R'ei & Shoftim August 14-15, 21-22, 25 Menachem Av & 2 Elul 5769 DOUBLE ISSUE - No TT next week - TT 873 IYH for Ki Teitzei These Shabbatot are the 320th & 327th days (of 354), 46th & 47th Shabbatot (of 50) of 5769 PIRKEI AVOT: In Israel - 6th & first; In Chutz LaAretz - 5th & 6th S'CHAR MITZVA - SIMCHAT MITZVA (Baal Shem Tov) 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 REI Ranges are 10 days, WED-FRI 22 Men. Av - 1 Elul (Aug. 12-21) Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:08-5:15am Sunrise 6:03-6:08am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:23-9:24am (Magen Avraham: 8:33-8:37am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:30-10:30am (Magen Avraham: 9:57-9:58am) Chatzot 12:44-12:42Όpm (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 1:18-1:16pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 6:02-5:54pm Sunset 7:30-7:20pm (based on sea level: 7:25-7:15pm) Sho-f'tim Ranges are 10 days, WED-FRI - 29 Men"Av - 8 Elul (Aug 19-28) Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:14-5:20am Sunrise 6:07-6:13am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:24-9:26am (Magen Avraham: 8:36-8:39am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:30-10:30am (Magen Avraham: 9:58-9:59am) Chatzot 12:423/4-12:40Όpm (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 1:16-1:13pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 5:56-5:47pm Sunset 7:23-7:12pm (based on sea level: 7:18-7:07pm) Parshat R'EI - Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 8:40pm 6:48 (6:01) Yerushalayim 8:02pm 7:05 (6:03) S'derot 8:03pm 7:03 (6:01) Gush Etzion 8:02pm 7:05 (6:03) Raanana 8:04pm 7:04 (6:02) Beit Shemesh 8:02pm 7:05 (6:02) Rehovot 8:03pm 7:05 (6:03) Netanya 8:04pm 7:02 (6:02) Be'er Sheva 8:02pm 7:04 (6:02) Modi'in 8:03pm 6:48 (6:02) Petach Tikva 8:03pm 6:48 (6:00) Maale Adumim 8:01pm 7:04 (6:02) Ginot Shomron 8:03pm 7:03 (6:02) Gush Shiloh 8:02pm 7:03 (6:01) K4 & Hevron 8:02pm 7:03 (6:01) Giv'at Ze'ev 8:02pm 7:05 (6:02) Yad Binyamin 8:03pm 7:06 (6:03) Ashkelon 8:04pm 6:54 (6:01) Tzfat 8:03pm SHO-F'TIM - Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 8:31pm 6:40 (5:54) Yerushalayim 7:53pm 6:58 (5:56) S'derot 7:55pm 6:56 (5:55) Gush Etzion 7:53pm 6:58 (5:56) Raanana 7:55pm 6:56 (5:55) Beit Shemesh 7:54pm 6:57 (5:56) Rehovot 7:55pm 6:58 (5:56) Netanya 7:56pm 6:55 (5:56) Be'er Sheva 7:54pm 6:57 (5:55) Modi'in 7:54pm 6:40 (5:56) Petach Tikva 7:55pm 6:40 (5:54) Maale Adumim 7:53pm 6:57 (5:55) Ginot Shomron 7:54pm 6:56 (5:54) Gush Shiloh 7:53pm 6:56 (5:55) K4 & Hevron 7:53pm 6:56 (5:55) Giv'at Ze'ev 7:54pm 6:57 (5:56) Yad Binyamin 7:55pm 6:58 (5:57) Ashkelon 7:56pm 6:46 (5:54) Tzfat 7:54pm 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... As Av winds down and will flow into Elul (especially so for months with 30 days, the 30th of which is the first day of the new month's Rosh Chodesh, giving that day a double identity as to which month it belongs), we remind you of the simple but elegant, two- word Rashei Teivot of AV -- Elul Ba, Elul is coming. When, specifically? Rosh Chodesh Elul will be THU & FRI, August 20,21. ROSH CHODESH ELUL YIH-YEH B'YOM CHAMISHI UVYOM SHISHI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA: Its molad is Thursday night, 10:42pm Israel Summer Time, but announced thusly (THU 22h 3m 6p): HAMOLAD YIH-YEH B’LEIL SHISHI, SHALOSH DAKOT V’SHISHA CHALAKIM ACHAREI ESER Actual molad is almost 10 hrs. earlier, THU at 1:01pm. So goes it. With the molad of Elul occurring on Leil Shishi (which is what we call Thursday night) at 10:42pm Israel Summer Time (adjust for your time zone), the first opportunity for Kiddush L'vana would be Sunday night after 10:42pm. Since the moon will have set by that time, the actual first op for KL according to Minhag Yerushalayim is Monday night, August 24th. First op for 7-day after the molad is Thursday, Aug. 27th AFTER 10:42pm. If you miss that, Motza'ei Shabbat Ki Teitzei is your best shot. WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO Double sedras. No, that's not what it all boils down to. This is introductory; the main part of the Lead Tidbit follows. Double sedras - We can't do without them... if we are to neatly complete the reading of the whole Torah each year. There are seven pairs of sedras that double up on occasion. Some of the pairs combine in regular 12-month years and split to provide the readings for the extra Shabbatot in a Shana M'uberet (13-month, 2-Adar years). Specifically, this is the job of Vayak-heil/P'kudei (VP), Tazri'a/M'tzora (TM), Acharei/K'doshim (AK), and B'har/B'chukotai (BB). Chukat-Balak (CB) only combine in Chutz LaAretz, when their second day of Shavuot is a "regular" Parshat HaShavua Shabbat for us. They never combine in Israel. Matot-Mas'ei (MM) are usually combined, except when their split is needed to adjust for D'varim before Tish'a b'Av and Va'etchanan after Tish'a b'Av. Nitzavim/ Vayeilech (NV) accommodate a Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, when there is one. Additionally, BB and MM are split in Israel when the 8th day of Pesach is Shabbat - in Israel, there is no 8th day of Pesach and we temporarily go a sedra ahead of the rest of the world in Parshat HaShavua. Aside from a minor detail or so, that's the double sedra story. Until the eighth pair of combined sedras. This pair has nothing to do with the yearly Torah reading cycle - they are always read on separate Shabbatot. But R'ei and Sho-f'tim are combined in a single issue of Torah Tidbits - this one, 872, to be specific, to allow the Torah Tidbits staff a few days of vacation. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. This issue has the full Sedra Summaries for R'ei and Sho-f'tim. Torah Tidbits will not appear for Shabbat Parshat Sho-f'tim; TT 873 for Ki Teitzei will IYH "hit the stands" (and first folding will take place) as usual on Wednesday, August 26th. So, what does IT all boil down to? MITZVOT! With 55 mitzvot in R'ei (third highest mitzva-count for a sedra) and 41 in Sho-f'tim (sixth on the list), this issue covers a record-breaking 96 mitzvot (comfortably surpassing AK's 79). Consequently, we cannot consider not using MITZVOT as the topic for this Lead Tidbit. Judaism means MITZVOT. If we're looking for the foundation, what about "belief in G-d"? Yes, Judaism is about belief in G-d. And in His absolute Unity. And in "not having any other gods before Him". Each of which is a MITZVA. What about being good people and being good to each other? MITZVOT. Many, many of the Torah's MITZVOT command us and guide us to being kind and good people. To caring and doing for each other. MITZVOT. What about Eretz Yisrael? Torah Tidbits is repeatedly shouting about living in Israel being the reason and purpose that G-d took us out of Egypt, made us into a nation, gave us the Torah. MITZVOT. The MITZVA to live in Eretz Yisrael and the host of MITZVOT that are linked to the Land and can only be observed here. Although commentaries divide the Book of D'varim into three sections - the first being Moshe's account of the history of the first 40 years of nationhood and the fundamentals of Torah (Aseret HaDibrot, Sh'ma, and more); the second part being MITZVOT in R'ei, Sho-f'tim, and Ki Teitzei (170 of the 613); and the third being the whys and wherefors (Reward and Punishment, T'shuva, Free Will...) - it's still all about MITZVOT. History is more than stories - it is a MITZVA to remember and never forget what happened in and out of Egypt, to remember Amalek, to remember what happened at Sinai, to remember what happened to Miriam in the Wilderness, to remember all the times we angered G-d, to remember the many kindnesses He performed for us. MITZVOT. Belief in Reward and Punishment and in Free Will is part of the MITZVOT of belief in G-d. T'shuva is a MITZVA. It's all about MITZVOT. And when our Sages have "fleshed out" our way of life with a multitude of Rabbinic commands, rules and regulations - that's about MITZVOT too. In Sho-f'tim we find the pair of MITZVOT - one positive (ASEI) and on prohibition (LAV) - requiring us to listen to the dictates of the Sages and not to veer from them, neither to the right nor to the left. Authority of the king and of the prophet? MITZVOT. In the Sedra Summaries within these pages, we will focus on some of the MITZVOT in these two sedras. But it is also important to take a step back from the "trees" and admire the "forrest". And to commit to the "forrest" by accepting upon oneself the "yoke of mitzvot". That is the essence of the second passage of the Sh'ma - which comes from last week's sedra of Eikev. We should not just recite the Sh'ma, but have KAVANA to accept the Yoke of Heaven (first part of Sh'ma) and recommit to observe all of His mitzvot (second part) to the best of our ability and with the best of attitudes, that of love of HaShem, with a healthy dose of Yir'at HaShem mixed in. This is not an easy task, but a well-worth one. And we ask HaShem for His help in the bracha right before Sh'ma in Shacharit, we ask Him to V'DABEIK LIBEINU B'MIZVOTECHA, that our hearts should cling to MITZVOT... with love, B'AHAVA. R'EI STATS 47th of the 54 sedras; 4th of 11 in D'varim Written on 257.8 lines in a Sefer Torah (rank: 4th) 20 Parshiyot; 5 open; 15 closed (rank: 10th tied) 126 p'sukim - ranks 13th (first in D'varim) Same number of p'sukim as Lech L'cha, but Lech L'cha ranks 23 in size, compared with 4th for R'ei. Interesting, no? 1932 words - ranks 7th (first in D'varim) 7442 letters - ranks 7th (first in D'varim) Relatively long p'sukim like most sedras in D'varim (hence, jump in ranking) MITZVOT 55 of the 613; 17 positive, 38 prohibition Only Ki Teitzei & Emor have more mitzvotAliya-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 - 17 p'sukim - 11:26-12:10 [S> 11:26 (3)] After setting down the fundamentals of Judaism (including the formative history of the Nation, Aseret HaDibrot, Sh'ma, Brachot & Davening, and more) in the first three sedras of D'varim, Moshe Rabeinu proceeds with the "Tachlis" part of the Book - mitzvot. The sedras of R'ei, Shoftim, and Ki Teitzei contain 170 mitzvot, the greatest concentration for three consecutive sedras. They are 3 of the top 6 mitzva-sedras of the Torah. Blessing = keeping the mitzvot; curse = not keeping them. These are the simple equations that Moshe presents here and that Yehoshua will again present when the People stand on Har G'rizim and Har Eival. SDT: Note the phraseology in the opening p'sukim: the Blessing - THAT you will keep the mitzvot. The Curse - IF you won't... There is an implied "recommendation" to choose Blessing (similarly, "And you shall choose Life"). The Bracha, of course, WHEN you choose it... good things will happen. The curse, IF (not assumed) you are misguided enough not to choose it... [S> 11:29 (23)] The Nation was born in Egypt, had its infancy in the wilderness, and will grow and flourish in the Promised Land. "These are the mitzvot to be preserved in the Land..." (Note that not all of the mitzvot that follow are actually Israel-related, yet it is possible to suggest - as Rashi and Ramban do, very strongly - that ALL mitzvot were meant to be observed in Eretz Yisrael). Sites, altars, idols, etc. of the nations in Eretz Yisrael are to be destroyed [436, A185 12:2]. How- ever, we must be careful not to do the same to G-d [437,L65 12:4] - this mitzva includes the prohibition of erasing G-d's Holy Names. While their places are to be eliminated, THE Place (site of the Mikdash) is to be the focal point of Jewish spiritual life and energy. All sacrifices and offerings are to be made there and only there, at the first festival encountered [438, A83 12:5]. It is on those occasions (the Shalosh Regalim, the 3 Pilgrimage Festivals) that sacred foods (such as Ma'aser Sheni, Neta Reva'i) are eaten in Jerusalem. Things won't be as "do your own thing" as they are in the wilderness. Soon we will be entering the Land for a more "permanent", down to earth life. MitzvaWatch There is a fairly common situation among the Torah's mitzvot, of a positive command and a prohibition basically saying the same thing. We have a mitzva to fast on Yom Kippur and a prohibition of eating and drinking. Same thing. We may not do Melacha on Shabbat and we must abstain from Melacha on Shabbat. Same thing. In R'ei, we are commanded to "cancel" uncollected loans at the end of Sh'mita year. We are forbidden from collecting loans after the Sh'mita year has past. Same thing. We are required to give a freed Jewish servant gifts when he finishes his term of service. It is forbidden to set him free empty- handed. Same thing. There are many examples of these "two-sides of the same coin" mitzvot. And there are reasons for the positive mitzva and a "partner" prohibition. But let's take a look at another aspect of mitzva pairs. Less common than the perfectly matched positive mitzva and prohibition, is the pair of mitzvot that overlap, but not completely. Back to the first type for a moment. If a person eats on Yom Kippur (without halachic sanction), he is simultaneously in violation of the prohibition against eating on YK, and in non-fulfilment of the mitzva to fast. If you eat, you are not fasting. If you fast, you are not eating. But take a look at [438], the mitzva to fulfill a pledge of a korban or other donation to the Beit HaMikdash. There is a partner prohibition (in Ki Teitzei) which forbids delaying the fulfillment of a pledge to the Mikdash. These mitzvot do not perfectly align. To fulfill the positive mitzva, one must "pay up" by the next Regel. However, one is not in violation of the prohibition unless three Regalim have past since the pledge. This means that a pledge to the Beit HaMikdash made during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva should be fulfilled on Sukkot. If so, then the person is fulfilling an ASEI and not in violation of a LAV. If he doesn't fulfill the pledge until Pesach, then he has NOT fulfilled the positive mitzva, but neither has he violated the prohibition. If TU b'Av comes and he still hasn't fulfilled the pledge, then he is in violation of the LAV (because three chagim have passed). Levi - Second Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 12:11-28 There, a special place will be designated for the bringing of all offerings. There, spiritual rejoicing will take place, and there, we shall help the Levite and the less fortunate to also have cause to rejoice. It will be forbidden to bring sacrifices anywhere else [439,L89 12:13]. All Korbanot are to be brought only at the Mikdash [440,A84 12:14] (another example of the mitzva- pairs). Only those consecrated animals that become unfit for the Altar due to blemishes must be redeemed [441,A86 12:15] (without an invalidating blemish, a consecrated animal may NOT be redeemed) and then may be eaten as "regular" meat. The animals' blood, of course, may not be consumed. It is forbidden to eat Ma'aser Sheni outside Yerushalayim, neither of grain [442,L141 12:17], nor of wine (or grapes) [443,L142 12:17], nor olive oil (or olives) [444,L143 12:17]; nor to eat sacred first-born animals outside of Yerushalayim [445,L144 12:17], nor the more sacred sacrificial meat outside of the Temple courtyard [446, L145 12:17], nor eat the meat of an Olah (completely-burnt offering) at all [447,L146 12:17], nor other korbanot before their blood is properly sprinkled on the Altar [448,L147 12:17], nor eat First- Fruits before they are placed in front of the Altar [449,L149 12:17]. The previous paragraph lists 8 mitzvot that all come from a single pasuk (12:17). Here too is an example of how we would be lost in trying to understand all that this pasuk is commanding us, without the Oral Law. Again, it is not rabbinic interpretation nor legislation nor extension that we are dealing with; it is Torah as much from HaShem as Matza on the Seder night or Shofar on Rosh HaShana. (We have referred to this pasuk as the Nolan Ryan pasuk; if you don't know why or if you never heard of Nolan Ryan, don't sweat it.) All of the above-mentioned foods are to be eaten where they are supposed to be eaten. Be careful not to forget the Levi, the gifts due him, and other forms of help [450,L229 12:19]. [S> 12:20 (9)] "When G-d will expand your borders as promised..." Notice that the Torah speaks of prosperity immediately following the portion about generous charity-giving and concern for others. This is G-d's "illogical" promise: the more you give, the more you will have. If and when we desire to eat meat (other than the sacred meat of korbanot), we may do so anywhere we choose, but we must properly slaughter the animals we eat first [451,A146 12:21]. In the pasuk commanding Sh'chita, G-d says "(slaughter the animal) as I have commanded you". Yet we do not find the details of Sh'chita in the Written Torah. This pasuk is one of the sources for the concept that the Torah consists of a written portion and an Oral Law - both the Word of G-d. Non-sacred meat does not have the same restrictions as sacred meat (i.e. ritual impurity - yours or the animal's - is not an impediment to eating it). Many other halachot, of course, do apply. An animal must be killed before its meat is taken. This is the universal prohibition (it is both one of the 613 and one of the 7 Noahide Laws) of "Limb from a living animal" [452,L182 12:23]. Blood must be removed from meat before we may eat it. Korbanot shall be brought from all over (even from outside of Israel) to the "Place of G-d's choosing" - the Mikdash [453,A85 12:26]. These korbanot shall be offered on the Mizbei'ach, the blood sprinkled thereon, the meat (when permitted) to be eaten there. Be careful to do all that G-d asks, so that things will be good for us and our children. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 12:29-13:19 [S> 12:29 (4)] Repeat warning: Do not get interested in the idolatrous practices of the nations whom we will replace in the Land, lest we too anger G-d and be punished by Him. We shall do all that we are commanded, neither adding to [454, L313 13:1], nor diminishing from [455,L314 13:1] Torah & mitzvot. [P> 13:2 (5)] If (when) there arises among us a prophet or dreamer - even one who performs miracles or signs to back up his words - who prophesies in the name of idolatry, it is forbidden to listen him [456, L28 13:4]. This is to be viewed as a test by G-d of our faith in Him. We must be true to G-d, follow Him, revere Him, keep His mitzvot, serve Him, and cling to Him. The above-mentioned false prophet shall be put to death for his attempts to turn us away from G-d. We thus uproot evil from our midst. [S> 13:7 (6)] If any fellow Jew (even a close relative or beloved friend) tries to entice us to idolatry of any type (familiar, exotic, or foreign), we must show no love to such a person [457, L17 13:9], nor overcome our hatred of him [458,L18 13:9], nor rescue him from danger [459,L19 13:9], nor speak on his behalf in court [460, L20 13:9] nor refrain from speaking against him [461,L21 13:9]. The Torah must be very clear and strong in these commands, because it has become second-nature (ideally) for us to love our fellow, not hate him, and try to save him. But not in this case. These mitzvot stand in startling contrast to the mitzvot from K'doshim (and other places) which command love of fellow Jew, not to hate him, to save him from danger, etc. These mitzvot (from this week's sedra) underline the seriousness with which the Torah treats the enticer to idolatry. He is a cancer in our midst that must be removed. But rather, the enticer shall be put to death by stoning (after trial and conviction), the accusing witnesses initiating the execution. And (it almost goes without saying that) it is forbidden to entice a fellow Jew to leave G-d and worship idols [462,L16 13:12]. [S> 13:13 (7)] If we find out that an entire city is being enticed to idolatry, we must very carefully investigate the matter. This command is generalized to require thorough examination and questioning of witnesses in all types of cases [463,A179 13:15]. If the charges are substantiated, the population of the "city gone astray" is to be killed by sword, the possessions of the people are to be burned, and the city itself destroyed [464,A186 13:17]. The city may not ever be rebuilt [465,L23 13:17] (unless security considerations determine otherwise). No one may benefit from anything from the city [466,L24 13:18] so as not to provoke G-d's anger. Proper fulfillment of these and other mitzvot will find favor in G-d's eyes. R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 21 p'sukim - 14:1-21 [S> 14:1 (2)] As "G-d's children", it is forbidden to gash oneself (for idolatrous purposes or to mourn the dead) [467,L45 14:1] nor tear out one's hair in grief [468,L171 14:1]. [Mitzva 467 also prohibits factionalization of the community when it is detrimental to Jewish unity - two totally different mitzvot attributed to the same source.] It is our destiny to be the chosen from among the nations of the earth. [S> 14:3 (6)] It is forbidden to eat "any abomination", defined here as the meat of a korban that had become "disqualified" [469,L140 14:3]. The Torah next lists 10 types of mammals that are kosher (3 domestic, 7 wild), and then gives signs to determine a kosher animal (split hoof and cud-chewing). This is followed by four examples of animals we may not eat. Remember that in Sh'mini, the first place where kosher and non-kosher animals are presented, only non-kosher animals are named. The kosher domesticated animals are very familiar to us: Cow, Goat, Sheep. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z"l identifies the 7 wild kosher animals (Chayot T'hortot) as gazelle, deer, antelope, ibex, chamois, bison (or wild ox, maybe water buffalo), giraffe. In his footnotes, he brings different opinions about the Hebrew terms for different animals. Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, on the other hand, translates very few of the animals and birds mention in this parsha, and leaves all the rest in transliteration only. He defends his refusal to translate some of the animals because a mis-translation (which he considers very likely) can result in someone eating non- kosher. [S> 14:9 (2)] Fish with scales and fins are permitted to be eaten; that which has no scales (or fins) is forbidden to us. Scales (that are easily scraped off without damaging the skin of the fish) determine the kashrut of a fish. [S> 14:11 (11)] We may eat kosher birds. We are therefore obligated to examine and deter- mine the kosher status of a bird we would like to eat [470,A150 14:11] (The corresponding mitzvot for the other types of animals have been counted as mitzvot from Shmini.) The Torah lists 21 types of birds that are forbidden. (Don't confuse the term species for type. Torah classification does not necessarily conform with modern taxonomy.) The characteristics of kosher and non-kosher birds are NOT mentioned in the Torah (unlike mammals and fish). The Gemara gives us guidelines that distinguish between kosher and non-kosher birds. Practically speaking, neither the list nor the guidelines are what determine which birds we eat. MASORET (tradition) does. Basically, we do not trust ourselves to be able to properly identify the birds named in the Torah (modern Hebrew sometimes does not match Biblical or Mishnaic Hebrew - this is one problem). If we have a tradition in our communities that a particular type of bird is kosher, then we will eat it. Otherwise we take the cautious position of SAFEK (doubt) and choose to be strict with ourselves. It is also forbidden to eat non- kosher locust and other winged insects [471,L175 14:19]. Even though we may eat meat, it is forbidden to eat of an animal that died other than by sh'chita. This is the ISUR of N'VEILA [472,L180 14:21]. Benefit may be derived from N'VEILA but not from milk- meat mixtures. Although this 3rd occurrence of BASAR B'CHALAV teaches the prohibition of benefit, it is not counted as a separate mitzva, but is included in the prohibition of eating M-in-M from Ki Tisa. We have three p'sukim that each teach a prohibition - cooking, eating, benefit - but in counting mitzvot, Meat-in-Milk is not counted as one mitzva or three, but as two of the 613 - one prohibition to cook meat and milk together, and one prohibition that forbids eating and/or deriving benefit from meat and milk that has been cooked together. Chamishi - 5th Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 14:22-29 [P> 14:22 (6)] (Approx. 2% of the yield of a crop is given to a Kohen as T'ruma. One tenth of the remainder is separated as Ma'aser to be given to a Levi.) One tenth of what is left is separated as Ma'aser Sheni [473,A128 14:22], which remains the possession of the owner but is sacred and must be brought to Yerushalayim and eaten (t)here in a state of ritual purity. If the amount of Ma'aser Sheni is great, a person is permitted to redeem the produce for fair market value plus a fifth (i.e. 1/4 is added, that amount becoming 1/5 of the total amount). If one redeems the Maaser Sheni of his neighbor, no one adds one fifth. The proceeds of the redemption are to be spent on food and drink in Yerushalayim. Again the Torah reminds us to care of the Levi, who has no property of his own. (Ma'aser Sheni applies in years 1, 2, 4, 5 of the Shmita cycle.) [S> 14:28 (2)] In the 3rd (& 6th) year of a Shmita cycle, the second tithe is to be given to poor people [474,A130 14:28]. This generous act of tzedaka will be rewarded by G-d's blessings. Shishi - Sixth Aliya -18 p'sukim - 15:1-18 [S> 15:1 (6)] If Shmita year passes, repayment of personal loans may not be demanded [475, L230 15:1]. This rule applies when both lender and borrower are Jewish. Loans due from a non-Jew must be collected [476, A142 15:3], but it is a mitzva to cancel the personal debt of a fellow Jew following the Shmita year [477, A141 15:3] (again we see an example of a positive mitzva and a prohibition that say the same thing). If the Jewish People follow the Torah and mitzvot properly, we will be blessed by not having poverty among us. We will also dominate among the nations of the world. [S> 15:7 (5)] However, when we are confronted with poverty, we must not hold back generous support of those in need [478, L232 15:7]. Rather it is a great mitzva to give tzedaka and support those less fortunate than ourselves in a giving and dignified manner [479,A195 15:8]. Be especially careful not to withhold loans to the poor because the Shmita year is approaching [480,L231 15:9]; if the poor person cries out to G-d, He will hold you accountable for not helping. Be generous in areas of tzedaka and Chessed, thereby meriting blessing from G-d. Poverty will be a "fact of life" under normal circumstances; give tzedaka freely. Although a lender must void a debt after Shmita year passes (unless he has executed the document called PROZBUL, by which he is considered to have turned over his debts to a Beit Din for collection, in which case Shmita does not terminate such loans), the borrower may - and should - offer to repay the loan. The lender is obligated to tell the borrower that the loan has been canceled by Shmita, and the borrower is supposed to say that he would like to give the money back to the lender anyway (as a gift). The lender can accept the repayment in that case, and the borrower is considered to have acted in a proper Jewish manner. The borrower who "takes advantage" of the Shmita- voiding of a debt is considered to have behaved in an improper and un-Jewish manner. [S> 15:12 (7)] If a Jew becomes an indentured servant to a fellow Jew, he shall work no more than six years and he shall be freed in the seventh. One must not send the freed EVED IVRI away empty- handed [481, L233 15:13] but rather he shall be given a generous allotment upon discharge [482, A196 15:14] (another double-sided mitzva). We are to remember that we were AVADIM in Egypt and that G-d redeemed us and expects us to be sensitive to those less fortunate than ourselves. If the EVED IVRI does not want to be released, his ear is ceremonially pierced and he remains in his master's service until Yovel. Do not be stingy with the servant, for he has served you hard and long. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 15:19-16:17 [S> 15:19 (5)] First-borns of cow, goat and sheep are sacred (if unblemished); they may neither be worked [483,L113 15:19] nor benefited from [484,L114 15:19], such as shearing the wool for personal use. They are given to a Kohen as one of his Torah-granted gifts (after 30 or 50 days of age, depending upon the type of animal). They are to be eaten by the kohen and his family after being brought as a korban - within a year, unless "unfit for the Altar", in which case they are the Kohen's property, to do with as he pleases. [P> 16:1 (8)] Preserve the spring month and bring Korban Pesach. (This is a reiteration of the mitzva to adjust the calendar when necessary, by adding a month - a second Adar - to keep Pesach into the spring.) Chametz is forbidden on Erev Pesach afternoon [485,L199 16:3]. This is a separate prohibition, and of a lesser status (based on comparing punishments for violation), to the prohibition of Chametz on Pesach itself. The Chagiga cannot be left over beyond two days [486,L118 16:4]. KP cannot be brought on a private altar [487,* 16:5 - not on Rambam's list - the ONLY mitzva on the Chinuch's list that Rambam does not count. Other shoe drops in Haazinu]. [P> 16:9 (4)] Count 7 weeks until Shavuot; this is the OTHER Omer mitzva (in addition to counting 49 days - it's why we count days & weeks). Next, a mention of Sukkot and then the command to rejoice on the Festivals [488,A54 16:14]. Appear in the Mikdash and bring korbanot on Chagim [489,A53 16:15]; do not appear there empty-handed [490,L156 16:16]. Last 5 p'sukim are reread as Maftir. Haftara - 12 p'sukim - Yeshayahu 54:11-55:5 We have the hopeful message that G-d will take back the exile- afflicted people of Israel in great splendor. It is also a prophecy of a time when our enemies will not succeed against us. Spiritual thirst and hunger will be tended to and all will be good for us... IF we will listen to G-d. There it is. The same deal as in the sedra. A deal repeated over and over again. A deal that is so simple, we should only be able to exercise our free will and keep our end of the covenant. Sho-f'tim STATS 48th of the 54 sedras; 5th of 11 in D'varim Written on 191.6 lines in a Sefer Torah (rank: 27) 18 Parshiyot; 3 open, 15 closed 97 p'sukim - ranks 36th - 7th in D'varim (tied with Tzav, but larger) 1523 words - ranks 28th - 7th in D'varim 5590 letters - ranks 31st - 7th in D'varim Relatively large p'sukim, like most of D'varim but an average-sized sedra The reason SHO-F'TIM is often written this way in Torah Tidbits is to remind the TTreader of this very common error in pronunciation of this word and many like it. Many (most?) people pronounce these two syllables: SHOF and TIM. In fact, the first syllable is SHO and the second syllable is F'TIM. The SH'VA under the FEI is NA and the FEI/SH'VA begin the second syllable. The FEI does not belong to the first syllable, which is an open syllable - SHO. And the second word of the sedra is the same type: V'SHO-T'RIM. MITZVOT 41 mitzvot - 14 positive, 27 prohibitions; ranks 6th in mitzvot among the sedras The top 6 mitzva-sedras contain 55% of the Torah's mitzvot. (the 48 other sedras have the other 45%) Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes. [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Kohen - First Aliya - 18 p'sukim - 16:18-17:13 [S> 16:18 (3)] Judges to clarify the law (and try cases) and agents of the court to enforce the law are to be appointed throughout the Land [491, A176 16:18], and they are to carry out their duties fairly. They must not slant the law, nor show favoritism, nor take bribes which blind and pervert even the fairest and most righteous of people. Justice is to be ardently pursued so that we will be worthy of living and flourishing in Eretz Yisrael. What if a judge was going to vote in favor of the briber, even without the bribe. Justice is still being served. Is the bribe any less a serious offense? The answer is NO. A bribe is a bribe. One leads to another, and justice will be perverted. SDT: TZEDEK TZEDEK TIRDOF - Justice you shall surely pursue. The doubling of the word TZEDEK is usually considered a form of emphasis. But here, one commentator suggests that it can be seen as a reminder that not only shall justice be pursued, but the means employed in the pursuit of justice shall also be just. We should not subscribe to the concept that the end justifies the means. Perpetrating a mockery of justice and claiming that it is justice, is the greatest offense of all. TZEDEK (B')TZEDEK, justice with justice (you shall pursue)... [S> 16:21 (2)] Planting trees in the courtyard of the Mikdash (or near the Mizbei'ach) is forbidden [492, L13 16:21] - it is an idolatrous practice. (This prohibition still applies today.) Erecting monuments (as is done in idol worship) to G-d (even with "proper" motives) is forbidden [493,L11 16:22] SDT: Perversion of justice is juxtaposed to idolatry to emphasize how serious is the former sin. Pirkei Avot states that "the sword comes to the world because of perversion of justice... exile comes because of idolatry." Both sins cause us to lose our hold on Eretz Yisrael. And conversely, remaining faithful to G-d and dealing with each other with honesty and justice will secure us our hold on our Land. The Gemara states that "appointing inappropriate judges is tantamount to planting a tree near the Altar". Planting a tree in an attempt to beautify the Temple, is a completely misguided act. The beauty of the Beit HaMikdash flows from itself and its spiritual essence. To think that external decoration can contribute to the beauty is to lack understanding of what the Beit HaMikdash is. So too, to appoint a judge because of personal appearance, wealth, stature, etc. (and not because of scholarship and worthiness to judge) is equally "missing the point". [S> 17:1 (1)] Sacrificing blemished animals is forbidden [494,L95 17:1]. (Elsewhere the Torah enumerated types of blemishes, but the mitzva is counted here in Shoftim; the Gemara deals with the details.) [S> 17:2 (6)] The Torah next stresses that idolatry is a most serious sin. If we find among us a fellow Jew who worships anyone (or thing) other than G-d, we must most scrupulously investigate the case against him (or her). If the person is convicted by the court, the punishment is death by stoning, thereby uprooting evil from our midst. It is the eye-witness testimony of a minimum of two that shall be necessary to convict. No one can be sentenced to die (or be otherwise punished) by the testimony of only a solitary witness. The witnesses themselves are often to be involved in the carrying out of the sentence. [P> 17:8 (6)] The Torah next establishes the mechanism for the perpetuation of Judaism throughout the generations (by emphasizing, among other things, that if disputes arise or a halachic point needs clarification, that we are to consult the judges IN OUR TIME) and the dynamic applicability of Halacha for all times (by giving the Sages the mechanism to enact laws for the protection of the Torah and its proper observance). We are required to do all that the Sanhedrin (the Supreme Halachic Authority) teaches and commands [495,A174 17:10]. We must not veer from their rulings "neither to the right nor to the left" [496,L312 17:11]. MitzvaWatch Rambam's Book of Mitzvot contains 14 "rules" by which Rambam counts the Torah's 613 mitzvot. Rule #1 states that rabbinic mitzvot such as Chanuka and Purim shall not be counted among the Taryag. This might seem obvious, but Rambam feels compelled to state this rule in opposition to mitzva-counters who DID include some "rabbinic mitzvot" among Taryag. Why would someone consider the post-biblical mitzvot of Chanuka and Purim as Torah law? Similarly, why is it that the bracha for mitzvot, which states "...Who has sanctified with his mitzvot and commanded us..." is also recited for 6 rabbinic commandments? (Try to come up with the list before you continue reading. Or at least, challenge your children and/or Shabbat guests to name the 6 Rabbinic Mitzvot. Shabbat and Yom Tov candles, Chanuka candles, Megilat Esther and the other Megilot, Netilat Yadayim, Hallel, and the three types of Eiruv.) The answer to both questions is based on the p'sukim in the beginning of this week's sedra which speak about the authority of the Sanhedrin - mitzvot 495 & 496 above. In essence, the Torah commands us to observe rabbinic law. Therefore, it can be argued that rabbinic law IS Torah Law. It follows that one might consider counting Chanuka and Purim among the 613, and it makes sense to use the mitzva-bracha formula for Rabbinic mitzvot. Rambam does not argue against this. He insists, however, that we cannot possibly count Rabbinic mitzvot separately among the 613. This could lead to the untenable situation of having to re-adjust the mitzva count each time a Sanhedrin would make a new rabbinic mitzva. (Clarification: there are many, many Rabbinic laws - positives and prohibitions. Only these six - and one other - however, are accorded the status of Rabbinic Mitzvot. What's the seventh Rabbinic Mitzva? Making B'rachot. Why was not B'rachot mentioned earlier? Because we don't make a mitzva- bracha for brachot.) A Torah scholar with authority to render Halachic decisions who defies the Sanhedrin and encourages others to disregard their ruling, can (under certain circumstances) be put to death. Such an individual is known as ZAKEN MAMREI and is ultimately judged by the Great Sanhedrin. This shall serve as a deterrent to the People not to behave similarly. The average Jew is not similarly subject to possible execution, but still is warned of the seriousness of flouting Rabbinic authority. [It is likely that there never actually was an individual who was executed as a Zaken Mamrei, yet the idea adds tremendous weight to the seriousness of Rabbinic Law.] We might say that G-d's Plan and his Torah included Rabbinic Law in the total picture of what He wants of us. Levi - Second Aliya - 7 p'sukim - 17:14-20 [S> 17:14 (7)] When the People will enter the Land, conquer it, and settle down, and they will ask for a king (like the nations around them - this phrase contains an implicit warning against asking for the wrong reasons), it is a mitzva to "place over us" a king (of G-d's choosing) from among the Jewish People [497,A173 17:15]; we may not choose a non-Jew as king [498,L362 17:15]. The king must not possess too many horses [499, L363 17:16] (i.e. in excess of those necessary for his army, etc.) nor may he lead the People back to Egypt - it is forbidden for us to dwell in Egypt [500,L46 17:16]. (Visits are permitted.) A king may not have an excessive number of wives (more than 18) [501,L364 17:17], nor may he amass excessive wealth [502,L365 17:17]. (referring to wealth for its own sake; any funds necessary for running the kingdom are excluded from the prohibition.) A king must write a Sefer Torah for himself [503,A17 17:18] (in addition to the one he is commanded to write as a Jew - mitzva #613). This Torah is to be copied from THE Sefer Torah of the Beit HaMikdash. A king of Israel has awesome powers over his subjects. He therefore requires the "humbling force" and moral restraints of the Torah constantly before him. The Torah is his guide for proper rule. A king who is guided by Torah law and values is a great asset to the People of Israel. A king who isn't, is our worst liability. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 5 p'sukim - 18:1-5 [S> 18:1 (2)] Kohanim-Leviyim are not to receive land in Eretz Yisrael [504,L169 18:1] (other than the cities which are given to them by the Tribes) nor share in the spoils of war [505, L170 18:1] - their holy service in the Mikdash is considered their share. [S> 18:3 (3)] (Among other gifts to the kohen,) the kohen is to receive specific parts of every animal slaughtered for food - the forelimb, tongue and surrounding cheeks, stomach and surrounding fat [506, A143 18:3], T'ruma from produce [507,A126 18:4], and the first- shearing of the sheep [508, A144 18:4]. These gifts are due the kohen because of his sacred service. Note: Whereas T'ruma and other gifts which are sacred, cannot be given at the present time because of issues of ritual impurity, both "gifts" [506] and Reishit HaGeiz [508] apply today and can be given. If this is practical issue for you, consult a Rav for details. First shearing applies only in Eretz Yisrael, even though it is not related to the Land. This is learned from its partner in the pasuk, T'RUMA, and by the use of the word REISHIT. The Gemara teaches us that First Shearings is required if one has a minimum of 5 sheep. Although there is no amount specified in the Torah, our Sages have set the amount at 1/60. R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 8 p'sukim - 18:6-13 [S> 18:6 (3)] Kohanim and Leviyim are supposed to distribute their workloads at Holiday time equally among the different family units [509,A36 18:6]. [S> 18:9 (14)] Another warning follows, to be on guard against learning from and adopting any of the abominable practices of the nations that we will encounter in Eretz Yisrael. The implication here is that we must not "learn to do" the terrible things, but we may learn about them in order to understand their ways and to better instruct our fellow Jews in this area. (Tur Shulchan Aruch, based on the Gemara) On the practical side of this ruling, one should be very well established in his own Judaism before reading and learning about other world religions and pagan practices. Such a study should be done under the supervision of a proper mentor. Shun the practices of passing one's children through fire (a vivid example of a reprehensible pagan practice, counted elsewhere], divination and certain types of meditations meant to "read the future" [510,L3 18:10], astrological predictions [counted elsewhere; some other aspects of astrology are not halachically objectionable, but one must be careful), reliance on omens [counted elsewhere], conjuring & witchcraft [511, L34 18:10], incan- tations [512,L35 18:10], mediums [513,L36 18:11], oracles [514,L37 18:11], and necromancy (seances, contacting the dead) [515,L38 18:11]. All the abovementioned practices - and there are different opinions as to exactly what each Torah-term refers to - pull a Jew away from his straightforward, "pure" relationship with G-d. We must strive for that direct, honest relationship. The practice of these Black Arts can be seen as an alternative to prophecy, yet they are "unkosher" and must be shunned. How much more so when they are attempts to bypass or defy the divine intention. Chamishi - 5th Aliya - 22 p'sukim - 18:14-19:13 It is the other nations who listen to the practitioners of the occult arts. G-d did not make us so. We have prophets (like Moshe) who arise from our midst, and it is their prophecies to which we must hearken [516,A172 18:15]. This was part of the "deal" made with G-d at Sinai, when we asked that we not hear G-d's "voice" directly. G-d agreed with our request on the condition that we would listen to true prophets who would communicate to us what G-d asks of us. Anyone who does not listen to the Word of G-d through the prophet will be "answerable to Him". But a prophet dares not speak in G-d's name under false pretenses [517, L27 18:20], or speak in the name of an idolatry [518,L26 18:20]. How are we to know what is and what isn't G-d's word? A prophet must have a 100% "track record" - anything less is an indication of a false prophet. (Prophecies of bad things to befall the People can be reversed through sincere repentance and therefore do not cast doubt upon the prophet who "predicted" those events that ended up not happening.) We must not be afraid to defy a false prophet and bring him to justice [519,L29 18:22]. Of course, we are not supposed to be afraid to do any mitzva in the Torah. In the case of a false prophet, we are often dealing with a charismatic individual who might have a very large following. Defying him might be a very unpopular thing to do (or even dangerous). The Torah is bolstering our resolve to rid ourselves of false prophets by commanding us not to be afraid. Perhaps we can draw from this mitzva a lesson to apply to all mitzvot. Do not be afraid to keep the Shabbat, be kosher, daven Mincha, avoid Lashon HaRa, etc. etc. etc. even when doing so will meet with the scoffing of others. Adhere to halacha and don't be afraid or embarrassed to do so. Sometimes the Torah has to tell us something once and we can learn to apply the same idea - where it fits well - to other situation. [S> 19:1 (10)] When matters are settled in Eretz Yisrael, we are required to designate another three cities of refuge [520,A182 19:3]. Roads to the cities are to be prepared and identified so that the killer can easily find refuge. The cities will protect the inadvertent killer from the blood-avenging relative of the the victim. If (when) we will merit expansion of our Land, another three cities will be selected. This is to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. [P> 19:11 (3)] An intentional murderer also flees to a city of refuge, but is removed therefrom to stand trial. We must not ignore these situations - and those concerning assault [521,L279 19:13], so that we will thereby eliminate the shedding of innocent blood and merit a good life. Rashi raises an interesting argument against capital punishment, which he rejects. On the words, Do not have pity on him (the killer), Rashi says, don't say that the victim is dead anyway, why should we take another life and there will be two people dead. The implication is clear that despite that argument, capital punishment stands. (One can be opposed to capital punishment in today's society without it being considered clashing with the Torah. We don't, at the moment, have a Sanhedrin, we don't have a complete Torah society, we don't have the same rules of evidence that might give us the confidence in a death sentence. And then there is the statement about a Beit Din that executes a person once in seven years - some say, once in 70 years, that it is a "murderous Beit Din". The Torah, so to speak, commands capital punishment but expects it to be meted out exceedingly sparingly.) Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 19:14-20:9 [S> 19:14 (1)] One may not encroach upon another's territory [522,L246 19:14]. This literally refers to the prohibition of moving a boundary-marker between your land and your neighbor's thereby stealing some of his property. Although stealing is already forbid- den (and counted among the 613), this prohibition comes to emphasize the seriousness of stealing land, specifically in Eretz Yisrael. This prohibition extends to other forms of encroachment, e.g. unfair competition that steals someone's business. There is often a fine line between "healthy" competition and one encroaching on the other's boundary. Each situation needs to be examined on its own merits. [S> 19:15 (7)] It is forbidden to render judgments (in most cases) based on the testimony of a single witness [523,L288 19:15]; a minimum of two witnesses are required. (Sometimes, what only one person says will point the judges in a certain direction, but not as formal testimony. So too, what someone who is invalid as an official witness says, can point the judges in the direction of the truth.) If false witnesses shall plot to victimize the accused (and their plot is uncovered in a specific way and at a specific point in the trial) they are to be punished in the manner that they plotted against their fellow [524, A180 19:19]. This topic is known as EIDIM ZOM'MIM - plotting witnesses. It is a subset of false witnesses that differs from "regular" false witnesses in several interesting and sometimes enigmatic ways. For example, if witnesses plot to falsify their testimony PLANNING that their victim will be executed, then their punishment is execution. However, if their plot succeeds and the one whom they testified against is executed, then they are not. Only if their plot is revealed in one specific way before it "succeeds", can they be put to death. Remember that G-d is the backup Judge whenever something "slips by" our application of justice. So even when something seems unfair or illogical, remember that before Him all is fair and all is logical. [S> 20:1 (9)] When we go out to battle our enemies and see their horses and vehicles, armaments, etc. and we might tend to panic... we are forbidden to be afraid, because G-d is on our side [525, L58 20:1,3]. A kohein is anointed as chaplain (sort of) and delivers the pre-battle speech to the potential army [526, A191 20:3] He and the Sho-t'rim speak to the people and send home those that have recently built a house, become engaged to marry, and/or planted a vineyard. (In all three cases, the point is that each pursuit is as yet "unfinished." Such a person faces serious distraction from the goals of battle.) They also dismiss from service someone who fears that he has insufficient merit to survive battle. (This is one of several ways of looking at this topic.) It is important to point out that these "exemptions" from army service apply to Milchemet R'shut, an optional war - not to Milchemet Mitzva. For the obligatory war, a Chatan is taken from his Chupa (and the yeshiva boy from the Beit Midrash). It is reasonable to argue that in the situation that Israel finds itself today, surrounded by sworn enemies (and being pressured by its friends), that we are in a state of Milchemet Mitzva. Draw your own implications. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya - 20 p'sukim - 20:10-21:19 [S> 20:10 (9)] Before attacking an enemy city, an offer of peace must be sent [527,A190 20:10]. (This applies to all enemies including Amalek! - but excluding Amon and Moav.) This offer is conditional upon the acceptance of the 7 Noahide Laws and other restrictions. If these terms are not met, we attack and destroy the male population. Female captives and spoils of war may be taken, except for the "7 nations" [528,L49 20:16]. These nations are to be totally eradicated at G-d's command, in order to eliminate their evil influence. [S> 20:19 (2)] When laying siege to a city, care must be taken not to destroy fruit trees [529,L57 20:19]. Only shade trees may be cut down so that siege equipment may be built. This prohibition of BAL TASHCHIT is expanded by Chazal to include many types of wanton wastefulness. [P> 21:1 (9)] If a corpse is found in a field, and it is not known who has committed the murder, measurements are made to determine the nearest town. The elders of that town perform a ceremony which includes killing a calf [530, A181 21:1] to emphasize the senselessness of bloodshed. The area where the ceremony is performed may never be planted nor worked [531, L309 21:4]. The elders proclaim that they are not responsible for the loss of life. The whole procedure has a sobering effect on all involved, and hopefully there is sincere mending of ways and atonement granted by G-d because all the People now take "life" more seriously. The last 3 p'sukim are read for the Maftir. Haftara - 24 p'sukim - Yeshayahu 51:12-52:12 4th of the 7 haftarot of consolation. The predominant message of the haftara is that G-d has a special relationship with the People of Israel (an appropriate reminder for the beginning of Elul) and that we have nothing to be afraid of, because the end to difficult times is coming. This can be summed up by the end of the famous saying (song) of Rabbi Nachman - "And the essential thing is not to be afraid at all". THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW, Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 488 Minimum Requirement of Kiddushin Money In most situations, where there is a learned rabbi performing the ritual of kiddushin, there are no problems. It gets to a point when many in the audience feel that they could have handled the kiddushin themselves. However, there are times when the ordinary becomes anything but ordinary. I have set forth below some problems that rabbis sometimes face in arranging for the kiddushin of a man and a woman. As was stated in prior lessons, if the kiddushin is being performed by the giving of something of value from the groom to the bride, it must be the value of at least a p'ruta. If he betrothed her with an object, there is no necessity for the object to be valued prior to its being given to her. However, to be sure that there are no questions as to the value of the object, usually a wedding band, the rabbi asks the witnesses if the ring is worth a p'ruta, which it always is. Should there be some doubt as to its value, it can be appraised later and if worth p'ruta, as it always is, there is valid kiddushin from the time of the giving of the object by the groom to the bride. If he stated "I betroth you with this object worth three dollars," and if it is found later to be worth three dollars, the kiddushin is valid. The codes do not speak about what if the object is not worth three dollars. I assume that their silence admits that there is valid kiddushin even if not worth the three dollars. Caveat: If kiddushin was so stated, don't later go to ascertain the value of the object. Best of all, do not state the value of the object. The procedure followed most nowadays is for the rabbi who is performing the kiddushin ritual to ask the witnesses if the ring is worth a p'ruta. It does not take big expert to know that all such rings are worth at least a p'ruta. The reason that the kiddushin is done with a ring that does not contain any precious stones is that the bride may look at the stones and feel that this ring has great value and then find out that it is not as valuable as she thought and there may be questionable kiddushin. The Rama adds that if the kiddushin was by giving of a ring made of copper when all expect it to be made of gold, there may be valid kiddushin. Rama adds that even if the witnesses under the chupah said the ring was made of gold and it turned out to be copper, there is kiddushin as a stringent application of the halacha. Rama adds that the custom in effect is to be followed, namely to ask the witnesses if the ring is worth at least a p'ruta and when they answer in the affirmative there is valid kiddushin. Furthermore, as stated by Rama, the bride has her face covered and can't see the ring and there is no appraisal made by the bride of the ring that she cannot see. If one betrothed a lady with food or an object worth less than a p'ruta, there is valid kiddushin although a doubt exists as to its validity, for we take the view that is more stringent and that is not to permit he to be treated as an unmarried woman. This is based on the thought that this object may be worth a p'ruta in some other far away place. In the same law however it is stated if the object for kiddushin was a cooked dish or some vegetable which does not have lasting time, if it is not worth a p'ruta where the kiddushin took place, it is not valid kiddushin, for the food or vegetable will not be edible by the time it reached the far away place. Where it was stated above that the kiddushin is of a doubtful nature, the lady needs a Get (divorce) before she can marry anyone else. And she should have a second valid kiddushin from the same person if she is to be his wife beyond any doubt. If in the interim another man gave her valid kiddushin, the first husband should give her a Get, and she should marry the second husband, but if the second husband gave her a Get she cannot marry the first husband. The Shulhan Aruch adds that if the first husband did not give her a Get, and she conceived by the second husband, the child is fully legitimate. If a man said to a woman "Be betrothed unto me with this fig or date and be betrothed unto me with this object and become betrothed unto me with this object," If any of these objects is worth a p'ruta there is valid kiddushin. If none of the objects is worth a p'ruta, there is no valid kiddushin here, but there is doubtful kiddushin since the object may be worth a p'ruta in some other place. In this law the man used the term be betrothed unto me with this object and then be betrothed unto me with this object, etc. but had he said become betrothed unto me with this object and this object and this object, if there is value of a p'ruta among all of these objects, there is valid kiddushin. If he betrothed her with half a fig and as soon as she got the fig into her hand she placed it in her mouth and ate it and while she was eating the first fig he gave her a second fig and said be betrothed unto me with this fig and she ate the second fig while he gave her the third fig, the value of all the figs are added together to determine the value of a p'ruta. A man said "half of you is to be betrothed unto me with half a p'ruta and half of you with a half a p'ruta" and the halacha goes on to discuss several other variants of the foregoing such as or half of you be betrothed with a p'ruta and half of you be betrothed with a p'ruta", "half of you be betrothed unto me today with a p'ruta" and half of you become betrothed unto me tomorrow with a p'ruta" or, your two halves with a p'ruta, or a man says to another man who has minor daughters for whom he can accept kiddushin - Your two daughters are betrothed unto my two sons with a p'ruta, or "Your daughter is betrothed unto me and your field is sold unto me for a peruta" - in all of these cases there is doubtful kiddushin. As I stated at the outset, the foregoing lesson does not contain any halachot that any of us would be seeing applied. But the halahcha has to take into account the variations of what should have been simple procedures, but sometimes odd things do happen and as a result what should be the status of the husband and wife and eventually of their children. Baruch Hashem there are learned rabbis who are called upon to deal with these odd situations and in reading the responsa literature I can be seen that they are usually resourceful in helping to solve difficult problems. Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Bamidbar Stories by Dr. Meir Tamari: Korach & Co, [3] "You and your congregation that have joined together against G-d; But Aharon, what is he that you stir up resentment against him?" (Bamidbar 17:11). With these words to Korach and his faction, Moshe makes it quite clear that despite the various and separate issues raised by the parties of this coalition of Korach, the 250 elders and the tribe of Reuven, this is not a question of Aharon and the Kehuna but rather a revolt against G-d and His Law. So that in this respect, they are the prototype of the schisms, reformist movements and false messiahs that Judaism has witnessed throughout history; all of them in one form or another are revolts against divinely revealed Torah and the halacha, and all of them like Korach, are ultimately severed from Judaism. "This controversy that you are conducting is nothing more than a revolt against G-d. Like the servants of a king who freed one of his slaves, crowned him with a laurel wreath and raised him to be a vizier. They grumbled that the slave had simply usurped his position, to which the king replied that as the appointment was solely by his royal decree, anyone who opposed the appointments was revolting against the king himself" (Tanchuma Yashan 14). "Rav taught, 'Korach was an Apikores'. He made a talit that was completely t'cheilet and asked Moshe if that required tzitzit, to which Moshe answered that it required tzitzit as the Torah says, 'fringes shall you make for yourselves upon the four corners of your garments' (D'varim 22:12). Then he asked whether a house full of s'farim required a mezuza which contains only two parshiyot, to which Moshe answered yes, as the Torah commands, 'write them on the doorposts of your house' (D'varim 6:9). At that moment, Korach declared; 'Torah is not from Heaven, Moshe is not a prophet and Aharon is not the Kohen Gadol'" (Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:1). "An Apikores is one who denies the prophecy of Moshe. One who denies that the Torah is Divine, even if he refers to only a single verse or only one letter, one who sees Torah simply as the word of Moshe, one who denies the truth of its commentaries that is the Torah B'al Peh. And one who says G-d has made a new revelation so that any one of the mitzvot may no longer apply; any one of these is a Kofer" (Hilchot T'shuva 3:8). "The Midrash tells us that Korach wanted to abolish the Shabbat and retain only the Shalosh Regalim. This is because he strove for a religion that has only simcha, ecstasy and human emotion. On Shabbat there is no simcha but rather oneg that is the outpouring of the mind and seichel. The Regalim have the mitzva of simcha as well as a human connection; Beit Din decides the months and thereby the actual times of their observance and they all reflect Israel's experiences. Shabbat, however, is decided and fixed to every seven days, and it commemorates G-d's creation" (Shem MiShmuel). Korach, as have done the 19-20th cent. materialistic or leftwing movements, presented Torah as being opposed or at least indifferent to the social and economic injustices of their times. "Korach assembled all of Israel and told the following story of the widow and her two orphaned daughters. When she wished to plough her field Moshe told her the law, 'you may not plough with an ox and a donkey yoked together' (D'varim 22:10), then leave pe'ah-leket-shich'cha, and then at the ingathering of the crop you had to tithe trumot and ma'aserot. So she sold the field and bought two ewes to provide her and the children with milk for food and wool for clothing. However, she finds out that when they lambed, Aharon said that G-d commanded her to give him the first born, and then the first of the fleece. When she then slaughtered the sheep he told her that the Torah gave him the right to the foreleg, the jaw and the maw (D'vraim 18:3). In desperation she declared the rest hefker, then Moshe said that the Torah (Bamidbar 18:12) ordained that all such designated property went to the kohanim" (Midrash T'hilim 1). Either from ignorance or deliberately, Korach and all the social reformers did not acknowledge the balance between private property and the obligations of justice and mercy that the Torah provides. It is precisely through the teachings of the halacha that the poor, the weak, the sick, the old, the dispossessed and even the lazy and undeserving are assured of a safety net and provided for. The Torah obligates us to open our hands to the poor, not to oppress the poor, the stranger, the Levite, the orphan, the widow, to make interest-free loans, to redeem captives; your brother shall live with you. Such philanthropy and chesed are only part of the social welfare and justice of the Torah framework, equally so is taxation. The pe'ah-leket-shich'cha, the trumot and maaserot ridiculed by Korach are not voluntary charity but obligatory taxes on income and wealth that came to support the very social safety net that Korach pretended to champion. Furthermore, such taxation provided not only the protection required by the weaker and disadvantaged members of society but for all the security, education and other needs of the community. So that the taxes against which Korach agitated and depicted as so demanding and extorting, were actually to the public's benefit. Throughout the ages, the halacha sup- ported the tax system operative in the autonomous Jewish communities whereby the welfare and social costs were funded. "Korach the Levite, the pretended representative of equal rights for all, quite liked the privileges which he and his tribe enjoyed. Instead of stripping himself of them which would have been in accordance with his charge, he was not satisfied with only these privileges and under the cloak of equal rights for all, in addition he sought kehuna to satisfy his ambition" (S. R. Hirsch). 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] Gimatriya [11] Person in the Parsha [12] There's Nowhere I'd Rather Be [13] Elul is Coming [14] Torah from Nature [15] 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: In my shul, some people correct the ba'al kri'ah [BK] when he reads a kamatz katan like a regular (classic Ashkenazi) kamatz (as in the word, "nut") instead of like a cholom (as in, "note") Not all BKs appreciate this, and one refuses on principle to read it as the "correctors" want. What are we to do? A: If your shul has a rabbi, this public policy matter is his decision. Since not all shuls have a rabbi and not every rabbi wants to rule on matters of dikduk, we will present our opinion. A major difference between classic Ashkenazic and Sephardic (or Israeli Zionist Ashkenazic, which is popular in Modern Orthodox day schools) pronunciation is that the former has different pronunciation for the different vowels, just as each has its own symbol. Sephardim pronounce kamatz (gadol) and patach the same (as opposed to Teimanim), as well as tzeirei (two dots) and segol (three dots). Ashkenazim will argue that if the ba'alei mesorah (of Teveria) wanted us to read the vowels the same, they wouldn't have made different symbols. Sephardim apparently accepted the Tiverian vowel symbols, which are representative of grammatical distinctions, but not the pronunciation. (Note that kamatz and tzeirei are tenuot gedolot (long vowels), and patach and segol are tenuot ketanot (short vowels). Thus, Sephardim are consistent in pronouncing a kamatz katan not like their kamatz (which is like an Ashkenazi patach, as in, "not") but as a cholom, despite the kamatz symbol. However, it is inconsistent with Ashkenazic grammatical logic to pronounce a kamatz katan like a cholom; rather it is to be pronounced like a kamatz. (The idea of a longer kamatz katan symbol than that of a regular kamatz was "instituted" only decades ago by some publishers as a convenience). Why is there a kamatz katan if all kamatzes are the same? Grammatically, there are significant differences (for Ashkenazim, too) between the kamatzes. A kamatz katan comes primarily when the vowel "should have been" a cholom but, because the word is joined with additional words or syllables, the rules of pronunciation turn it into a tenuah ketana that is read like a kamatz. (Some BKs make a somewhat shorter kamatz, with the same basic sound.) Since it is a tenuah ketana, if it is followed by a sheva, it is a sheva nach unless that letter contains a dagesh chazak. [Apologies to those who are confused.] It is illogical, though, according to the Ashkenazic approach, to change a cholom into a kamatz because it is hard to pronounce a cholom and yet pronounce it precisely as if it remained a cholom. Under similar circumstances, when a kamatz is shortened into a patach (e.g., yawm (sea) turns into Yam Suf), Ashkenazim change the pronunciation. Admittedly, there are at least some dikduk experts who agree with the correctors. However, many Ashkenazi ba'alei dikduk (and we would argue, the majority) agree with the stubborn BK. More importantly is the matter of minhag. This respondent has been layning and listening to expert BKs for several decades and has, of late, been asking older BKs if they, before the last decade, ever heard a classic Ashkenazi BK read a kamatz katan like a cholom. No one has! We would discourage either side in this debate from correcting the other, especially since the word's meaning rarely changes as a result (a complicated discussion of its own). The correctors' intentions are noble, as the young experts" are convinced the new approach is correct, and perhaps, despite our arguments, it is. However, it borders on chutzpa to correct a system of reading which has been followed by their fathers' and grandfathers' generations (to which I can attest) and, likely, hundreds of years before. Those (whom we respect) who switch to the pronunciation experts consider most authentic should probably sound more like Teimanim. [2] Candle by Day It is not so much differences in thinking which produce changes in society, as changes in society, brought about by the natural progress of events, which produce differences in thinking. 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 At the time of the Haskala, when some Jews began to abandon the observance of mitzvot, R 'Chaim of Volozhin was asked if those who had abandoned the faith should be excommunicated. In answer, R' Chaim replied: "In Parshat K'doshim, there are three consecutive verses: one telling us to be holy, one telling us to respect our parents, and the third forbidding us to worship other gods. Each of these verses ends with, "I am Hashem." "These verses really allude to three types of Jews. The first type is the Jew who keeps all mitzvot scrupulously. To him, Hashem says, "If you are holy, I am your Hashem." "To the second group, the Jews who are basically keepers of mitzvot, but who are not that scrupulous, Hashem says, "If you respect your parents, I am your Hashem." "Finally, there is a third group - those who do not keep mitzvot. To them, Hashem says, "Do not convert to another religion. At least remain a Jew," and even to these freethinking Jews, "I am your Hashem." ### Some of the townsfolk in Lvov were amazed that R' Aryeh Leib Broide, the Rabbi of Lvov, performed weddings where men at the wedding sat bare- headed. "You are quite wrong," said R' Aryeh Leib. "Rather than being amazed at my performing such weddings, you should be amazed that men who go bare- headed have enough respect for tradition to invite a rav to perform a wedding in accordance with halacha." ### R' Gershom Chanoch of Radzymin said: "Much as I love the speech of a wise man, I love even more the silence of a fool." 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 For SHO-F'TIM We are accustomed to describing mitzvot as either Bein Adam L'Chavero (interpersonal) or Bein Adam LaMakom (between man and God). A third category sometimes suggested is Bein Adam L'Atzmo (between man and himself). In this third category we find, for example, the mitzva of Torah study, for we must study Torah to achieve personal growth. This week's parasha deals with a fourth category which is often overlooked due to our long exile. These mitzvot can be called Bein Adam LaChevra or Bein Adam LaMedina (between man and society or between man and the State). These are laws that cannot be fulfilled by the individual. Rather they are the collective obligations of society. Only a society can establish a government, courts, law enforcement agencies, an army, and rules of combat. Without an independent state, these mitzvot are relegated to theoretical study without practical implementation. If a Jew does not live in an independent Jewish state, he cannot fulfill these mizvot. Our generation is blessed. In our time, in our country, these mitzvot are no longer merely theoretical. Being self-governing, we are challenged to bring this dormant area of Torah to life. Establishing a police force, an army, courts and government are mitzvot when they are done in Israel. I once heard an interesting interpretation of the verse in Tehilim 147:19: "He declares His word to Ya'akov, His statutes and His judgments to Yisra'el." When we are Ya'akov, a name that represents Galut, many parts of the Torah are merely words. But when we become Israel, those parts of the Torah become living statutes and judgments. Rabbi Yosef Wolicki, Ramat Beit Shemesh 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 - for Parshat R'ei 1) Why does Moshe link the desire for the people to eat meat specifically to G-D widening their borders in Israel (12:20)? 2) Why does the Torah interrupt the description of the false witness and his punishment with a verse instructing the people to follow the ways of G-D (13:5)? 3) Why does Moshe command that the spoils of the battles against the gentile inhabitants of Israel should be burned (13:17)? Why can't the people benefit from them? Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and is the author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith" (Feldheim) and "TIMEOUT: Sports Stories as a Game Plan for Spiritual Success" a recent release by Devora Publishing - ppp@ouisrael.org Suggested answer:s 1) The Kli Yakar teaches that Moshe is explaining that accumulation of physical things leads to the desire for more physical things. Thus, the desire for meat will come once G-D blesses the people with expanding borders signifying successes in the physical realm. 2) The Ohr Hachayim explains that this verse serves as a guide for recognizing the prophet as being false. We must follow G-D's word on all levels and any prophet who suggests otherwise is, by definition, a false prophet and deserves the punishment as detailed in the next verse. 3) Da'at Zekainim MiBaalei HaTosfot answers that it had to be clear to all that the attacks on these cities were purely for the sake of Heaven with no personal greed or selfish desires involved. Burning all the spoils and not gaining any personal benefit served to clarify that point. [6] Portion from the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il V'ZAVACHTA Being on vacation up in the Golan in NOV with all the cows around and making barbecues, verses in this week's portion had a special significance. In the desert, the people weren't allowed to eat meat unless it was brought to the OHEL MOED as a SH'LAMIM sacrifice. But what would happen when the nation enters the land of Israel, conquer the land , divide it up, and the nation is scattered all over within the borders of the Holy Land? Would they have to go to the Temple in Jerusalem to bring a sacrifice first every time they wanted to have a barbecue? That is just the question verses in our portion deal with (12:20-21). Before they enter the land, Moshe instructs them as to what they are to do with regard to eating meat when they will all be living in Israel. The verse says "KI YARCHIV ET G'VUL'CHA - when you have widened your boundaries and conquered the land " and "KI T'AVEH NAFSH'CHA LE'ECHOL BASAR - and you want to eat meat", then "B'CHOL AVAT NAFSH'CHA TOCHAL BASAR" - you can eat meat anywhere with out bringing it first as a sacrifice to the Temple; "KI YIRCHAK MIM'CHA HAMAKOM" - because THE PLACE (i.e. the Temple) will be far from you. (For example NOV is a 2-3 hour drive to Jerusalem). Since the majority of Israel would not be living in the vacinity of the Temple, Hashem will not require them to bring a sacrifice every time they want to eat meat. In the desert, all the slaughtering of meat had been done under the watchful eyes of the Kohanim. Now that everyone would be allowed to slaughter their own meat, Hashem gives us here special laws for accomplishing this task. In the Talmud (CHULIN 28a) we are taught that from this verse V'ZAVACHTA... KA'ASHER TZIVITICHA - you shall slaughter as I have commanded you - that Moshe was taught the laws of ritual slaughter, SH'CHITA. These were handed down to him HALACHA L'MOSHE MISINAI and not all written down explicitly in the verses. The laws say that one must slaughter the animal by a cut through the breathing pipe - trachea (KANEH) and the eating pipe - esophegus (VESHET) by a person who is obligated in this mitzva (i.e. not by a non-Jew but in theory by a woman) with a cutting instrument that is not attached to the ground (K'LI CHITUCH METALTEL) without stopping in the middle (SHEHIYA), without a chopping motion like a guilitine (D'RISA), without placing the knife in the meat first and cutting upward while the knife is inside the meat (HAGRAMA), without stabbing into the neck before shechting (CHALADA), and without tearing the meat like when cutting with a serated knife (IKUR). For these reasons a SHOCHET must have a very good knife that he checks thoroughly and often (with his tongue and fingernail). These laws apply to cattle and birds, but with birds its sufficient to cut either the KANEH or the VESHET. For a nice explanation on the significance of all the laws of sh'chita see Rav Hirsch on these verses. SINCE IN THIS WEEK'S PORTION we learn about the laws of Sh'chita that allow us to eat meat anywhere - here is a simple barbecue recipe. BARBECUED CHICKEN WINGS 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup cooking oil 1/2 cup white wine 1 tsp. dry mustard 1 clove garlic 1/4 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. celery salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 onion chicken wings Mix ingredients for marinade. Put wings in a large flat pan. Pour marinade over wings and toss well. Marinate for 24 hours, turning occasionally. Barbecue on grill or bake in 350 degrees F oven for 1 hour. [7] from Machon Puah Removing Ovarian Tissue and Halacha Last week we spoke about a new and exciting method for female fertility preservation, ovarian freezing, in which ovarian tissue is removed. This tissue is frozen and is later thawed and reimplanted in the body. Results have shown that the tissue regenerates and produces eggs and the regular hormones of the ovary. This seems to be a serious advance for the whole field of fertility preservation but it involves a large halachic question, namely, castration. Castrating a male is forbidden by the Torah and a castrated man cannot marry. However the Torah does not clearly state whether this prohibition is only for men or includes women as well. Many authorities hold that while there is a Torah prohibition against castrating males, there is no such Torah prohibition regarding females, although there is a rabbinic prohibition. The Gaon of Vilna writes that there is no difference between men and women and the Torah prohibition against castration holds for both sexes. This opinion has become the leading opinion and most authorities do not allow female castration, such as a hysterectomy or tubal ligation, only in cases when life is threatened, since pikuach nefesh overrides Torah prohibitions. In all other cases where there is no danger to life, they do not permit it. Castration does not only mean removing the entire reproductive organ, such as the entire ovary, but even removing some of the organ is problematic, especially if this compromises fertility. So if removing ovarian tissue would speed up menopause, for example, then it should be forbidden. As we have previously seen, in cases of cancer patients, fertility preservation is often seen as a positive contributing factor to a good outcome of cancer treatment. Women who need to undergo treatment are concerned that they will lose their fertility, but when they know that this is taken care of they can relax on this front and are willing to undergo all that is needed in order to overcome the illness. In this vein the removal of the ovarian tissue is considered part of the remedy and is permitted. 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 sixth perek This is the way of Torah: Eat bread with salt, drink water by measure, sleep on the ground, live a life of hardship, but toil in the Torah! If you do so, "You will be happy" in this world, "and it shall be well with you" - in the world to come. Rashi explains this teaching by saying that EVEN if you have meager means to live in this life, you shall toil in the Torah. It does not necessarily "recommend" this way of life as ideal for serious Torah study. (Others do explain the teaching as a warning to the distractions that a "comfortable" life pose to serious pursuit of Torah.) Asceticism is not considered a component of the Jewish way of life. But poverty is not to be an excuse for not striving to study Torah. Perhaps we can understand this teaching in light of another teaching from Pirkei Avot - namely, that of Ben Zoma in the first mishna of perek 4, who discusses "who is a rich person?" His answer is one who is happy with his lot. Ben Zoma applies the same verse from our b'raita to present two different facets of happiness and good fortune: in this world, and in the world to come. If one's possessions and means - or lack thereof - can be kept in a healthy and proper perspective, then one can hope to find happiness in his life of Torah, in his study of Torah, in his observance of mitzvot. The poor and the wealthy each have their challenges. [9] MicroUlpan Bilingual micro-lesson: A free-diving deep-sea vessel consisting of a large flotation hull with a crewed observation capsule attached to its underside, usually capable of reaching full ocean depths. Ready? Bathyscaphe = M'TZULAR [10] Gimatriya MIKEREV ACHECHA (380), the king is to come from the midst of your brothers. MISHEIVET YEHUDA (381), specifically, from the tribe of Yehuda. A Baal HaTurim "match" (one off). [11] Person in the parsha by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Rabbi Weinreb's Weekly Column: The Person in the Parsha for for Parshat R'ei "How am I doing?" If your child, employee, or colleague asks you that question, you can be sure that he or she is sincere, wishes to learn, and will succeed. The person who asks, "How am I doing?" is asking for constructive feedback. That person is expressing a need to know whether or not he is doing a good job, and if not, what he can do to correct his work. The art of giving effective feedback is a very important one. In all human relationships, where there is mutual feedback, a relationship pattern is established which can self-adjust, advance, and thrive. For feedback to truly be effective, it needs to be solicited. That is, the recipient of the feedback must ask the observer to tell him how he is doing. This signals a readiness to receive criticism, to modify one's behavior, and to change. Without that readiness, feedback is doomed to failure. Feedback also needs to be specific. It is not helpful to say, "That was stupid!", "You'll never be good at that!", or even, "Great job!" It is helpful to say, "You turned left when you should have turned right", or "When you softened your voice and smiled, it was easier to listen to you". The description of behavior is what is necessary, not evaluation. Human nature is such that it is the rare person who asks for feedback, and that few of us are comfortable in delivering criticism. However constructive and well-intended, it is hard to give feedback to another person. We are afraid of confrontation, of possibly embarrassing the other, and so we avoid giving feedback even at the cost of assisting the other to change in a positive way. And yet, there is nothing more helpful to anyone learning a new task than to have feedback delivered to him or her in a useful, nonjudgmental, constructive manner. As the Talmud puts it, "No one has ever mastered Torah study without having first erred and made mistakes." Mastery is only achieved when mistakes are pointed out to the student so that he can correct them. In this week's Torah portion, we read at length about false prophets. We often mistake the nature of the mission of the prophet, assuming that it is to predict the future. But that is certainly not the mission of the great biblical prophets. Rather, their mission was, in our terms, to give constructive feedback to the people, pointing out their faults and guiding them in a more positive direction. The false prophet not only gives false guarantees about the future, complacently predicting peace and tranquility, but assures the people that they are doing nothing wrong, that they need not change their behavior. The false prophet gives no feedback. These words of Megilat Eicha, the Book of Lamentations, which we read on Tisha B'Av, are incomparably instructive here: "Your seers prophesied to you Delusion and folly. They did not expose your iniquity So as to restore your fortunes, But prophesied to you oracles Of delusion and deception." The false prophet cannot give proper feedback. He avoids telling the truth if he thinks it will offend. He is unaware of the positive value of effective feedback. Those who follow him will never benefit from words of correction and guidance. They cannot change, they will not grow. I encourage the reader to reflect upon his or her own experience and to recall those occasions when a few words of corrective feedback were of immense benefit. I personally remember my own first days as a teacher, when a crusty veteran colleague sat in my classroom and gave me the benefits of his experience by pointing out the numerous things that I did which were ineffective and suggested alternatives to me. I cannot say that I enjoyed his deflating critique at that moment, but I know that I and a lifetime of students are profoundly indebted to him. All the more do we cherish those occasions upon which we receive positive feedback from an observer. I can never forget the times when a mentor or senior rabbi approached me after a sermon with a warm handshake, and a whispered "yasher koach - job well done". That was enough to teach me that I was on the right track and could confidently continue on my path. An old Spanish proverb has it, "Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement." And an old Chinese proverb says it even more incisively: "A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool". One of the lessons of this week's Torah portion is that the true prophet gives feedback, sometimes in a way which is hard to hear. But that prophet is extending a hand to us to bring us back to a better way of life and has instructed us in an improved set of behaviors. As we will read this Shabbat, if we attend to the feedback of the prophet, we "will be heeding HaShem your God and doing what is right in His sight." I have now authored ten columns of this weekly series. In view of the foregoing remarks about the importance of giving and receiving feedback, I take this occasion to ask you, dear reader, "How am I doing?" [12] There's nowhere I'd rather be! This is a from-time-to-time feature of Torah Tidbits, whose title was inspired by a refrigerator magnet and whose content is inspired by living in Israel and appreciating all "the little things". It's sort of our version of "Only in America" by Harry Goldin. Phil here. Last week I bought two used books. One is Sefer Ahava, Rambam's second of the 14 books of his Mishne Torah - with the commentary of Rav Kapach. In excellent condition, it was a real "metzi'a". The other book, l'havdil (I guess) is a hard-covered detective mystery novel. Popular author, recent book - also a metzi'a. So what makes this an "only in Israel" experience that put a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart? Simply that they were bought at the same time in the same book store. (By the way, they were two for 10? at Dani Books - a significant metzi'a.) [13] ELUL IS COMING... Widespread custom to blow Shofar at the end of Shacharit each weekday morning during Elul, with the exception of Erev Rosh HaShana. A simple T'KI'A / SH'VARIM-T'RU'A / T'KI'A is blown, as a wake-up call to introspection and T'shuva. Widespread custom to recite Psalm 27, L'DAVID: HASHEM ORI V'YISH'I... each morning from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (i.e. from Alef Elul) until and including Hoshana Rabba. Nusach Ashkenaz also says it at the end of Maariv and Nusach S'fard says it at the end of Mincha. Interesting to note that it is said exactly 100 times during this period. That's 29 days of Elul + 21 days of Tishrei, twice daily. Widespread custom to exchange greetings during Elul, wishing each other a K'TIVA VACHATIMA TOVA or words to that effect. Most importantly, what should be a widespread practice is a serious review of one's behavior - religious, social, personal - as a Jew and as a human being. The review should help us onto the pathway of T'shuva in a wide variety of directions. T'shuva is always in season, so to speak, but Elul and the Yamim Nora'im are especially propitious for T'shuva, for increasing our commitment to Torah and Mitzvot, to Chesed and kindness, to helping each other. We should be encouraged by the fact that G-d has promised to help us in our spiritual return to Him. Without that help, it is a daunting task. With His promise, it is a challenge we can undertake with feelings of love of G-d, our fellows... and ourselves. ANI L'DODI V'DODI LI... "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine..." This quote from Shir HaShirim (6:3) is the well-known by its Rashei Teivot which spell ELUL. The phrase describes the mutual love between G-d and the People of Israel, which serves as a helpful basis of our Elul-time task of sincere repentance. Other phrases from Tanach are also associated with ELUL, not just "initially", but thematically as well. Notable among them are two other phrases which join ANI L'DODI to represent the three kinds of acts that help us avert an evil decree, T'SHUVA (repentance), T'FILA (prayer), TZEDAKA (chesed) One of the p'sukim in the Torah that deals with the topic of T'shuva indicates G-d's help in the process: U'MAL HASHEM ELOKECHA ET L'VAVCHA V'ET L'VAV ZARECHA And HaShem your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love HaShem your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live. This pasuk (D'varim 30:6) is read on the Shabbat before Rosh HaShana and contains a four word sequence whose initials spell ELUL. The pasuk in Megilat Esther which contains an "ELUL" features interpersonal acts of kindness: ...LAASOT OTAM... Y'MEI MISHTE V'SIMCHA U'MISHLOACH MANOT ISH L'REI'EHU U;MATANOT LAEVYONIM: More ELUL Rashei Teivot IY"H in next TT [14] Torah from Nature The footnotes in "the Living Torah" contain different opinions as to the identities of the animals mentioned in R'EI as kosher wild animals. T'O is possibly the AUROCH, an extinct (only since 1642) wild ox, an animal far larger than the domestic cattle of today. [15] Divrei Menachem Parshat R'EI reminds us about the potential state of poverty that can - and usually does - pertain in Eretz Yisrael. In fact, not withstanding an almost unattainable state, whereby the observance of Hashem's "entire command" would wipe out poverty altogether (D'varim 14:4-5), the Torah advises us that, "destitute people shall not cease to exist within the Land. Therefore, you shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your poor, and to your destitute in your Land" (ibid 14:11). There seems to be an inherent contra- diction between the concept of a nation without destitute people and the notion that there shall not cease to be poor people in our society. From this vantage point, one is begged to consider that poverty is a term that extends beyond financial distress. True, the Torah refers to economic need and the merit involved in "opening our hands" accordingly. But there is something else. When the Torah commands us to extend to the destitute, "whatever is required," that surely includes helping to build up the self-esteem of disadvantaged people, respecting their sensitivities, and not shaming them in the process. For even should poverty no longer exist, these moral behaviors will, unquestionably, still be of critical concern in our relationship to the underdog in a fair and just society. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading Hidden in the Sand This has been an on-and-off feature in Torah Tidbits for many years. Inspired by R' Yaakov Orbach z"l whose sefer: L'ORA SHEL TORA contains many interesting gimatria-matches (GMs), mostly of whole p'sukim, we frequently use TES's Torah Codes 2000 program to search for similar GMs. With the "run in the mill" gimatriyas, there is a lot of room to juggle words and therefore numbers to say almost anything you want. Not so with whole p'sukim - as you shall see. The minhag to say AL NAHAROT BAVEL (Ps. 137) before Birkat HaMazon is based on the Zohar. It is appropriate that one remember the Churban in the context of having had a satisfying meal and link such a reminder with benching. (On Shabbat and Chagim when it would be inappropriate to speak of the mournful aspect of the Churban, we substitute Ps. 126, Shir HaMaalot, which speaks of the future when we will rejoice in "G-d's return to Zion", and the Complete Geula.) The following gimatriya-match is not necessary as support or demonstration of the correctness of the minhag - which is fine. But it is nice, nonetheless, or maybe even, more so. The pasuk that contains the mitzva of Birkat HaMazon, which we quote in the benching, is D'varim 8:10 - V'ACHALTA V'SAVATA U'VEIRACHTA ET HASHEM ELOKECHA AL HAARETZ HATOVA ASHER NATAN LACH: The pasukim in the NAHAROT BAVEL mentioned above, that constitutes our promise to always remember Yerushalayim are IM ESHKACHEICH... and TIDBAK L'SHONI... The second of these two p'sukim - TIDBAK L'SHONI L;CHIKI IM LO EZK'RECHI IM LO AALEH ET YERUSHALAYIM AL ROSH SIMCHATI: has the same gimatriya - both full p'sukim - as V'ACHALTA V'SAVATA. This is extra significant because we are saying that the tongue that says the benching should also remember the destruction of Yerushalayim, and if not: May it cleave to my palate... Parsha Pix ... for R'EI Har G'rizim (right) and Har Eival, represented by hills, one of which has a lush tree, the other a barren tree Negated plus or minus is the prohibition of adding to or subtracting from the Torah - Bal Tosif and Bal Tigra Negated eraser is the prohibition of erasing any of G-d's names The slice of bread with a clock face could be LECHEM HAPANIM, except that there is no mention of LECHEM HAPANIM in R'ei. What it does represent is the time in the morning of Erev Pesach that is the deadline for eating Chameitz - this is a topic that fits with R'ei Tzedaka box is for the mitzva of giving tzedaka and for several other related mitzvot from R'ei CI is an old visual TTriddle for R'EI ANOCHI. C=see, I=ANOCHI The giraffe gets two thumbs up for chewing its cud and having split hooves. It is kosher The camel, on the other hand, is in the negation circle, indicating that it is a b'heima t'mei'a Meanwhile, the locust has a question mark above it, because some types are kosher others are not, and most Jews do not have a tradition as to which they are. Yemenites are known to have a Masoret as to how to identify kosher locust. B'TEI'AVON The slab of meat represents meat we are allowed to eat (as opposed to sacred meat of korbanot, which is very strictly regulated, and as opposed to meat we may not eat - EIVER MIN HACHAI, N'VEILA, T'REIFA, B'HEIMA T'MEI'A, non-kosher fish, non-kosher birds...) In addition to the prohibitions of non-kosher food, we have a positive command to check for the kosher signs of our food. Since the mitzva counted in R'ei relates to birds, the bird-watcher was chosen to represent this mitzva. Checking the kashrut of food we buy and restaurants we eat in is within the spirit of these mitzvot The hands taking money from a wallet represent the mitzvot related to lending money to our fellow Jews The stalk of wheat represents the mitzvot related to agricultural produce. That it is standing straight up is meant to resemble the numeral 1. With the dot before the one we have .1 or one tenth, 10%, representing Maaser Sheni, one of the mitzva-topics in the sedra The burning trees represent the destruction of AVODA ZARA which we are commanded in Eretz Yisrael The sword is used to kill the people of an IR HANIDACHAT, a city that goes astray towards idol worship Symbols of the three Regalim, as presented in the sedra The smiley guy is for the mitzva of SIMCHA on Yom Tov The wine and milk are on sale in the haftara, at 100% off their regular prices. i.e. FREE Perry Mason represents (yes, he always did) the mitzva to meticulously examine and cross- examine witnesses. Objection, your honor, irrelevant, immaterial, and calls for a conclusion of the witness The Omer counter is for the other Omer mitzva in R'ei - namely, counting weeks. Counting days was commanded back in Emor The feather and candle are for B'dikat Chametz - part of the procedure for avoiding the prohibition of possession of Chametz on Pesach The word AM, meaning nation, is colored light purple (lavender) - it is, therefore, AM SEGULA, a play on the words of D'varim 14:2 (and other p'sukim) Often translated as the Chosen People or Treasured People, the word SEGULA allowed this wordplay The lamb in a baby carriage represents the mitzva of B'CHOR B'HEIMA T'HORA, the firstborn (male, blue carriage) of a kosher domesticated animal, i.e. cow, goat, sheep Vampire bat (hard to make out) is in the ParshaPix because it is the ATALEIF, one of the non-kosher birds AND because of the repeated mention in the sedra of the prohibition of eating blood off to the left of the Lulav, we have some bullets. Can these not be described with a phrase from the haftara: AVNEI EKDACH, the stones of a pistol? Actuially, the phrase refers to carbuncles (precious stone) At the bottom, purposely even a bit lower than the bottom, is an EFES-KEY that is LOW. EFES key is a blank skeleton key that serves as a master key that will open many different locks. D'varim 15:4 begins with those words, EFES KI LO... ...for Shoftim Upper-left are the symbols of SHO-F'TIM (gavel) and SHO-T'RIM (sheriff's star) Negation circle over the planting of a sappling = prohibition of planting trees in the Mikdash or Mizbei'ach area. Tilted scales = perversion of justice - a recurring theme in the sedra Crown is for the mitzva of appointing a king He must write a special Torah (quill & parchment) He may not own an excessive number of horses (3 chess knights are too many, defined as more than necessary) Gift-wrapped present represents MATANOT, the gifts to a kohein, specifically the parts of an slaughtered animal Negation of veering to the right or left times 2 because all are commanded so, and the king is additionally commanded the same thing Rabbit in hat stands for magic (but is not the same kind that the Torah forbids - That's why it is not in a negation circle) Ax handle detached from head (kills someone) - classic SHOGEG situation Bulldozer is to prepare the roads to IR MIKLAT for better access to the cities of refuge Bottom, from left. Three military deferments: Building new house, engagement to marry, and vineyard Lower-right is KI HA'ADAM EITZ HASADEH, for man is like the tree of the field Home Sweet Home picture with the pyramids is negated because we are not allowed to return to Egypt to live there There is an eye with the letter I in it, which is a play on AYIN B'AYIN. The phrase appears only three times in all of Tanach. Two of those times are Parshat Sho-f'tim and the haftara for Parshat Sho-f'tim! (The other one is in Parshat Sh'lach) The dice are double-4, which is for the 4 double words in the haftara - check them out The peace symbol in a speech bubble stands for the mitzva to offer peace to an enemy before engaging it in battle The recycling symbol reminds us to avoid the prohibition of BAL TASHCHIT The negation of the snake is for the prohibition of NICHUSH (play on words). The snake is a KING cobra, so it also refers to the prohibition of choosing a king from another nation (Cobra isn't a Jewish name) The king of hearts is lying down since the kings heart must not be raised above his brothers The hand of five queens stands for the prohibition of the king marrying an excessive number of wives. 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 (EIKEV) TTriddles: [1] Reminder in #35 in case you forgot its name "#35 what?", you ask? PASUK in EIKEV. The 35th pasuk of the sedra (Eikev, that is) contains the word EIKEV, just in case you forgot the sedra's name. [2] Worse for the industry than the Man in the White Suit The TTriddle is based on a 1951 movie called the Man in the White Suit, about a humble (nebbish) inventor who develops a fabric that never gets dirty or wears out. His altruism to benefit mankind is countered (in this comedy) by the garment industry which tries to stop him with whatever desparate measures at their disposal. In Moshe's telling the new generation about the experiences of the years of wandering in the Midbar, he says: SIMLAT'CHA LO VOL'SA MEI'ALECHA, the clothing you wore did not become tattered (Living Torah's translation)... Perhaps not a worse threat to the clothing industry, but at least one along the same lines. (Ed. note: the wording of the TTriddle was based on partially remembering the storyline of the movie - that the fabric never gets dirty. Forgotten was the part about never wearing out.) [3] beginning-ish of the first; all of the second Parshat Eikev contains the entire second passage of the Sh'ma. But it also contains something of the first - namely, V'AHAVTA EIT HASHEM ELOKECHA. These are the only two occurrences of this phrase. And in the Eikev instance, the rest of the pasuk matches the theme of the second part of Sh'ma - namely, the acceptance of the yoke of mitzvot. Love HaShem your G-d and always keep His mitzvot. [4] Occurs 740 times in the Torah (another 1418 times in the rest of Tanach) Average per sedra = 13.7. Avg/sedra in D'varim = 15. Va'etchanan had 33 Ekev has 30. What? What? The word ERETZ. Or, more accurately, the sequence of letters, ALEF-REISH-TZADI-SOFIT. They might all be the word ERETZ or ARETZ, but a different word ending in those three letters might have slipped in and rather than check through over 2000 occurrences, we'll qualify the results as just indicated. The purpose of this TTriddle was to be able to point to the unusually high number of occurrences of the word ERETZ, to further emphasize the significance of Eretz Yisrael in Judaism. [5] Miel's middle state partners Miel is honey in Spanish. There are three (classic) states of matter: gas, liquid, and solid. The middle state, then, is liquid. Honey's liquid partners. They can both be found in Parshat Eikev. In the pasuk that lists the Seven Species, D'VASH is partnered with ZEIT SHEMEN. Yes, that means olives that give oil, but we'll treat it in a looser manner, and count olive oil as a liquid partner of honey (whose status as a liquid is challenged, by the way). The other partner shows up in the famous phrase with multiple occurrences in Tanach, including one in Eikev - ERETZ ZAVAT CHALAV UDVASH, making milk honey's other liquid partner. [6] #10 (2), #10, and this week #10 refers to Commandment number 10, which is LO TACHMOD. In the version of the Aseret HaDibrot in Parshat Yitro, the words LO TACHMOD occur twice in that commandment. In Va'etchanan's version of the Big Ten (or Decalogue, as they are known), the words occur only once in the tenth commandment, "replaced" by V'LO TIT-AVEH, the first time. LO TACHMOD only occurs one other time in all of Tanach, in Parshat Eikev. [7] One Unexplained in the ParshaPix The NC emblem is for University of North Carolina's athletics teams. The Universities teams in at least these sports - Baseball, Field Hockey, Football, Men's Basketball, Men's Lacrosse, and Women's Soccer - are all nicknames the Tar Heels, after the nickname of the residents of North Carolina, which is known as the Tar Heel State. The origin of the nickname is not definitively known, although there are several legends that try to explain it. The sports teams are also known as the heels - hence its connection to Parshat Eikev (which means heel). This week's TTriddles: [1] Sort of like Heckle & Jeckle [2] For Shabbat Parshat R'ei, what some say at night does not apply during the daytime. [3] When does the hawk wake up? [4] Ginny the cheerful giraffe [5] Sept. 13, 1990 to date... and beyond [6] coming to Israel or the last row [7] Sing the sunflower seeds song [8] Our two national birds [9] See & speak: Equal but two-to-one "Never test the depth of the water with both feet" (1001 Smiles) 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 an ailing family with no income to earn a living from home. Looking to cover cost of new laptop + software. Thank you to all who continue to contribute to this critical fund. 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 80's plus - Looking to start social group: discussions, speakers, socializing; telephone contacts possible - Call: 050-7258392, (02) 560-9110 OU Israel Kashrut Update - Did you hear?! Papagayo Jerusalem (Talpiot) is OU mehadrin! The Yair Landau Memorial Library The summer is flying by, daily classes are interesting, the videos are inspiring, the books are worth reading, the music library is worth listening to, and the librarian and volunteers are "busy beavers" keeping the Torah tape library up to date for your borrowing pleasure. Knitting 101 held in the library with Verna every Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30pm. During the September, this will be changed to THURSDAYs. After the the Chagim, we will IY"H go back to Wednesdays at the regular time. This class has been very successful in bringing people together for creativity and some good old fashion fun as we knit, purl, make mistakes, correct them, and wish each other well. May your Tefilot be answered in the affirmative for the coming months of ELUL and TISHREI! Kol Tov, The Library staff 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 upcoming in-house Shabbaton. Shabbat Parshat Nitzavim-Vayeileich, Friday-Shabbat, September 11-12 (a week before Rosh HaShana) - Our special Shabbat guest: Rabbi Sholom Gold A great way to help prepare for Slichot and the Yamim Nora'im - Shiurim, mini-shiurim, Divrei Torah, inspiration, tidbits - Warm atmosphere, old and new friends, delicious Shabbat meals, Kiddush, Oneg Shabbat... Early Shabbat - Mincha at 5:20pm (before Plag), Candle lighting, not before 5:32pm - Call ASAP to reserve 560-9125 Call the Travel Desk at any time 24/6 (anytime) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392. If we do not answer personally, please leave a message stating your name, phone numbers, and the names of the tiyulim for which you wish to reserve - Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Details... Details... Details... Details... Details... Details... Aug. 13th, 8:00am to 6:30pm - We're heading NORTHWEST with guide Gideon Abramowitz. Heritage Center and Memorial of the Border Police - We will hear the fascinating talk of Dr. Tal Misgav, historian and former commander and enjoy a tour of the site and a short movie. The Orot Rabin Visitor's Center of the Israeli Electric Company - A guided tour of the plant includes also the Chefziba Agricultural Center first established in 1906. In 1992 the "farm" was bought by the Electric Company, which renovated the buildings and worked to conserve the special mechanical and technical relics on the site. Park Alona - This park boasts the beautiful Mei Kedem, underground aqueduct. The aqueduct served the city of Caesarea During the Roman Byzantine Era. Though the cave is lit in parts, it is advisable to bring a flashlight as well as clothes and proper shoes for walking through 40-70cm of water. For the most part it is possible to walk through the cave standing up. Charish - one of the "satellite" cities originally planned by Ariel Sharon. We will discuss the demographic problems in the area as well as the findings of Prof. Adam Zartal, Head of the Archeology Dept at Haifa Univ., in this part of the country (El Achvat)165NIS BOOKED - WAITING LIST - Aug. 18th, 8:00am - 7:00pm "What a Country!" Shalom Pollack, guide. Mt. Carmel (the Switzerland of Israel - or is Switzerland the Mt. Carmel of Europe?), Nesher Park, suspension bridge (longest in Israel), Haifa - Af Al Pi Chen Museum, boat ride in the bay. To the top of Haifa for a breath-taking view of the bay and the world famous, manicured Bahia gardens. On to Muchraka where Eliyahu HaNavi challenged the four hundred prophets of Baal and slew them before the People of Israel. See the very lush biblical Jezreel valley below where the Tanach begs to tell its dramatic stories. What a country! 175NIS Aug. 20th, 10:00am-2:00pm The Israel Center & Rachel's Children Reclamation Foundation Invite you to celebrate Rosh Chodesh Elul at Kever Rachel in Beit Bnei Rachel, founded by Evelyn Haies. Shiur & Lunch: "Children draw for Rachel" Guest speakers Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher: "Teshuva & Redemption Only in the Merit of Rachel Imenu" and Rabbi Zev Leff: "Rachel Imenu: Her Midot - Role Model for Derech Eretz" When you make your reservations, please specify your lunch preference. Each participant will receive an individualized meal catered by the OU Israel Center Mehadrin Cafe. Total cost: 65NIS Aug. 24th and Aug. 25th - each at 10am - Giv'at Mordechai FIRE STATION - Grand tour of the premises, Visit the beautiful shul with its magnificent lights - the one & only shul in any of Israel's fire stations - 25NIS Aug. 26th - 8:00am to 6:00pm - "From Drinks to Water" - Join us for a visit to the Coca Cola Factory, the Ginzach Institute and learn about religious fortitude, Emunah and strengthening of one another during WWII, the exciting National Military Museum of Zahal and a Boatride along the Mediterranean viewing the magnificent coastline of hotels and prominent buildings of Tel Aviv. 125NIS Aug. 27th - 9:00am to 7:00pm - "From Drinks to Water" - See above (Aug. 26th) for details. Same tiyul, different times Aug. 28th, 10:30am BELZ SYNAGOGUE tour -25NIS EIN GEDI - Join us for a wonderful 4-day vacation at the Ein Gedi Guest House - This is not just a vacation but a blessed health experience, as well SUN-WED, Aug. 30th - Sep. 2nd, 10-13 Elul - in the midst of the only Botanical Gardens in the world where people live. Price includes...admission to the world famous magnificent mineral Spa and self-service mud - all day and every day. A delightful semi-Olympic sweet water outdoor pool - hours for separate swimming for men and women, including night swimming. Entrance to the separate Dead Sea beaches. Beautiful, recently redecorated rooms with refrigerator, kettle and more, Rich buffet cuisine - Kosher Lemehadrin - Hashgacha of Rabbi Bistritzky with all products either Eida Haredit or Rabbi Landau The Longer U Stay, the Less U Pay Per Day! Prices are per person, dbl. occ. half board (Single supplement available) Deluxe rooms: New desert rooms: 4 nights, 4 x 436NIS 4 nights, 4 x 381NIS 3 nights, 3 x 450NIS 3 nights, 3 x 398NIS 2 nights, 2 x 468NIS 2 nights, 2 x 403NIS Register immediately with 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! TEKIOT and TEFILOT - where they took place and what they accomplished With famous tour guide (and former mayor of Shiloh), Era Rappaport Wednesday, September 9, 20 Elul from 8:30am to approx. 6:30pm - With Rosh Hashana just around the corner, we will travel and visit the sites at which Avoteinu prayed and blew the Shofar. In many of these places their t'filot were answered and in some, not. We will add our t'filot to theirs with the hope that HaShem will inscribe and seal us and all of Am Yisrael this coming year for a KTIVA VACHATIMA TOVA LCHAIM TOVA U'L'SHALOM Ancient Jericho - site where Am Yisrael crossed the Yarden - Gilgal - Shilo, where Chana davened her silent T'fila and her unbelievable Shir after being given Shmuel - Har G'rizim and looking towards the Mizbe'ach on Har Eyval - the Mitzpeh where our leaders called us to battle against our enemies - HaAi, the first defeat and subsequent success - Even haEzer, where the T'filot were not accepted and the Aron was taken captive - Ma'aleh Beit Choron - where the T'filot and actions of both Yehoshua and Yehuda haMakabi were accepted and major battles were won - Call for price, Travel Desk: Naomi 02-5609110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! The Back Page of TT872 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 Two-week schedule for WED 22 Menachem Av (Aug. 12) to FRI, 8 Elul (Aug. 28) Wednesday, 22 Menachem Av - August 12th [xxx Contemporary Halachic Issues Rabbi Macy Gordon] 10:45am Pirkei Avot R' Yosef Wolicki various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 12:30pm VIDEO/LIBRARY - Cantors - A Faith in Song 12:30pm Medical Chi Kong Practice with Avi Hirsch (one hour session) 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 7:30pm Rabbi Chaim Eisen's shiur - "Truth Will Sprout from the Earth" Thursday, 23 Menachem Av - August 13th 11:00am MIDAT HASHALOM - G-d's Peace & ours - Dr. Hayim Abramson various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 8:00pm Video Reruns for those who can't make it to the Center at 12:30pm for the Video Screenings in the Library:"Cantors - A Faith in Song" Friday, 24 Menachem Av / August 14th 9:00am Aggadah - Rabbi Chaim Eisen 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi Shabbat 25 Menachem Av / Aug. 15 5:00pm Shiur by Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko - "David's Dance: Guidance for a Perplexed Princess" 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 New topic: Opening food cans, packages, containers... resumes, Sunday Aug. 23rd Masechet K'tuvot with Rabbi Hillel Ruvell Sunday 26 Menachem Av / Aug. 16th 10:30am Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda Warhaftig w {XXX "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 resumes Aug. 23 Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher 5:30pm (until 7:00pm) The Artist Way Program - Discover your creativity + Reconnect to your Artistic Dreams with Yehoshua Rubin fee: 30NIS 7:00pm Successful Dating for Men - Discover Why Women Want to Marry You with Yehoshua Rubin M.S. 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?" Monday 27 Menachem Av / August 17th N'SHEI LIBRARY: CLOSED - Will reopen IYH on Monday, Aug. 24th 9:15am Excursions into the Book of Melachim Pearl Borow 10:30am In the Beginning of "In the Beginning" A fresh, different look into Sefer B'reishit with Rabbi Neil Winkler Rabbi Leff will resume his shiur IYH on Monday, August 24th - 4 Elul 11:35am Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages- Call Sura Faecher 993-2524 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - MON Aug 17 In the Fiddler's House - Itzhak Perlman performing and talking with the world's leading Klezmer Bands. Simply delightful - one of JewishVideo and Lunch's most popular presentations! Meet "another part of Perlman". (1 hr) Women's Beit Midrash 2:00pm "Bring on the Blessings" - Pearl Borow Double class - Possible different topic for part of the second hour. 5:20pm Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop 2 hrs. Contact: Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) and Judy Caspi (054-569-0410) MASK - J'lem Chapter at the Israel Center maskjerusalem.cjb.net 050 754 2717 - NEXT MEETING: Monday, Aug. 24, 7:30-9:30pm with Dr. Judy Belsky 7:30pm MovieTime at the Israel Center - The first Columbo: Prescription, Murder 1968 pilot of the series that didn't start until a few years later (1 hrs.) Tuesday 28 Menachem / August 18th 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 Rabbi Aharon Ziegler with Rx for Spiritual Health - Dosage: 100 Brachot a day [ Rabbi Gold will resume his shiur IY"H on September 8th] [ Jewish History, 2nd Temple Period - Dr. Henry Goldblum - in recess] [ Esther Sutton's Workshops for women at 11:20am & 1:00pm resume, IY"H, next week, Aug 25 - see below Tue. 12:30pm VIDEO in the LIBRARY - TUE Aug 18 "Farewell Israel" - This acclaimed documentary presents the history of Islam with an emphasis on the last 300 years of its decline, dominated by the West and humiliated by Israel. The film is a meticulously researched, superbly produced look at the tumultuous Mid-East and the West's tragic misunderstanding of it. The film reaches the conclusion that war between the West and Islam is inevitable and it will have dire consequences for the West and especially for Israel, chas v'shalom. Praised by historian Martin Gilbert as "Powerful" (2 hrs) 3:00pm Dying with Dignity - Learning how to comfort your loved ones during the last stages of life. Tuesdays 3:00-4:00pm - Yehoshua Rubin - 50NS 4:00pm A Parent's Greatest Simcha - Parents of Singles: fee - Yes, You Can Help Your Child Get Married; Lecture with Q&A, Tuesdays 4-5pm - with Yehoshua Rubin, Rabbi Yehoshua Rubin has been associated with 15 successful Shidduchim and offers you well-tried tips to help your child get married resumes Aug 25th - Meet the Meforshim - Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch Wednesday 29 Menachem Av / August 19th [Contemporary Halachic Issues Rabbi Macy Gordon] 10:45am Pirkei Avot R' Yosef Wolicki 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - WED Aug 19 - "The Essence of Spirituality" - Rabbi Zev Leff 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 7:30pm Rabbi Chaim Eisen's shiur - "Truth Will Sprout from the Earth" Thursday 1 Rosh Chodesh Elul / Aug. 20th 11:00am MIDAT HASHALOM - G-d's Peace & ours - Dr. Hayim Abramson 7:30pm Video Reruns for those who can't make it to the Center at 12:30pm for the Video Screenings in the Library: Double feature: "In the Fiddler's House" and "The Essence of Spirituality" Friday Rosh Chodesh Elul/ Aug. 21st 9:00am Aggadah - Rabbi Chaim Eisen 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi Shabbat 2 Elul / Aug. 22nd 5:00pm Shiur by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher - "Rosh HaShana: Fearful Trial or Joyous Parade?" 6:00pm MINCHA Sunday 3 Elul / Aug. 23rd 9:30am Let's Study the Chumash Tonia Frohwein women 10:30am Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda Warhaftig w 12:30pm "Life: The Fantastic Adventure" Aharon Romm 12:30pm Hebrew for Beginners See the previous Sunday listing 2:00pm Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher (Aug. 23) - The Mitzva to appoint a king - why was G-d so opposed? 5:30pm & 7:00PM Yehoshua Rubin's programs 7:30pm Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and Its Wellsprings with Rabbi Chaim Eisen 7:30pm First of four Tovia Singer lectures Monday 4 Elul / Aug. 24th N'SHEI LIBRARY is BACK! 10:00-12:30 9:15am Excursions into the Book of Melachim Pearl Borow 10:30am Rambam's 13 Principles - Rabbi Zev Leff 11:35am Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages Call Sura Faecher 993-2524 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - MON Aug 24 "Avraham Avinu vs. the Dark Side of Genius" - Rabbi Sholom Gold 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) Monday, August 24th, eve of the 5th of Elul 8:00pm - How far do we go in accepting T'shuva? The Nazi who wanted to convert to Judaism, a case study ...and its implications by Rabbi Shimshon Nadel, Oleh Chadash, former rav of the Young Israel of West Hartford MASK - J'lem Chapter at the Israel Center - maskjerusalem.cjb.net 050 754 2717, NEXT MEETING: Monday, Aug. 24, 7:30-9:30pm with Dr. Judy Belsky Tuesday 5 Elul / Aug. 25th GEMACH - 9:00am Haftara of the Week Rabbi Aharon Adler 10:15am A different look into Sefer B'reishit Rabbi Neil Winkler Rabbi Gold will resume his shiur IY"H on September 8th [ Jewish History, 2nd Temple Period - Dr. Henry Goldblum - in recess] 11:20am Elul: Window of opportunity - Inspirational selections from ALEI SHOR, a modern day Mussar classic; Workshop for women with Esther Sutton 1:00pm (to 2:30pm) The Artist's Way with Esther Sutton. A course in discovering and nurturing our innate creativity 12:30pm VIDEO in the LIBRARY - TUE Aug 25 - "Rachel and the Ingathering of Exiles" - Mrs. Pearl Borow 3:00pm & 4:00pm Yehoshua Rubin's programs 8:00pm Meet the Meforshim - Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch Wednesday 6 Elul / Aug. 26th See last week for schedule; add Shiur while you fold Thursday 7 Elul / Aug. 27th 11:00am G-d's Peace & ours Dr. Hayim Abramson 8:00pm The Joy Club - Guest host: Rabbi Eliezer Nevies Friday 8 Elul / Aug. 28th See last week for schedule Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei - Aug. 29th - 9 Elul 5:00pm Yaacov Peterseil & Co. - Mincha - 6:00pm upcoming at the Israel Center Monday, August 31st 11:36am - "Making Heads or Tails of Current Events" Guest speaker:: Harley Braidman Author; 30 year veteran reporter and broadcaster Kol Yisrael (ret.) COMING SOON! at the Israel Center In conjunction with Yeshivat Hakotel; Starting: Week of 23rd August (Elul) - Mid-afternoon LEARN-IN, Twice a week: Come for Mincha Then from 1:45-3:00pm: JOIN A HEVRUTA Your chance to study that missed topic with the finest teachers - DON'T MISS OUT! For more details: Michal: (02) 560-9118 - mkatz@ouisrael.org