation between Moshe and Datan & Aviram. Rabbi Sholom Gold points out that the break separates a reference to Egypt as a land flowing with milk and honey with a reference to Eretz Yisrael with the same description. These need be separated, just as one would say L'HAVDIL. Or maybe... When an Aliya break occurs, it gives us - the people who are listening to Torah Reading - pause to reflect on what just "happened". Our attention is drawn to the last pasuk or so, and we can focus on it while the gabbai is calling the next person to the Torah (and blessing the previous Oleh). Datan and Aviram had just called Egypt a land flowing with milk and honey. They mocked G-d (Who uses that term for Eretz Yisrael), they mocked Moshe, and they mocked Eretz Yisrael. As terrible as the Meraglim were with their report and recommendation about Eretz Yisrael, at least they acknowledged the beauty and specialness of the Land. They said that the Land was truly flowing with milk and honey. One has time during the Aliya break to be justly enraged by the behavior of Datan and Aviram... and perhaps by those Jews today who unfortunately, echo their sentiments. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 24 p'sukim - 16:20-17:8 [S> 16:20 (3)] G-d tells Moshe and Aharon to separate themselves from the rest of the People so that He will destroy them. Moshe - even while being upset in the extreme with the challenge to his own integrity - pleads on behalf of the People before G-d, asking Him not to punish the multitude because of the sins of an individual. [S> 16:23 (13)] Moshe warns the People to separate themselves (physically and psychologically) from Korach and his followers lest they be included in the punishment to come. Moshe declares that all will know that G-d has sent him to do all that he does. If these wicked people shall die in a way that others have died, then G-d has not sent Moshe. But if G-d will "provide" a new creation and the earth will open its mouth and swallow Korach and company and all that belongs to them, then all will know that these people have truly rebelled against G-d. As Moshe finished these words, the earth beneath them split, opened and swallowed all with Korach. (Implication from the p'sukim is that the People did not actually die but left this world in this unusual and miraculous manner.) The People shouted in panic when they witnessed what was happening. A Divine fire consumed the 250 incense offerers. [S> 17:1 (5)] G-d tells Moshe to tell Elazar b. Aharon to collect the fire-pans and scatter the burning coals. The copper from the pans was to be used to plate the Mizbei'ach as a reminder that a non-Kohen must not attempt to usurp the Kohen's authority. In general, the Torah warns us not to be like Korach and his gang, and not to suffer their fate. [P> 17:6 (3)] The next day, the People, fearing retribution, complained against Moshe for killing (part of) G-d's Nation. G-d's Cloud descended upon the Ohel Mo'ed and Moshe and Aharon went there for instructions. SDT: The earth not only swallowed Korach's gang, but their possessions as well. The message, says IMREI SHEFER, is that one's wealth often causes a person to be arrogant. This, in turn, leads sometimes to challenging authority. The people's possessions were not innocent bystanders, so to speak, to Korach's rebellion, they were the instigators. Note that in Korach's rebellion we see not only two punishments, but two very different kinds of punishments, which, in turn, reflect the types of sin. Datan and Aviram and their ilk were plunged down into the bowels of the Earth. But the 250 K'toret-offerers were honorable people. They were godly. The Torah testifies to that when we are first introduced to them. They honestly believed that they were making proper offerings to G-d. Otherwise, they would not have risked their lives. They must have been surprised to have failed! Their sin was reaching TOO high towards the Divine. And their punishment was to be struck down by Divine fire (as had been Nadav and Avihu). Here's another thought... Moshe was chosen by G-d to lead the people. True. And he will always be on a higher level than the rest of us. We, not G-d, elevated Moshe even higher. We decided that we did not want to hear the "Voice of G-d" anymore and we requested that Moshe tell us what G-d wants of us, and we would comply. Originally, G-d spoke to all of Israel. That was the plan. And that put all of Israel on the level of prophecy. With Moshe as the chief prophet. We forfeited our direct communication with G-d, and we made Moshe the ONLY prophet. (Let's not complicate the issue with the 70 elders who shared Moshe's prophecy, like candles that are lit from a single burning candle.) The Gemara says that the "deal" that the People of Israel made at Sinai concerning not having direct communication from G-d, was an irrevocable, forever deal. Korach wanted to change his mind. Perhaps he was no longer confident that Moshe could actually bring the People into Eretz Yisra'el, after the whole Meraglim fiasco. The merit of this theory is that it balances the motivations of Korach's gang. Datan and Aviram were BAD. The K'toret bringers probably weren't evil. R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 7 p'sukim - 17:9-15 [S> 17:9 (7)] Once again G-d "suggests" that He destroy the People. This time Moshe does not plead with G-d on their behalf but immediately instructs Aharon to burn incense on coals from the Altar and that he should pass among the People to stop the plague that had already begun. This quick action stopped the plague which had already claimed 14,700 lives, not counting those who perished in the Korach incident. Sometimes, in times of trouble, Moshe prays to G-d extensively. His prayer after the Sin of the Golden Calf is an example of long prayer. We can even say that it was a prayer that lasted 40 days and nights. When Miriam was stricken with Tzora'at, Moshe uttered a short 5-word (11-letter) prayer for her wellbeing - KEIL NA R'FA NA LAH. And at this point in Parshat Korach, Moshe senses that prayer will not work - swift action is called for. On another note, let's take a look at the three "big" sins of the Wandering period: Golden Calf, Spies, Korach. Combining different ideas in the commentaries, we can suggest the following: The Sin of the Golden Calf represents sins against G-d. He can be, and often is, most forgiving for that kind of sin. The sin of the spies was an affront to Eretz Yisrael. This, so to speak, G-d considered a graver sin, and was less forgiving. Korach's rebellion was directed against Moshe. A BEIN ADAM L'CHAVEIRO sin. These are the kinds of sins that G-d is least willing to forgive. The same observation has been made in comparing the Flood, which came as a result of a breakdown in society, with the Tower of Babel, where people united to rebel against G-d. The punishments were not comparable. Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 9 p'sukim - 17:16-24 [P> 17:16 (9)] G-d tells Moshe to speak to the People and take a staff from each of the tribal leaders, the staff to be inscribed with the leader's (or tribe's - dispute) name. Aharon's name was to be inscribed on the staff of Levi. The staffs were to be placed in the Ohel Mo'ed. The person whom G-d shall choose, his staff shall blossom; this manifestation of G-d's choice shall hopefully put an end to the complaints and confusion of the People. The People did as instructed and the staffs were placed in the "Tent of Testimony" overnight. On the following day, Aharon's staff had blossomed. Moshe showed the staffs to the People and each tribe took its staff back. Ramban explains that there were 12 rods, including that of Levi, on which Aharon's name was inscribed. This means that one of the rods was for Yosef, rather than having separate ones for Efrayim and Menashe. Ramban states that this is always the case: there are 12 tribes - sometimes, Levi is not included, in which case Efrayim and Menashe are separate; sometimes Levi is included and Yosef is considered a single tribe. Ramban also says that the Torah is stressing that Levi is one unified tribe - not Leviyim and Kohanim separately - with one tribal leader - namely, Aharon HaKohen. Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 24 p'sukim - 17:25-18:20 [P> 17:25 (2)] G-d tells Moshe to return Aharon's staff to the Mishkan as a reminder to the People not to rebel or complain. Moshe does as instructed. [P> 17:27 (2)] The People express their feelings of despondency and fear of Divine punishment for their various lapses. [S> 18:1 (7)] G-d reiterates that the Kohanim and Leviyim hold special positions and have the responsibility to avoid risking their lives by overstepping their bounds. Leviyim are required to guard the Mikdash [388,A22 18:4] (Honor guard). [There were 24 watchposts, 21 of which were manned by Leviyim; three were within the Beit HaMikdash and were manned by Kohanim.] Kohanim and Leviyim are forbidden to perform each others sacred tasks [389,L72 18:3]. A non-Kohen/Levi may not work in the Beit HaMikdash [390,L74 18:4]. It is forbidden to disregard the obligations of the Beit HaMik dash honor-guard [391,L67 18:5]. [P> 18:8 (13)] The Torah next lists several gifts that are given to the Kohen - the meat of certain korbanot, t'ruma, bikurim, conse crated objects, the firstborn of kosher farm animals and the redemption/exchange for a firstborn donkey. Firstborn humans are to be redeemed for 5 silver shekels [392,A80 18:15]. Firstborn cow/goat/sheep may not be redeemed [393,L108 18:17], but must be given to a kohein who must bring it as a korban within a year (if unfit for the Altar, the b'chor is the possession of the kohen without restrictions). All gifts of the kehuna (24 in number) are for Aharon and his descendants in perpetuity. However, the Kohen does not receive a portion of land in Israel. (This is the basis of the complex intertwined relationship between kohen and non-kohen.) Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya - 12 p'sukim - 18:21-32 [S> 18:21 (4)] The Levi is to receive tithe (a tenth of produce) from all Israelites. (The 10% is to be taken AFTER the T'ruma was taken off for the Kohen, which is about 2%.) This is his due in exchange for his work in the Mikdash. Leviyim also do not receive land (except for 48 cities around the country); their role is that of spiritual functionaries. They receive Ma'aser in lieu of a portion of land. The service of the Leviyim in the Mikdash constitutes a positive mitzva [394,A23 18:23]. So too it is a mitzva to give Ma'aser Rishon to a Levi [395,A127 18:24]. [P> 18:25 (8)] In turn, the Levi is commanded to give a tenth of his tenth to a kohen [396,A129 18:26]. This is known as T'rumat Ma'aser or Ma'aser Min HaMa'aser. This mitzva is performed in a technical way nowadays in Eretz Yisrael to permit the balance of the produce to us. Note the very sobering end of the sedra. The Korach story is depressing enough, but as a once-upon-a-time, a long time ago, we can keep our distance. Not so the mitzva-content of the sedra. There's no fooling around. We don't do these mitzvot, we die. Keep the mitzvot and we will live. Very strongly put. It partially means, learn the Korach lesson, because it isn't just a story - it applies to each of us. The last three p'sukim of the sedra are reread for the Maftir. Haftara - 24 p'sukim - Shmuel Alef 11:14-12:22 Shmuel HaNavi renews the kingship of Shaul HaMelech, but he reminds the people that it is a bad idea to have a human king in the first place. He also recounts some of the backsliding and punishments of the people from the time of Moshe (this is a major connection to the sedra), and challenges the people to impugn his behavior over the years. This too has a parallel to Moshe's being upset that the people would rebel against him after all he did for them. Striking among the common points between sedra and haftara is the invoking of a miracle to "back up" his credentials. The unexpected violent storm, then, parallels in a way, the flowering stick and the Earth opening to swallow Korach's gang. And, another connection - Shmuel was a descendant of Korach. This is not just a fact of genealogy; it is one of the factors in Korach's decision to rebel. He "saw" that Shmuel was to descend from him, Shmuel who would be the equal of Moshe and Aharon (whatever that exactly means) and he considered his complaints of not having a high position of authority as justified. THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW, Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 480 The Waiting Period In the last lesson it was stated that after a woman is divorced or widowed she must wait 90 days before she can get married again. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, one of the truly great decisors of halacha in the 20th century had the following case that was presented to him for final decision (Kislev 20, 5712; 1951). The inquiry came from a well known orthodox rabbi. (See Igres Moshe volume 3, Even haEzer part 1, response 28. A woman was divorced many years earlier in the civil courts of the State of New York. She also went to a person who Rabbi Feinstein identifies only as a "wicked person who calls himself an orthodox rabbi). Having lived in Brooklyn at the time that this response was written, it is easy to know who this wicked so called rabbi was referred to. This so called rabbi gave her a piece of paper and told her it was her "get" divorce decree and with that piece of paper she can remarry. Obviously she did not have a valid get resulting from the dastardly act that this wicked person performed. All she had was a scrap of paper saying she can remarry. When she thereafter made inquiry she was told that the "get" she had in hand was not a get at all. She contacted some real rabbis who arranged for her to obtain a valid get from her husband. She now has a valid get in hand and wants to remarry. From when does the 90-day waiting period begin - from the day that she obtained the invalid get or from the time that she obtained a valid get. She and her new fiance will not wait to get married. His father is deathly ill and will not survive if they wait for the end of 90 days from the valid get, and they want him to live to see his son married. Rabbi Feinstein sees a way to enable them to get married without having to wait 90 days from the date of the valid get. Since the facts of this case are not usual, there are circumstances where unusual cases may have exceptions to the regular rules. There is no danger of there being confusion who the father is if she gets married, since the first so called divorce happened many years ago. Thus the major reason for the 90-day wait period has been removed. He cites an unusual situation where a couple got married and then it was discovered that they were prohibited to be married to each other, and if the bride was a minor there was no reason to wait to get remarried. He says that a similar situation would have prevailed if he was a kohen who married a divorcee. In these situations where the marriage was performed in error, to prohibit her from getting married now would be an unusual situation and the decree does not cover unusual situations. There is no situation that can be more unusual than the current case. Where this so called orthodox rabbi gave her a slip of paper authorizing her to get remarried without a valid get; this is an unusual occurrence so that the regular rules do not apply. Also her divorce in the secular courts of the State of New York went back many years, it is obvious that the rules for the waiting period do not apply in this case. There is a ruling of Chatam Sofer, (Rabbi Moshe Sofer, who quotes Maharam Lublin in a decision where a first get, divorce decree, named the husband as being a Levite, which he was not. A second get was written sometime thereafter omitting that the husband was a Levite and Rabbi Meir Lublin held she did not have to wait the 90-day period to get remarried. To mistakenly refer to the husband as a Levite is something that is not usual, and the decree in the case to wait is thus not applicable to unusual situations. All the more so in the present case that it is highly unusual so that the decree to wait does not apply. There are some who question the holding of R. Meir of Lublin, because they hold that a mistake in a name is not that unusual so the decree of waiting applies, but in our case it is unusual for a get not to be worth anything that the decree of waiting does not apply at all. There are those who say that it may not be unusual for people who are not knowledgeable to hold themselves out to be knowledgeable and to allegedly divorce the husband and wife. But to give the wife a paper saying that she may get married based on this piece paper is not at all usual. Especially where the groom's father is deadly ill, there is no obstacle for their getting married without having to wait. Rabbi Feinstien cites a further reason that he heard from the great Torah giant Rabbi Eliyahu Henkin. The civil courts would not have granted a divorce if they were living together. Rabbi Henkin is apparently correct since the Talmudic passage dealing with the entire question of waiting does not state that this rule applies in all situations. The Talmudic passage enumerates twelve situations where there must be a waiting period even if it is obvious that she is not pregnant: "A married woman who wanted to spend time at her father's house; or who had some angry quarrel at her husband's house; or whose husband was in prison; or he was old or infirm; or who was herself infirm; or had miscarried after the death of her husband; or was barren, old, a minor, incapable of conception, or in any other way incapacitated from procreation must wait three months. In all of these situations there is not an automatic way to stay away, but in our case there was anger between them before they went to the court for a divorce. So there was no likelihood of their having been together to get her pregnant. The urgency of the situation, the imminent death of the groom's father made this an unusual situation. At the end of the response there is annexed another situation that arose similar to this situation when a very well known rabbi had a similar case and turned to Rabbi Feinstein for guidance. In this case too Rabbi Feinstein ruled that the waiting period could be waived. Especially since the man and woman were living together and this way they could avoid other transgressions if they could get married right away. Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Bamidbar Stories by Dr. Meir Tamari To Spy out the Land [5] "When you come into the Land of your settling down, which I gave to you, you shall make a libation" (Bamidbar 15:1-4). This commandment of the nesachim, libations of wine to accompany the sacrifices, was to be fulfilled after the seven years of conquest and the further seven years of the allocation of territory according to the 12 Tribes. Rabbi Yishmael taught that no libations were offered until these 14 years had elapsed, while Rabbi Akiva taught that libations for korbanot tzibur, communal offerings, were accompanied by libations in the desert, while only the offerings of individuals required the years of conquest and allocation (Sifri 107:15). Nisuch HaMayim, the libation of the water of Simchat Beit HaSho'eva on Sukkot, was one of the important religious and political issues during Bayit Sheini. This offering of simple water over the altar in prayer for rain, was not mentioned in the (written) Torah, in contrast to that of wine, so that it became part of the struggle between the Sadducees and Pharisees over the legitimacy of the Oral Law. Alexander Yannai, the Hasmonean king-high priest, who joined the Sadducees, poured the water on the ground to show his contempt for the Oral Law, and the people in the Temple courtyard pelted him with etrogim; his mercenaries retaliated with the slaughter of 6000 Jews. However, all this is beyond the story in Bamidbar and its connection to libations that were commanded after Israel had repented of their sin, only to again disobey G-d by going to war to enter the Land that they had rejected on the advice of the spies. "The people feared that not only had they forfeited the Land but perhaps even their children would sin and not enter it. So G-d promised that indeed the next generation would conquer and settle the Land and commanded them to bring libations with their korbanot" (Ramban). "One of the five things that a father is obligated to do for his sons, is to bequeath them his property; they in turn have to bring him gifts. So G-d the Father bequeathed the Land to the sons of the generation of the desert and they in turn were to bring Him libations and meal offerings after they enter and settled His Land" (Tanchuma). "Korban has the same root as the words 'to draw close', so the purpose of offerings was to enable a person to draw close to HaShem. Animal offerings, which are the Nefesh of the animal, came to enable a person's wisdom, that is the human's nefesh, to draw close to G-d, while the libations that come from the vegetable kingdom and represent pure physical and natural forces, allow the body and the mind of the human being to draw closer to HaShem. The characteristics of the two components of the sacrifices, is perhaps made clearer by the following passage from the Talmud. "One who read the two paragraphs of the Shema without wearing Tefillin, is like one who offered free will sacrifices without the libations" (Berachot 14b). These two paragraphs represent wisdom since they express the unity of G-d, acceptance of His rule and of the mitzvot. The Tefillin represent human actions and thought; that of the head comes to subject the mind and the impulses that flow from the brain, while that of the arm represents the actions. Through the Shema without the Tefillin, only human wisdom draws close to HaShem, just as the animal sacrifice only comes to bring the atonement of human wisdom. Together, the Shema and the Tefillin enable the whole human personality to be bound up with G-d, just as the free will sacrifices together with the libations enable the whole human personality to draw close to Him. Before the erection of the Mishkan, the world had not reached the spiritual level at which they were able to bring the human body close to HaShem, but only the animal nefesh that is wisdom. That explains why we do not find libations in the offerings of Hevel, Noah, the Patriarchs, and of Israel at Sinai. The Mishkan, as a meeting place between human beings and G-d, enabled them to rise to a new spiritual level at which even their bodies could draw close to Him. Israel merited the libations, through which this is promoted, when they said, "We will do and hear", the former an action of the body and the latter of the human mind. Nevertheless, the free will offerings of individuals still did not require the libations. These were only introduced after the sin of the Spies who ruptured the unity of the House of Israel by preventing the people from entering the Land of Israel. This is the Land that unites and binds together in one corporate body, the whole of the people. Since the unity of the people had been destroyed, each individual now had to labor and exert spiritual endeavor to protect themselves from evil and sin. So they needed the libations that would enable their individual minds and actions, their bodies, and their souls, to draw close to HaShem. The libations were given to them as a reward for the remorse and T'shuva shown when they heard the Divine decree that they would not go into the Land. These created within them the dedication and 'mesirat nefesh', which made them go up to attempt to conquer the Land. Despite the warning by Moshe that any military endeavor would fail and lead only to bloodshed, they, in an attempt to redeem themselves, went up to do battle to take possession of the land they had refused to enter previously. HaShem in His Mercy gave them the libations to enable them even as individuals, to draw close to Him with their very bodies and brains, minds and actions" (Shem Mi Shmuel). MISC section - contents: [1] Vebbe Rebbe [2] Candle by Day [3] Wisdom and Wit [4] From Aloh Naaleh [5] Parsha Points to Ponder [6] Portion from the Portion [7] From Machon Puah [8] Pirkei Avot [9] MicroUlpan [10] Torah from Nature [11] Gimatriya [12] Guest Article [13] Divrei Menachem [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: If I have half a k’zayit of one food that gets a Me’ein Shalosh (the long b'racha acharona that summarizes the elements of Birkat Hamazon; it is often called Al Hamichya, for one of its possible openings) and half a k’zayit of another food that gets Borei N'fashot, what b'racha acharona do I make, if any? A: We will focus on only a few of this question's many permutations. We first assume that you refer to foods that are eaten as separate entities (e.g., a piece of cake and a piece of apple), not in a combined manner (e.g., a kzayit of cake that has fruit filling). The general rule is that one cannot fulfill the obligation of Me’ein Shalosh by reciting Borei Nefashot or vice versa, even b’dieved (Mishna B'rura 208:62). (An exception is that if one is already making an Al Ha’etz on fruit of the seven species, this exempts him from Borei N'fashot on fruit of trees that are not of the seven species - Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 208:13). There fore, when one is not sure whether he should recite Me’ein Shalosh or Borei N'fashot, he is in a bind because if he guesses wrong, he will be making an inappropriate b'racha (see Rama, Orach Chayim 208:18 and Mishna B'rura 208:80). We do not say that Borei N'fashot is a generic b'racha (as its text may imply) that works b'dieved for any food as we do regarding Shehakol (Magen Avraham 208:26). Some Acharonim (Igrot Moshe, Orach Chayim I, 74; Kaf Hachayim 202:79) argue at least partially and say that if it will be impossible (for halachic or technical reasons) to recite Me’ein Shalosh, then saying Borei N'fashot is not a b'racha l'vatala and is better than saying nothing. Nevertheless, the Magen Avraham (210:1) says that if one ate half a k’zayit of Me’ein Shalosh food and half a k’zayit of a Borei N'fashot food, he makes a Borei N'fashot. The Machatzit Hashekel explains that Borei N'fashot does apply on a basic level to all foods. If a food is of a higher level of importance, so that it receives a Me’ein Shalosh, Borei N'fashot becomes the wrong b'racha, and one is not yotzei with it. However, if there are certainly not grounds for Me’ein Shalosh (i.e. he had less than a k’zayit of that type of food) then the basic applicability of Borei N'fashot can connect it to another food to warrant a joint Borei N'fashot. The Sha’ar Hatziyun (210:2) adds another justification for the Magen Avraham’s ruling. That is that some Rishonim say that just as one must make a b'racha before eating any amount of food, so must one recite at least the simple b'racha of Borei Nefashot after eating any amount of any food where a higher b'racha acharona is not recited. In order to recite Borei N'fashot on less than a shiur (the amount one needs to eat to require the b'racha) of foods that join together to be a shiur, it is necessary that the two foods share a shiur. Therefore, half a k’zayit of a food and half a revi’it of a liquid do not join to require Borei N'fashot (Magen Avraham 210:1). Regarding foods that combine two different ingredients (regarding b'racha) in one food, there are different opinions and minhagim. Regarding a b'racha rishona, as long as there is a significant amount of flour from the major grains, one makes Mezonot, but regarding b'racha acharona one needs to have a k’zayit of the major grains without the help of other food (Shulchan Aruch, OC 208:9). The question is, though, if the flour is joined by only supplementary foods such as sugar and spices, whether one would make Al Hamichya only if there is a k’zayit of flour or even a k’zayit of cake is sufficient. (The Mishna B'rura 208:48 takes the latter opinion, but some argue. Further discussion is beyond our present scope.) [2] Candle by Day The extent to which possessions are regarded as status symbols rather than as merely functional objects can be seen in the tremendous price difference between what is brand new and what is but slightly used. We identify ourselves with our possessions, and to the extent that someone else has used them, to that extent we are limited in our identification with them. From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein A Candle by Day - The Antidote - The World of Chazal by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein Now available at 054-209-9200 [3] Wisdom and Wit by Shmuel Himelstein R' Aryeh Levine saw that one of his students, who was from a very poor family, was deperately in need of new shoes. R' Aryeh felt that if he offered the boy a new pair of shoes, the boy's father would be too proud to accept the gift. R' Aryeh then thought up a scheme. Calling the boy into his office, he told him that he hadn't tested the boy in Gemara for some time, and would like to so then. R' Aryeh asked the boy a number of easy questions, and of course the boy knew all the answers. Each time he answered a question, R' Aryeh praised him highly. Finally, at the end of the "test", R' Aryeh told the boy, "You have done very well, and deserve a prize for your diligence." Taking out a sheet of paper, R' Aryeh wrote a note to a local cobbler to make the boy a pair of shoes, for which R' Aryeh would pay. Finally, R' Aryeh sent a note to the boy's father, commending his son for his progress, and telling him that his son had been awarded a prize for it. #### "My father", said R' Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov, "had three rules in his life. he would never sit down to eat unless he had found a guest with whom to share the meal; he would never eat unless he had first come up with a chiddush (a new Torah thought); and he would never say anything about any other person, either in praise or in criticism. 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 permission [4] CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively This week’s Torah portion deals with rebellion against the existing leadership. Why can’t we be the leaders, say the rebels? The answer is given by Moshe but is not readily accepted. The rebellion is on, and Moshe takes drastic measures to prove that he and his brother Aharon were not self-appointed, and there was no sibling preferences made in choosing Aharon as the Kohein Gadol. Our Haftara this week deals with another aspect of Leadership, wherein the prophet Shmuel states his desire to prove that during his entire period of being a Prophet of Hashem, he has never taken any bribes, favors, or other benefits as a result of his position. Why did the Shmuel HaNavi need to challenge his people, and why was it necessary to prove his innocence? Evidently Leadership has its built-in problems, the need to prove that you were elected to serve by others, and not self-appointed. But at the end of serving in such a position, one has to prove that no personal gain whatsoever was accrued. This latter proof is an issue that often shows its ugly head in modern times, for far too many current leaders are brought up on charges of self-gain, bribery, and indecent acts. They would find it very difficult to make the statements that Shmuel did, challenging someone to prove his guilt in any way. But there is a third aspect of leadership qualities that must be dealt with; the need for a potential leader to assume his role as a leader. Not ascending to the throne of leadership is apparently equal to ascending to that position for personal gain or by being self-appointed. The Book of Ezra, chapter 8, quotes the fact the Kohanim and Leviyim were missing in the lineup of those leaving Babylon to join Ezra in his Aliya journey. Of the elite of Babylon, many of its leaders preferred to remain, a fact that embarrasses the Chacham in his debate with King of the Kuzahrs. The Mishna in tractate Kiddushin daf 69, refers to the nature of those who joined Ezra, and more importantly, to the lack of serious leadership amidst those who chose to return to Eretz Yisrael. Rashi comments that amongst the Leviyim who elected to go to Eretz Yisrael Ezra couldn’t find non-maimed Levites who would be qualified to serve in the Temple, “for they were sitting comfortably in Babylon enjoying their comfort and luxuries.” It is also recorded that Reish Lakish is angered with those who didn’t return to Eretz Yisrael, and Rashi says that Reish Lakish was referring to his anger at the Jews of Babylon who didn’t join Ezra, thus preventing the Shechina from returning and being fully present in the Second Temple. Lack of leadership in any important movement, such as Aliya, seems to be equally detrimental as overzealous leadership. Do we learn from History? Yaakov Zev , Jerusalem TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a [5] Parsha Points to Ponder - KORACH 1) What does Moshe mean when he tells God that both NOT ONE DONKEY OF THEIRS HAVE I TAKEN and also NOR HAVE I WRONGED EVEN ONE OF THEM (16:15)? 2) Why did Moshe seemingly give in to Datan and Aviram's original insubordination by going himself to call them instead of sending a messenger to do so as one would expect the leader of the nation to do (16:25)? 3) Why did God command Moshe to ask Elazar, Aharon's son, to pick up the firing pans after the demise of Korach and the other rebels instead of asking Aharon, himself to do so (17:2)? Suggested Answers Ponder the questions first, then read here 1) The S'forno understands Moshe's first statement to mean that Moshe did not accept any gifts from anyone on a regular personal level and, thus, he remains above any possible claims of impropriety against him. Moshe then goes a step further and explains that no Jews could even have negative feelings against him for any halachic decisions he might have rendered against them since he has never had to decide against any person even in a halachic (Beit Din) setting. 2) The Rashbam answers that Moshe completely swallowed his pride and went to Datan and Aviram to attempt to inspire them to repent and put this entire dispute and episode behind them. 3) The Ohr HaChayim explains that since Aharon was involved in the test of the firepans which led to the death of the rebels, it would have been inappropriate and insensitive for him to be the one to clean up the fire pans afterwards. 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@ouisrael.org [6] Portion from the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il THE FIRE PANS More complaints. This time it is Korach and his followers who call out to Moshe and Aaron, “All the people are holy ... why are you setting yourselves above G-d's congregation?” (Bamidbar 16:3). They felt that Moshe was taking all the important positions for himself and his family. They also wanted a part of the holy jobs. Moshe, who was the most humble of the nation, was not seeking glory for himself. This accusation by Korach angered him. He told Korach and his entire party of 250 to take their fire pans, the MACHTOT, place fire on them and offer incense on them before G-d. These would be placed besides Aaron's fire pan. G-d would show through the fire pans who He chose to be the holy one to bring the offerings to Him. Fire came down from heaven and consumed the 250 men who had brought the fire pans. Then at the beginning of chapter 17 we are told something very interesting. G-d tells Moshe that these fire pans have been sanctified. The burning coals from inside them should be scattered far and wide, and the pans themselves would be beaten into plates to cover the altar. It seems a bit unusual that the pans, that were used in a dispute against G-d, should then be used on the altar in the Mishkan. The verse even says that the pans “became holy” (17:3) In one breath the verse says that the pans that were used by the men who committed a mortal sin were holy. Why specifically these pans? Shouldn't they have been banished from the sanctuary and as a covering for the altar they could have used Aharon's pan? Ramban states that the holiness of the vessels did not originate in the action of those who sinned, but G-d sanctified them to serve as a lesson to the people, to remind them of the fate that befell those who aspired to a greatness that was not theirs. It was G-d who sanctified the pans, not the sinners. The Akedat Yitchak has a different explanation. The pans symbolised the victory over falsehood. These pans were a sign to Israel of the triumph over evil, between right and wrong. What more worthy object to be in the sanctuary then such pans? In the portion we hear about the fire pans - MACHTOT that were used to carry fire to the inside altar. Ralbag says they were like large spoons. These were made of copper. This week's recipe is served in a karahi, a thick, circular deep pan used in Indian and Pakistani cooking. Sometimes they are made of copper. It reminds us of the fire pans. If you don't have such a pan , try a wok instead. INDONESIAN CHICKEN STRIPS WITH PEANUT SAUCE SERVED IN A KARAHI PAN Marinade: 2 cloves garlic, crushed 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil bit freshly ground black pepper 4 chicken breasts, boned and skinned (cut into 1 inch strips) 1 Tbsp. oil Peanut Sauce: 6 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter 1/2 cup water 2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce ( to taste ) 1 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce Place chicken in the marinade ingredients in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Heat the oil in the karahi dish over a medium heat. Before grilling, remove excess moisture from the chicken with a paper towel. Grill the chicken, in two batches, for 4-5 minutes each side. While the chicken is grilling heat the ingredients for the sauce together, stirring, until blended and hot. Transfer to a small serving dish. When all the chicken is cooked pile the strips back in the karahi dish and re-sizzle for a few seconds before serving at the table from the dish. Note: Hoisin sauce has a distinctive taste so go easy with it till you decide if you like it. [7] from Machon Puah How Many to Reduce? Last week we saw a number of sources that indicated that in a situation where people are being threatened and it is clear that if we do nothing everyone will die, we are permitted to sacrifice one person to save the others. Rav Zilberstein then claims that when we are dealing with a fetus the question is even easier, since, as we have seen in previous weeks, there are many opinions that the fetus is not considered alive. Even those who disagree and consider the fetus alive, still recognize that it is not the same as a fully living person who can live independently. Thus when we have to choose between the life of the mother or of her unborn child, we save her life even at the expense of the life of the child. This does not in any way reduce the sanctity of life or the severity of taking away life. But it does accept that there are unfortunate circumstances that require difficult choices to be made. When we have a multi-fetal pregnancy, we are very concerned that they will all be miscarried and therefore we have to attempt to save as much life as possible. This then brings us to the question of how many fetuses may be reduced. In a case of a woman carrying four babies should we reduce to one, two or three? We might prefer to leave her with one, since this has the greatest chance of reaching a full term delivery and being a healthy infant. Alternatively we could say that once we remove one we leave her with the maximum number of children. Or, in other words, once we decide to reduce, do we permit it until we are certain that there is no danger of miscarriage, as much as is possible. Or do we try to limit the number of babies that we reduce. Do we prefer the end result or the minimum intervention? Is reduction totally permitted or only permitted in the most extreme case? There is no perfect answer to this question and each and every case must be dealt with by halachic experts in close conversation with the most responsible medical professionals. Rav Zilberstein gives a parable. A man is on a ship and he is carrying his life's possessions in the form of seven cases filled with gold. As the ship hits a storm, the passengers realize that they must all throw overboard some of their cargo to lighten the load. Our sorry fellow is found in a dilemma between two different values and desires, on the one hand he wants to secure the best chance that he has to save whatever is left of his precious cargo. Therefore he is willing to throw over as many as he can in order to at least be left with those that he has saved. On the other hand he wants to be left with as much gold as possible. So he would prefer to throw over as little as possible. What should he do and what will he do? The wise person will find the ultimate compromise in order to be left with the most and to sacrifice the least possible, and each case will be a little different than the previous one and than the next. Next week a look at the practicalities of fetal reduction. The Puah Institute for Fertility and Gynecology in Accordance with Halacha is based in Jerusalem and helps couples from all over the world who are experiencing fertility problems. Puah offers free counseling in five languages, halachic supervision, and educational programs. Puah has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Paris. To contact the Puah Institute please call 1-800-071111 in Israel or in the US 718-336-0603. website: www.puahonline.org [8] Pirkei Avot Perek 4 Ben Azzai says, Run to do even a slight precept, and flee from transgression; for one good deed draws another good deed in its train, and one sin, another sin; for the reward of a good deed is a good deed, and the wages of sin is sin. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, in the first Mishna of the second perek, taught that one should as careful with a seemingly minor mitzva as with a major mitzva, because we do not know the "pay scale" for mitzvot. We do not know the relative worth of mitzvot. This teaching of Ben Azzai is different. Do every and all mitzvot, because one mitzva leads to another and the reward for a mitzva is a mitzva. (The same is so for sins, but let's leave them out of the discussion for now.) An important fundamental belief in Judaism is that there is reward and punishment. That mitzvot are definitely rewarded by G-d. (Perhaps in this world, perhaps in the Next World, and sometimes, in both.) But we do not know "how G-d keeps score". So from R' Yehuda HaNasi's perspective, knowing that there will be reward and not knowing how much and in what form, leads us (should lead us) to a life of doing all mitzvot regardless of how important they seem to us. Ben Azzi is suggesting that since there is definitely reward for mitzvot, and since we don't know the details, the best attitude for us to adopt is that one mitzva leads to another and that should be enough to convince us that a life of mitzvot is the best choice for us. If we know with certainty that there is reward for mitzvot, and we don't know how to evaluate that reward, then the best approach for us is to value mitzvot for themselves and not as that which earns us reward. Knowing that the reward for a mitzva is a mitzva is our incentive and our satisfaction in doing mitzvot. The Baal Shem Tov presented Ben Azzai's teaching in a slightly different way. His maxim is: S'CHAR MITZVA, SIMCHAT MITZVA. The reward for a mitzva is the joy one derives from doing the mitzva. Analogously, this idea works for some people - some happy people - with their jobs. Reward for what a person does in his job is his salary or wages. But the real reward for some fortunate individuals is the joy they derive from what they do. True, that joy does not pay one's bills, but if a person enjoys what he does, then that joy is his incentive to do a good job and his real reward for doing a good job. ASHREI HA'ISH for whom this is so. [9] MicroUlpan In honor of Verna's Knitting 101 (Wed. 1:30pm in the library), here are some appropriate Hebrew words... Knitting = SRIGA knitting needles = MASREIGOT SHAPUD crochet hook = TZINORA or MASREIGAT TZNIRA Its hook is KERES [10] Torah from Nature How mammals give birth Let's review and marvel anew at the variations within G-d's world. We're looking just at mammals at the moment, since we are one of them. There are somewhere between 4500- 5000 known species of mammals in the world; the exact number is impossible to know, due to vagueness in the system of classification. Most species of mammals are viviparous - meaning giving birth to live young that develop inside the body of the mother. Only two species of mammals are oviparous - egg-layers (monotremes). Common in other classes of animals, but extremely rare in mammals, the young of monotremes are conceived inside the body of the mother, but develop within an egg, outside her body. Duck-billed platypus and echidna are the two known egg-laying mammals. All the rest give birth to live young. But there is still a major division among all the other mammal species. Most are placental. That means that the young develop within a contained environment, the womb, and are born at a relatively advanced stage of development - not yet self-sufficient, but relatively developed. About 350 species of mammals give birth to live young which haven't developed in a womb and which are relatively undeveloped and require a period of time to continue developing - to reach the stage that placental mammals are born at. These non-placental live-bearers are called marsupials. Which brings us to a point mentioned last week but not really explained then. Marsupial means "pouched animal". Almost all marsupials have pouches - almost, but not all. We met the numbat last week which doesn't have a pouch. The usual situation for a marsupial is that the very tiny and undeveloped baby crawls from the birth canal into the pouch (using its forelimbs which are more developed than the rest of the animal - for this purpose). In the pouch, the offspring nurse and are protected for a period of time. When they leave the pouch, they are roughly at the same level of development as a newborn placental mammal. The numbat baby and mother have different mechanisms for holding on to each other, in lieu of a pouch. Remember too that the amount of time for each stage of development for different species of mammals varies greatly. But you get the general idea. Marsupials have that extra pouch-time which placental mammals spend in the womb. Egg-layers: development is external. Placental live-bearers: Development is internal. Marsupials: First stage of development is internal; then internal/external (pouch). More, perhaps, in the future... [11] Gimatriya Curious Gimatriya... Korach's complaint and challenge for the kehuna has an interesting numeric aspect. KORACH totals 308, as does ELAZAR and as does BEN AHARON. Of course, a numeric equivalence with Elazar does not give Korach the status of a kohein. But it does represent a certain irony in the situation. [12] Guest article by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva A Man's Wife: The Decisive Influence In his revolt against the authority of Moshe and Aharon, Korach was supported by Datan and Aviram and by On, son of Pelet. The opening verse of this sedra is the only place where On ben Pelet is mentioned; and his name does not occur in the more detailed narrative that follows. Noting the absence of the name from the subsequent account, the Talmud states, that On b. Pelet was saved from the consequences of his folly by the wisdom and sound common sense of his wife. She pointed out to him that he had nothing to gain from rebelling because whoever remained the leader, Moshe or Korach, he would be simply a follower (Sanhedrin 109b). He took her advice, withdrew from the rebellion, and was saved. The Midrash finds allusions in his name to the initial involvement of On ben Pelet in Korach's mutiny. He is called On (connected with aninut, "mourning") because he did not cease from mourning for having sided with Korach; and he is named ben Pelet (connected with pele, "miracle") because he was rescued from destruction by a miracle. The Midrash also understands the words of Proverbs, "The wise among the women build her house" (14:11) to refer to On's wife whose wisdom rescued her household from destruction, and it takes the continuation of the verse, "But the foolish woman overthrows it with her own hands", to refer to Korach's wife who, in encouraging her husband to rebel, destroyed him and herself (Bamidbar Rabba 18:15). The good influence a Jewish woman can have is most effectively exerted in her home, the strongest fortress for moral values. As King David says in Psalms: "the glory of the King's daughter is in her home." From the earliest times in the history of Israel, the honored place of the Jewish woman was first and foremost in her home because of the Jewish values she nurtures in her family. The most vital areas of a Jew's life are entrusted to women's care and attention. Thus, the Mishna in Tractate Shabbat mentions three mitzvot specifically highlighting the woman's powerful and central role in Judaism: Nida (laws of family purity), Challa (sanctifying a portion of baked bread), and Hadlakat Neirot (lighting candles). Nida governs sexual relations and procreation; Challa symbolizes sanctity and kashrut in the home, and candles are a symbol of Shabbat and the Festivals. The Torah states that G-d created Eve from Adam's side in order that she should be a helpmate for him (B'reishit 2:18) - ezer k'negdo. The Hebrew phrase is somewhat contradictory. Ezer is "a help",and k'negdo means "against him". In the Talmud (Yevamot 63a), Rabbi Elazar solved the difficulty by saying that if her husband is worthy, she is to help him, but if he is not worthy, she is against him. Perhaps, however, she sometimes helps him by being against him. If she smoothes his rough edges, corrects his faults and points out when he is wrong, she helps him by not mirroring or reinforcing his shortcomings. Sometimes only a wife can appropriately correct her husband. A man is often a poor judge of his own character and cannot see himself objectively. Thus, the gematriya (numerical value) of ISHA (wife) in Hebrew (306) equals MUSAR (rebuke). Because only a wife can properly reprove and correct her husband. [13] Divrei Menachem Much has been written about the character of Korach's rebellion against Moshe and Aharon. But what of Moshe's response to his antagonists? For previously when the people erred, Moshe pleaded for them. Yet here he calls for an unusual death sentence while challenging Korach and his fellow Levites to offer incense, the very unsanctioned act that had previously caused the calamitous death of Aharon's two sons! Apparently Moshe took this risk because Korach and his growing mob were undermining the very essence of the people's faith in him (and G-d), even though they had witnessed Sinai and all the subsequent miracles. Clearly there was a need for a spectacular event to demonstrate that, "By this you shall know that G-d sent me" (Bamidbar, 16:28). In castigating the Levites, Moshe used the phrase, "it is enough for you", implying that they had no right to also demand the Priesthood (ibid 16:7). The Or Yahel notes that this cost Moshe dearly, for the identical phrase was used later to rebut his repetitive pleas to enter the Promised Land (Devarim 3:26). For Moshe also quashed any genuine enthusiasm the Levites nurtured to reach higher levels of service of Hashem. Even in justified rebuke, it seems, we have to be careful how we speak. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff Towards better Davening and Torah Reading Sin(ner)s? The following is a condensed version of an atypically long comment in EIN LAMIKRA HASHALEIM by R' Nisan Sharoni. Look at these three words: CHATA’IM CHOTIM CHATA’IM The one on the left means sins and is the plural of CHEIT. It occurs only once in Tanach. The one in the middle means sinners and is the plural of CHOTEI. Also once. The one on the right also means sinners - but with a different connotation, as will be explained shortly) and is the plural of CHATA. Occurs 16 times. In pronouncing the one on the right, the TET is supposed to be emphasized, because of its DAGESH CHAZAK (the dot in it). The PATACH is stronger and slightly longer than the CHATAF-PATACH of the word on the left. Connotatively, people who sin are CHOT'IM. But people whose sins become part of their personality are called CHATA'IM. They are "sins personified". Parsha Pix Upper-left is the scene after the earth split open and swallowed Korach's gang. To its right is the fire that consumed the 250 incense-offerers. Some say that Korach was swallowed up by the earth; others say that he died by the heavenly fire that consumed his "gang" of 250. Some say that he was punished both ways. Continuing to the right, we find a photo of one of the Pidyon HaBen coins minted by the State of Israel. Many people will use these coins, which contain the correct amount of silver each, in order to fulfill the mitzva. Upper-right is a guard standing at attention in front of the guard house. This represents the positive mitzva of Guard Duty by Leviyim (21 to be specific, plus 3 kohanim) around the Beit HaMikdash and Har HaBayit. SH'MIRA in the MIKDASH was a matter of honor guard (depicted in the picture), rather than a "open your pocketbook are you carrying any weapons put your keys and other metal objects in the tray and go back through the metal detector" type of guard. Second row, left. Milk (bottle and glass - where are the cookies?) and honey (with a cheery bee overlooking the scene) representing the Land of Israel, which is described, as we know, as a land flowing with milk and honey - and - L'HAVDIL, the perverse use of the beautiful phrase by Datan and Aviram in referring to Egypt. The gift box represents the various gifts to the kohein that are mentioned in the sedra. (So too the bullets for these explanations) The percent symbol represents the tenth of a tenth that the Levi is required to give to the kohein. This "due" is called Maaser min HaMaaser or T'rumat Maaseir. The baby carriage (blue for a boy) with the lamb inside, represents the mitzva of B'CHOR, specifically that of a kosher domesticated animal - i.e. cow, goat, and sheep. The next row, from the left. A graphic representation of a storm, occurring at the time of the cutting of the wheat (as symbolized by the sickle) is from the Haftara. Shmuel HaNavi invoked a miracle from G-d in the form of a storm, thunder and lightning in order to impress upon the people the injustce of their desire to push the prophet aside in favor of accepting a king as their authority. Below the storm and sickle is garlic and sugar cubes - another representation of Pidyon HaBen. To the right is a stalk of wheat, standing straight, looking like the number 1, with a decimal point before it - representing the mitzva of giving Maaseir to a Levi from grain, etc. Next we have a close up of the staff of Aharon (see further) which blossomed with almonds and almond flowers. The smiley globe - its mouth represents PI HAARETZ, the mouth of the earth that opened and swallowed Datan and Aviram and company. Pirkei Avot teaches us that PI HAARETZ was one of 10 special items that were created in the instant before the first Shabbat B'reishit. Bottom row: from the left - Not a donkey have I taken from you... thus Moshe Rabeinu protested to Korach and Co. in the sedra and Shmuel HaNavi protested to the people in the Haftara. Middle-bottom are the rods from each tribe with the middle one, Aharon's representing the whole tribe of Levi, having flowered overnight. And finally, in the lower-right corner of the ParshaPix is a choir, representing one of the main functions of the Leviyim in the Beit HaMikdash. Hopefully, you will also find one or two Unexplaineds in the ParshaPix (as of this writing, they aren't there yet). 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 (SH'LACH) TTriddles: [1] Only positive prime that is a Genocchi number If you are a math person into number theory, you either know about Genocchi numbers or you can look them up. If you are not a math person, don't worry; just take our word for it (because we took the internet's word for it) that the only positive prime number that is a Genocchi number (no, it is not an Italian pasta dish!) is 17. And we wanted to mark the 17th anniversary issue of Torah Tidbits with a couple of TTriddles whose answers are 17. [2] The Sanford/Shlumiel/Elishama scouts A week or two ago, we noted that Shlumiel b. Tzurishadai has the same initial as the Shevet he led, Shimon. So too for Elishama b. Amihud of Efrayim. This we had compared to Governor Sanford of South Carolina, the only US governor to match initials to the State he governs. Among the Meraglim, we find four (or 12, high percentage): Shimon (again) with Shafat b. Chori; Yissachar's spy, Yig'al b. Yosef (father's initial matches too); Naftali was represented by Nachbi b. Vofsi; and Gad - G'u'eil b. Machi. Just for fun, we checked the US Congress. Among the senators we have Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Clair McCaskill of Missouri, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Jack Reed of Rhode Island - 5 out of 100 (actually, 99 - one seat is still undetermined). In the US House of Representatives, there are 21 representatives who match initials with their states (of 435 or so), including 5 from California. And including Joseph R. Pitts of Pennsylvania, (but not from Pittsburgh). (The one initial-match from NY was a classmate of mine in elementary school - Phil). [3] Asher he breaks a famous phrase ERETZ ZAVAT CHALAV UDVASH, A land flowing with milk and honey. That's the famous phrase. It occurs 15 times in Tanach, although one time (in Parshat Sh'lach) it refers to Egypt, as uttered by the arrogant Datan and Aviram. And, a second time in Sh'lach, although it refers to Eretz Yisrael, we can say that Datan and Aviram are being sarcastic. Also in Sh'lach, we find Kalev referring to Eretz Yisrael as ERETZ ASHER HI ZAVAT CHALAV UDVASH, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. "Asher he" break up the famous phrase. (In addition, there are 4 other ZAVAT CHALAV UDVASH occurrences in Tanach with some words between ERETZ and it. CHALAV UDVASH never occur in Tanach without ZAVAT before those two words. And, just to complete this survey, D'VASH V'CHALAV occurs once in Shir HaShirim and we consider it to be referring to TORAH. [4] Same name, different people - this week and last The haftara of Sh'lach is from the book of Yehoshua (2nd perek) and tells of his sending spies to Yericho. B'haalot'cha's haftara spoke of a Yehoshua Kohein Gadol. Same name, different people. (Perhaps a better wording for this TTriddle would have been based on the haftara we read in Israel and the one that was read on the same Shabbat in Chutz LaAretz, each having a Yehoshua but referring to different people. In addition to these two Yehoshuas, there are two others mentioned in Tanach. A wonderful website for names in Tanach is www.tanakhprofiles.org - check it out! [5] Lenny layns this week with a rock 'n roll beat Lenny refers to Lenny Solomon - no one would be surprised if he would read the Torah for Parshat Sh'lach with a rock 'n roll beat, because we would be able to call it SH'LACH ROCK! (Okay, Lenny, we're even for your reference to Torah Tidbits in your wonderful song - Email from G-d.) [6] Not NY's Lake Placid (nor Texas's) The well-known Lake Placid is in New York State. There are two others - one in Texas, and one in Florida, that latter having an area code of 863. [7] The alliterative scout This was already answered in [2]. It refers to Yig'al b. Yosef of Yissachar - YUD, YUD, YUD. Alliteration, if you remember (or even if you don't) is "The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in “on scrolls of silver snowy sentences” (Hart Crane)." [8] What a Tanach can say and a Chumash cannot A Tanach can say that it contains Nevi'im and K'tuvim; a Chumash cannot say that. Hence a Tanach can say NACHBI, but a Chumash cannot. [9] Fibonacci number 1597 Although most people never heard of Genocchi numbers, many have heard of Fibonacci numbers. The first two numbers in the Fibonacci series are 1 and 1. The next number is produced by adding the two numbers before it. 1+1 = 2. Every subsequent number is produced in the same way - by adding the last two numbers in the series. The first 17 Fibonacci numbers are 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89, 144,233,377,610,987,1597. 1597 is the 17th Fibonacci number. Fibonacci numbers occur in many different nature settings, making it a valid candidate for MA RABU MAASECHA HASHEM. We will feature them IY"H sometime in the future in the MRMH column. [10] OY! THE BEAR, KID and FLY fought over a NUT IN THE SPRING As mentioned earlier, this is one of the ways we celebrate our 17th anniversary of Torah Tidbits. OY! in Hebrew is ALEF-VAV-YUD, gimatriya 17. HADOV, also 17. G'DI, you guessed it - 17. Z'VUV, also 17. NUT=EGOZ=17. In the Spring, BA'AVIV = 17. [11] Unexplained from the ParshaPix 6i can be read in half Hebrew, half English as SHEISH-I or SHEISHI, one of the Y'LIDEI ANAK who lived in Chevron. [12] Unexplained from the ParshaPix The letter i inside the letter i stands for AYIN B'AYIN - In Moshe's plea to G-d on behalf of the people, following the Meraglim disaster, he points out to G-d, so to speak, that His relationship with Israel is known to other nations and that the relationship is a close one based on AYIN B'AYIN (face to face) revelation, and consequently, it would be a CHILUL HASHEM if G-d were to destroy the people of Israel. (There are two other occurrences of AYIN B'AYIN in Tanach. One in Yeshayahu has the same meaning of "closeness" (face to face, intimate, etc.). The other occurrence is in D'varim in the context of a fair application of justice and punishment - NEFESH B'NEFESH, AYIN B'AYIN... and includes the phrase YAD B'YAD. The AYIN B'AYIN in Sh'lach is in YAD B'YAD, that is in Bamidbar 14 (YUD-DALET): 14. [13] Unexplained from the ParshaPix There is a picture of a penguin. There are 17 known species of penguin in the world (all in the Southern Hemisphere). [14] Unexplained from ParshaPix In the lower right-hand corner is the chemical symbol for Chlorine. It is the 17th element, in other words, its atomic number is 17. [15] Unexplained from ParshaPix Last year, the picture of the baseball player - White Ford whose jersey number was 16, reflected the 16th anniversary of Torah Tidbits. Although we got rid of the other 16s from last year's ParshaPix for this year, we kept Whitey because of his juxtaposition to Murex Trunculus from which T'CHEILET comes. This is so because TZITZIT (from the final parsha of Sh'lach) consists of both LAVAN (Whitey) strings and the P'TIL T'CHEILET. [16] Unexplained from ParshaPix Which brings us to the drawing of Laurel and Hardy. Interestingly, Israeli kids had an easier time with them than American kids, because in Israel, this famous comedy team is known as HASHAMEIN V'HARAZEH, the fat one and the skinny one. This brings to mind part of Moshe's instructions to the Meraglim to see if the land is SH'MEINA or RAZAH. This week's TTriddles: [1] 10 names: 6/3, 1/4, 3/5 [2] yes, no, preferably yes - but... [3] salt brothers holy peace forever [4] Influenced by his wife, yet his own person [5] His or her father can save them money Israel Center Miscellany See website for the "standard" entries of this file. Help young couples (evacuees and children of evacuees) from Gush Katif and N. Shomron get ready for the arrival of their babies - Tzedaka - Matan B’Seter; The money collected will be used to buy carriages, cribs, layettes... Make checks out to the Israel Center. Write on the envelope: Gush Katif - Baby Fund, Also collecting good second-hand baby items, For more info. call Sara 0505-444-397 Chesed Fund - Please help us help the people who turn to us for help. Every cent (agora) of your Tzedaka donation goes directly to people in need. Make checks out to "Chesed Fund" and send to: Chesed Fund, Israel Center att. Menachem Persoff POB 37015 / Jerusalem 91370 NESTO Native English-Speaking Teen Olim OU Israel's Youth Program for Anglo-Israelis Chaim Pelzner, Director -, Shayna Katz, Elisheva Cikk, Bnot Sherut tel. 560-9100 ext. 138 - fax: 561-7432 Partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Jr. NESTO for grades 7-8 - Sr. NESTO for 9-12 - Both meeting Tuesdays at 5:00pm NESTO's home is the Israel Center's Teichman Family Youth Center Camp Dror - www.campdror.com - last places remaining Travel Desk: 560-9110 direct THE TRAVEL DESK is for making reservations and receiving info about Israel Center tiyulim. Please note that ALL Israel Center tiyulim require advance registration. And to help you - whether you live in Israel or abroad -make hotel reservations throughout Israel (thru Travel Deal (02) 659-8916, www.traveldealisrael.com At your service MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY 11:00am-4:00pm (other times leave a message and they will be picked up) Call Naomi at the OU Israel Center Travel Desk, 560-9110; fax: 566-0156; email: tiyul@ouisrael.org - Outside Travel Desk hours, please leave a message... or call 050-725-8392 - Sundays and Wednesdays between 8-11pm ONLY. 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! (560-9110) to see if we have any tiyulim or Shabbatonim (call Ita Rochel 560-9125) 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@ouisrael.org. Please be sure to include email or fax number for reply, in addition to phone number. Israel Center tiyulim are partially subsidized by the Jewish Agency for Israel Join us for our next Shabbaton - Friday & Shabbat June 26-27 - Scholar in Residence:: Rabbi Aharon Adler Shiurim, mini-shiurim, Divrei Torah, tidbits, surveys, quizzes; 3 Shabbat meals, Oneg, Kiddush; old & new friends, camaraderie Early Shabbat (6:05 Mincha; 6:20 Plag) Drasha by Rabbi Steven Weil, Executive President of the Orthodox Union 230NIS members, 250NIS non-members so please reserve early Call 560-9125 Remember to tell us about your housing situation, dietary needs, seating preferences... Return to Hebron our Holy City! Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, Tuesday, June 23rd, Guided by Bonnie Linder, long time resident of Kiryat Arba - Join us for an exciting day in Hebron & Kiryat Arba and visit some religious, historic and educational sites located in one of the oldest Jewish cities of Israel, founded by our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. Stay and Pray in the Cave of the Patriarchs, burial site of our "forparents" [4 pairs of parents] and conduit of the prayers of our people for thousands of years. Visit the Tomb (situated in a special location) of Menucha Rochel Slonim - a Tzadika who lived in Hebron about 100 years ago. She was the daughter of the Mittler Rebbe of Chabad. The Avraham Avinu Synagogue - reconstructed 500 year old structure destroyed by the Jordanians in 1948 and rebuilt from rubble after 1967. Museum of Eretz Yehuda in Kiryat Arba - where you will be see exhibits of archeological finds in the area of Judea. A visit with Baruch Nachshon world renowned artist. Also meet with his wife, Sara Nachshon, one of the heroic pioneering women who moved into Bet Hadassa under extremely difficult conditions, paving the way for the present day Jewish community of Hebron. Tour Neveh Avraham, special Child Development Center, and be guided by its dynamic founder and director, Mrs. Chaviva Tzachor, who is truly dedicated and devoted to furthering the needs of the children attending the Center. A ride up to Gal Hevron recently established pioneering neighborhood on the edge of Kiryat Arba where a few families live under rugged conditions. There is a goat-dairy and poultry farm. We hope to meet and hear from some of the residents - 8:00am - 6:00pm - 100/120NIS Call Naomi at the Travel Desk 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! BOOKED - CALL TO BE WAITLISTED - Take this GOLDen Opportunity to visit Afula and see the Lower Galil through the eyes of Tanach with Rabbi Sholom Gold Sunday, June 28th, 8:00am - 6:30pm At Giv'at HaMoreh, we will hear a shiur about Gid'on and the Midyanites When we drive to SHUNEM (Sulam), the story of the Shumanite woman will unfold before us beautifully portrayed by Rabbi Sholom Gold Bus tour & history of Afula with Rabbi Menachem Gold Visit Marzipan factory & museum in Kfar Tavor Rabbi Menachem Gold founder and Rosh Yeshiva of the Afula Educational Center, truly "Center for all Ages" Rabbi Sholom Gold will be with us throughout the day, giving shiur "where it happened!" Mrs. Bayla Gold will be our guide 100NIS p.p. 120NIS/ non-members, Sign up NOW - Call Naomi at the Travel Desk 560-9110 or 050-725-8392, Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Palmach Museum Tel Aviv with Nachman Kupietzky Newest state-of-the-art museum vividly portraying the pre-state defense army of Israel, Tuesday, August 4th (after Tish'a b'Av) - Times & fee to be announced; Limited to 25 participants - Sign up with Naomi 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Tanach Tiyulim in cooperation with the Israel Center - DO NOT CALL THE TRAVEL DESK - For itineraries and further details: 052-422-8601- tanachtiyulim@gmail.com You've never been to Herodion? with Ezra Rosenfeld Tuesday, June 30th 9:00-13:00 Yehoshua's Entrance into Eretz Yisrael with Menachem Liebtag Sunday, July 5th 9:00-16:30 The Northern Judges and their Stories with Menachem Liebtag Sunday, July 12th9:00-17:30 Hevron - The City of Jewish Activism with Ezra Rosenfeld Sunday, July 19th 9:00-16:00 In the Footsteps of Yirmiyahu with Menachem Liebtag Tuesday, July 28th 9:00-16:30 Sign up for 3 tiyulim and get a 4th one FREE The Back Page of TT864 The Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults - Dean, Rabbi Sholom Gold, is the educational component of the Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center and incorporates all the classes & lectures of the OU Israel Center. "Regular" IC classes & lectures - Life members - free, 25NIS members, 30NIS non-members No one will be turned away for inability to pay. Membership 250NIS couple, 180NIS single. Programs of the Center are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Schedule for WED 25 Sivan (June 17th) to Friday, 4 Tamuz (June 26th) Wednesday, 25 Sivan - June 17th 9:00am Parshat HaShavua Dr. Avivah Gottlieb-Zornberg 9:20am Contemporary Halachic Issues Rabbi Macy Gordon 10:45am Pirkei Avot R' Yosef Wolicki various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - An evening with Yaakov Kirschen Medical Chi Kong Practice with Avi Hirsch - Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30pm - Call for further details: 050-767-1722 1:30pm Knitting 101 in the library with Verna 2:30pm Women's Beit Midrash - Pearl Borow First hour: the KUZARI; Second hour on Chumash with Rashi Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:30pm: Rabbi Chaim Eisen Thursday, 26 Sivan / June 18th 11:00am Torah - Internal & Eternal - Dr. Hayim Abramson 12:30pm (to 1:00pm) Literary Discussion - Dr. Hayim Abramson various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 8:00pm (June 18) David Bedein www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com - will present new documentation: How Mainstream Jewish Organizations Fund Virulent Propaganda Campaigns Against Israel How HAMAS has overtaken UNRWA Arab Refugee Camps How the PLO is forming an Apartheid State Friday, 27 Sivan / June 19th 9:00am "What Authority Does Aggadah Have? An Historic Overview (Rishonim)" - Rabbi Chaim Eisen 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi Shabbat day 28 Sivan / June 20th 5:00pm Korach: A Devotion to the Divine or Eagerness for Aggrandizement - Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko 6:00pm MINCHA Sun-Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor) 10:00am Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld - Perek "Arvei P'sachim" 11:15am RCA Daf Yomi by Rotation (and Fri. at 11:00am) 1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year) 3:15pm Hilchot Shabbat - Rabbi Chaim Sendic (052-668-0312) - Monday and Tuesday 4:30pm Masechet K'tuvot with Rabbi Hillel Ruvell Sunday 22 Sivan / June 14th 9:30am Let's Study the Chumash Tonia Frohwein women 10:30am Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda Warhaftig 12:30pm "Life: The Fantastic Adventure" Aharon Romm 12:30pm Hebrew for Beginners - Learn to read and converse in Hebrew and feel more comfortable when you daven Given by expert pedagogue Haya Graus, 10NIS per session Sunday, June 21st at 2:00pm - Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher on Why Infants Perish due to Machloket The Artist Way Program - Discover your creativity + Reconnect to and Actualize your Artistic Dreams. Every Sunday 17:15-19:00 with Yehoshua Rubin fee: 30NIS 7:30pm Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and Its Wellsprings with Rabbi Chaim Eisen - Now Studying: "Is Nature Just a Figment of Our Imagination?" 7:30pm Successful Dating for Men - Dating Towards Marriage (until 9:15pm) with Yehoshua Rubin, fee: 30NIS Sunday, June 21st 8:00pm - ADHD - Protecting the Children and treating the parents, An important, eye-opening talk by neurologist Dr. Moshe Dickman Monday Rosh Chodesh - June 22nd N'SHEI LIBRARY: 10:00-12:30 9:15am Excursions into the Book of Melachim with Pearl Borow 10:30am Rambam's 13 Principles - Rabbi Zev Leff resumes next week Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages- Call Sura Faecher 993-2524 11:36am Monday, June 29th - Guest speaker, Dr. Chanita Kass, Ed.D. an educational consultant, will explore: "The (Multiple) Intelligent Balabusta: The Aishet Chayil--in Tanach and in our lives." 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - MON June 22 “More Lost Episodes of Victor Borge” More madcap musical merriment from the “Great Dane”, “The Clown Prince of Denmark”, and a proud Jew. In the 1930s, Borge was one of the top entertainers in Europe and he incorporated anti-Nazi humor into his performances. Hitler placed Borge on his personal list of “Enemies of the Fatherland.” Come and enjoy (45 min) Women's Beit Midrash 2:00pm "bring on the Blessings" - Pearl Borow 3:00pm Mishna, Mitzvot, and More - Phil Chernofsky 5:20pm Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop 2 hrs. Contact: Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) and Judy Caspi (054-569-0410) 7:30pm Dr. Avivah Gottlieb-Zornberg is back with Parshat HaShavua 8:30pm- Rabbi Dr. Elie Assis a senior lecturer of Tanach at Bar Ilan: SHMUEL (in Hebrew) Details? Call Sam Finkel 052-469-1263 MASK - J'lem Chapter at the Israel Center maskjerusalem.cjb.net 0507542717, NEXT MEETING: Monday, June 29th, 7:30-9:30pm with Dr. Judy Belsky Tuesday Rosh Chodesh/June 23rd The Israel Center and the Old City Free Loan Association 21st year - well over 5500 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 and 19:00-20:30 - Please bring ID 9:00am Haftara of the Week Rabbi Aharon Adler 10:15am Parshat HaShavua Rabbi Sholom Gold 11:30am Jewish History, 2nd Temple Period - Dr. Henry Goldblum - The Long "Reign" of Yochanan Hyrcanus, 134-104BCE cont.. Workshops for women with Esther Sutton... 11:20am Inspirational selections from ALEI SHOR a modern day Mussar classic 1:00 (to 2:30pm) The Artist's Way a course in discovering and nurturing our innate creativity Further details and to register, please call Esther at 534-1922 Tue. 12:30pm VIDEO in the LIBRARY - TUE June 23 “Rescue in Scandinavia” After the Nazis occupied their countries, thousands of Danes and Norwegians chose to save their Jews. They refused to stand idly by and let the Nazi take them, risking their lives to smuggle Jews across their borders to unoccupied Sweden. This moving documentary tells that story and recounts the heroic actions of Count Folke Bernadotte and Raoul Wallenberg. The film also describes how Finland protected its Jewish community despite the country’s being allied with Germany during the war. Narrated by Liv Ullman, this film distinguishes the moral courage of the rescuers from the inhumanity of the persecutors. (1 hour) 2:00pm Dying with Dignity Learning how to comfort your loved ones during the last stages of life. A four-part course with Yehoshua Rubin (2:00-3:15pm) Fee: 50NIS per session call for details: 050-867-0967 3:30pm A Parent's Greatest Simcha Parents of Singles: Yes, you can help your child get married. Lecture with Q+A by Rabbi Yehoshua Rubin who has been associated with 15 successful Shidduchim and offers you well-tried tips to help your child get married. Fee: 30NIS - Call for details: 050-867-0967 8:00pm Meet the Meforshim - Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch Wednesday 2 Tammuz / June 24th 9:00am Dr. Avivah Gottlieb-Zornberg with Parshat HaShavua 9:20am Rabbi Macy Gordon - Contemporary Halachic Issues 10:45am Pirkei Avot R' Yosef Wolicki various times MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold including a mini-shiur by Sara Berelowitz in memory of her father, z"l 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - WED June 24 Rabbi Abraham Twerski “Liking Yourself: Building Self-Esteem” Medical Chi Kong Practice with Avi Hirsch - Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30pm - Call for further details: 050-767-1722 1:30pm Knitting 101 in the library with Verna 2:30pm Women's Beit Midrash - Pearl Borow First hour: the KUZARI; Second hour on Chumash with Rashi Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:30pm: Rabbi Chaim Eisen "Truth Will Sprout from the Earth": How Many Truths? How Many Legitimate Pathways to G-d? (How Many Right Answers in Jewish Law?" Current Sub-unit: "From the Period of Prophecy to the Term of Talmudic Scholarship: When (and Why) is the Sage Preferable to the Prophet?" Thursday, 3 Tammuz / June 25th 11:00am to 12:30pm Torah - Internal & Eternal 12:30-1:00pm Literary Discussion Dr. Hayim Abramson various times MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold Thursday, June 25th 8:00pm (no charge) - The Joy Club with Rabbi Zelig Pliskin Friday 27 Sivan / June 19th 9:00am Rabbi Chaim Eisen: "What Authority Does Aggadah Have? An Historic Overview (Rishonim)" 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi Friday, June 26th 8:45am-11:30am Free All Welcome OU Israel and Torah in Motion invite men and woman to a morning of learning sponsored by the Kelman family in observance of the tenth yahrzeit of Ruth Kelman a”hl 8:45 a.m. - - In the Merit of Righteous Women: Ruth and the Road to Redemption - Yael Ziegler 9:30 a.m. - The Nine Lives of Og Melech HaBashan - Dafna Siegman 10:20 a.m. - Siyum Mishnayot on Seder Moed - Atara Kelman 10:40 a.m. Is creativity in the study of Torah a part of Matan Torah - Gilla Rosen 6:05pm MINCHA (before Plag) - Shabbaton upcoming at the Israel Center Monday, June 29th at 11:36am - Chana Persoff, prominent social worker in Jerusalem and Menachem's wife, speaking on: " I was Born in China" Don't miss this moving hour of suspense and spiritual inspiration! Tuesday, June 30th, 8:30pm (50NIS, 30 for soldiers in uniform) Concert with Dov Rosenblatt (founding member of Blue Fringe) and local band - details to follow.