Shabbat Parshat VAYEISHEV - SHABBAT CHANUKA - M'vorchim December 11-12, '09 - 25 Kislev 5770 This Shabbat is the 85th day (of 355), 13th Shabbat (of 51) of 5770 ...L'HODOT ULHALEIL L'SHIMCHA HAGADOL. (Al Hanissim) Orthodox Union OU Kashrut • NCSY • Jewish Action • NJCD / Yachad / Our Way • IPA • Synagogue Support Services • OURadio.org • Young Leadership • Project Areivim • OU West Coast Stephen Savitsky, President, Orthodox Union Harvey Blitz, Chairman of the Board, Orthodox Union Rabbi Steven Weil, Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Exec. V.P. Emeritus Headquarters: 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212-563-4000 • website: www.ou.org OU ISRAEL Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • Jerusalem World Center Founders and initial benefactors of the Israel Center: George z"l and Ilse Falk OU Israel Center programs • Makom BaLev • Lev Yehudi • Pearl & Harold M. Jacobs ZULA Center • Machon Maayan • NESTO • The Jack Gindi Oraita Program • Mashiv HaRuach • OU Kashrut Israel Yitzchak Fund, President, OU Israel Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President Stuart Hershkowitz, Vaad member Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member Zvi Sand, Vaad member Harvey Wolinetz, Vaad member Rabbi Avi Berman, Director-General, OU Israel David Katz, CFO, OU Israel Menachem Persoff, Director of Programs, Israel Center Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor 22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem 91370 phone: (02) 560 9100 • fax: (02) 566-0156 email: office@ouisrael.org • website: www.ouisrael.org Torah Tidbits and many of the projects of OU Israel are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel Founders and initial benefactors of the Israel Center: George z”l and Ilse Falk Torah Tidbits Phil Chernofsky, editor • tt@ouisrael.org • (02) 560-9100 ext. 124 Advertising: Ita Rochel • ttads@ouisrael.org • (02) 560-9100 ext. 125 Torah Tidbits is produced, printed*, collated, and folded in-house at the Israel Center TT Distribution • ttdist@ouisrael.org • 0505-772-111 website: www.ou.org/torah/tt Ranges are 10 days, WED-FRI 22 Kislev - 1 Tevet (Dec 9-18) Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:33-5:39am Sunrise 6:28-6:34am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 8:59-9:04am (Magen Avraham: 8:11-8:16am) Sof Z'man T'fila 9:50-9:55am (Magen Avraham: 9:18-9:23am) Chatzot 11:31½-11:35Ύam (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 12:02-12:06pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 3:32-3:35pm Sunset 4:40-4:43pm (based on sea level: 4:35-4:37pm) Candle lighting & Havdala times (Israel Standard time) TT 887 - Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 5:53pm See Chanuka Section for meaning of * and ** 4:00pm* Yerushalayim 5:16pm 4:18pm S'derot 5:19pm 4:16pm Gush Etzion 5:17pm 4:16pm Raanana 5:17pm 4:16pm Beit Shemesh 5:17pm 4:16pm Rehovot 5:18pm 4:15pm Netanya 5:16pm 4:16pm Be'er Sheva 5:19pm 4:16pm Modi'in 5:17pm 4:00pm** Petach Tikva 5:17pm 4:00pm** Maale Adumim 5:16pm 4:15pm Ginot Shomron 5:15pm 4:14pm Gush Shiloh 5:15pm 4:16pm K4 & Hevron 5:17pm 4:15pm Giv'at Ze'ev 5:16pm 4:17pm Yad Binyamin 5:18pm 4:18pm Ashkelon 5:19pm 4:01pm Tzfat 5:13pm 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... This Shabbat (first day of Chanuka) we bench Rosh Chodesh Tevet, which is always on the 6th day of Chanuka, and sometimes on the 7th day as well - Rosh Chodesh Tevet will be on Thursday and Friday. (Roughly, 3 of 4 years, Tevet has two days R"Ch; about 1 of 4 have a single day. K'seder and Shaleim years mean 30 days in Kislev and 2 days R"Ch Tevet. Chaseir years mean 29 days and 1 day R"Ch. HAMOLAD YIH-YEH LEIL CHAMISHI (Wed. midnight), B'SHAA SHTEIM ESREI BALAYLA CHAMISHIM V'TEISHA DAKOT V'ASARA CHALAKIM which is Thursday, Dec. 17, 12:39am ROSH CHODESH TEVET YIHYEH B'YOM CHAMISHI U'V'YOM SHISHI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA: The Partnership of Lord & Tailor There is an old joke about a Jewish guy named Schneider, who was a good one, by the way, who emigrated to the US from Europe and prayed to G-d for help in his earning a parnasa. He promised G-d that if he succeeded he would make G-d a partner in his business. And he did succeed. Ever hear of Lord & Tailor? We, the Jewish People, have a long-standing partnership with G-d. He created the world and gave us the further tasks and challenges of creation - raising a family, inventing things to improve our quality of life, producing art and literature, scientific advancements... all of which are creative acts by which we fulfill our side of the partnership agreement. When we are faced with an enemy with whom we must fight, the partnership kicks into high gear. Way back in the infancy of the Jewish Nation, Amalek attacked and G-d and the Jewish people joined forces to fight Amalek. EMCHEH (I will vanquish them) and TIMCHEH (you shall vanquish them). This partnership continued through many battles throughout the generations. The partnership agreement is fairly simple: G-d is our senior partner. We are the junior partner. We remain faithful to Him and He will always be on our team. We do what He wants us to do. We try not to do things that He has told us not to do. There are documented cases of our failure due to our going against His instructions. And, B"H, there are documented cases of wonderful victories because we have lived up to the agreement. Very important: we must not take credit for success when it is not warranted. We must acknowledge His participation in our victories. But we need to understand when we have done our share and can also take a victory lap. And this includes acknowledging the credit due to others who have properly and successfully teamed up with G-d. There is a Chanuka song that begins with MI Y'MALEIL... One version seems to overdo our human share in the glory of victory. Another version, the "frum" one, gives all the credit and thanks to G-d. Both versions are lacking the true understanding of our partnership agreement. Saying hip, hip, hooray for the Chashmona'im - as well as Kol HaKavod Tzahal in our time - without thanking G-d for our success and for those who were instrumental in achieving the successes - is to miss the point. And those who credit only G-d do not understand this marvelous partnership . Vayeishev STATS 9th of 54 sedras; 9th of 12 in B'reishit Written on 190 lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 28th 4 Parshiyot; 3 open, 1 closed 112 p'sukim - ranks 24th (8th) tied with Matot; more words & letters than it, same line count 1558 words - ranks 24th (8th) tied with Vayakhel; fewer p'sukim & letters than it. Vayakhel is more than 20 lines longer 5972 letters - ranks 24th (8th) tied with D'varim; more p'sukim & words than it, but fewer lines Only sedra tied with others in all 3 categories Average sized sedra, relatively longish p'sukim MITZVOT None of the 613 mitzvot are found in Vayeishev Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Kohen - First Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 37:1-11 [P> 37:1 (36)] Yaakov has spent years away from home and now has returned. The Torah indicates that it is through Yosef that Yaakov's legacy continues. 17 year old Yosef brings bad reports about his brothers to Yaakov. Yaakov loves Yosef above his brothers and gives him a special (striped, colorful) coat. As a result, the brothers hate Yosef and cannot talk civilly to him. Yosef's two dreams (and especially, his telling his brothers about them) increases their hatred and jealousy, and this alarms Yaakov. SDT: These are the TO-L'DOT of Yaakov: Yosef... Should not the Torah have started with Reuven? This comes to show us, says the Gemara, that Yosef should have been Yaakov's firstborn, but G-d's mercy for Leah put her before Rachel in giving birth. SDT: Talmud Yerushalmi wonders what Yosef reported about the brothers to Yaakov. R. Meir says, that they ate "limb from a living animal"; R. Yehuda says that they belittled the sons of Bilha and Zilpa and mistreated them; R. Shimon says that they cast their gaze upon the local women. R. Yehuda b. Pazi quotes the pasuk from Mishlei: "The scales and weighing stones of justice are HaShem's..." (the name- pasuk for Pinchas, by the way), meaning that a person is punished (or rewarded) measure for measure. (Sources explain that the brothers did not do these things; Yosef misinterpreted what he saw.) In Yosef's case, the slaughter of a goat was instrumental in his abduction and the deception of his father; he was belittled and enslaved; he was accused of immoral behavior with Potifar's wife. The first dream was of his brother's sheaves of wheat bowing to his sheaf. Yosef's second dream, of the Sun, Moon, and stars bowing to him, added fuel to his brothers' hatred. Yaakov pointed out the absurdity of the dream, since Rachel, the Moon, had already died and would therefore not be bowing to Yosef. Rashi says two different things: (1) The dream was referring to Bilha who raised Yosef in Rachel's absence; and (2) even "true" dreams have an element of nonsense. These seem to be mutually exclusive statements - if the Moon represents Bilha, then the dream contained no nonsense. Yaakov seems to have purposely voiced the second option in order to diffuse some of the brothers' anger. SDT: Why did the scholars of Bavel dress up so grandly? The Gemara in Shabbat asks. And it answers that they were not "Bnei Torah". External polish to compensate for internal lack. Says the Chatam Sofer, Yaakov gave Yosef a fancy coat so that the brothers would NOT be jealous of him, that they would view Yaakov's pampering of Yosef as a sign of his inferiority. Others suggest that the brothers were supposed to realize that the special treatment of Yosef was because his mother had died, and they should be sympathetic, rather than jealous. (P.S. It sadly did not work. See Rabbi Weinreb's column for more.) SDT: The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat says, in the name of R' Chama b. Guriya in the name of Rav, that a person should never favor one child among his children, because it was a little bit of cloth that aroused jealousy of the brothers for Yosef and that is brought the whole family down to Egypt. This brings to mind the joke/story of the grandmother with two lovely granddaughters - Devora, age 8 and Rivka, age 6. The younger was always envious of the older and would pout about gifts their grandma brought them. On one visit, the grandmother brought identical dolls for the two girls and offered Rivka first choice. She look repeated back and forth between the two dolls and apparently found no differences. She looked up at her grandma and said: I'll take Devora's. But seriously, folks... Parents and grandparents (aunts and uncles too) have to be very careful not to cause jealousy among siblings to rear its ugly head. This does not necessarily mean identical presents, but it means thinking carefully and acting wisely. Although it is Chanuka, there is an interesting connection between the sedra and Pesach. (And, one stanza of Ma'oz Tzur is about our Egyptian experience.) K'TONET PASIM, the coat which Yaakov gave to Yosef, the coat that caused the brothers to be jealous of Yosef, is described differently in various sources. Rashi links the term PASIM to the colorful dyed wool known as KARPAS. Well, there is a Pesach connection, but what's the point? The point is that KARPAS - in addition to many other symbolisms and thought-triggering reminders - reminds us of the coat which caused the jealousy which led to the sale of Yosef into Egypt which subsequently brought Yaakov and the whole family down to Egypt and into oppression and slavery. On the night we celebrate our redemption from Egypt, we give more than a passing thought to that which brought us down to Egypt in the first place. This is a heavy, serious task for a tiny sprig of celery which has already reminded us of so much. Levi - Second Aliya - 11 p'sukim - 37:12-22 The brothers are tending sheep near Sh'chem. Yaakov sends Yosef to them. A stranger (some say, the angel Gavriel) helps him find them. (In the whole story of Yosef and his brothers, one can see that G-d has a plan which proceeds with the unknowing help of the brothers and other individuals. And yet, each person involved acts of his own free will, and is therefore accountable for his actions.) When the brothers see Yosef coming, they (some say, Shimon and Levi) suggest killing him. Reuven talks them out of it by suggesting that they not spill his blood, but throw him into a pit instead. The Torah testifies that Reuven really intended to save Yosef. A point must be made about the concluding pasuk of this Aliya, which gives credit to Reuven for saving Yosef. Commentaries say that Reuven could have talked the brother out of the whole thing; instead, he suggested the snake- and scorpion-infested pit. And, Yosef wasn't saved. Nonetheless, Reuven is credited for his intention to save Yosef. Rashi says that Reuven truly intended to come back and save Yosef - that's good - but his reason was that he, as oldest, would be blamed for anything that happened to Yosef - that's not really a nice reason. Nonetheless, he gets the credit for the good deed he planned on doing - even though it wasn't accomplished AND even though his motives were not pure. This gives us something to think about. How much credit must there be for proper motives, and for actual success. Shlishi - Third Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 37:23-36 When Yosef arrives, the brothers remove his coat and throw him into a deep pit. The brothers sit to eat. (This is considered a sign of callousness towards their brother and what they have done.) When a caravan of Ishmaelites approaches, Yehuda suggests that it would be wrong to kill Yosef (Reuven's intentions notwithstanding, the brothers expected Yosef to die in the pit); they should rather get rid of him by selling him into slavery. Through a series of transactions, Yosef ends up in Egypt as a slave to Potifar. When Reuven returns to the scene and discovers Yosef missing, he rends his garment and expresses his distress to the others. The brothers slaughter a goat, smear Yosef's multi-colored, striped coat in its blood, and send it to Yaakov to identify. SDT: Commentaries point out that just as Yaakov had deceived his father with a goat and a garment (goat & coat), so too was he deceived with a goat and a garment. The dish prepared by Rivka for Yaakov to serve his father was made from goat-meat. Rivka dressed Yaakov in goat-skins and in Eisav's special garment (which some say was stolen/taken from Nimrod and that it was the original leather garment that G-d had made for Adam and Chava). The brothers took Yosef's special garment - the K'tonet Pasim - and smeared it with goat's blood. This is a stark example of "Mida k'neged mida" - measure for measure, mentioned earlier. Yaakov is inconsolable. (This is considered an indication that Yaakov subconsciously knew that Yosef was alive; one naturally accepts consolation for the dead after a time, but not for the missing - think about the families of Israel's missing soldiers; the rest of us cannot imagine their anguish.) Because of Yosef's story, Vayeishev is designated each year as SHABBAT SH'VUYEI V'NE'EDAREI TZAHA"L - the Shabbat for Israel's captives and missing. SDT: Rashi gives us another aspect of the "Measure for Measure" punishment of Yaakov. The pasuk says that he "mourned for his son MANY DAYS." Rashi says that it was 22 years! Yosef was 17 when he was sold. He was 30 when he stood before Par'o. That's 13. Seven years of plenty and the first two years of famine before father and son were reunited. That makes 22 years that Yaakov was without Yosef. This, says Rashi, is the exact length of time that Yaakov was away from Yitzchak. It includes the 20 years with Lavan, a year and a half in Sukkot, and six months in Bet El before Yaakov returned to his father's house. Remember that Yaakov had various good excuses, nonetheless... The measure for measure idea continues to the next generation. Baal HaTurim points out that just as Yehuda asked his father HAKEIR NA, recognize this garment as Yosef's, so too was he asked HAKEIR NA by his daughter-in-law Tamar. He was deceived exactly the way he deceived Yaakov. And there was a goat and garment in the Yehuda-Tamar story too. See further. R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 30 p'sukim - 38:1-30 [P> 38:1 (30)] Subsequently, Yehuda leaves home and befriends an Adullamite named CHIRA. SDT: Why is the story of Yosef inter- rupted to tell us about Yehuda's situation? Rashi tells us that Yehuda was no longer looked up to by his brothers. After they saw the terrible effect on Yaakov of the Yosef business, they blamed Yehuda for not talking them out of the whole idea. Hence the term "And Yehuda went down from his brothers..." has a double meaning. There he meets and marries the daughter of Shu'a, who bears him three sons. He marries off his eldest, Er to Tamar. When Er dies, the next brother Onan, marries his brother's widow. The Torah tells us that Onan refused to have a child with Tamar, because that child would "belong" (so to speak) to Er. This, G-d took seriously (so to speak) and Onan also dies, Tamar is left to wait for the third son, Shela. Then Yehuda's wife dies. Yehuda travels to the area where Tamar lives. When she hears of his impending arrival and realizes that she has not been given to Shela yet, she disguises herself. Yehuda, thinking she is a prostitute, sleeps with her. She asks and receives three items as security that he will send her payment (a goat). When it becomes known that Tamar is pregnant, Yehuda is summoned. Assuming that she has acted sinfully, he is prepared to have her punished. Tamar produces the three items and announces that she is pregnant by their owner. SDT: The Gemara teaches that one must avoid embarrassing another at all costs - it is better to be thrown into a fiery furnace than embarrass someone. We learn this from Tamar, who did not denounce Yehuda, even though she would have been considered guilty of immorality had Yehuda not owned up to his actions. [Commentaries explain that prior to Matan Torah, any close relative could take the childless wife of the deceased; after the Torah was given, only a brother qualifies for YIBUM.] Yehuda recognizes that he is the guilty one, not Tamar, and he admits it. She gives birth to twins (one extending his hand first, the other actually being born first). They are named Peretz (ancestor of King David) and Zerach. Note the repeat of the confused firstborn theme. It pervades the Book of B'reishit. OBSERVATION... Yaakov deceives his father with a garment (Eisav's) and fans the jealousy of his son's against Yosef with the "coat of many colors". He is deceived (and devastated) by that same coat when the brothers bring it back to him all bloodied. Yehuda is "troubled" by his garment which he gave to Tamar as one of the three securities for his promise to pay her with goats. (P'tilim, says Rashi, refers to Yehuda's cloak.) Yosef, the victim (but not completely free of guilt in the matter) has his coat grabbed by Potifar's wife. Yosef leaves it in her hands as he runs from the house; the coat becomes the damning piece of evidence against him. Interesting, no? Chamishi - 5th Aliya - 6 p'sukim - 39:1-6 [S> 39:1 (23)] In "meanwhile back at the ranch" style, the Torah returns us to the story of Yosef. Yosef serves in Potifar's house and brings success to his master. He is well-liked by all, and is given much responsibility. Then the Torah makes a point of telling us that Yosef was very good-looking. SDT: The Midrash says that Yosef was aware of his looks and became too comfortable in Potifar's house. Things were going well, he had good food and drink, and he began "curling his hair". G-d (so to speak) said to Yosef: Your father is in agony over your disappearance and supposed demise and you are enjoying your- self? I shall make things rough for you too. SDT: The portion of Yosef in Potifar's house is juxtaposed to the episode of Yehuda and Tamar, and is further linked because the parsha of Yosef is S'tuma, meaning it continues on the same line (in a Sefer Torah) as the previous parsha (Yehuda & Tamar) ends. The standard explanation is that the sale of Yosef caused Yehuda to lose the respect of his brothers. Rashi gives another, intriguing, explanation. He says that it is to equate Tamar and Potifar's wife - both of whom acted "for the sake of Heaven". Potifar's wife, says Rashi, saw via astrology that she was destined to have descendants that came from Yosef. She thought that she was the one to produce them and so she tried to seduce him. She was just a bit off; it was, in fact, her daughter As'nat that would bear Yosef's children. Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 39:7-23 Potifar's wife casts her eye upon Yosef. She repeatedly attempts to seduce him. His constant refusal angers her. She grabs him on a day when no one else is in the house. Yosef flees, leaving his coat behind. (This is the second time his coat has been left in the hands of others!) Potifar's wife denounces Yosef to all who will listen, and Potifar has no choice but to have Yosef imprisoned. (He probably believed that Yosef was innocent, so at least he didn't have him killed.) G-d "favors" Yosef in prison, and Yosef becomes well-liked and respected there too. Even in his troubled circumstances, Yosef is watched over favorably by G-d. SDT: Commentaries see the episode of Potifar's wife as an appropriate punishment for Yosef: (a) having been vain about his good looks, (b) having reported to his father that his brothers had been "lifting their eyes" to the local girls, and (c) experiencing libelous accusations against himself, as he had reported the "evil- doings"of the brothers to their father. Baal HaTurim adds that Yosef spent 10 years in prison corresponding to the 10 brothers he reported on. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya - 23 p'sukim - 40:1-23 [P> 40:1 (23)] The last portion of Vayeishev tells of the dreams of the wine steward and the baker, both of whom had been imprisoned by Par'o for misdemeanors. Both dream on the same night and awake in morning very agitated. After Yosef interprets the wine steward's dream in a positive manner, the baker asks Yosef to interpret his dream as well. Yosef predicts death for him. Both dreams come true: the wine steward is restored to his position of honor and the baker is hanged. Yosef asks the wine steward to remember him to Par'o, but he for- gets Yosef and his promise to him. Rashi tells us that Yosef was to spend another two years in prison for relying on the Wine Steward to get him out of prison. This raises the question in our minds of the line between BITACHON, trust in G-d, and HISHTADLUS, effort a person expends to get himself out of a tough situation. Could it not have been viewed that G-d set up the whole dream situation with the Wine Steward and the Baker, so that Yosef would do exactly what he did, and the Wine Steward would then be in a position and willing state of mind to help Yosef and put in the good word to Par'o? Why is Yosef faulted for taking the opportunity to try to get out of prison via the Wine Steward, when one can claim that G-d had sent the Wine Steward to Yosef (so to speak) for exactly that purpose. It is possible that the spiritual level of Yosef required different behavior than would be reasonable and proper for "the rest of us". Or... it is possible that under the circumstances, namely that Yosef had just credited G-d repeatedly for his ability to interpret dreams, that the Wine Steward received the "wrong message" from Yosef when Yosef asks him to remember Yosef favorably. Maybe like: "Hey, your G-d can interpret dreams but can't even get you out of this dump without you asking me for a favor". Maybe there is a Chilul HaShem factor to consider here. The specific situation can sometimes dictate or indicate that a specific behavior is called for, even though in other circumstances, the opposite behavior would be appropriate. Maftir in 2nd Torah - 17 p'sukim - Bamidbar 7:1-17 The reading is from the beginning of the Bamidbar 7 (Parshat Naso), with the description of the dedication of the Mishkan, almost a year after the Exodus. The reading begins with the anointing and sanctification of the Mishkan, its furnishings, and vessels, and the gifts of the Leaders of the Tribes to the families of Levi for the transport of the dismantled Mishkan. It concludes with the gifts and offerings of Nachshon ben Aminadav, leader of Shevet Yehuda (first into the Sea, first in the dedication of the Mishkan), on the first day of Dedication, the first day of Chanukat HaMizbei'ach. Some shuls begin the reading of the first day six p'sukim earlier, to include the portion of Birkat Kohanim in the Chanuka reading. The reason (or one of the reasons) is to identify and acknowledge the Chashmona'im as Kohanim. Haftara - 21 p'sukim - Zacharia 2:14-4:7 The special Haftara for Shabbat Chanuka (this year, we must call it the haftara of the first Shabbat Chanuka) is "borrowed" from B'ha'alo't'cha, the Menora being the obvious connection. Chanuka has parallels throughout history. The opening words of the Haftara are G-d's promise to dwell among us. This is the purpose of having built the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash in the first place, and this is the purpose of rededicating it, as we did on Chanuka. The Haftara contains the vision of olive oil miraculously flowing into the gold menora flanked by olive trees. This vision matches so much of the Chanuka story. It is also the basis of the emblem of the State of Israel. This is particularly significant in light of the interpretation of the vision. The message to the king, to Jewish leaders in general, is that our success is not measured by might and power, but rather by the spirit of G-d. This was an important message for the Chashmona'im and it remains a vital message for the leaders of the modern State of Israel. There is also an implied criticism in the Haftara that can apply to the Chashmona'im's taking the kingship to themselves. We must learn from the negative as well. THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW, Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 502 The Marriage Ceremony We all attend weddings frequently. Often we are viewers and do not know precisely what we are viewing. I want to set forth a typical wedding ceremony and explain some of what is happening there. There are may variations depending upon the rabbi and the community from which the bride and/or groom come. The parties are all standing under the canopy that we refer to as "chupa." They may consist of the bride, her parents, the groom, his parents, also some others who marched down the aisle where that is the procedure that was followed in this wedding. There is also the rabbi who will officiate at the wedding and sometimes a cantor to add vocal music to the ceremony, and other members of the wedding party such as grandmothers and grandfathers, etc. The ceremony is nowadays divided into two halves. I say, nowadays, sine there was, and in a few rare instances still is, a division of the marriage into two parts that could be days or even months apart. Nowadays they are usually only minutes apart. The first part is known as kiddushin or sometimes called erusin. This is accomplished by the gift of the ring that the groom gives to the bride. For many intents they are now married, however they cannot yet cohabit and if she dies he does not inherit her and he may not attend her funeral if he is a Kohen. Their relationship can be terminated only by death or divorce. Very often the cantor will sing "Baruch HaBa" which can be translated to mean: "Blessed is He who has come. He Who is powerful above all. He who is blessed above all; He Who is great above all, He Who is Supreme above all; May He bless the groom and the bride". As the bride nears the chupa, the groom should take a few steps towards her to welcome her. Then, acceding to local custom, the bride circles the groom. In some societies she circles three times; in some seven times (in a few groups she does not circle the groom). On her circling she is usually accompanied by the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. The cantor or rabbi sings "Blessed is she who has come. He who understands the speech of the rose among the thorns, the love of the bride, who is the joy of the beloved ones, may He bless the groom and bride." The rabbi holds a cup of wine and recites two blessing: (1) the blessing over wine; (2) "Blessed are You Hashem , Our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us regarding forbidden unions, Who has forbade betrothed women to us and permitted women who are married to us through canopy and consecration. Blessed are You, Hashem Who sanctifies His people Israel through chupa (canopy) and consecration." The groom and bride each drink from the wine. The bride raises her right index finger to receive the ring that the groom is holding. He then says to her "Behold you are consecrated unto me by mean of this ring, according to the laws of Moses and Israel". After the ring is placed on the bride's finger, in most communities the ketuba is read aloud. This document contains certain undertakings from the groom to the bride and provides for a certain amount of money to be given to the bride in case of the death of her husband or in case of divorce. The ketuba is not a prenuptial agreement outlining certain penalties that may be imposed if the husband does not grant the wife a divorce if ordered to do so by Beit Din. (Every couple about to get married should consult with the rabbi and discuss a prenuptial agreement!) The ketuba has usually been signed by the witnesses prior to the ceremony. In some Jerusalem communities it is signed by the witnesses under the chupa when the rabbi gets to that part of the reading of the ketuba when the names of the witnesses are to be called out. The groom then presents the ketuba to the bride. She in turn gives it to her mother or someone else standing close by, to hold until the ceremony ends when the mother returns the ketuba to the bride. Very often a rabbi will speak a few words to the couple that is getting married. Another cup of wine is poured and the following seven blessings are recited. They may be recited by one individual or several individuals. If divided up the, first two blessings are usually recited by the same individual. (1) The blessing over wine. (2) Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe Who has created everything for His glory. (3) Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who fashioned the man. (4) Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who fashioned the man in His image, in the image of his likeness and prepared for him, from himself, a building for eternity. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who fashioned the man. (5) Bring intense joy and exultation to the barren one through the ingathering of her children amidst her in gladness. Blessed are You Hashem Who gladdens Zion through her children. (6) Gladden the beloved companions as You have gladdened Your creature in the Garden of Eden from aforetime. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who gladdens groom and bride. (7) Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the Universe, Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. Hashem, our G-d let there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the groom's jubilance from their canopies and of youths from their song filled feasts. Blessed are You Who gladdens the groom with the bride. The groom smashes a glass with is right foot. (In some communities right after the placing of the ring on the bride's finger the groom then smashes a glass.) Now the bride and groom drink from the wine. The ceremony is now over. The bride and groom must spend some time together in a completely private room for a few minutes. Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Bamidbar Stories by Dr. Meir Tamari "He Zealously Made My [G-d's] Rights Valid" (Bamidbar 25:11) [1] by Dr. Meir Tamari Though the persona in the act of zeal described in the story of Pinchas are different from those in the story of Balak and Bil'am, the two stories are conceptually and ideologically linked and intertwined. The act of Pinchas fittingly forms the conclusion of Parshat Balak. Bil'am's aim of destroying Israel through their willing assimilation into a culture of sexual immorality and idolatry, evoked zealousness for G-d that resulted in an act of unprecedented violence and bloodshed; a scenario repeated in later generations. Much is lost, spiritually and conceptually, when the Tanach is seen as a collection of books, chapters and stories rather that a single whole. The connection is not only through rabbinic teachings and midrashim, but through the text itself, where different personalities, generations and situations share common spiritual roots and religious aspirations. "Shimon and Levi, Dina's brothers, each took his sword and they came upon the city confidently and they killed every male" (B'reishit 34:25). They were zealous for the honor of their sister Dina as we read in their answer to Yaakov, "Should our sister be treated as a harlot?" But over and beyond that, that text tells us, "The sons of Yaakov were filled with indignation, for Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with a daughter of Yaakov. Such a thing may not be done." Some commentators see them as referring to a specifically Jewish standard of morality, whereas others see here a general morality since the nations of the world had all adjured sexual immorality after the Flood, as such immorality had caused that destruction. "Shimon and Levi are brothers... in their rage they killed people" (B'reishit 49:5). Generations, indeed in certain cases, many hundreds of years, separate these words of Yaakov regarding those two of his sons from other events in Jewish history, yet their descendants relived them with different motives and results. Shimon and Levi grew into two tribes of Israel in Egypt, together they were redeemed from there, stood together at Har Sinai and now were poised to enter the Land. At Shitim when Israel sinned before Baal Peor, these two tribes were again involved, yet with conflicting roles. "Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen [of Levi] saw it and he stood up from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand (25:7); the name of the man who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri ben Salu, prince of Bet Avot of the tribe of Shimon" (25:14). Telling his sons what would befall them in the End of Days, Yaakov said of Shimon and Levi, "Into their conspiracy may my soul not enter and with their congregation do not join, O my honor. I will separate them within Yaakov and disperse them in Israel". However, when Moshe came to bless the tribes of Israel before his death, he changed radically the envisaged future of Shimon and Levi. Here there are five verses praising the loyalty, piety and selfless devotion of the Leviyim to G-d and their fulfillment of their role as teachers and spiritual guides. In contrast, both to the words of Moshe regarding Levi and of Yaakov's blessing of the tribes, in V'zot HaBracha there is no mention even of the tribe of Shimon. "Moshe did not bless the tribe of Shimon seeing as they perservered in their actions; the whole tribe was later absorbed and assimilated into Yehuda after the conquest of the Land" (Pesikta de Rabbi Kehana). However, regarding Levi we find that it was only that tribe who zealously joined Moshe's war against those who made the Eigel, while here at Shitim it was Pinchas whose zeal for G-d deflected the plague from Israel. The tribe had learnt to do t'shuva and direct their passion, righteous indignation and zealousness solely for G-d, deserving therefore all the blessings that Moshe gave. Hundreds of years elapsed and generations passed. Israel settled in its Land and prospered under kings and priests but when perversion, immorality and idolatry became rife, zealousness and a greatness of spirit emerged again from the tribe of Levi. Eliyahu HaNavi, prophet of the whirlwind, repeats acts of zealousness and violence during the reign of king Achav, when Israel was mired in the idolatry and licentiousness brought there by Jezebel, the non-Jewish queen. In the Cave at Horev he says of himself, "I was zealous, verily zealous for the sake of G-d, Lord of Hosts" (Melakhim Alef 19:10). He brought drought upon Israel to awaken them to their misdeeds, he repaired the altar of G-d that had fallen into disrepair, he killed 450 priests of Baal, and reproached the king and queen when they come to the vineyard of Navot whom they had had murdered, saying, "Have you murdered and also come to take possession". Eliyahu HaTishbi is Pinchas" (Midrash Shocher Tov, Tehillim 43). Almost a thousand years after Zimri and the sinning at Shitim, idolatry and sexual immorality were again brought to Israel by a foreign nation seeking to divorce its people from G-d. In those days of the Second Temple, the Greek invaders wished to assimilate the Jews into their philosophy, culture and behavioral patterns. They profaned the Bet HaMikdash, demoralized Israel and sought to destroy Torah. "[But] the hands of the sons of Hashmonai [Mattiyahu ben Yochanan] HaKohanim HaGedolim were strengthened. They killed and destroyed those enemies, saved Israel from their hands and appointed a king from the priests and restored kingship to Israel" (Hilkhot Chanuka 3:1). Again the descendants of the tribe of Levi, in their zeal for G-d, saved Israel: "The miracles that You performed in those days at this season through the Your holy priests" (Al Hanisim). "How is it that the Kohanim, the descendants of Aharon, who love peace and pursue peace, should be the ones who led the revolt, killed the mityavnim, and fought the wars that broke the yoke of Greece and led to the purification of the Bet HaMikdash? When everybody else was filled with despair and lost all hope before the evil decrees of Greece, the hearts of the Hashmonai and his sons were filled with zeal and devotion for the Sanctification of G-d's Name. The overflowing zealousness itself was a miracle caused by the pure oil that was in the Heichal so that they came to the miracle of the battles" (Shem MiShmuel). Chanuka, Eliyahu and Pinchas - zealotry for G-d and for holiness! 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] Torah from Nature [9] Person in the Parsha [10] MicroUlpan [11] 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: I always forget whether on Motza'ei Shabbat of Chanuka, we are supposed to light the Chanuka candles before or after Havdala. A: We will see that it is not the end of the world that you forget. Let us first understand the issues, which revolve around the question of which halachic rules of precedence take precedence when they compete with each other. The Terumat Hadeshen (I, 60) says that on Motza'ei Shabbat of Chanuka, we light the Chanuka candles before we do Havdala (after doing a basic Havdala in Sh'moneh Esrei). The reason is that we are interested in delaying Havdala, since it ends Shabbat and it is good to have an excuse to push off Shabbat's end. This concept is found in a few contexts. One is in the gemara in Pesachim (105b), which says that at the end of Shabbat, if one has only one cup of wine to be used for either bentching or for Havdala, he waits until after bentching on it to then use it for Havdala. The gemara explains that we anyway want to delay Havdala so that Shabbat does not look like a burden to us. This also explains why, when Yom Tov falls on Motza'ei Shabbat, we recite the b'racha on Kiddush before the one for Havdala (see Rashbam, Pesachim 103b). The Beit Yosef (Orach Chayim 681) cites the T'rumat HaDeshen and also an Avudraham who argues. In the Shulchan Aruch (OC 681:2) he seems to pasken like the T'rumat Hadeshen, saying that in shul we light the Chanuka candles first. However, not everyone agrees. The Taz (681:1) says that the above concept of precedence is overcome by a more weighty consideration: TADIR V'SHE'- EINO TADIR, TADIR KODEM (the more regular practice comes first). A famous application of that rule is that Beit Hillel cites it as one of the reasons that during Kiddush, we recite the b'racha on the wine, which is made any time one drinks wine, before the b'racha for Kiddush of Shabbat (B'rachot 51b). We even find this rule regarding Chanuka, as we layn the reading for Rosh Chodesh before that of Chanuka (Tosafot, Shabbat 23b- see there a few possible explanations). An interesting question of precedence arises in Z'vachim (90b). Is the more common korban brought before the more holy one? The Rambam (T'midin 9:2) understands that the gemara never resolved the issue, and therefore one can do whatever he wants on the matter. Regarding Motza'ei Shabbat, the T'rumat HaDeshen brings another example of pushing off Havdala: we do S'firat HaOmer before Havdala. However, the Taz says that there is a difference. If we do S'fira first, we will be pushing off the ending of Shabbat. In contrast, since it is forbidden to light candles on Shabbat, lighting Chanuka candles is anyway a way of ushering out Shabbat. The Taz concedes that regarding Havdala and lighting in shul, the minhag is to do the Chanuka candles first. However, he felt that regarding the house, one should practice what he considered more halachically sound - that (the tadir) Havdala should precede. There may even be reasons to distinguish between the two venues. The Pri Megadim (ad loc.) says that after already having partaken in Havdala in shul, the idea of delaying Shabbat's exit has less weight. Others say that specifically in shul, where many people are found, the pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle) element pushes us to hasten the lighting. (There is logic in the opposite direction, which we will not get into.) It is hard to determine which opinion is correct, so what should one do halacha l'ma'aseh? In shul all agree that we light the candles before Havdala. At home, the prevalent Sephardic minhag is to switch the order and do Havdala first (Kaf Hachayim 681:4; Yalkut Yosef, Moadim p. 236). For Ashkenazim, there is no clear ruling, and the consensus is that one can rule either way (Bi'ur Halacha to 618:2). The minhag may lean in the direction of doing Havdala first. It seems that a whole lot of people have your minhag: they don't remember what their father did or what they did in years past, and do first whichever one is ready first. That ends up being quite reasonable. [Ed. note: See Chanuka POP (pull-out pages) for more on this topic.] [2] Candle by Day A child's will should not be surpressed, but his willfulness must be. 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 A wealthy man once approached R' Pinchas of Ositaliah with a request. "Rebbe," he said, "I have a considerable amount of money that I would like to give to the poor. I'd appreciate if you would take that money and distribute it for me." "But why can't you give it directly by yourself?" asked R' Pinchas. "Why do you need me as a middleman?" "Rebbe," explained the man, "if I start handing out money, people will become aware of that fact and soon I'll have a never-ending stream of people coming to me for tzedaka. If you give it out, no one will know it came from me, and I won't be pestered." "If that is your motive," said R' Pinchas, "you have it all wrong. When our Sages talk about the merits of giving tzedaka anonymously, that is because they wanted to prevent the poor from embarrassment, not to protect the wealthy from being bothered. Take your money and distribute it yourself." ### Before the Ba'al Shem Tov died, he instructed his Chassidim to choose as his successor a person who would be able to answer the question of how to overcome one's pride. After his death, the Chassidim went to various prominent people and asked this question. Every person they asked had some type of answer, but none of the answers were satisfying. Finally, they came to R' Pinchas of Koretz, and after he was asked the question he replied: "I can't answer that question, because I myself have been unable to overcome my own pride." The Chassidim immediately chose him as their leader. ### We are told in Avot 5:7 that one of the miracles of the Beis HaMikdash was that when all the people stood in the Temple courtyard, it was extremely crowded, without an inch to spare, but when it came time to bow down, there was enough room for everyone to do so comfortably. R' Zevi Tabory explained this simply: "If everyone "stands up" for his rights, things are very crowded. However, if everyone is willing to "bend a little" and give way to others, there is enough room for everyone." [4] CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively VAYESHEV YA'AKOV B'ERETZ M'GUREI AVIV. "And Ya'akov dwelt in the land in which his father sojourned (Bereishit 37:1). Rav Menachem Mendel Kasher, in his Torah Sh'lema, cites a peculiar Midrash on this verse: "Ya'akov said: "The land that my fathers desired to live in, I won't live in?... "From here we learn that one who does not live in Eretz Israel is considered as one who worships false gods." The Midrash appears to be a non sequitur. How does the fact that Ya'akov's father and grandfather desired to live in Eretz Israel make someone who lives outside of Israel comparable to an idolator? The Midrash is teaching us a fundamental lesson. To have dreams, desires, and priorities that are different from those of the many generations of Jews that came before us is tantamount to heresy. A good gauge of our commitment to true Torah values is the extent to which we yearn for that which our forbears yearned. For centuries Jews worldwide prayed and yearned for the day that would herald the possibility of returning to Eretz Yisrael. If we do not long for the same, we are forsaking the value system of Judaism. The Rambam in Hilkhot Melakhim 5:11 states: "The great Sages used to kiss the borders of Eretz Israel, kiss its stones, and roll around in its dust." In this "halakha", the Rambam is teaching us that we are supposed to develop a love for Eretz Israel. Just as those who came before us kissed its stones and rolled around in its dust, so too must we cultivate that love and yearning. Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, Bet 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 VAYEISHEV 1) Why did Yosef's brothers react to his second dream about his dominion over them with jealousy (37:11) and not the first dream (37:8)? 2) Why does the Torah relate that Yosef both FLED and WENT OUTSIDE when fleeing from the temptation of Potifar's wife (39:12)? 3) Why does the Torah refer to Par'o's butler as the BUTLER OF THE KING OF EGYPT while calling the baker simply THE BAKER when describing the fact that they sinned (40:1)? 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 Answers - Ponder the questions first and then look here 1) The Ohr HaChayim explains that after hearing Yosef's first dream which described the brothers bowing to Yosef, they assumed this simply related to Yosef's fantasies about ruling over them. However, once his second dream included their father (the sun) bowing to Yosef, they realized that the dreams might contain prophecy, since Yosef never hoped to rule over his father. Thus, their jealousy over what might be a Divine plan for Yosef's dominion began at that point. 2) The S'forno answers that Yosef fled from her quickly to avoid the temptation. However, he did not want to arouse suspicions by running out to the street so he had the presence of mind to walk out the door to the street slowly and without panic. Thus, he both FLED from her while inside and also WENT OUTSIDE in a slower manner. 3) The Kli Yakar teaches that based on the way our Sages explain their wrong- doings this makes perfect sense. The butler's flaw was a fly in the king's cup. A fly can fall into anyone's cup at any time and no one can really blame the butler for this. Thus, this was only a sin for the BUTLER OF THE KING OF EGYPT since the king was extra strict regarding such matters. However, a pebble found in bread is a flaw regardless who the bread is being baked for and, therefore, his sin was simply the wrongdoing of THE BAKER. [6] Portion from the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il THE MIRACLE OF FAITH IN G-D One of the things one should do during the time the candles are lit is relate to one's family the miracles that G-d did for us on Channuka. In order to better be able to do that, I decided to take down a copy of the Book of the Maccabees 1 and read the story as it was related by someone living closer to the events then any of us. The book begins with Alexander Macedon and continues on with the story of "a sinful shoot", Antiochus Epiphanes. We learn how under Matityahu the Jews fought the Greeks using guerilla warfare. Then we read on and we see Judah leading his men in full flung battles against the Greek army. They are afraid and say to Yehuda, "how can we, so few in number, be able to fight against so great a multitude?" Yehuda answers, "It is an easy thing for many to be hemmed in by the hands of a few. There is no difference in the sight of heaven to save by many or by few. Victory in battle does not depend on the size of the army, but rather on strength that comes from Heaven. They are advancing against us, full of violence and lawlessness, to destroy us our wives and our children, and to plunder us. We are fighting for our lives and our Laws. He Himself will shatter them before us; but as for you, be not afraid of them" (Maccabees 1:3). We feel the true trust in G-d. In another speech of Yehuda's quoted in the book, he relates how G-d has done this before - it is not out of His power. "Do not fear their number, and do not be afraid of their attack. Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Par'o pursued them with a host. Now then, let us cry to Heaven to see if he will have mercy on us and will be mindful of the testament of the fathers, and will destroy this camp before us, that all the heathens may know that there is One who will redeem and save Israel" (Maccabees 1:4). But there is a slight difference in the era of Yehuda HaMaccabee from Jewish leaders before him. In the past the leaders were guided by the Urim v'Tumim, and prophets to know if it was wise to fight a battle. For example the prophet Yeshayahu tells Chizkiyahu the King to fight against Ashur, though others advise him against it. And we see that when the spirit of G-d left Shaul he was at a loss whether he should go out to fight against the Philistines or not. He resorted to taking counsel with a witch to bring up the spirit of Shmuel from the dead to consult with (Shmuel Alef 28:3-25). By the time of the Maccabees there were no more prophets -- things were not so clear. Judah received no direct message from G-d that he would be successful in his battle campaigns. But what Yehuda had was an amazing faith in G-d. We are in a similar situation today. Around us are many enemies that want to destroy us and at times the situation really looks bleak. We must remember that what helped Yehuda and his men win all the battles against the Greeks was their unwavering faith in Hashem being with them no matter what the odds. WHAT'S CHANUKA without a recipe for sufganiyot? Since we defeated the Greeks on Chanuka, here is a Greek Sufganiya recipe. According to Hebrew dictionaries sufganiyot comes from the Greek sufgan, meaning "puffed and fried." - Greek Jews call them zvingous. Zvingous and sufganiyot descend from one of the oldest sweets - the Greek loukomades, a sweet fried dough dipped in a honey-and-sugar syrup. I found this low fat recipe for those watching their cholesterol. Steven Raichlen, an award-winning cookbook author, cooking teacher, and syndicated food columnist. He received the 2001 James Beard Foundation/Kitchen Aid Book Award for his book Healthy Jewish Cooking. ZVINGOUS For the syrup: 1 1/4 cups water 1/4 - 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves 2 strips lemon zest 2 strips orange zest 2 Tbsps Cognac or brandy For the pastry: 1 cup water 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tsp grated lemon zest 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar 1 cup unbleached white flour 2 eggs plus 4 whites lightly beaten with fork or 1 cup egg substitute 1 egg white or 1 Tbsp egg substitute, beaten with a little salt, for glaze Cinnamon for sprinkling. For syrup: Boil water with sugar, honey, cinnamon, cloves and lemon and orange zest, until thick - for about 4 minutes. Strain syrup into bowl, and cool to room temperature. Add Cognac, stir and refrigerate. Syrup can be prepared up to a day ahead to this stage. Boil water with oil, lemon zest, salt and sugar over high heat. Remove pan from heat, and sift in flour. Stir to make thick paste. Return pan to high heat, for about 2 to 4 minutes and cook until dough is thick enough to come away from sides of pan in a smooth ball. Add eggs or egg substitute in 4 batches, beating vigorously until mixture is smooth before adding next batch. It should resemble soft ice cream. Transfer dough to piping bag fitted with 3/8-inch round tip. Pipe 1-inch balls of dough onto nonstick baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil, leaving 1 inches between each. (This can be done using 2 spoons to drop balls of dough onto sheet if you don't have a piping bag.) Dip a fork in cold water, and with back of tines, smooth top of each ball. Lightly brush balls with egg glaze. Sprinkle sheet with a few drops of water. Bake dough balls until puffed, firm and nicely browned, for 40 to 50 minutes at 400F. If puffs brown too much before they are cooked through, reduce heat. Remove sheet from oven, and cool for 3 minutes. Using spatula, transfer hot puffs to serving bowl. Pour cold syrup on top, and let soak for 3 minutes. Serve puffs with syrup in bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon. [7] from Machon Puah no column this week 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] Torah from Nature no column this week [9] Person in the parsha by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb for Parshat Vayeishev No Favorites on Chanuka Envy is surely one of the most insidious of human emotions. It is a self-destructive emotion, because it often leads a person to act against his own best interests, as he attempts to redress the situation that caused him so much envy. It is also damaging to relationships with others, and can have disastrous social effects. Our sages include envy, along with lust and the search for glory, in their list of items that are sure "to drive a person from this world". That envy can lead to great national tragedy is one of the lessons of Jewish history. This week's Torah portion describes the deterioration of a family brought about by the envy that Yosef's brothers had toward him. This envy led to the hatred which motivated them to sell him into slavery. Hatred between brothers, and the consequences of this hatred, is sadly at the root of Jewish history. "Sinat chinam", unwarranted hatred, re- mains a stubborn problem in the ongoing story of our people. Interestingly, the Talmud blames Yaakov for the brothers' treacherous deed, and for the future course of the history of his descendants. It comments: "One should never favor one child over his other children, for it was the mere two shekels worth of silk, which Yaakov gave to Yosef over and above that which he gave to his other children, that caused the brothers to be envious of him, leading eventually to our forefathers' descent into Egypt." The multicolored garment, with which Yaakov showed special favor to his son Yosef, provoked the envy of the other brothers, and the rest is Jewish history. This Shabbat we do not only read the Torah portion of Vayeishev. We also commemorate the first of this year's two Chanuka Sabbatot. Can we discern any connection between the favoritism demonstrated by Yaakov, and condemned by our Sages, and the festive holiday of Chanuka? I think we can, and I share this admittedly novel idea with you, dear reader. The central mitzva of Chanuka is, of course, the lighting of candles each of the eight nights. Strictly speaking, this mitzva can be fulfilled by the head of the household lighting a single candle on behalf of the entire family -- "Ner ish u'bayto, a candle for the master of the house on behalf of the entire household. However, the prevalent custom is that every member of the family, every child and every boarder and every guest, kindles his or her own Chanuka lights. No favorites here. Everyone gets to light a Chanukiya. Can it be that this custom arose as an antidote to the tendency some parents have to play favorites among their children? Can it be that the central message of Chanuka is that all children have an equal role to play in this holiday, and, moreover, in the very destiny of the Jewish people? I have found no source in our literature for this interpretation. But nonetheless, it feels right to me. I personally find it dramatically significant that on the very Shabbat on which we read of how Yaakov singled out Yosef from his other children, we also celebrate Chanuka and light candles in a manner in which no one child is singled out as superior, in which all have an equal share. The lessons of Chanuka are many, and perhaps in future columns I will explore some of them with you. But here is a novel lesson, and a very important one. Envy can wreak havoc in a family. One way for parents to avoid this poisonous emotion is by treating all their children fairly and equally, and not by playing favorites. One of the wise sayings of Ben Sira, the Jewish sage whose work did not quite make it into the Bible, but which has much to teach us, is that "envy and wrath shorten life..." Wise parents will take this lesson to heart and not discriminate among their children. Instead, they will learn the lesson of Chanuka and give all children an equal role in celebrating this beautiful holiday, the "festival of lights." I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Chanuka! [10] MicroUlpan no column this week [11] Divrei Menachem Parshat Vayeishev launches the story of Yosef with a not too complimentary account of the young man. For he is described as a seventeen year-old lad who mixed with the children of Ya'akov's handmaids. Rashi adds that Yosef was childish: he dressed his hair and touched up his eyes to appear good-looking. No wonder then that at this age Yosef's sense of judgment was wanting. Yosef, it appears, openly tattles on his brothers concerning every perceived wrongdoing. Rashi (B'reishit 37:2) cites the Midrash: Yosef reported to his father that his brothers were guilty of three sins - they ate the flesh of a living animal, they contemptuously called the children of the handmaids 'slaves', and they were suspected of immoral behavior. Clearly Yosef was wrong for he was punished later in kind: After Yosef was sold, the brothers killed a he-goat for its blood (and did not eat it live); Yosef was now sold into slavery; and when in Egypt, "his master's wife cast her eyes upon him." Yosef was a Tzadik, yet that came with time. Seeing, it appears, is not always believing. No wonder that the Torah commands us not to go astray after our eyes and our rabbis tell us to judge people (if at all) in their merit. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading Al HaNisim Usually, this column focuses on detail. Once in a while (and maybe it should be more than once in a while), the goal of "Towards better davening" is served with a look at the whole. It is well known that the mitzva of lighting Chanuka candles highlights the miracle of the one-day supply of oil that lasted for 8 days - and that Al HaNisim focuses on the miraculous military victory. In Al HaNisim, there is only an almost "by the way" kind of reference to the Chashmona'im lighting NEIROT in Your holy courtyard, and no mention at all of a miracle associated with the lighting. In the bracha of MODIM in every Amida, among the things that we acknowledge are from G-d and for which we therefore gratefully thank Him, are - "for Your miracles which are with us every day; and for Your wonders and favors at all times, evening, morning and midday." None of the big, flashy, supernatural, open and obvious miracles are referred to. Only the miracles hidden in nature, disguised as nature (if you prefer that phrasing) - the miracles "which are with us every day". It seems appropriate then, that our Sages composed Al HaNisim to fit in with the Modim bracha of the Amida and left the PACH SHEMEN miracle for the mitzva of Ner Chanuka. Furthermore, calling our attention to the miracles that some scoffers will dismiss as miracles and attribute to anything but, is a good reminder that our lives are filled with miracles. Parsha Pix NOTE: The SHIN on the dreidel (sivivon) that is the bullet of these ParshaPix explanations, does NOT stand for SHAM, "there". Because we are HERE and our dreidels have a PEI for PO (here) instead of a SHIN. So what's the SHIN doing here? It stands for SHABBAT, as in Shabbat Chanuka. Lower-left is the Davka Graphic of Yosef's dreams. Davka has a great collection of Judaica graphics. Its word processor (is that the correct term these days?) DavkaWriter is what Torah Tidbits are made with, and its Graphics collections are frequently tapped for ParshaPix duty. There was no water in the pit into which the brothers threw Yosef, but there were snakes and scorpions, one each of which is in the ParshaPix. The animals you see in the PP are the sheep, as in the sheep that were being tended by Yosef's brothers when he was sent by Yaakov to inquire about their well-being... The camel represents the passing caravans... and the goat is, of course, for the goat that the brothers slaughtered to cover-up their terrible deed. It also represents the goat that Yehuda sent to Tamar. Note well that the main animal that is used in the Beit HaMikdash as a CHATAT, a sin offering, is the goat. Communal chatat as well as individual chatat. This includes the two identical goats upon which lots were drawn on Yom Kippur. Yaakov's roles as deceiver (of Yitzchak) and deceivee (by his sons) are both associated with a goat. Speaking of Yehuda, we have the staff (close, it's a cane), the seal (play on words), and the hooded coat, which is close to the meaning of p'tilecha, that Yehuda gave to Tamar as security for the future payment of the goat. See the wine and bread, representing the Wine Steward and the Baker, whose dreams were similar, but their interpretations and results were so different. The snow flake: Twice, once after the brothers saw that Yaakov loved Yosef the most, and once after he told them his dream, the Torah tells us, VAYOSIFU OD SNOW OTO, and they further hated him. (These happen to be the only SNOWs in Tanach. Shoftim 15:2 is close.) The birthday cake is for Par'o (end of the sedra). The insignia below the cake is that of the Israel Prison Service. The one who wears this insignia can represent SAR BEIT HASOHAR. That's a butcher in the upper- right. He stands for the SAR HATABACHIM. Below the seal is the symbol for Gemini, the Twins. They represent Peretz and Zerach. The emblem of the State of Israel is based on the description of the Menorah and olive trees by the prophet Zecharia, whose words are read as the haftara for the first Shabbat Chanuka. The covered wagon is borrowed from the pioneering days of the wild west in the United States to represent the covered wagons given be the Tribal leaders to the Mishkan to be used by the Gershon and Merari families for transporting the parts of the Mishkan they were responsible for. Family Kehat did not use wagons, they used shoulders. And how do we know that the wagons were covered? Because they are called in the Torah (the Maftir for the first day of Chanuka), EGLOT TZAV, literally, Turtle wagons. Hence the appearance of our MRMH turtle in the ParshaPix. 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 (VAYISHLACH) TTriddles: [1] Aside from this parsha-break in the middle of a pasuk, Vayishlach is full of partial p'sukim. This TTriddle was born from the rare "parsha break in the middle of a pasuk" that occurs in Parshat Vayishlach. One can view a pasuk interrupted by a parsha-break as two p'sukim (whether of not they are counted as one or two), but more correctly, as two partial p'sukim. Regardless, that was the lead-in to the TTriddle, which can be simplified as Vayishlach is full of partial p'sukim. More accurately, Vayishlach has CHELKI (which means partial) p'sukim - not with the definition of the word but using its gimatriya. CHELKI = 8 + 30 + 100 + 10 = 148, the number of p'sukim in Vayishlach. CHELKI is one of the "SIMANIM" for the sedra, as can be found in many Chumashim at the end of the sedra. Okay, there's a problem here that we didn't discover until now. It affects - actually, invalidates, this TTriddle and the next one. 148 p'sukim and its SIMANIM are from Vayeitzei - not Vayishlach. The parsha-break in the pasuk is in Vayishlach, but the word CHELKI has nothing to do with the sedra. [2] The final word makes the count redundant And here is the other TTriddle that relates to the SIMANIM for the pasuk-count of the sedra. Some sedras have one SIMAN and some have two. Vayeitzei has two. The other is MACHANAYIM, 40 + 8 + 50 + 10 + 40 = 148. MACHANAYIM is the final word in Vayeitzei and the count of the p'sukim. We are one week off on this one too. Sorry. [3] Don, Zevulun, and Naftali are doubly a part of this Sometime after the birth of Binyamin, the Torah makes a statement that The sons of Yaakov were twelve. In fact, the statement is the second half of the pasuk that is split by the parsha-break. Dan (whose name we purposely spelled Don - you'll see why in a moment), Zevulun and Naftali were definitely part of the 12, but so were the other 9 sons of Yaakov. What makes these three doubly part of the twelve can be seen by taking the first two letters of Don's and Zevulun's names and the first letter of Naftali's, and put them together to spell DOZEN. [4] Her half-brother infused with G-d This one - more than the previous one, can also be for Vayeitzei, but it fits Vayishlach too. DINA's name can be seen as being made up for the name DAN, that's DALET-NUN, with an infusion of the two-letter name of G-d, the YUD and the HEI. [5] Its final letters are delicious This refers to the 8-word pasuk within the description of the animal-gifts that aakov sent to Eisev, the pasuk all of whose words end in a MEM-SOFIT, more correctly called by scribes a MEM SATUM, a closed MEM, in contrast to the MEM PATU'ACH, the open - or regular - MEM. Srting the final letters together and we get MMM... which is a sound that conveys the description "delicious". In fact, mm is accepted as a two-letter word in Scrabble competition (meaning it is considered a word according to the OSPD), being an interjection that expresses satisfaction. Just for your information - The first word of the pasuk that follows B'reishit 32:15 also ends with a MEM, giving 9 consecutive words with a MEM. The only example of this in all of Tanach. Bamidbar 29:32 is a 7-word pasuk, all of whose words end in a MEM, and it is preceded by a word ending in a MEM, giving 8 in a row. And D'varim 1:13 starts with the word HAVU which is followed by 8 more words, all of which end in a MEM - and that's it for Tanach. [6] Left out of his initial message Yaakov's message to Eisav at the beginning includes mention of his having SHOR, CHAMOR, and TZON. This includes all the kinds of animals in his gifts, except the camels. This week's TTriddles: [1] What bracha do you say on a dreidel? [2] Chanuka toy for high school juniors - where? [3] People from Triland count with triangular numbers. How many candles do they need for the whole Chanuka? And their Square friends? Then a Square woman married a Trilander and they decided on a diplomatic arrangement. How many candles do they need? What's wrong with the girl from Beit Shammai who married the fellow from Beit Hillel making a similar arrangement? [4] Section in the journal of the Edison yeshiva on Plainfield Avenue [5] He qestioned his youngest son 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 - Light up the heart of a needy person this Chanuka. Please help us help those who turn to us for help. Make checks out to "Chesed Fund" and send to: Chesed Fund, Israel Center att. Menachem Persoff POB 37015 / Jerusalem 91370 Chessed Fund - URGENT! HACHNASAT KALLAH - 2 kallot from 2 different families We need to help set each of them up in their new homes. Please send donations or bring in to the Israel Center new or second-hand (good condition) household items. More details: Menachem 0505-701-067 Checks may be sent to: Chesed Fund - Hachnasat Kallah - Israel Center att. 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Call us for further details: (02) 560-9125 Name: ________________________________ Phones: ____________________________ Dedication (circle one): Single Shiur (180NIS) What shiur? __________________________ Morning (360NIS) or full day (500NIS) Indicate which day: ________ In honor of _______________________________________ Occasion (birth, Bar/Bat Mitzva, graduation, engagement, marriage, anniversary, special birthday, recovery, Aliya), other - specify:_______________________________ In memory of _______________________________________ Occasion - yahrzeit, how many years; other: ____________________________________ Travel Desk - DIRECT LINE: 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 THE TRAVEL DESK is for making reservations and receiving info about Israel Center tiyulim. Please note that ALL Israel Center tiyulim require advance registration. Please note new hours At your service SUN 12:00-5:00pm - MON 11:00am-4:00pm THU 11:00am-3:00pm - Other times, leave message at 560-9110 Call Naomi at the OU Israel Center Travel Desk, 560-9110 or 050-725-8392; fax: 566-0156; email: tiyul@ouisrael.org - Outside Travel Desk hours, please leave a message... Call Shulamit Neaman at 050-593-7932 on the day of a tiyul or the evening preceeding it. Also, if you are running late for a tiyul or for last minute cancelation. 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, meaning that we can cancel a tiyul with too low registration BOOKED? When a tiyul is listed as BOOKED - you can call to be wait-listed; 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. STUDENTS FROM ABROAD: Parents visiting you this year? If so, speak to us! (560-9110) to check out our tiyulim or Shabbatonim (call Ita Rochel 560-9125) that might interest them. KASHRUT POLICY: Food for Israel Center In-House programs is supervised by OU-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, email tiyul@ouisrael.org or fax 972-2-5660156 for attention of OU Israel Travel Desk 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 Chanuka at the Agnon House for Children, Parents and Grandparents Accompanied by Nachman Kupietzky We will tour S.Y. Agnon's home and listen to his stories. In addition, we will also have a tour of Talpiot. Sunday Dec. 13th from 10:00am to noon; Cost: NIS35 for adults, NIS25 for children - Call the Travel Desk at (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Palmach Museum Tel Aviv with Nachman Kupietzky - Newest state-of-the-art museum vividly portraying the pre-state defense army of Israel; MON, Dec 14 (CHANUKA); Check-in 9:35am, Leaving 9:45am; Returning 2:30pm, 110/120NIS - Limited to 25 participants - Sign up with Naomi; 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 BOOKED - CALL TO BE WAITLISTED - Fire Station Tiyul - Grand tour of the largest fire station in Jerusalem. Learn about the methods used for fire-fighting. See and learn about brave people who protect us. Visit the beautiful SHUL with its magnificent lights - the one & only shul in any of Israel's fire stations. Sunday, Dec. 13th (Chanuka) 10:00am, NIS 25 Limited number of participants - Call the Travel Desk at (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 BOOKED - CALL TO BE WAITLISTED - The Real Thing - Come join us for a visit to the Coca Cola Factory and Bar Ilan University, first religious university in Israel. We will be presented with a program explaining the Computer Research on Responsa (questions presented to great Rabbanim and their answers) from the past generations. This is extremely helpful to Poskim involved in religious decisions of all kinds. The program is available worldwide. 80NIS members / 100NIS non-mem, Tuesday (Chanuka), Dec 15th from 8:45am - 2:00pm - Call Naomi at the Travel Desk 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Tour of the Begin Center with Nachman Kupietzky Also: Overview of Jerusalem and First Temple Archeological Finds Thursday, Dec. 31st, 9:15am; NIS36 members /NIS50 non-members - Limited space - Call Travel Desk (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Jewish Survival in Important Places with HUGHIE AUMAN Ashdod see a city rising out of the sand gain archeological knowledge also dress up in ancient costumes (make sure you bring your cameras) in the Ashdod Museum Moshav Benei Darom: Kefar Darom / Benei Darom; kibbutz turned Moshav Shitufi, we"ll tour Beit Rishonim - about the early days of the Moshav, in the shul see and learn about a special 400 year old deerskin Sefer Torah, rescued during the Peace of Galilee war, which was used by the Jews of Sidon Nir Galim Museum where you will gain knowledge about World War II in the Bet Ha'edut Museum all about RELIGIOUS JEWRY in the Holocaust, including an exhibit of MATCHSTICK MODELS of famous European synagogues from before KRYSTALLNACHT. Tue. Jan. 12 / 8:00am 6:30pm - 190NISmembers (210nis nonmembers) - Call the Travel Desk "In the footsteps of our Maccabees" - TUE Dec. 22nd 8:00am to 6:00pm with our scholarly tour guide Avi Flax Join us on a trip as we follow the Chanuka events, battlefield by battlefield, miracle by miracle. We will begin by visiting Nebi Samuel site of Biblical Mitspah and we'll try to understand its relevance to Chanuka. At Maaleh Bet Choron we'll learn about the innovative Greek fighting formations of the Phalanx and the elephant and we'll see how the Maccabees sometimes succeeded and sometimes failed at overcoming this overwhelming force. Is it possible to crush fresh olives and have pure oil ready in just eight days? The answer we'll find out at Neot Kedumim as we discover how oil was once produced. Do we know where the Maccabim are buried? And, while we're at it, does Macabbi mean anything more than an acronym? The answer will wait for when we visit the Tombs of the Maccabim. At the Mitspeh Modiin viewing tower we'll have a magnificent view of the area where it all took place. While we are in Park Canada we'll actually walk through the Greek army camp. During our visit to the site it will become clear why Rabbi Eliezer ben Aroch forgot his Torah when he visited Emmaus. NIS135 members / NIS150 non members Call Naomi at the Travel Desk: (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! "Chapters in Tanach from Yehoshua to King Ahab" including some modern settlements Guided by astute tour guide Daniel Spielman - WED Jan. 6th 8:00am to 6:30pm Mitzpeh Yericho - looking into the Biblical City of Jericho. When did Jews build Jericho despite the curse of Yehoshua and what happened to them as a result? We shall also learn of attempts in modern times to rebuild the city. Gilgal - Where was the original city located? A hothouse in the Jordan Valley where organic peppers are grown - learn about modern farming Kibbutz Ein HaNatziv - see the famous Beraita Ditechumin, one of the ancient and clear sources of Eretz Yisrael's "Kedusha" borders, which is found on a mosaic floor in the Beit Shean Valley. Kefar Yechezkel - If a person owns a big cowshed and he is also a teacher, who will milk the cows for him? Answer: the robot solution, an amazing ultra modern technique Afula - we will ride through the city of Afula and see how it is growing. Tel Yizrael - where the Shofet Gidon fought the Midyanim. Here King Saul fought his last battle against the Philistines We shall also recollect about King Ahav and the vineyard of Navot. Mt. Gilboa - we shall drive through the area to Mitzpeh Avinadav, where we shall see an inspiring sunset view of the Beit Shean Valley NIS135 members / NIS150 non members - Call Naomi at the Travel Desk: (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! The Dan Panorama of Jerusalem is located directly across the street from the Israel Center. We're going to another one...The Dan Panorama in Eilat - SUN-THU, January 24-28, '10; 5 marvelous days, 4 fabulous nights at the luxurious hotel with beautiful rooms, superb meals, sport facilities, a health club, sauna, Jacuzzi, heated pool, separate swimming all day, free entrance to Spa, shiurim with famous rabbis, lectures given by leading authorities in their field, musical programs, evening entertainment, audio visual presentations - all with outstanding personalities performing. The entire Hotel is Mehadrin with all products either Eida Haredit or Rabbi Landau Hashgacha. Each meal is a sumptuous gourmet feast. Every afternoon a cake and dessert extravaganza is available for your indulgence. Hot and cold drinks are provided all day long. On the day of arrival a delicious luncheon will be served. The remainder of your vacation is half board. Scholar-in-residence: Dr. Henry R. Hashkes, Medical expert on high blood pressure - Recipient of the prestigious Yakir Yerushalayim Award Only 375NIS per night per person - double occupancy, Single supplement available - Children 2-12: 195NIS per night - After 3:00pm on Thursday, Dec. 10th, cost is 395NIS per night Transportation to and from Eilat additional Astounding panoramic scenery, granite and multi-colored mountains and the sea are your glorious view all day long - Register immediately to reserve your room; Last year the rooms were sold out very quickly You can imagine why! Call Naomi at the Travel Desk: (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always treats; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Tanach Tiyulim in cooperation with the Israel Center - DO NOT CALL THE TRAVEL DESK tanachtiyulim@gmail.com - 052422-8601 Join us for a fascinating 2-day tiyul to the Golan (December 29-30) based at the beautiful Guest House at Tel Hai, Southern Golan - Banias Nature Reserve, The Katzrin Museum, The ancient city of Gamla, The amazing fourth century, shul in "Um El Kanatir", The Memorial for the soldiers killed in the helicopter crash, Birkat Ram, Har Bental observation point and Kibbutz Elrom - Cost: 650 shekels (for 2 in a room) including lodging and three meals The Back Page of TT887 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 360NIS couple, 275NIS single. Programs of the Center are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Schedule for WED 22 Kislev (Dec. 9) to Friday, 1 Tevet (Dec 18) Wednesday, 22 Kislev - Dec. 9th 9:20am Contemporary Halachic Issues - Rabbi Macy Gordon - Now studying: Is Conversion "good for the Jews" 10:45am Parshat HaShavua R' Yosef Wolicki Rabbi Wolicki's shiur is sponsored by Josef Somogyi and Stefan & Rochelle Somogyi in memory of Elisabeth Somogyi on her 6th yahrzeit 11:00am Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg on Parshat HaShavua various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 12:30pm VIDEO/library: Rabbi Aharon Adler - "The Mishna related to Chanuka" 12:30pm Medical Chi Kong Practice with Avi Hirsch (one hour session) Call for further details: 050-767-1722 1:30pm (to 2:30pm, no charge) Knitting 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 - Part 2 of the pre-Chanuka mini-series. Wednesday, December 9th 8:00pm - "Israel's New Imperative: Defeat Oil Dependency" Dr. Daryl Temkin, founder of the Israel Institute for the Advancement of Alternative Energy Innovation will present a unique Powerpoint Lecture to teach Israel's leading role in defeating global oil dependency and being an essential OHR LAGOYIM. Thursday, 23 Kislev - December 10th 11:00am Torah Secrets on Emunah with Dr. Hayim Abramson various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold Students and Young Adults - Jewish Identity and Yirat Shamayim with Rabbi Moshe Taragin, Senior Maggid Shiur, Yeshivat Har Etzion - Thursdays at 8:00pm; 25NIS, Men and Women invited, Refreshments Friday 24 Kislev/ Dec. 11th 9:00am Aggadah - Rabbi Chaim Eisen 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi 12:05pm (this Friday and next) Mincha Gedola to allow us to daven Mincha with a minyan before lighting Chanuka Candles Shabbat 25 Kislev / Dec. 12th - First day of Chanukah 3:00pm Shiur by Rabbi Chanoch Yeres: - CHANUKA - Its relevance in our time 3:50pm MINCHA Motza"Sh 26 Kislev / Dec. 12th 8:15pm Video screening of The Eighth Day, followed by discussion A thought-provoking short film that takes place in pre-Chanuka Eretz Yisrael when Mitzva-observance wasn't as "simple" as today also Mini-shiur by Phil Chernofsky on the 11th yahrzeit of his FATHER z"l - The Mishnayot that mention Chanuka (the order of these two parts of the program is yet to be decided) Sun-Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor) CHANUKA WEEK SCHEDULE 10:00am Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld - Perek "Arvei P'sachim" - Sunday and Tuesday only 11:15am RCA Daf Yomi by Rotation (and Fri. at 11:00am) 1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year) not on Chanuka Hilchot Shabbat - Rabbi Chaim Sendic (052-668-0312) - Tuesday and Wednesdays not on Chanuka Masechet K'tuvot with Rabbi Hillel Ruvell (not Tuesdays) not on Chanuka Maariv (this time stays until Shabbat Shira) The Center will be officially closed between 4:00 and 7:00pm on Chanuka nights Sunday 26 Kislev/ Dec. 13th 26 Kislev 5770 2nd day of Chanuka; Sunday, December 13th at the OU Israel Center 8:00am - Shacharit with festive Carlebach Hallel - followed by light breakfast, D'var Torah 10:00am - "The Temple Menora and the Miracle of Chanuka in Halacha and Aggada" with photos & illustrations The talk will address both the aspects of the Chanuka miracle as it pertains to the Menora, and more so, on the "search" for understanding the original shape of the Menora in halachic and historical sources... - "Beit HaMikdash: Man-Made or Heaven Sent?" focusing on the question: Is it considered a mitzva for Israel to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash, or are we commanded to wait for Mashiach? Does the Torah teach us that the Third Temple will descend ready made from Heaven? Both talks will be delivered by Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute, J'lem This program is in memory of Prof. Morris I. Chernofsky z"l on his 11th yarhzeit (no charge) 9:30am Let's Study the Chumash Tonia Frohwein women 10:30am Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda Warhaftig women 12:30pm "Life: The Fantastic Adventure" Aharon Romm not this week 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 Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher (resumes IY"H Dec. 27th) NOT on The Book of Nechemya - Rabbi Mordechai Machlis Chanuka The Book of Shmuel - Rabbi Dr. Joseph Klausner (Yedidyahu) These two classes are open to men and women, and are free of charge 7:30pm Ramban's Commentary on the Torah and Its Wellsprings with Rabbi Chaim Eisen THE DAVID CARDOZO ACADEMY Machon Ohr Aaron & Betsy Spijer presents its Annual Chanukah Seminar: "The Other in the Tanakh" Introduction by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo Rabbi Zvi Grumet - The "Other" in the Family Rabbi Francis Nataf - Pagans, Thieves and other Fathers-in-Law Participants are kindly asked to bring a Tanakh With great pride The David Cardozo Academy will present the newly published book by Rabbi Francis Nataf: Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Exodus - Copies will be available for purchase at a discount and for signing Sunday, December 13 7:30pm-9:45pm pm at the OU Israel Center General Admission: NIS40 Students: NIS20 Refreshments For reservations, with advance credit card payment only, call 652-4053 or 052-703-0909 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, Ph.D., Dean Rabbi Francis Nataf, Educational Director www.cardozoschool.org Monday 27 Kislev / Dec. 14th N'SHEI LIBRARY: 10:00-12:30 9:15am Excursions into the Book of Yehoshua Pearl Borow 10:30am Chanuka Insights - Rabbi Zev Leff not this week - MOMMY & BABY MUSIC CLASSES with Jackie are back for another wonderful year of MUSIC & FUN! Jackie's fantastic music classes that have been entertaining children for the past 10 years are starting again! Bells, Drums, Rattles, Scarves, Parachutes, Puppets and soooooooooooooo much more! Mondays at the Israel Center 9:30am for 6-18 months 10:30am for 1-3 year olds Call Jackie to register for classes: 999-5524 / 054-533-9305 Available: Jackie's New CD -- "JACKIE'S GOT A HAT" 78 minutes - over 120 songs! 11:30am Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages - Call Sura Faecher 993-2524 - (Possibly on a different day - call Sura) 12:30pm VIDEO SCREENING in the LIBRARY - MON Dec 14 Rabbi David Derovan - "Chassidic Interpretations of the Laws of Chanuka" Women's Beit Midrash will resume IY"H after Chanuka Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop - 2 hrs. Contact: Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) and Judy Caspi (054-569-0410) resumes IY"H after Chanuka - on a new day: Sundays at 5:20pm Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg on Parshat HaShavua and Rabbi Dr. Elie Assis will resume IY"H after Chanuka MASK - J'lem Chapter at the Israel Center maskjerusalem.cjb.net - 050 7542717, NEXT MEETING: Monday, Dec. 21, 7:30-9:30pm with Dr. Judy Belsky 8:00pm - Chanuka Party with Standing Together for lone Soldiers - see www.stogether.org/chanukahparty Tuesday 28 Kislev / Dec 15 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 Pre-Chanuka Book Fair 9:00am The Torah of Eretz Yisrael Rabbi Aharon Adler 10:15am Parshat HaShavua Rabbi Sholom Gold Esther Sutton will resume her classes for women in the near future - watch for announcements video - TUE Dec 15 Rabbis Chaim Brovender and Berel Wein - "Thoughts at Chanuka on the Miracle of Am Yisrael" Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch's shiur will resume IYH on December 29th Wednesday 29 Kislev / Dec. 16th 9:20am Contemporary Halachic Issues - Rabbi Macy Gordon - Now studying: Is Conversion "good for the Jews" 10:45am Parshat HaShavua - R' Yosef Wolicki various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 12:30pm VIDEO in the LIBRARY - WED Dec 16 Rabbi Zev Leff - "About the Hanukkah Miracles" 12:30pm Medical Chi Kong Practice with Avi Hirsch 1:30pm (to 2:30pm, no charge) Knitting with Verna Women's Beit Midrash - resumes after Chanuka 7:30pm Rabbi Chaim Eisen's shiur Thursday 30 Kislev / Dec. 17th 11:00am Torah Secrets on Emunah Dr. Hayim Abramson various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold NESTO Native English-Speaking Teen Olim Chanuka Murder Mystery party - THU Dec. 17th at 6:30pm Questions about NESTO? Contact Sarra Horwitz, 054-659-2257 shorwitz@ouisrael.org - Watch for details of our upcoming Shabbaton in Efrat! Friday 1 Tevet / Dec. 18th 9:00am Aggadah - Rabbi Chaim Eisen 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi 12:05pm MINCHA GEDOLA Upcoming... Leil Shabbat Chanuka for Singles (20s & 30s) - Katamon Konnections and the OU Israel Center invite you to join us on the last night of Chanuka, December 18, '09 Mincha 4:00pm followed by Chanuka lighting and Shabbat lighting, Leil Shabbat Dinner at The Israel Center (Please respect the age range) Cost: 80nis per person, Registration with pmt by Dec. 13th - Call Ita Rochel (02) 5609125 - We look forward to seeing you! - Katamon.Konnections@gmail.com Sunday, Monday, Tuesday - December 20-22 - 7:30pm Financial Freedom Seminars - Israel Resource Network (IsReNet) for details: (02) 622-3065, 052-762-6830, 077-933-2329 Monday, December 21st, 11:30am - Fashion Statements from Meah Shearim to Bnei Akiva: Orthodox communities " who's who" through the prism of their dressing code - Lecture with lots of pictures by Gabriella Licsko researcher Wednesday, Dec. 23rd, 8:00pm David Bedein, veteran reporter and community organizer presents a systematic plan: How to galvanize public opinion to preserve Jerusalem, Judea and Samara and prevent a terror state. Chanuka Review This will be a combination of a halachic review, practical suggestions, useful information, and more. Do not take anything written here as "the last word", if you have any doubts, check things out with your Rav. GENERAL POINTERS: In general, one should prepare his Chanukiya during the afternoon so that there will not be a delay in lighting at the proper time. This is especially so on Friday, Erev Shabbat-Chanuka because things get kind of hectic as Shabbat approaches (and especially not so for Motza'ei Shabbat lighting). Some have the custom of preparing the Chanukiya in the morning for the evening (this goes for every day - except Shabbat, of course). This not only serves the practical purpose of being ready to light on time without delaying to set up later, but it also commemorates the practice in the Beit HaMikdash called Hatavat HaNeirot, whereby the Kohen (Gadol) tended the Menora and prepared it in the morning for kindling in the late, late afternoon. Since our lighting on Chanuka directly commemorates the lighting of the Menora in the Beit HaMikdash, this suggestion provides a nice "added touch" to the mitzva and symbolism of Chanuka lighting. AL HANISIM is added to every Amida and Birkat HaMazon throughout Chanuka. (There is no reference to Chanuka in AL HAMICHYA, a.k.a. Bracha Mei'ein Shalosh.) Forgetting AL HANISIM does NOT invalidate either the Amida or Birkat HaMazon. That means that neither is to be repeated because AL HANISIM was omitted. However, if one realizes the omission before the end of the Amida, AL HANISIM can be said right before YIHYU L'RATZON, with the modified intro below. In Birkat HaMazon, an omitted AL HANISIM becomes a HARACHAMAN, right before HARA- CHAMAN HU Y'ZAKEINU, as follows (there are variant texts for this)... HARACHAMAN HU YAASEH LANU NISIM V'NIFLAOT KA'ASHER ASA LAAVOTEINU BAYAMIM HAHEIM BAZMAN HAZEH. BIMEI MATITYAHU,,, POINT Brachot (including SH'HECYANU) should be recited BEFORE beginning to light the candles. This complies with the general rule for Brachot of Mitzva, that they be recited immediately before performance of the mitzva, if possible. This means, that even on the eighth night, don't start lighting the candles until you finish both brachot. POINT Opinions differ, but a common practice is to place the first candle (or oil cup) in the right side of the Chanukiya. If one lights at the doorpost, then the first candle should be closest to the doorpost, even if it is the left side of the Chanukiya. From the second night on, the custom (one of the customs) is to "load" the Chanukiya from right to left, but to light it, left to right. At the doorpost, one loads it from the doorpost out, and lights it starting with the candle closest to the doorpost. Loading and lighting direction is not crucial to the performance of the mitzva, but there are reasons for the various practices. POINT The essential performance of the mitzva of Chanuka Lights is the lighting of a single candle each night, and the custom that we follow of increasing the number of candles each night is considered HIDUR MITZVA (enhancement of the mitzva). One practice that has developed because of this, is to begin reciting HANEIROT HALALU after the first candle is lit, while lighting the others. Alternatively, one can wait until the lighting is done to say HANEIROT HALALU. POINT One should not just light the Chanuka candles and then go on to business as usual, but rather one should look at the candles for a while, ponder G-d's miracles, spend some time with the family talking about the message of Chanuka and how it relates to our time, play a little dreidel, sing a song or two, have a snack, have some Chanuka fun. POINT It is recommended to learn some Torah, share a Dvar Torah, have a family shiur, or something like that, right after candle lighting (or sometime in the evening). The decrees of the Greeks included a ban on Torah learning. Our celebration of Chanuka marks our freedom from Greek oppression, including the ability to learn Torah in public without fear. So let's do just that! POINT Notice on the "Chanuka Candle Lighting" page that the word SHEL in the first bracha is in parentheses. There is a dispute as to whether the bracha ends NER SHEL CHANUKA or NER CHANUKA. One should follow his own (or family) minhag, if you have one (and remember it). If not, ask your Rav which wording you should use. (A third opinion is to combine the words into L'HADLIK NER SHEL'CHANUKA. Indoor/Outdoor The original place for lighting and displaying of the Chanukiya was outdoors at the entrance to one's courtyard or home. Over many generations in exile, where lighting outdoors was inconvenient to say the least, and often dangerous, the practice evolved to light indoors. In some circumstances, the lighting was to be done at a window, so that the candles would be visible to passersby in the street. In other cases, the Chanuka lights were lit in a conspicuous location for the attention of the members of the household, especially when it was dangerous to light at the window. Many people who have come to Israel, still light inside, at the window, as they had been doing in their countries of origin. Others have gone back to the original practice of lighting outdoors, which is common in Israel - especially in Jerusalem. If you are considering changing any aspect of your Chanuka candle lighting routine, (candle to oil or vice versa, sunset to stars-out or vice versa, indoors to outdoors or vice versa, window to door or vice versa, each family member to one for the family or vice versa...), we advise consulting a Rav. AGAIN - These pages should be considered a review of some - but not all - of the many Chanuka topics. Even when we've presented more than one opinion, there might be others that we haven't mentioned. We've said it often, but we repeat, it is best to consult your Rav to clear up any doubts you might have. We wrote about the lighting for the first night in last week's issue for the benefit of those who do not receive TT until Shabbat morning or later. So too, last week's TT had the Brachot, HaNeirot Halalu, and Ma'oz Tzur. We've put them all on one page in this issue. And we will repeat - in shorter form - the details of Friday lighting, especially since we've got two of them this year. Friday, December 11th It is preferable to daven Mincha before lighting Chanuka candles, but one should not miss out on a minyan to daven before lighting. The Israel Center has a Mincha minyan at 12:05pm on the two Fridays to facilitate this. Chanuka candles should be lit BEFORE Shabbat candles - even if different people are lighting each. Count on 5-10 minutes before the posted Shabbat lighting time; adjust according to your household's experience. Save Ma'oz Tzur for the Shabbat table - saves some time and helps bring Chanuka to Shab. Chanuka. * In Jerusalem, some follow the practice of delaying Shabbat candle lighting for 20 minutes (4:20pm instead of the scheduled 4:00pm) and lighting Chanuka candles right before Shabbat candles. ** For Maale Adumim and Petach Tikva, for those who generally light Shabbat candles at the Jerusalem time, they can delay 15 minutes, since their sunsets are about 5 minutes earlier than Jerusalem's. Places whose Shabbat candle lighting times are 18-22 minutes before sunset, should keep to their posted times. Care should be taken when lighting early (as on Friday, but even during the week for a variety of reasons) to... [1] Never light before PLAG mincha - use 3:40pm as the red line; it works for the whole Chanuka this year, anywhere in Israel. Outside of Israel, the times are most likely to be different. [2] Make sure the candles are large/fat enough - or that there is sufficient oil - to last the required amount of time after stars-out, and then some. We recommend 6:00pm as the time until which the candles should last. (Anyone who lights later than 5:30pm during the week, needs candles or oil to last at least a half hour - preferable more.) Motza"Sh, December 12th Candles for Motza'ei Shabbat should be set up from before Shabbat so as not to delay the Chanuka candle lighting any more than necessitated by Shabbat. Many shuls will daven Maariv on Motza'ei Shabbat Chanuka earlier than usual (17 minutes after sunset already is an acceptable Tzeit HaKochavim time for the reciting of the Sh'ma - even though Shabbat is not over yet). This allows people to get home closer to "right after Shabbat" and maximize the time that Chanuka candles will be lit during their "prime time". OBVIOUSLY, one cannot light Chanuka candles - or even set them up - before Shabbat is out. But by davening a little earlier and by hurrying home, and by having set up for Motza"sh on Friday, unnecessary further delay can be avoided. Which brings us to the topic of which goes first - Havdala or Chanuka candles. This is a topic that bears yearly review because of how fuzzy our memories can sometimes be. Two Mitzvot to Perform - Havdala and Chanuka candles. By the rule of TADIR (that which is more frequent should be done first), havdala should be said first. And by logic, one should "finish" with Shabbat and then light candles for the next day of Chanuka, which is Sat. night & Sunday. Many authorities hold that on Motza'ei Shabbat, one should say havdala first and then light Chanuka candles. This opinion is followed by the majority of Chanuka- candle-lighting Jews all over the world. The Maharal (among others) is vehement in his insistence that we cannot possibly consider doing something so "weekday-ish" as lighting Chanuka candles, unless we have first said havdala. He rejects any argument to the contrary. ON THE OTHER HAND... there is a strong argument for lighting Chanuka candles before havdala. First of all, Shabbat is over when it is 5:16pm (to use Jerusalem time as an example - substitute your location's Shabbat out time) AND one has said Havdala in davening (ATA CHONANTANU in the Maariv Amida) OR at least said BARUCH HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L'CHOL. The Havdala with wine, spices, candle, is NOT what ends Shabbat - it is what honors the departing Shabbat (and permits eating and drinking). Even so, havdala should go first, except for one very important factor: The prime time (and according to some opinions, the only time) for Chanuka candles is ticking away - namely, the first half-hour after dark. We cannot, of course, light Chanuka candles when it is still Shabbat. But we should maximize the portion of time of the "half-hour after" once we are allowed to light. Havdala will wait; Chanuka candles will not. Therefore, the OTHER opinion is that Chanuka candles go first and then havdala. Remember: Shabbat must be over - both with time and havdala words - before one may light Chanuka candles. And this procedure comes with the additional reminder not to use the Chanuka candles for havdala (or even to light the havdala candle from one of the Chanuka candle), since one may not benefit from the Chanuka lights, and the bracha in havdala is specifically upon using the light (hence the examining of fingernails, etc.). Chanuka candles first is the opinion of the Vilna Gaon and many others, and is Minhag Yerushalayim. (Remember that not everyone in Yerushalayim follows the practices known as Minhag Yerushalayim and some people elsewhere do.) This dispute is one of the few in halacha that is resolved: "Whichever opinion you follow, you have performed correctly". Either procedure may be followed. Family and community custom should play a deciding role in this issue. Again, a Rav should be consulted, especially if one is considering a change of his/her practice. Some say that those who light outdoors should follow the custom of lighting before havdala. Those who light indoors can take their pick. Remember that Shabbat is paramount. In case of doubt as to whether Shabbat is being encroached upon, one should NOT light Chanuka candles. It must be DEFINITELY after Shabbat before lighting. But one should not unnecessarily delay the fulfillment of the mitzva of Chanuka candles. A note for Rabeinu Tam people: Those who end Shabbat throughout the year 72 minutes after sunset and consider it to be the correct halachic time, must keep it on Motza'ei Shabbat Chanuka, even though it means losing "prime time" for Chanuka candles. Those who hold Rabeinu Tam as a CHUMRA (a strict measure, but consider the earlier time as halachic), may end Shabbat earlier on Motza'Sh Chanuka, in order to fulfill the mitzva of Chanuka candles at their better time. Check this out with your Rav if you are not sure what to do. In shul, it is the universal practice to light Chanuka candles before saying havdala, this to maximize Pirsumei Nisa in a situation where everyone present will be leaving for home shortly. At home, people will still be there for the Chanuka candles, so there is no need to light before havdala (according to those who follow the first opinion). A nice touch! Those who say havdala first can light the Shamash for the Chanuka candles with the havdala candle before extinguishing it, thus dovetailing two mitzvot. Those who follow the second opinion can light the havdala candle from the Shamash, thereby dovetailing one mitzva into another. On Motza'ei Shabbat, when we light after Stars-Out, it is sufficient for the candles to burn for half an hour. Still, it is preferable that they last longer. This has to do with the fact that in our time, people are out in the streets later than in times past and Pirsumei Nisa (publicizing the miracle) applies later than the original "half-hour after stars-out". SUN, Dec. 13 - eve of 27 Kislev MON, Dec. 14 - eve of 28 Kislev TUE, Dec. 15 - eve of 29 Kislev WED, Dec. 16 - eve of 30 Kislev which is the first day of Rosh Chodesh THU, Dec. 17 - eve of 1 Tevet which is the 2nd day of Rosh Chodesh There are two practices as to when is the ideal time to light Chanuka lights during the week (i.e. except for Friday and Motza'ei Shabbat, when different factors affect the timing, as we have already presented). Minhag Yerushalayim (which many, but not everyone follows) is to light with the setting of the sun. This year, the sun sets in Jerusalem on the 5 days indicated above at 4:41, 4:41, 4:41, 4:42, 4:42. Using 4:42 or even 4:45 for the week can work well. Remember that these times need to be adjusted for other locations. The other opinion (that of "the rest of the world") is to light when the "light of the sun has left the sky", i.e. Stars-Out a.k.a. Tzeit HaKochavim). Remember that there are different opinions as to when Stars-Out occurs. Except for Motza'ei Shabbat, most people will use an early-ish Stars-Out time, in order to be closer to the Minhag Yerushalayim timing, and because of Z'RIZIM MAKDIMIM, people who are enthusiastic about doing mitzvot, do them "right away". 5:00pm will work for this early Stars-Out time this Chanuka (except for Motza"Sh). Those who light with Stars-Out should light right after Maariv, unless they have a fixed time later in the evening for davening, in which case they can light before. Those who light with sunset should daven Maariv at the appropriate time, obviously after candles. Candles must burn at least a half hour after stars-out. This was the original time period after dark that people were still around outdoors and defined the PIRSUMEI NISA aspect of the mitzva. Although in our day, people are out later than this time, the halacha only requires the half hour after stars-out. However, it is recommended that one use longer candles or more oil to extend this time (one need not go overboard on this issue, but...), in recognition of the expansion of the current-day Pirsumei Nisa time-frame. (Since Rabbeinu Tam's Stars-Out is 5:53-5:56pm during Chanuka week (this year), one might try to have his Chanuka lights burn at least until 6:30-ish. This is not a requirement, but it does acknowledge the different opinions concerning Stars-Out. Treat this as an off-the-record suggestion, especially in light of the reality that the Pirsumei Nisa time is later into the night than it was in the time of the Gemara.) Friday, December 18th See the first Friday for details. Whatever times were presented for that earlier Friday, add about 3 minutes and that goes for the second Shabbat Chanuka. More on timing... If, because of one's work or travel schedule, one has to choose between lighting early or late, or between lighting early or appointing someone to light for you at the proper time, or between lighting late and appointing someone to light for you at the proper time - one should consult a Rav for a p'sak based on how early and how late, and any other relevant factors. Sometimes a less-than-perfect performance of a mitzva is a fine, acceptable "second best". Sometimes, not. Lighting Chanuka candles early or late is a poor second, at best (except when Shabbat insists on early or late, depending upon which end of Shabbat is at issue). Lighting early lacks an element of Pirsumei Nisa at the time of lighting - which is when the mitzva is performed - because a candle flame is not eye-catching during full daylight. Lighting late is not so good because of the time-period for Pirsumei Nisa from the days of the Gemara remains the optimum time (and some say the ONLY time) for the fulfillment of the mitzva. Although we follow other opinions, and basically allow lighting any time of the night, it is far less than ideal to light late. A "good" excuse makes it okay, but not great. One should consult a Rav especially for recurring situations, such as coming home late from work or school, and the like. Remember that having someone light for you is a valid alternative to your lighting for yourself, and sometimes it is even the preferred alternative. Ask your Rav. Other matters... Many shuls will sing L'CHA DODI to the tune of MA'OZ TZUR on Shabbat Chanuka. And, of course, at the table, there are many Chanuka songs to add to your usual Friday night repertoire of Z'mirot and songs. Remember, although Chanuka does not require a SEUDAT MITZVA, any meal (especially, but not only, on Shabbat) with songs, stories, and relevant Divrei Torah becomes a special Chanuka Seuda. Chanuka Torah Reading Full Hallel on all 8 days of Chanuka Torah reading for Chanuka is from Parshat Naso, Bamidbar 7 (known as Parshat HaN'si'im) and the beginning of ch. 8. It is the portion of the Torah that tells of the dedication (CHANUKA) of the Mishkan during the time of Moshe Rabeinu and the generation that came out of Egypt. On this holiday of Chanuka, we celebrate the rededication of the Beit HaMikdash during the time of the Chashmona'im - hence the choice of Torah reading. First Shabbat Chanuka - 25 Kislev - December 12th Chanuka "runs" from Shabbat to Shabbat 18.44% of the time. Specifically, when Rosh HaShana is Shabbat-Sunday AND when the year is Shaleim (Cheshvan & Kislev both having 30 days), then Chanuka is Shabbat to Shabbat. Although we've had 4 SHA-SHA Chanuka's in the past 10 years (not counting this year), the next one is not scheduled until 5787. When there are 2 Shabbatot Chanuka, we read VAYEISHEV on the first and MIKEITZ on the second. We take out two Torahs. In the first we read Vayeishev with 7 Aliyot. Maftir is in the second Torah and rather than rereading the last 3-6 p'sukim of the sedra, we read a special Maftir for Shabbat Chanuka. Some shuls will begin the Maftir with Bamidbar 6:22, thereby including the portion of Birkat Kohanim with the Chanuka reading. We might view this custom as a show of honor to the Chashmona'im, who were kohanim. Most shuls begin with Bamidbar 7, the account of the dedication of the Mishkan. The first 11 p'sukim of this portion are introductory, and then comes 6 p'sukim of the gifts to the dedication by the tribal leader of Yehuda - who offered his gifts on the first day of CHANUKAT HAMIZ- BEI'ACH. The Haftara, which is exactly the same as the one for Parshat B'haalot'cha, is from the book of Zecharia and includes the description of a vision of a golden Menora. See the Lead Tidbit and the Sedra Summary for more on this. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th days (SUN-WED, 26-29 Kislev, Dec. 13-16): One Torah - three people. First two Aliyot split the day's tribal leader's portion and the third Aliya rereads all 6 p'sukim of the day. (Outside of Israel, the third Aliya is the next day's portion.) 6th and 7th days (THU & FRI, 30 Kislev and 1 Tevet, Dec. 17 & 18): 2 days of Rosh Chodesh Tevet Two Torahs are used. In the first one we call three people to the Rosh Chodesh reading from Parshat Pinchas. In the second Torah, we read the portion of the tribal leader of the day. Total number of Aliyot is 4, as for every Rosh Chodesh (and Chol HaMoed). Second Shabbat Chanuka - 2 Tevet - December 19th The Eighth day of Chanuka is a.k.a. Zot Chanuka. Two Torahs. In the first, seven Aliyot from Parshat Mikeitz, which is Shabbat Chanuka about 90% of the time - usually by itself; this year, together with Vayeishev. The missing 10% is when Vayeishev is the only Shabbat Chanuka. Maftir in the second Torah is the longest Maftir we have. It includes the account of the gifts of the Tribal Leaders on day 8 of the dedication period, and continues with the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th days, the itemized summary of all the gifts of the 12 days of dedication, and culminates with the first four p'sukim of B'haalot'cha (Bamidbar 8) which deals with the lighting of the original Menora by the Kohen Gadol. The obvious connection is to Aharon's descendants centuries later who rekindled the Menora and were privileged to one of the most famous miracles in Jewish History. The Haftara of the second Shabbat Chanuka is from Melachim Alef and deals with the construction of the Beit HaMikdash and its furnishings, including - not one but TEN Menorot. More on this, IY"H in next week's issue #888.