Shabbat Parshat Nitzavim - Vayeilech; Rosh Hashana; Haazinu - Shabbat Shuva from 5770-5771 Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy, prosperous, and peace-filled year - KTIVAH VACHATIMA TOVA This issue - TT 922 - covers Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Rosh HaShana, and Shabbat Shuva (Haazinu) No TT during Rosh HaShana week TT 923 IY"H for Yom Kippur Shabbat in/out chart for 5771 IYH in next TT (923) Last op for submissions: Mon Sep. 6 TT 924 for Sukkot, folding IYH on Mon & Tue, Sep. 20-21 Last op for submissions: Sun Sep 12 We read/learn the 5th-6th chapters of Pirkei Avot (Nitzavim-Vayeilech) www.ttidbits.com for PDF files of TT (whole, lite, XL), ParshaPix, text file, Palm version, Torah Tidbits Audio mp3 files... and more! Orthodox Union OU Kashrut <> NCSY <> Jewish Action <> NJCD / Yachad / Our Way <> IPA <> JLIC <> 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 Dr. Simcha Heller, Vaad member Stuart Hershkowitz, Vaad member Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member Zvi Sand, Vaad member Ben Weiner, 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 Z'manim (correct for Jerusalem) Ranges are 17 days, WED-FRI 22 Elul - 9 Tishrei (Sep 1-17) Subtract one hour from Sep. 12 Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:23-5:34am Sunrise 6:15-6:25am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:26-9:28am (Magen Avraham: 8:40-8:43am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:30-10:30am (Magen Avraham: 9:59-10:00am) Chatzot 12:39.25-12:33.75pm (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 1:12-1:05pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 5:43.25-5:25.75pm Sunset 7:07-6:47pm (based on sea level: 7:03-6:42pm) Candle lighting & Havdala times - Israel Summer Time Below you will find seven times for each of our 19 locations: Regular candle lighting and earliest candle lighting (PLAG), and Havdala for Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayeilech, candle lighting for each night of Rosh HaShana, and the candle lighting and havdala times for Shabbat Shuva - Haazinu. All those times of Summer time, which will end for this year in the wee hours of Motza'ei Shabbat Shuva (technically, on Sunday morning, September 12). For many years, Israel decided each year when Summer time began and ended - without too much consistancy. A number years ago they passed into law a fixed "formula" for Summer time. Sha'on Kayitz begins on the Friday morning before April 2nd and ends on the Sunday morning before Yom Kippur. Nitzavim-Vayeilech Rosh HaShana Haazinu-Shuva candles earliest havdala candles candles candles havdala Yerushalayim 6:25 5:41 7:37 6:19 7:30 6:16 7:28 S'derot 6:42 5:44 7:39 6:36 7:32 6:34 7:30 Gush Etzion 6:40 5:42 7:37 6:34 7:30 6:32 7:28 Raanana 6:42 5:43 7:39 6:36 7:32 6:33 7:29 Beit Shemesh 6:41 5:42 7:38 6:35 7:31 6:32 7:28 Rehovot 6:42 5:43 7:39 6:36 7:32 6:33 7:29 Netanya 6:42 5:43 7:39 6:36 7:32 6:33 7:29 Be'er Sheva 6:40 5:43 7:38 6:33 7:31 6:31 7:29 Modi'in 6:41 5:42 7:38 6:35 7:31 6:32 7:29 Petach Tikva 6:25 5:43 7:39 6:19 7:32 6:16 7:29 Maale Adumim 6:25 5:41 7:37 6:19 7:30 6:16 7:27 Ginot Shomron 6:41 5:42 7:38 6:35 7:31 6:32 7:28 Gush Shiloh 6:40 5:41 7:37 6:34 7:30 6:31 7:27 K4 & Hevron 6:41 5:42 7:37 6:34 7:30 6:32 7:28 Giv'at Ze'ev 6:40 5:42 7:37 6:34 7:31 6:31 7:28 Yad Binyamin 6:42 5:43 7:39 6:35 7:32 6:33 7:29 Ashkelon 6:43 5:44 7:39 6:36 7:33 6:34 7:30 Tzfat 6:40 5:41 7:37 6:23 7:30 6:21 7:28 Zichron Yaakov 6:42 5:43 7:39 6:35 7:32 6:33 7:29 NOTES: For Yom Tov (specifically, first night of RH), a woman need not light first and then say the bracha (as she does for Shabbat candles), since one may handle fire and light from one candle to another on Yom Tov. Therefore it is possible - and preferable - to recite brachot immediately before performance of the mitzva (which is the general rule for brachot and their mitzvot, Shabbat candles being a notable exception). A woman who wants to light for Yom Tov that same way she lights for Shabbat, may do so. However, on the second night, when lighting is after dark, the brachot should be said first, then the candles lit - FROM A PRE-EXISTING FLAME ONLY, and the match or helper candle cannot be extinguished, but rather should be put down in a safe place to go out by itself. Those who light on the first night after dark (after shul, before the meal), should follow the pro- cedure and reminder in the previous paragraph. Lighting for Shabbat must be from an existing flame and women light first, cover their eyes and say the bracha (as usual for Shabbat candles). No havdala from Rosh HaShana to Shabbat this year, since one is going from a lower K'dusha to a higher one. Havdala after Shabbat is as always - p'sukim, wine, b'samim, fire, havdala brachot. 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 Ashdkenazi 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 (more Word of the Year) 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 we would be benching Rosh Chodesh Tishrei if we did bench Rosh Chodesh Tishrei. But we don't. The hidden nature of Rosh HaShana is partly responsible, and "confounding the Satan" gets into the act, as well. But Tishrei still has a molad, which in addition to being part of the Kiddush L'vana timing, is crucial to establishing the day on which Rosh HaShana falls, and in its wake, the way the year's calendar unfolds. The molad of Tishrei 5771 is WED (Sep 8) 19h 36m 1p (approx. 8:15pm Israel Summer Time) What we would call Wednesday evening, is considered in halachic terms to be LEIL CHAMISHI, the eve of Thursday. When the molad of Tishrei is anytime from after noon on Tuesday until noon on Thursday (and under specific circumstances, even at an earlier point on Tuesday morning), then RH is fixed for Thursday (and Friday). This year's example is the simplist: Molad of Tishrei on Thursday = RH on Thursday. Next Tishrei's molad and the fixing of RH 5772 based on it, helps determine the status of Cheshvan and Kislev, which this year (5771) both have 30 days. The M'uberet-P'shuta pattern determines that 5771 will have 13 months. 5771 has 385 days - the most any Jewish year can have. Approx. 16% of our years have 385 days LEAD TIDBIT: Had we been able to produce a Torah Tidbits for the last Shabbat of the year on its own, then this Lead Tidbit would probably have a different focus. As would the following TT, which would be for the first Shabbat of the year. But rather, this issue is for the last Shabbat of 5770, the Rosh HaShana (and Rosh Chodesh, albeit, unannounced and downplayed) of 5771, and the first Shabbat of the new year - all rolled into one. Come to think of it, we think in terms of an old year ending and a new year beginning only because of the way we count years - from Tishrei to Tishrei, from Creation. If we think in terms of months of the year, we are ending the 6th month and beginning the 7th - making this merely the crossing of the midpoint (actually not so this year because the Tishrei through Adar "half" will be seven months long - but that's another issue). And the opening mishna in Rosh HaShana further defuses the sharp focus of transition from one year to the next by telling us of four Roshei Shana. And the second mishna presents us with the four times the world is judged. So even the concept of Judgment on Rosh HaShana is defused by the other three junctures when we stand judgment - yes, we - not grain, fruits, and water. It is we that need favorable judgment on all four times of the year. Do we say these things to lower the awe held for Rosh HaShana? G-d for- bid. Perish the thought. In fact, the other three times the world is judged are for the whole world - and each of us as an inhabitant thereof. But Rosh HaShana - even with its universal theme, even with a feel for our membership in Klal Yisrael, and our attention to interpersonal mitzvot and relationships - is something we tend to take personally - as we should. Maybe the Rambam's description of how we should view our lives is helpful to plug us in to our community, our nation, and all of humanity - while still allowing us to focus on ourselves as individuals, in addition to being part of the whole. We dare not ignore any of the roles we have. KTIVAH VACHATIMA TOVA. Nitzavim-Vayeilech STATS Nitzavim Vayeilech N & V of 54 sedras 51st 52nd - of 11 in D'varim 8th 9th - lines in a Torah 87 72 159 rank 52 53 (41) Parshiyot 4 3 7 P'tuchot 1 2 3 S'tumot 3 1 4 P'sukim 40 30 70 rank (Torah/D'va.) 53/10 54/11 (48) Words 657 553 1210 rank 51/8 53/10 (42) Letters 2575 2123 4698 rank 51/8 53/10 (39) MITZVOT 0* 2 2 positive 0* 2 2 prohibitions 0 0 0 *Some Mitzva-counters count T'shuva from Nitzavim N & V are the two shortest sedras in the Torah, but their p'sukim are the two longest in the Torah. Look at the (hypothetical) rank of the combined N/V and notice the jump from p'sukim thru words to letters. Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes. [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Kohen - First Aliya 3+3+14 p'sukim - 29:11-28 [P>29:11] Having so recently heard the frightful Tochacha and the curses that are invoked against those who betray G-d, Israel is understandably "nervous" about its future, to say the least. Nitzavim therefore, begins on the positive, reassuring note that we are ALL standing before G-d and entering again into a covenant with Him. These opening p'sukim call our attention to the "inclusiveness" of the People of Israel. We are made up of scholars and leaders, judges and function- aries, men, women, and children, converts, wood cutters and water gatherers (Ashkenazim and S'faradim, religious and secular, Mitnagdim and Chasidim). But together they all stood to reaffirm their commitment to G-d. Jewish Unity has always been our strength, its lack, our greatest weakness. SDT: Rav Aharon of Karlin pointed out that ATEM is made of the letters of the word EMET, truth. This, he said, is the only way to achieve LIFNEI HASHEM, to stand before G-d. SDT: The Alshich points out that the Torah describes the People as "all of you, before G-d", and then proceeds to delineate different types of Jews. Before G-d, we ARE all the same. Whatever differences might exist pale into insignificance in comparison with the fact that we are all G-d's creations. Differences become important from our perspective. We view some people as more valuable than others. But we really have no way to know how G-d views us. In His eyes we are all standing erect this day... And there is more. The second three-pasuk set proclaims that it is not just the entire People of Israel who were alive at the time, who are making this covenant with G-d, it is also our ancestors to whom G-d made His special promises, and to the generations of Jews in the past AND the future, whose spirit (souls) were present at this covenant. Perhaps this is the meaning of the prophecy to Avraham Avinu that his descendants will be as countless as the stars of the heavens. Take the millions of Jews alive today, add the millions who have preceded us, add the - how many more? - future generations, and we can truly be called "without number". Nations that have come to an end, can be numbered. An eternal people cannot ever be counted. As he has done several times before, Moshe Rabeinu presents both sides of the covenant with G-d before the People: You have been in Egypt and you are aware of their abominable practices and those of the other nations which you have encountered. Perhaps there is a rebellious individual among you who will turn from G-d and embrace another faith. SDT: The phrase describing what we would today refer to as a "rotten apple" is "Shoresh Poreh Rosh V'laana", literally a poisonous root of gall and wormwood. The initial letters of this phrase rearrange to spell SHOFAR, the antidote to this negative facet of Jewish life. The Shofar must awaken the one who stray and start him on the road of T'shuva. A person who turns to another religion will be severely punished, even if he thinks otherwise. These p'sukim are a miniature version of the Tochacha from last week. The portion concludes with the statement that there are mysteries of this world that are G-d's and there are revealed truths that belong to us and our children. Our challenge is to remain faithful to the Torah. Rashi interprets this pasuk in the narrow context of the punishments presented in the previous p'sukim. However, this pasuk also has wide applications. In all areas of human knowledge - science, math, history... - there are mysteries and there are revealed truths. But remember, today's mysteries can be revealed tomorrow, next year... or never. And/or we can apply the concept of the pasuk to things that happen in this world that we don't understand. Whether it is the classic, "TZADIK V'RA LO...", that righteous people sometimes have a very hard life, and wicked people seem to enjoy their lives, or whether it is coping with the death of a child R"L, or attempting to understand the SHO'AH, and a myriad of things that strike us as unfair, things that prompt us to "question G-d" - for all of the above, this pasuk succintly tells us that there are mysteries in this world that are understood by G-d only, and that (only) those He chooses to reveal to us, become ours to understand. This concept does not "answer" nagging questions, but it must become part of our belief system, because it is a truth that can help us cope, and understand that we are not capable of understanding everything. People resist this notion, but it is no less true because of that. Levi - Second Aliya 6 p'sukim - 30:1-6 [S>30:1 (10)] From the perspective of absolute justice, if we break the terms of our agreement with G-d, punishment should be swift and complete. But we could not survive such an existence. This portion of Nitzavim tells us that if (when) we break the covenant and are dispersed among the nations as punishment, all hope is not lost. We have the golden opportunity to return to G-d - and He will help the process along. This too becomes part of the agreement with G-d. The concepts of return in a physical and spiritual sense are intermingled in this Torah portion. The wayward Jew turning back towards HaShem and the Torah, and the Jew exiled to a distant land coming back to Israel are presented simultaneously. This represents the dual nature of T'shuva. What a wonderful opportunity beckons each Jew - and the Jewish People as a whole - in being given a second chance to live a true Torah life. MitzvaWatch Rambam and Sefer HaChinuch (and others?) do not count T'SHUVA per se among the 613 mitzvot. Sefer HaCharedim, the SMa"K, and others do count T'SHUVA as one of TARYAG. There is no need to "justify" counting Repentance as one of the mitzvot in the Torah - The Torah commands, V'SHAVTA AD HASHEM ELOKECHA, And you shall return to HaShem, your G-d. But how do we explain the absence of T'shuva from the some list of mitzvot. One can say that Rambam counts only specific, distinct mitzvot. A command which is all-inclusive, such as "Keep My mitzvot", "Be holy", "Be straightforward with G-d", is not numbered on its own, because it is really part of all other mitzvot. T'shuva can be viewed the same way. Part of the mitzva to Recite the Sh'ma is that if one does not, or does it without kavana, then he must repent his ways and say the Shma correctly. Part of the prohibition of speaking Lashon Hara is that if one does, then he must repent. More than T'shuva being its own mitzva, it is an add-on to all the others. Or, we can look at T'shuva as a gift from G-d. He doesn't HAVE to command it. He just has to let it be possible. And we should jump at the opportunity. The Torah does not have to command us to breathe. We do it because it is helpful to living. So is T'shuva. The Torah doesn't have to tell us to repent, just how to do it. On the other hand, there is one aspect of T'shuva that IS counted by Rambam as a mitzva among the 613 - Vidui, verbal confession. This is a specific aspect of T'shuva that DOES "qualify" for the Rambam's count. And yet, as mentioned earlier, some mitzva-counters DO count T'shuva among the 613. Just know that whether T'shuva is numbered among the 613 or not, it is an extremely important mitzva, always applicable - but especially at this time of year. The last pasuk of this portion contains one of several ELULs, in the form of Rashei Teivot, initial letters. And G-d will circumcise ET L'VAVCHA V'ET L'VAV zar'echa, your heart and the heart of your children. Baal HaTurim actually says that this is why we say Slichot during Elul. Shlishi - Third Aliya 4+4 p'sukim - 30:7-14 If we return to G-d, then G-d will rain the curses upon our enemies. We have only to be faithful to HaShem and keep His mitzvot, and all His blessings will be showered upon us. Again a "pitch" is made for T'shuva. And again. And the T'shuva should be completely sincere. [S>30:11 (4)] But how can we hope to keep our part of the agreement? Is not the Torah so exalted and remote that a mere mortal has no chance of attaining spiritual heights? The answer is eloquently stated in the famous words of the Torah - For this mitzva is not in the heavens nor is it across the ocean. It is so very close and attainable that every Jew can feel confident in taking up its challenges. It is up to us to make the commitment, feel it in our hearts, and ACT upon it. R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya 6+3+3 p'sukim - 30:15-31:6 The fourth Aliya is ALWAYS the bridge between the two parts of a double sedra. [S>30:15 (6)] The concept of Free Will is beautifully expressed in the concluding portion of Nitzavim. It marks the difference between human beings and all other creations. The sun and the moon "fulfill" G-d's commands without conscious decisions. A bee doesn't think things out and decide to pollinate a flower. Nor does a lion attacking a weak zebra evaluate the morality of his act. Only humans have the choice to do good or evil. G-d recommends and pleads (so to speak) with us to choose Life and Good, but He leaves the choice to us. That is why we are accountable for our actions; and that is why we stand before G-d in judgment on Rosh HaShana - animals do not. The choice is offered, but not only does G-d "command" us to choose Life, He warns us again of the devastating results of the wrong choice. Heavens and Earth are called upon to witness this most significant fact of human existence. It is the Land of Israel that is the "prize" for choosing wisely, as G-d had promised Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. G-d reconfirms His covenant and promises to us. We have Free Will. We can be whatever kind of people we choose to be. We have His recommendation and encouragement to choose Life over Death, Good over Evil. Our proper choices will earn us long life and a firm hold on the Land that He promised our ancestors. Let us heed the warnings of Nitzavim, let us be inspired by the beautiful challenges of Nitzavim, let us be uplifted by the lofty messages of Nitzavim, and let us have a "successful" Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, and a happy & healthy year of peace & prosperity. [P>31:1 (6)] Moshe Rabeinu concludes his words to the People and tells them that at his age of 120 years, he is no longer able to lead them. And that G-d has told Moshe that he will not be crossing the Jordan River, so his journey is truly over. He tells them that G-d will be with them, destroy the nations that they will encounter in Eretz Yisrael, and that Yehoshua will be the one to lead them. Moshe reminds the People of the victories they have had, and tells them to be strong and courageous. G-d won't abandon them (us). Chamishi 5th Aliya 3+4 p'sukim - 31:7-13 [S>31:7 (7)] Moshe then speaks to Yehoshua in front of the assembled people, and asks him to be strong, for he will be leading the people and he will be in charge of conquering and settling the Land. G-d will be guiding you "every step of the way". When Moshe finished writing the Torah, he gave it over to the Kohanim, "the carriers of the Ark". Moshe next commands the People concerning the mitzva of "Hak'hel" [612,A16 31:12]. On Sukkot following a Sh'mita year, when the people gather in Jerusalem for the Chag, the king shall read (parts of) the Torah to the multitude. The people are to gather at the Beit HaMikdash - men, women, and children - in order to learn, to fear G-d, to hear and understand, and to commit to fulfill all the teachings of the Torah. And the youngsters who have not yet learned, will hear and learn to revere G-d "all the days they shall live in the Land your are about to enter". Shishi - Sixth Aliya 6 p'sukim - 31:14-19 [P>31:14 (17)] G-d calls to Moshe to take Yehoshua and appear with him at the "Ohel Moed". G-d's Presence descended to the Tent in the form of a Cloud. G-d tells Moshe that after his death, the people will rebel against Him, stray from the proper path, and embrace other gods. G-d announces that He will show His anger by "hiding His Face" from them. This is a reference to the well-known "hester panim" which manifests itself as G-d "working behind the scenes" only, in hidden, subtle ways. This prophecy by no means "obligates" that generation, or any generation, to turn to idolatry. It is possible for the prophecy never to come true. And this would not impugn the truth of Torah or Moshe's status as a prophet. We always have the challenge not to turn away from G-d, and the ability to remain faithful to Him. Next is the command to write "The Song" (namely the whole Torah), to teach it to the people, so that it should serve as a testament among the People of Israel. This is the last mitzva of the Torah [613, A18 31:19], to write a Sefer Torah. MitzvaWatch Our Sages include in this mitzva the significance of acquiring Sifrei Kodesh (holy books) from which to learn. Since the Torah itself specifies that the "purpose" of writing a Torah scroll is to learn and teach from it, then writing, buying, acquiring all learning texts would be in the spirit of this mitzva. The RO"Sh (Rabeinu Asher) takes this idea one significant step further - he says that since in our day, the Torah scroll has been relegated to the Aron Kodesh in shul and is used for public reading, but not as a teaching text - the MAIN fulfillment of this mitzva "to write a Sefer Torah" is the building of a personal Torah library (that will be used). Buy Torah texts from which to learn and teach. He adds that it is also praiseworthy if one is privileged to write a Sefer Torah as well. This is an unusual turn-about, which emphasizes the importance of buying sforim - AND USING THEM. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya 11 p'sukim - 31:-20-30 Because, G-d explains, I am bringing the people to a Land flowing with milk & honey, the People will eat in contentment and turn from G-d. The Torah, however, will not be completely forgotten from the lips (and hearts) of future generations. (This will be "their ticket back".) Moshe wrote the Torah on that day (Rambam says that he wrote 13 Torahs - one for each tribe and one in the care of the Kohanim/Leviyim) and taught it to the People. G-d "commanded" Yehoshua to be strong and courageous in his new role as leader. Moshe completed the writing of the Torah. (Some say that Moshe even wrote the final 8 p'sukim of the Torah, which discuss his death; others disagree and say that Yehoshua wrote those verses.) Moshe commands the Leviyim to take the Torah and place it at the side of the Aron. (Some say that the Torah was in the Aron; others say that it was on a shelf attached to the side of the Aron.) Moshe asks for the leaders of the People to assemble for his final words to them. Moshe tells of the prophecy/prediction of the rebelliousness of the People. Moshe speaks the words of the Song - here probably referring to Haazinu - to all the people, in its entirety. The last 3 p'sukim are reread for the Maftir. Haftara 23 p'sukim - Yeshayahu 61:10-63:9 Final of the seven Haftarot of Consolation. Yeshayahu prophesies of the time to come when there will be universal peace and Jerusalem will not only be rebuilt, but will be the center of universal worship of G-d. But not only will the nations of the world recognize The One G-d, they will also acknowledge the People of Israel as His People. The idea of universal acceptance of G-d fits well with our notion that ALL people are judged by G-d on Rosh HaShana, not just the Jewish People. ### Rosh HaShana Torah Readings & Haftarot First Day First Torah 34 p'sukim B'reishit 21:1-34 This is the total for the reading in the first Torah; it is not broken down Aliya-by-Aliya style. Five people are called to the Torah. According to Tradition, Sara Imeinu was "remembered" on Rosh HaShana. She became pregnant, and subsequently gave birth to Yitzchak, despite her advanced age of 90. On the first day of Rosh HaShana we read perek 21 of B'reishit, from Parshat Vayeira, about the birth and early years of Yitzchak, and about the Sara-Hagar-Yishmael episode. The last part of this reading is about the treaty made between Avraham and Avimelech. Commentaries point out that it was in the merit of the prayers of Avraham on behalf of the people of Avimelech's household, that his (Avraham's) and Sara's prayers for themselves were also answered. This fits with one of the powerful themes and messages of RH, namely the power of prayer, in general, and of communal prayer, in particular. Almost always, we pray in plural. 2nd Torah, 6 p'sukim Bamidbar 29:1-6 Then the Maftir is called to the second Torah and the first 6 p'sukim of Bamidbar 29 (in Parshat Pinchas) are read. The reading is about the Musaf of Rosh HaShana (mentioning that the Musaf of Rosh Chodesh is also brought on RH - a rare mention on Rosh HaShana of the fact that it is also Rosh Chodesh Tishrei) and the mitzva of hearing the Shofar blowing. Haftara, 38 p'sukim Shmuel Alef 1:1-2:10 The Haftara of the first day of Rosh HaShana echoes and reinforces the theme of the Power of Prayer, as well as giving us another example of the "barren matriarch" who conceived after praying, It is the story of Chana, mother of Shmuel HaNavi. The silent nature of the Amida is attributed to Chana and the way she prayed at the Mishkan. In a different way, we can add Yosef HaTzadik, who was also "remembered" by G-d. Tradition tells us that he was removed from prison to appear before Par'o on RH. Since Yosef's removal from prison and his successful experience before Par'o can be seen as the beginning of the Egyptian sojourn of the family of Yaakov - who became the People of Israel... and everything that followed - we could say that the Yosef-RH connection can explain the statement in Kiddush on RH eve that it is a commemoration of the Exodus. Second Day First Torah 24 p'sukim B'reishit 22:1-24 In the first Sefer Torah, we continue reading from where we left off on the first day of RH. Five people are called to the Torah in the first Sefer. Perek 22 is the portion of the Akeida. It is arguably the most dramatic and emotion-evoking portion of the whole Torah. Tradition tells us that the Akeida took place on Rosh HaShana. ZICHRONOT (remembrances) is one of the three major themes of Rosh Hashana, and the Akeida is the main element of ZICHRONOT. Not only is it the topic of the Torah reading, but it is the basis of the choice of Shofar -- namely, the Ram's Horn -- and it is an oft repeated theme in davening. We stand before G-d on Yom HaDin and we proclaim that we are not only the biological descendants of Avraham and Yitzchak (and Yaakov), but their spiritual heirs as well. We are not just telling stories; we are inspired to emulate our forefathers and develop a total commitment to G-d and Torah. 2nd Torah, 6 p'sukim Bamidbar 29:1-6 Same as the first day. See there. Haftara, 19 p'sukim Yirmiyahu 31:2-20 Again, we find one of the matriarchs who was without child for a long time. This time, Rachel Imeinu represents the people of Israel, more specifically, the kingdom of Israel, under the flag of Efrayim, who are in bad shape in their countries of Exile. The closing words of the Haftara contain G-d's promise of mercy. The return of the people to Eretz Yisrael - as in, V'SHAVU VANIM LIGVULAM, is one meaning of T'SHUVA, and is seen as going hand-in-hand with the "other" form of return - of the people to G-d. The readings of Rosh HaShana are not just Bible stories and we shouldn't take them as such. We read about an amazing love relationship between G-d and His people, us. Emotion is the key. We need to "open up" on Rosh HaShana, so that we can see the vital nature of T'shuva and of our membership in Klal Yisrael. And it is not just we who must warm to the relationship between HaShem and Am Yisrael. G-d too, so to speak, will hopefully respond to the feelings He has always had for us, and relate to us as He related to the Avot and Imahot. ### Ha'azinu STATS 53rd of the 54 sedras; 10th of 11 in D'varim Written on 92 lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 51st 3 Parshiyot; all open (extra open!) 52 p'sukim - ranks 51st (8th in D'varim) 614 words - ranks 52nd (9th in D'varim) 2326 letters - ranks 52nd (9th in D'varim) P'sukim are among the shortest in the Torah MITZVOT The Chinuch does not count any mitzvot in Ha'azinu; Rambam counts one - YAYIN NESECH. This is the only mitzva on Rambam's whole list of 613 mitzvot that the Chinuch does not count. Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary Kohen - First Aliya 6 p'sukim - 32:1-6 [P>32:1 (43)] Moshe Rabeinu begins his farewell "song" to the People by calling upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses to what he will be saying. He asks the people (in a very poetic way) to listen well to his words. Moshe tells us that G-d is completely fair and just; it is we who are responsible for "messing things up" "When I (singluar) call G-d's Name, you (plural, minimum 2) praise G-d for His Greatness." From this pasuk we learn that when three people eat together, one calls to the other two to "bless G-d" - ZIMUN. This pasuk is borrowed from here to introduce the Musaf, Mincha, and Ne'ila Amida. (for Shacharit and Maariv, it is considered to be an interruption between GEULA and T'FILA, because of its later inclusion in the davening.) Levi - Second Aliya 6 p'sukim - 32:7-12 Moshe asks us again to remember the "early history" of this unique nation of Israel and the special ancestors who established for us our close relationship with G-d. There is no generation gap in real Jewish life; the older generation teaches the new one, the new generation gains by asking questions of their elders and learning from them. G-d structured the world in parallel to the developing nation of Israel, and granted us special protection and guidance - "like an eagle protects its young..." SDT: The lessons of Torah are compared to dew, rain showers, and downpours. All water (oft-compared to Torah), but different intensities and speeds. So too Torah, for different people. Some need Torah in small, easily digested doses, or else they "overload". Others can handle a steady stream. Still others can learn Torah with the intensity of a downpour. The analogy between Torah and water has many levels. Shlishi - Third Aliya 6 p'sukim - 32:13-18 Notwithstanding the protection and nurturing that G-d provided us in the Wilderness, we rebelled. This happened and continues to happen. Moshe's words can be seen as a description of Dor HaMidbar as well as being a poetic prophecy of the people becoming too complacent in Eretz Yisrael and abandoning G-d from their positions of opulence and security. R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya 10 p'sukim - 32:19-28 Much of the content of Haazinu is a poetic formulation of ideas previously presented in the book of D'varim. Moshe tells us that G-d's reaction to our disloyalty is HESTEIR PANIM - the hiding of "G-d's Face", so to speak. He also tell us that there have been several times when G-d had wanted to destroy the People of Israel but did not, so as not to give the nations of the world cause to doubt the power of the "G-d of Israel". It is striking how similar are the words of reproach and how different the presentation. Chamishi - 5th Aliya 11 p'sukim - 32:29-39 Our challenge is to contemplate the above and understand the many lessons contained in G-d's (and Moshe's) words. The bottom line is that although Israel strays from the proper path, G-d will not abandon us, and He will rally to our side in the face of our enemies. If we would only realize this and appreciate the awesome power of G-d. Shishi - Sixth Aliya 4 p'sukim - 32:40-43 In this concluding portion of the song part of Haazinu, we see G-d's oath and Moshe assurances of G-d's eternal nature and His promise to avenge Israel against the other nations. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya 9 p'sukim - 32:-44-52 [P>32:44 (4)] The Torah goes back to the regular columnar format for this last portion of Haazinu. Moshe, in front of Yehoshua, tells the people to heed the warning of this SHIRA and to keep the Torah, which in turn, will keep them. An important point that has been oft-repeated in the book of D'varim is this: We did not receive the Land of Israel with "no strings attached". We must always be worthy of holding on to Eretz Yisrael. Sometimes that reminder is subtle; sometimes it is heavy-handed. Here it's: Take the Torah seriously, because it is the basis upon which we will have a long (everlasting) tenure in the Land. [P>32:48 (5)] G-d then tells Moshe to ascend Har Aravim-Nevo, see the Land from there, and die there, as Aharon had done earlier (the Torah reiterates the reason that both Moshe and Aharon couldn't enter Eretz Yisrael - namely, the incident when Moshe hit the rock rather than speak to it, missing an opportunity to sanctify G-d's name), rather than enter the Land which the People of Israel will enter. Haftara - 22 p'sukim Hoshea 14:2-10 - Yoel 2:15-27 SHUVA YISRAEL AD HASHEM... These opening words of the Haftara give the Shabbat its name and basically say it all. Return to G-d. The following pasuk emphasizes the power of prayer in the T'shuva process. The command to repent is accompanied by wonderful promises (prophecies) of redemption and restoration of the former glory of Israel. The passage from Yoel gives us a Shofar connection to T'shuva. Another encouraging note as we face the task of returning to G-d, is His assurance that He is among us - even before our T'shuva. And that He will not shame His people ever. The last pasuk in Hoshea states, "Who is wise who understands this, an intelligent person will know: G-d's ways are straight, the righteous will walk upon them and the sinner will trip on them." Notwithstanding the fact that the Haftara was not "chosen" because of the sedra, they do have some points in common. One example: The sedra speaks of rain in a figurative, spiritual sense and the Haftara mentions its more literal meaning in connection with prosperity. The prosperity angle is particularly interesting, since it appears in the sedra as a criticism and in the Haftara as a sign that G-d has forgiven His people. THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW, Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson # 532 (part 1) Current Status of the Jurisdiction of Non-Ordained Judges We have been discussing the jurisdiction of the courts beginning with the Great Sanhedrin while it existed, and the courts of 23 judges in capital cases. We also discussed the jurisdiction of the courts of three judges (the Beit Din) and this court had very broad jurisdiction while judges were ordained. We discussed the lapsing of ordination and now a Beit Din is composed of non-ordained judges, and thus their jurisdiction is somewhat curtailed. One of the Talmudic passages which discusses the jurisdiction of the non- ordained judges deals with divorces. The non-ordained court was coercing a man to divorce his wife according to the prescribed law, a function that was previously limited to ordained judges. When a jurisdictional objection to the proceeding was raised it was answered that courts of non-ordained judges have jurisdiction over the types of matters which occur frequently. This case in Tractate Gittin (88b) seems to make the frequency of the occurrence the test as to whether non-ordained judges can judge cases that were formerly within the sole jurisdiction of ordained judges. Alfasi (1013-1103) quotes the Talmudic text without comment as do Asheri (1250-1327) and Maharshal (1510- 1574). Ran (d. ca 1375), however, commenting on Alfasi says that the Talmud shows that two criteria must be met before non-ordained judges may exercise jurisdiction over cases which according to Torah law were limited to ordained judges. That is, in addition to being the type of case which occurs frequently, it must also involve a loss of money. It would seem, however, that the reason why in Tractate Gittin the sole test discussed is that of frequency, and no mention is made of money loss, is that Talmudic case is a non-monetary case. The issue raised in it is limited to the question of jurisdiction over a coerced divorce. In a similar manner in a situation of overriding importance, courts of non-ordained judges were given jurisdiction to accept the conversion of proselytes (a matter where there is clearly no involvement of money and is of infrequent occurrence). In Tractate Baba Kama (84b), by contrast, in discussing the remaining types of cases encompassed by the jurisdiction of non-ordained judges the Talmud states a two-prong test that the case must be of a type that (1) occurs frequently and (2) involves a loss of money. Thus if a certain type of case occurs frequently but the claimant has not suffered a monetary loss (such as the case of embarrassment) the non-ordained judges cannot judge the case. Conversely, if it is the type of case which involves a loss of money to the plaintiff but is not the type that occurs frequently (such as a person maiming another) the non-ordained judges are not empowered to judge the case if it was of the type that the Torah had delegated to ordained judges only. All the codes and authorities cite the statement of the Talmud as enunciating the present status of the law. There exists unanimity of opinion on this matter. In the next lesson IYH, we will give examples of cases in which non- ordained judges presently have jurisdiction. THE CHALLENGE OF MONEY: ELUL by Dr. Meir Tamari (The series on WAGES AND LABOR; EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE continues next issue) In the Chassidut of P'shischa they taught that preparation for mitzvot is almost as important as the mitzva itself and the parshiot that we read weekly, are often preparation for the chagim. Between Purim and Pesach we have the Four Parashiot detailing the mitzvot connected with them. During the Three Weeks we read Pinchas, Mattot-Masaei and Devarim describing the conquest and tribal allocation of the Land, the t'shuva for the sins that caused the destructions of this period. Now in Elul we had Shoftim and Ki Teitzei with 118 mitzvot dealing the imperatives for a just, moral and merciful society. They are followed by Ki Tavo with its blessings and curses that are the national rewards and punishment for non-observance of these divinely ordained imperatives. These parashiot in concert with the call of the Shofar and the reciting of S'lichot are fitting preparation for the judgement and atonement of the Yamim Noraim that follow. Hashem is slow to anger and merciful to forgive mistakes and our sins; this knowledge provides the hope and faith for our t'shuva and atonement. Yet His long suffering of our sins only applies to those misdeeds against Heaven; those against man are punished swiftly and fully. Atonement for the latter requires first rectifying the deeds and appeasing the injured party, only then does He forgive. The arrogance against Heaven of Dor HaP'laga was punished only with dispersion and multiplicity of languages while the social sins of the five cities of S'dom brought utter destruction. Nineveh fasted and wore sackcloth yet in their t'shuva they never became more merciful of Israel nor did they relinquish idolatry, so what did they repent with? They returned the chamas that was in their hands. This restitution of chamas, money that is earned through violence or through scheming and devious methods, made their teshuva acceptable and earned them atonement. Punishment for the idolatry of the Eigel was postponed and meted out gradually, whereas Bayit Rishon and Sheini were destroyed for a multitude of social sins that disrupted the just, moral and merciful society called for in Shoftim and Ki Teitzei, as promised in Ki Tavo. In essence, this just and merciful society requires a Jewish perspective on having and spending money, since uncontrolled and unrestrained wealth destroys any such society. "One who says mine is mine and yours is yours', this is an average attribute; many say this is the attribute of S'dom" (Avot 5:13). Private property is a legitimate part of human nature and all the strata of government, law courts, judges and policing are meant to ensure that the rights, persons and property of the citizens are protected; this is the commencement of Parshat Shoftim. However, any concept of absolute and unlimited private property leads to selfishness and egoism; these are the attributes of S'dom which called for the destruction of that society. So the Torah then details all the mitzvot that come to inculcate the merits of mercy and kindness essential for the society that Israel is to construct in its Promised Land. Human beings, created in the image of G-d, are the pinnacle of His creation and how they use everything in that creation will determine the degree of mercy and kindness in their societies. So Shoftim and Ki Tetzei came to extend our behaviour beyond the negation of damaging and harming others and their property that was taught in Mishpatim. For that, we require mercy and kindness in our dealings not only with people in our power or in difficulty, but even animals and trees, both in our possession and those outside of our property. Our kindness and mercy for G-d's creation reflect His Chesed and Rachamim for us and all that He has created; the Chesed and Rachamim that we pray for and require on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. All the 24 sins mentioned in Ashamnu, the vidui that we recite in the s'lichot, deal with financial and monetary sins that require forgiveness and Divine Atonement. Of the 11 verses in Ki Tavo describing the acts that bring blessings or curses upon the Jewish national society, five have to do with kosher money and four with sexual morality, twin foundations for the just and merciful society. "These are the mitzvot whose fruits a person enjoys in this world while their principal remains for him for the world to come" (Shabbat 127a). These are all mitzvot requiring human justice and mercy that are doubly rewarded compared to all other mitzvot, rewarded only in the world to come. 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] Person in the Parsha [9] Praying with Passion [10] Towards Better Kashrut Awareness [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... Question: Why does the Shulchan Aruch say that a non-Jew can bury a Jew on the first day of Yom Tov (Orach Chayim 526:1) but that a non-Jew may not bury a Jew on Shabbat (ibid.:3)? Also does anyone bury on Yom Tov anymore? Answer: The gemara (Beitza 6a) says that if one dies on the first day of Yom Tov, when melacha (forbidden work) is a Torah level prohibition, he is to be buried by non-Jews on that day. If he dies on the second day (or there was not an opportunity to do it on the first day), Jews do the burial on the second day of Yom Tov. The Shulchan Aruch's claim that on Shabbat (and Yom Kippur) Jewish burials are not performed is easier to prove than to explain. The gemara (Rosh Hashana 20a) says that one reason to avoid certain calendar arrangements is to avoid Yom Kippur falling right before or right after Shabbat, in which case there would be two days without burial, with the prospect of decay and disgrace to the deceased. While the laws of Shabbat are significantly stricter than those of Yom Tov, when it comes to having the melacha done by non-Jews, there does not need to be a difference. Asking a non-Jew to do the work is only a rabbinic prohibition and there are several scenarios, including for the needs of someone who is sick but not dangerously so, that one may ask a non-Jew to do even a Torah level melacha (Shulchan Aruch, OC 328:17). Burial is one of the needs that is taken with utmost urgency by halacha (see B'rachot 19b). So halachically, there could have been room to allow non-Jew's doing the burial even on Shabbat. An early source who gives an explanation is the Ramban (Torat Ha'adam, pg. 80 in Mossad Harav Kook edition). He says that we do not want there to be a disgrace for the deceased in that Shabbat was desecrated for his burial. While one could make the same claim about Yom Tov, the Aruch HaShulchan (OC 526:4) explains that on Yom Tov there are anyway melachot that are permitted, so to permit this type of burial would not "raise eyebrows" in the same way. On the second day of Yom Tov, as mentioned, Jews may do the burial themselves. However, Ashkenazic practice (Rama, OC 526:4) is that non- Jews, if available, do the full-fledged violations of Yom Tov. (The details of who does what are beyond our present scope.) Regarding practice nowadays, there is not unanimity. One of the leading chevrot kaddisha in Israel told us they still follow the classic halacha with one caveat. They will perform a first day burial only if they are confident no one will violate Yom Tov in order to take part in the funeral. This brings us to the next point. There are major authorities who oppose doing funerals on either day of Yom Tov. Of prominent note, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe, OC III, 76) says that two things have changed from Talmudic times. One is that there is now refrigeration, which prevents serious decomposition and odors. He claims that had that been the case then, Chazal would not have allowed the burials and would have said that it would be disrespectful to the deceased to bury on Yom Tov. He admits that once they permitted the matter, it might not make a difference that times have changed. However, he points to another halachic phenomenon that was classically applied sparingly but now may apply more broadly. People from a certain town were forbidden to bury on Yom Tov because they were not careful in their Torah observance and thus the permission might be abused (Shabbat 139a). While this approach was not applied broadly in the past (see Tosafot 6a), Rav Feinstein felt that it should be applied in America of his time. As he acknowledged, not all agreed. One can also point out that nowadays when people come from significant distances to take part in funerals and when, again, refrigeration makes waiting feasible, few people want to do a funeral on Yom Tov. Therefore, even if the Gemara's and Shulchan Aruch's rules apply theoretically, you are correct that their implementation is uncommon. [2] Candle by Day The trick is to keep one's nose TO the grindstone - but OFF it. 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 What do you mean "his"? Upon finding a Jew in some type of distress, whether physical or emotional in nature, R' Moshe Leib of Sasov would relate so closely to the other person that he would even feel the other's pain. He was asked: "Rebbe, how is it possible for you to always share the other person's distress the way you do?" R' Moshe Leib would answer, "What do you mean "share"? And what do you mean "the other person?" We Jews are all parts of a single body, and how can I not feel that distress?" #### R' Yehuda Chasid of Regensburg would say: As long as I remain silent, I control my tongue. Once I start speaking, my tongue controls me. [4] CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively Six particular verses in Netzavim (D'varim 30:1-6) are called by Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda of Volozhin (the Netziv) Parshat HaGeula, the Portion of the Redemption, because it is the most concise and unerring prediction of the different phases of the final redemption - much of which has already actually unfolded in the recent past. "And it shall come to pass when all these things will have come upon you, the blessings and the curse"... Our generation in particular has witnessed the persistent curse of anti-Semitism culminating in the Holocaust, as well as the blessings of Jewish creative survival and the flowering of Jewish scholarship. "And you shall ponder this among all the nations where HaShem your God has driven you" (30:1). The significance of these abiding curses and blessing for the meaning of Jewish existence and identity has indeed triggered a great deal of discussion and soul searching among Jews always and everywhere with mixed results. "And you shall return unto HaShem your God and hearken to His voice..." (30:2) - It did not seem to us that this was what was happening. But after all, "The secret things belong unto HaShem our God..." (29:28) and perhaps He sees things differently. "Then HaShem your God will turn your captivity V'SHAV and have compassion upon you." An early phase of the redemption will be an easing of conditions for Jews in some of the lands of the dispersion. Jews will ultimately gain civil rights in countries that are democracies and today in the U.S. are received as equals in every way. "And (He) will return (V'SHAV) and gather you from all the peoples where HasShem your God has scattered you (30:3). Even if any of you that are dispersed, be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there will HaShem your God gather you and from there will He fetch you" (30:4). I take this to mean that no matter how far away, geographically, spiritually or generationally, a Jew may have wandered, he will ultimately experience stirrings of Jewish identity and Jewish nationalism, so that in spite of all the distance and alienation, a sense of basic Jewish unity can take root. "And HaShem your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed and you shall possess it and He will do you good and multiply you above your fathers" (30:5). Indeed here we are after 62 year of sovereign statehood with close to 6 million Jews with undivided Jerusalem as our capital in a better position perhaps than at any other period in our history. Finally "HaShem your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed to love HaShem your God with all your heart and all your soul that you may live" (30:6). Says the Netziv, this cannot mean 'live and not die' (for this has been stated earlier) but rather that only here in Eretz Yisrael will you experience the spiritual delight of love of God and self fulfillment, something, says the Netziv that is not possible outside the land. We anxiously await this phase. Rabbi Shubert Spero, Jerusalem TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a [5] Parsha Points to Ponder Nitzavim-Vayeilech 1) Why does the Torah spend so many words describing the destruction of S'dom when relating the destruction G-D will bring upon us when we do not heed His commands (29:22)? 2) Why does the Torah first describe our exile as G-D PUSHING us (HIDICHACHA 30:1) and then switch to describing it as His SCATTERING us (HEFITZCHA 30:3)? 3) What is the meaning of the double words used to describe choices of good and bad throughout the parsha - CHAYIM (Life) / TOV (Good) and MAVET (Death) / RA (Bad) in 30:15 and then in 30:19 CHAYIM (Life) / BRACHA (Blessing) and MAVET (Death) / K'LALA (Curse)? Why are two descriptions of the good and bad needed? Ponder the questions first, here are the answers 1) The S'forno explains that the Torah is relating that the people will recognize that this destruction came from G-D and it could not be explained away as a natural disaster. The only similar event was the destruction of S'dom which everyone recognized G-D OVERTURNED WITH HIS ANGER AND FURY. Thus, a significant lesson is learned from the details related regarding the destruction of S'dom. 2) The Kli Yakar teaches that a mistake that Jews make in exile is thinking that G-D has cast us aside and has no interest in a relationship with us or our mitzva observance. This is captured by the first word HIDICHACHA, describing our mistake which leads to our sinning. However, in the end, we will come to the recognition that G-D was not pushing us away from Him but simply scaterring us physically as captured by the second word, HEFITZCHA. 3) The Ohr HaChayim explains that the descriptions of LIFE and DEATH refer to the good and bad which we can bring upon ourselves in this world, and the second description refers to the good or bad which we can bring upon ourselves after death in the next world. 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" (Devora) His Hagada commentary, "FOUNDATIONS" will be published by Targum before Pesach ppp@ouisrael.org [6] Portion from the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il The consolation in the words "a root whose fruit is gall and wormwood" Rashi on the verse (29:12) of our portion cites a Midrash explaining that this portion ATEM NITZAVIM - You are all standing today, before Hashem" (29:9) was said by Moshe as a way to console the nation after they had heard nearly 100 curses said in the previous portion of KI TAVO. But if we read Moshe's words, only a few verses later (17-27) they seem anything but conciliatory. "Perhaps there is a man or woman... whose heart turns away today from Hashem... perhaps there is a root flourishing with gall and wormwood... Hashem will not be willing to forgive him... Hashem will erase his name from under Heaven." Are these words of consolation? They seem more negative consequences. Maybe if we delve into the deeper meaning of these verses we will better understand the consolation meant by them. "Whose heart turns away" refers to the individual whose perspective is perverse. He deviates in order to search for value systems which are more to his liking. "A root flourishing with gall" refers to character traits of the soul. But Moshe is not referring to traits which are completely corrupted or those that are explicitly forbidden by the Torah. Here he refers to traits that could lead one to sin. A root flourishing with gall - means that the outcome of this particular character trait is not yet visible since it is only a root - but if left untreated it can become "sulphur and salt, that burns the entire land". Rav Avigdor HaLevi Nebenzahl, Rav of the Old City, in his book Sichot L'Rosh HaShana explains, for example, miserliness in and of itself is not prohibited by the Torah, as often we should be frugal. But miserliness could lead one to transgress the prohibition "You shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your brother who is poor" (15:7). Or one's miserliness may cause him not to spend money for mitzva performance (i.e. on a beautiful etrog). Hashem can see these "roots" of evil. This is one of the ideas we mention on Rosh Hashana in the Zichronot section of Musaf - that Hashem constantly supervises everything, at all times and in every situation: "You remember the deeds done in the universe and You recall all the creatures fashioned since earliest times. Before You all hidden things are revealed"...Not only does Hashem take accounts of our actions, but He alone is able to see into the depths of the minutest hidden details - "Man's thoughts and schemes, and the motives behind man's deeds". Hashem knows each person's innermost thoughts - which the best psychologist can never uncover and which the person himself may not even recognize due to insufficient introspection. Let's get back to our original question - how are these verses consolation? It is true that a mere 'root flourishing with gall and wormwood' may produce a state of 'sulphur and salt, a conflagration of the entire Land' which 'cannot be sown and it cannot sprout.' Firstly, Hashem searches out every corner of our hearts to see any tainted ideas or character traits for the purpose of helping us refine them - to bring judgment to light and grant us life. In this process He also uncovers every pure thought hidden in our hearts, and He gives great rewards for even the slightest holy desire. The TOSEFTA in SOTA (4:1) tells us that the reward for a good character trait outweighs the punishment for a negative one, according to the ratio of five hundred to one. So even if Hashem finds the "root" of wicked- ness within our heart if He also uncovers even just a spark of good intentions (as little as 1/500 of the bad) that will tip the scales in our favor. That is consolation. Also, just as a "root" of wickedness may lead one to sin, a drop of goodness in our hearts (the pintele yid) can lead us to do many good deeds. So we should spend some time during the remaining days we have before Rosh Hashana to increase these sparks of good intentions. Sure we should go out of our way to do more mitzvot at this time of year, if we can. But we know that the successful performance of any act we do is dependent on Hashem wanting it to succeed - so we might not always succeed. But our thoughts to perform a mitzva are fully in our hands (CHOVOT HALEVAVOT). So we should make time to reinforce the positive sparks that are already inside us. We should bring out the good intentions in the deeds that we perform already. For example if we remind ourselves that we truly want to follow in Hashem's path of being GOMELI CHASADIM - being kind, and we increase our intention of performing this mitzva, Hashem will notice and reward us accordingly. This can be done with even any small action that we perform during the day - giving someone directions, telling them the time when asked, saying good morning to a passing stranger... the list goes on. The ultimate test lies in our desire, in the yearnings of our heart; and the reward for even the hints of positive desires for doing Hashem's will is beyond our comprehension. Here is a recipe that can be served Rosh Hashana night since it uses two of the SIMANIM. This recipe is courtesy of my cousin, Sima Navon, a healer and healthy cooking instructor. Check out her site: justaddflax.com for other Rosh Hashana recipes, or sign up for her cooking class - Six Super Quick meals for a 3 day Rosh HaShana. And while you are at the computer you can check out her husband Emmanual Navon's website www.navon.com/multipage.aspx?id=11 who is running for the Knesset. Beet & Pomegranate Salad 2 beets 1 onion, chopped small 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds 1/4 cup olive oil 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp pomegranate concentrate salt pepper Place the beets in a dutch oven. If necessary, put a little bit of water at the bottom so that the pot won't burn. Bake in a preheated oven (180C) until soft, approximately 1-1.5 hours. Cut the beets into small cubes. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Serve cold. # # # # # A reminder to all those who would like to register for Melabev's annual walkathon to benefit Alzheimer's care... http://www.melabev.org/posts/243 [7] from Machon Puah - for Fertility and Gynecology in Accordance with Halacha Medical Secrets Treatment for BRCA In our last article we discussed the complex halachic question of whether a woman is permitted to remove her ovaries if she is found to be a carrier of the BRCA mutation. Since this mutation is associated with ovarian and breast cancer, the removal of the ovaries could be a significant contributor to her health and well-being. The removal of a woman's ovaries, however, can have other major medical implications. It could cause a hormonal imbalance and create symptoms similar to menopause - possibly even more extreme - related to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and changes in other areas of her lifestyle, as well as that of her husband. Any woman considering this procedure needs to carefully weigh the benefits to her health as opposed to the possible negative effects, and whether the possible risk justifies undergoing the procedure; obviously every case is different. In recent years the medical community has developed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - medicines that restore the hormonal balance which has been upset due to the removal of the ovaries. There has been a large and sometimes ferocious debate within the medical community about the use of such HRT's. Evidence has been presented to suggest that these treatments may not be as safe as was previously thought. The specific type of HRT, when it is administered, and the duration of treatment must be considered, and each case decided accordingly. It is imperative for a woman in this particular situation to discuss all her questions and concerns with her doctor in order to receive the most comprehensive answers applicable in her specific case. BRCA Testing: Is it an Obligation? We have been discussing the BRCA mutation, a common genetic condition that affects the body's ability to correct or to destroy damaged DNA. When a woman carries this mutation she is at a much greater risk for getting certain types of cancer - particularly ovarian or breast cancer - due to this inability to correct her DNA. As with Tay-Sachs disease, the BRCA mutation is more common in the Jewish community than in the general society. The question therefore must be asked: does the Jewish community have an obligation to encourage all women to check whether they are carriers of the BRCA mutation? Genetic testing consists of a simple blood test; the blood cells are then analyzed in the laboratory and results can be provided within a few weeks in order to determine whether or not a person is a carrier of one or more genetic abnormalities. In the past, when genetic testing was first suggested as a way to combat genetic diseases, some Rabbis came out quite strongly against it. Some were afraid it would create panic in the community if people discovered that they were, indeed, carriers. There was also concern as to whether this information would adversely affect the carrier and his family when it came time to seek shidduchim. The solution that has been adopted is to test for genetic abnormalities and to present the person tested with an identity number, but not the results. When the time comes for such a person to get married, he can check his number against the number of his prospective shidduch. If the computer shows that there is no clash in the results, and the two of them are not both carriers of the same genetic abnormality, there should be no impediment to their marriage. If it can be ensured that couples who are carriers of a certain genetic abnormality do not get married, we can be assured that no children with these diseases will be born. Over the course of one or two generations, these diseases would then disappear. In this ingenious way the Orthodox Jewish community has come extremely close to eradicating many common genetic Jewish diseases. In light of this we could suggest that we should do the same for BRCA: if we test for the BRCA mutation we should be able to eradicate the effects of the disease. However, the picture is much more complex than it appears; we will explain why, next time. [8] Person in the parsha by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Nitzavim-Vayeilech "Denying Death or Facing It" All men are mortal. Yankel is a man. Therefore, Yankel is mortal. You have just read a basic lesson in logic, one that appears in almost every textbook on the subject. It is undoubtedly true that all of us, Yankel or Yentel, are mortal and will someday die. Yet it is also true that we deny our mortality and live our lives as though death was not inevitable. Our tendency to exclude our deaths from our awareness leads to some peculiar results. For example, in the graduate program which was designed to prepare me for a career as a psychotherapist, death was not part of the curriculum. The entire topic of death and dying was not something discussed in the graduate psychology programs of the late 1960s and early 1970s. How well I remember attending a workshop by the then little known Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross which introduced me and numerous other mental health professionals to the issues of death and dying. Her book - On Death and Dying - became the first in a flood of similar works designed to train professionals to be aware of the psychology of the dying person, and of the ways in which people coped with the death of loved ones. That book continues to occupy a place of prominence on my personal bookshelf. The Jewish tradition encourages us to contemplate our ultimate end. Especially at this time of year, so soon before the days of awe and judgment, death preoccupies our consciousness. Those of us who are familiar with the Rosh HaShana liturgy can already hear the cantor chant, "Who will live and who will die?" This week, we read two Torah portions, Nitzavim and Vayeilech, the first of which contains the last public address which Moshe made before his death, and the second of which tells us so much about his inner feelings as he prepared to die. A careful reading of these two parshiyot demonstrates that in Parshat Nitzavim, Moshe stands before a huge audience, all of Israel, judges and chieftains, and the lowly wood choppers and water fetchers, and delivers a powerful inspirational message. Then, Parshat Vayeilech opens with the phrase, "And Moshe went and spoke..." The commentaries tell us that Moshe left the podium from which he addressed the public and went down to the people, visiting each of them individually. He did this in order to take leave of each person, and to assure him that his death did not mean that the people's mission would fail. He told them that like every other mortal he was about to die and that he could no longer "go out and come in". He was exquisitely conscious of his waning powers and wanted to use his final moments to say his goodbyes to his people face to face. Rashi tells us that by saying, "I can no longer go out and come in", he was indicating that "the traditions and wellsprings of wisdom" were no longer available to him. He sensed that he no longer had access to his inner sources of inspiration and creativity. What a lucid glimpse into the emotional experience of our great shepherd, during his last hours on earth! As you may know, Rashi is so great a biblical commentator that there are commentaries written upon his commentary. These are known as "supercommentaries," and one of them, Siftei Chachamim, offers us an even more profound insight into Moshe's psyche. This author suggests that as Moshe realized that his wisdom was failing him, he was better able to accept his impending death, for a life without wisdom would not be worth living. Toward the end of this week's Torah reading, indeed just at the point where maftir begins (D'varim 31:28), we find Moshe asking that all the elders again be assembled for him to address them. Here Rashi wonders why Moshe did not simply call for the trumpets to be sounded, signaling that assembly was in order. After all, throughout the sojourn in the wilderness, Moshe would gather the people to him by sounding the chatzotzrot, the silver trumpets. Rashi suggests that at this moment, just before his death, Moshe no longer had the symbols of power and authority available to him. He quotes Kohelet (8:8), "There is no authority in the day of death." One of the lessons I learned from Dr. Kubler-Ross so very long ago is the importance of the helper, be he or she a family member or a professional, to help the patient reach this stage of acceptance of impending death. To help teach us about this stage of acceptance, she quoted the following poem by the Indian poet Tagore: I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers! I bow to you all and take my departure. Here I give back the keys of my door -- and I give up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind words from you. We were neighbours for long, but I received more than I could give. Now the day has dawned and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out. A summons has come and I am ready for my journey. Studying Parshat Vayeilech gives us a unique opportunity to learn about what a man's life is like in his last moments, as he prepares for his death. True, that man is Moshe, and we cannot all aspire to his example. But there is, nevertheless, much to learn from this greatest of men, not only about how to live, but about how to die. [9] Praying with Passion - V'ani Tefillah Foundation - Praying with Fire Birchot HaShachar (part six) BARUCH ATA HASHEM ELOKEINU MELECH HAOLAM ...OZER YISRAEL BIGVURAH...OTER YISRAEL BTIFARAH. Translation: Blessed are You, HaShem our God, King of the Universe, ...who girds Israel with strength. ...who crowns Israel with glory. Theme: An essential concept of the prayer G-d's Holy Nation The people of Israel hold a place of honor and glory as G-d's holy nation. Insight: Deeper meanings... Standing Apart from the World Originally, the blessing OZEIR YISRA'EL BIGVURA was intended to be said when we put on our belts (or close the top button of our pants), and the blessing OTEIR YISRA'EL B'TIF-ARA referred to covering the head when dressing (B'rachot 60b). Head coverings of all sorts, and belts of all descriptions are worn by people in many nations of the world. Why do these two blessings of Birchot HaShachar relate the donning of these items to such exalted terms as "might" and "splendor?" The Torah states, DABEIR EL KOL ADAT B'NEI YISRA'EL V'AMARTA ALEIHEM - K'DOSHIM TIHYU (Vayikra 19:2) "Speak to the whole congregation of the children of Israel and say to them: you shall be holy." What does it mean to live a life of holiness? As we learn from Vayikra Rabbah, the root meaning of the word KADOSH, holy, is "separate." Rashi explains that this means separation from the forbidden. Rav Isaac Sher offers another under- standing of holiness: CHASHIVUT, importance. Hashem emphasized to Moshe that His message of holiness was to be given to the entire congregation. Every one of us is part of the holy nation, meant to stand apart from baseness, coarseness and cruelty. Our status must influence our actions whether we are alone, with our families or at school or work. As we prepare to meet a new day, we may not feel all that regal. Yet these two blessings remind us that we are indeed part of G-d's royal family. When a Jewish man covers his head, he is not seeking to protect himself from wind, rain, cold or sun. He is seeking to identify himself with G-d's holy nation. Similarly, when he "girds himself" with a belt, he is not just putting the last touch on his outfit. He is girding himself with strength - the strength a Jew exercises in maintaining the self-control to turn away from the base temptations all around him and within him. In doing so, he brings honor to the nation whose "uniform" he wears, as well as to G-d and the Torah. Visualize: Images that bring the prayer to life Proving Our Pedigree There was a king who was overthrown and banished from his land. His usurper offered one means by which the king could redeem his throne: if he could convince the people among whom he wandered that he was indeed a king, he could return and resume his rule. However, he was not permitted to bring any of his royal clothing or signs of power along with him on his journey. At first, he tried to convince the people among whom he wandered that he was a deposed king by simply telling them so. He regaled them with stories about royal life and his great military victories. They all thought he was delusional. Realizing that words would never suffice to support his contention, he stopped telling his story. Instead, he conducted himself with the utmost dignity, charity and courage. Little by little, people began to gravitate toward him, to rely on his judgment and follow his lead. Ultimately, they realized that he was indeed a king, for his manner was unmistakably that of a regal person. He not only regained the throne in his own kingdom, but was crowned by his adopted land as well. Might and honor are royal attributes. The people of Israel are girded like warriors and crowned like princes. When a person identifies himself as a Jew by his manner of dress, he declares his royal status to himself, and thereby commits himself to upholding it as he makes his way through the encounters and events that comprise his day. Try this: Imagine the feeling a king or queen has upon being coronated. Try to vividly feel the transforming moment at which the weight of the crown settles upon the regent's head, conferring unlimited honor, power and responsibility. Think of this feeling as your say the words OZEIR YISRA'EL BIGVURA and OTEIR YISRA'EL B'TIF-ARA. [10] Towards Better Kashrut Awareness no column this week [11] Divrei Menachem The Jewish people are about to enter into a Covenant with Hashem that will apply for generations to come. So, naturally, Nitzavim's opening words address the entire nation - "All of you, from the heads of the tribes... to the drawer of water." A question now surfaces regarding the responsibilities of the individual to the wider community. For while the text initially speaks to the nation, it quickly slips into the use of the singular mode indicating that each individual must pass into that Covenant, whereby Hashem will be his G-d - "In order to establish you as a people to Him." Clearly, the whole is the sum of its parts; each of us has a stake in the destiny of the entire Jewish people. We each share the privileges and responsibilities. And, as recent his- tory proved, even when individuals imagine they can remove themselves from this Jewish equation, misfortune eventually catches up with them. This notion is perhaps better understood with reference to the Torah's incisive description of the self-serving "outsider" as, "A root that bears gall and wormwood." For Ramban, this term refers to one who denies his true identity and considers himself immune from the Torah's decrees. However, like the sick plant, that person will, in time, produce noxious and bitter fruit with all its attendant ills for both the individual and the Jewish community. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading no column this week Parsha Pix Combined Nitzavim-Vayeilech and Haazinu - that's the meaning of going (5770) and coming (5771) at the top of the ParshaPix. The family in the upper-left represents the beginning of Nitzavim that describes all who are standing today before G-d. Included are men, women, and children 11 dots above Lanu Ulvaneinu... and all types of people, including the woodcutter (George Washington, as in the cherry tree) and the water-drawers (Jack & Jill, or is it water fetchers?) The family also stands for those who were to participate in HAK-HEL - men, women, and children. HAK-HEL is also represented by the crowned Torah-reader - the king, and by the Torah in the Sukka, in the lower-right, since Hak-hel takes place on the Sukkot after Sh'mita. The feather writing letters is for the mitzva to write a Sefer Torah. That mitzva is also represented by the open gemara, since acquiring S'farim to learn from is also part of the mitzva. The Xed out moon, planets, and stars is LO BASHAMAYIM HI, it is not in heaven... The acid rain symbol is for the description of the punishment for turning away from G-d. The Megila is for the hidden "clue" to Esther in the Torah - HESTEIR PANIM. The questioned road signs is the choice of choosing Life or Death, Good or Evil. The plant growing a Tzedaka box is from the haftara, referring to G-d, YATZMI'ACH TZEDAKA, will cause tzedaka to grow... The Chatan and Kallah under the Chupa is also from the haftara. And the chemical expression is sulfur and salt burning... The musical note is, of course, for HASHIRA, the Song, which is a poetic way the Torah refers to the Torah. Interesting that the word HASHIRA occurs only 10 times in Tanach, 8 of which are in the Torah, 5 of which are in Parshat Vayeilech. Aside from the Torah referred to as HASHIRA, we find that in B'shalach and Chukat, HASHIRA refers to the Song of the Sea and the Song of the Well, respectively - both water, which is very often a "code word" for Torah. Note too that the word SHIRA does not appear in the Tanach, only with the HEI as HASHIRA, THE Song, making the case for its meaning the Torah even stronger. The other musical note is for the Song which Haazinu is. The Shofar is not for the Shofar blown during Elul or for the Shofar about to be blown on Rosh HaShana (well, it could be, but...) It was intended to point to the RASHEI TEIVOT (initial letters) of the phrase SHORESH POREH ROSH V'LAANA, a reference to bad people among us - something like the rotten apples in a barrel - in the "warnings of Nitzavim". The Shofar is a call for SHIPUR (same root), improvement, of ourselves, our community, and all of Klal Yisrael - and stands in opposition to its Rashei Teivot "namesake". The YO-YO, also known as a RETURNING top, represents T'SHUVA, return. Specifically, the fact that a person can stray and sin, return, stray again, return, and again and again... and G-d is still eager (so to speak) for the T'SHUVA rather than punishing the person. The Yo-yo keeps coming back too. But beware: if the string breaks, the yo-yo keeps getting further and further away and return is not very probable. Butterfly in Hebrew is a PARPAR. That makes it 2 PARs, or PARIM (lit. bulls) in Hebrew. The butterfly goes with the lips, which have replaced the PARIM, as stated in the haftara of Shabbat Shuva. This does not mean that davening replaces korbanot on a permanent basis. Nor does it mean that when we have a Beit HaMikdash and korbanot that we won't daven anymore. Davening was not "invented" to take the place of korbanot. It has always been with us and will continue to be with us. It is doing double duty during the time that we are without a Beit HaMikdash. Some of the text of davening will change when we have a Beit HaMikdash, but T'fila - prayer - davening is a mitzva, a precious possession, and our way of talking to G-d. The scene with sky and ground and an ear on each is for Haazinu HaShamayim... and V'tishma haAretz... The cloud with rain (gently) falling from it is one of the poetic images in Haazinu for the lessons of Torah The negated wine is for the prohibition of YAYIN NESECH, sacramental wine. According to the Rambam, it is the one prohibition of the Torah that is found and counted from Haazinu. Interestingly, the Chinuch does not count it (one of only two times that he does not follow the Rambam in mitzva-counting), but includes it in idolatrous offerings. Apple of the eye - K'ISHON EINO 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 (KI TAVO) TTriddles: [1] Rise and Shine! Simple one. This is the English translation of the first two words in the haftara for Parshat Ki Tavo - Yeshayahu 60 - KUMI ORI... [2] Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss This is a variation of an old one. Five times in the book of D'varim, SICHON is identified as MELECH CHESHBON. And another three times in the book of Yehoshua. CHESHBON means calculation and is the term in Hebrew for arithmetic or math. This makes SICHON the king of math. But who do mathematicians and historians consider to be the all time greatest mathematician - the king of math. A search on the web turned up a number of different lists, with different people in first place. The most consistent holder of first place is Gauss. He is actually known by some as the prince of math. Close enough. By the way, in Shof'tim, SICHON is identified as Melech EMORI Melech CHESHBON. In Nechemiya, there is reference to ERETZ SICHON and ERETZ MELECH CHESHBON. [3] (Oldie) The Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Chanuka, Purim connec- tions to Bikurim The Pesach connection is the Hagada, which uses the Bikurim declaration p'sukim as the main body of MAGID. The p'sukim are then analyzed and explained with many other quotes from Tanach. Shavuot is Yom HaBikurim and it is the beginning of the Bikurim season. Sukkot is the deadline, according to the Mishna, to bring Bikurim AND recite the declaration. Bikurim can still be brought, but without the declaration, until Chanuka (this is what the Mishna says, but we pasken otherwise and allow the recitation until Chanuka, as well). Purim's Mishlo'ach Manot baskets are decorated, reminiscent of the Bikurim Basket. (Okay, that's a stretch, but we didn't want to leave Purim out of this TTriddle. And Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim can definitely be added, since they represent some of the conditions of the Bikurim situation. [4] When doves are attached to Bikurim basket - Where? The Bikurim basket is called a TENE. With doves attached to it (they served as a live decoration until the Bikurim were given and then were used as bird-sacrifices), the TENE can appear to fly. Where? TENAFLY, New Jersey, of course. Tenafly is considered "is an affluent suburb of New York City", although it is in Bergen County, NJ. (The name comes from Dutch and means Ten Swamps - now you know!) [5] After 20 Shabbatot, we finally get to the source on this Shabbat On the Shabbat after Pesach, we started reading/learning Pirkei Avot. Each chapter is introduced by the famous (first part of the) Mishna in Sanhedrin - All Israel has a share in the World to Come. The pasuk in Tanach that the Mishna quotes is from Yeshayahu 60, the haftara of Ki Tavo. V'AMEICH KULAM TZADIKIM... So 20 weeks after we first quoted this pasuk, we read its source. [6] Onion rectangle like a deer Onion = BATZAL = 2+90+30 = 122, the number of p'sukim in Ki Tavo (side point: Vayaqhel and Va'etchanan also have 122 p'sukim). Rectangle = MALBEIN = 40+30+2+50 = 122. Like a deer = K'TZVI = 20+90+2+10 = 122 [7] .3670886075949 & .5531914893617021276595744680851063829787234042 The first decimal fraction is the equivalent of 29/79. 29 is the atomic number of copper and 79 is the A.N. of gold. The haftara tells us that G-d will bring gold TACHAT copper (in the time of the Geula). TACHAT means "in place of", but it also means "under". If gold is under silver, then the fraction 29/79 results. Similarly, the second fraction is equivalent to 26/47 (those being the atomic numbers of iron and silver, respective- ly. (The first fraction has a repeating period of 13 digits. The second fraction shows the period of 46 digits. The computer's calculator only shows the first 31 digits; the rest were obtained by good, old fashioned, pencil and paper, long division. Can today's kids do that?) [8] 3/5 D'varim, 3/12 Torah, 3/15 Tanach in Ki Tavo Eretz Yisrael is referred to 15 times in Tanach as flowing with milk and honey - 3 of those references are in Ki Tavo (that's 3 of the 5 in D'varim, 3 of the 12 in the Torah, and 3 of the 15 in Tanach). [9] Her oldest and youngest for hers Leah's sons' tribes were on Har G'rizim, with the oldest (Reuven) and the youngest (Zevulun) not there, but their place (so to speak) being taken by Rachel's oldest and youngest (not exactly correct terms for her two sons, but it works for this TTriddle). [10] So where do they get the stones? Just a whimsical question. In Eikev, Eretz Yisrael is described as a land whose stones are iron (among other descriptions). In Ki Tavo, the people are told that they will build a Mizbeiach on Har Eival with stones that iron has not been in contact with - then where do they get the stones? The answer, of course, is the altar was to be build with stones that were not hewn with a metal implement. [11] May the first part of 60:18 come true doubly in a good way This pasuk from the haftara of Ki Tavo begins with the continuing description of what G-d will do for us in the time of the Complete Geula. "No longer shall violence be heard in your land... The word for violence in this pasuk is HAMAS, hence we hope and pray that there will be a fulfillment of this prophecy with both meanings of the word. [12] ParshaPix Unexplaineds There were three graphic images representing words in the haftara. The many camels represents SHIF-AT G'MALIM, an abundance of camels. A pair of eyes with a C around it stands for S'I SAVIV EINAYICH... lift your eyes about you... The two doors with smiles is for M'SOS DOR VADOR, a joy for each succeeding generation. DOR - door, get it? This week's TTriddles: [1] I will rejoice - in what? Torah [2] The lonely letter says it ain't so [3] STOP, LOOK, LISTEN - which is the odd man out? [4] Woody, Jack & Jill [5] Deer in confused from [6] Zebra crossing guide [7] starts, ends, both, neither [8] The one that would be there even if all the others weren't [9] SHAI Is this one of them? [10] His tools are mixed up [11] The three follow and mimic Ki Tavo [12] MazalPic [13] Some Unexplaineds 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 - As we prepare for the upcoming Yamim Nora'im, one of the issue on our minds is TZEDAKA. Did we give enough (is it ever enough?) Tzedaka this year? Did we give with the right attitude? At this time of the year, we ask you to contribute to our Chesed Fund so that we might help those who turn to us - Make checks to "Chesed Fund" and send to: Chesed Fund Israel Center att. Menachem Persoff POB 37015 / Jerusalem 91370 Do you "do" Facebook? If so, how about beoming a "fan of Torah Tidbits" - follow this link: tinyurl.com/m2t6u4 Sponsor a Shiur or a morning or a whole day's learning Sponsorship can be in memory of a loved one...or in celebration of a birth, Bar/Bat mitzva, engagement, marriage, anniversary, special birthday, Aliya of family or friends... The dedication will be included in Torah Tidbits, will be announced at the beginning of the shiur, and will be posted at the entrance to the room. Obviously, we need advance notice to properly process your sponsorship. Please call Sara Berelowitz at (02) 560-9104 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: ____________________________________ MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN ELUL 5770 & TISHREI 5771 NOW is the time to (re)join the Israel Center Family Special annual membership rate from now until the end of Sukkot - 250NIS and 180NIS 360nis for a couple* (even if only one of you frequents the Center) 250nis for a single* Life membership: $750 or shekel equivalent Special rates for first time members until after the chagim Ask at the Reception Desk for further details (membership benefits, your current membership status, etc.) Membership gets you a discount at shiurim, classes, lectures, special programs, tiyulim, Shabbatonim... Membership gets you a subscription to the OU's Jewish Action quarterly magazine. Membership gets you a discount at Hertz Rent-a-Car Membership gets you discounts at OU restaurants Membership gets you a special voucher for the Israel Center cafe Membership makes you part of OU Israel and the Israel Center * Members who renew membership before theirs expires pay the old rates Schocketino Shabbat & Yom Tov Take-Home Prices are per portion - Minimum order - 4 portions per item Appetizers Sweet & sour meatballs 14nis Stuffed peppers 14nis Gefilte fish 10nis Grilled fillet of salmon 18nis Potato/mushroom blintzes 8nis Stuffed cabbage 14nis Main Courses Honey mustard turkey 18nis Corned beef 28nis Brisket Italian Style 25nis BBQ chicken 14nis Chicken in fruit sauce 14nis Shnitzel 12nis Salads Coleslaw 5nis Potato salad 5nis Cucumber salad 5nis Cherry tomato salad 6nis Sun-dried tomato pasta salad 5nis Quinoa/wheat salad 6nis Side dishes Sweet noodle kugel 5nis Potato kugel 5nis Yerushalmi kugel 5nis Rice with mushrooms & onions 5nis Herbal garlic potatoes 5nis Zuchini in tomato sauce 5nis Stir fried vegetables 6nis Tzimmes 5nis Shabbat orders must be placed by Wed. 9pm with Chaim 052-855-1538 Pickup - Friday at the Israel Center 10:30-12:00 Rosh HaShana orders must be placed by Monday, September 6th, 9:00pm Pick-up on Wednesday, September 8, Erev Rosh HaShana, 9:30-11:00am 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 Travel Desk 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. 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 Travel Deal Israel in cooperation with the Israel Center NOW offers you a dedicated phone number, (02) 999-6035 with daily service: Sunday 9am - 6pm, Monday-Thursday, 9am - 11pm and Friday, 9am until noon When our offices are closed, callers will be able to leave messages that will be recorded as being via the Travel Desk of the Israel Center. TRAVEL DEAL - www.traveldealisrael.com BOOKED - CALL TO BE WAITLISTED - THE Tour for which we've all been waiting - The newly rebuilt Churva Synagogue in the Old City (originally built by Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid) - Sunday, Sept. 5th 3:00pm, Limit: 28 people, 30NIS Call the Travel Desk (02) 560 9110 or 050 725 8392 2 new Double Header Tiyulim WED, September 15th at 2:40pm (BOOKED) -The CHURVA SYNAGOGUE and a guided tour with Reb. Feiga Kahana "Return to your Yerushalayim" - Perspectives on living in the Old City: 3 generations - We will visit places of interest Usual & Unusual SUN, October 3rd at 3:00pm - The CHURVA SYNAGOGUE and a guided tour of the SIEBENBERG MUSEUM - Years ago the Siebenbergs, while doing construction underneath their home in the Jewish Quarter, uncovered unbelievable artifacts and and remains of the Second Temple, and when they dug further, segments of the First Temple were revealed. This shows the continuity of Jewish Life in Jerusalem from 3000 years ago. Each double tiyul: 50nis members / 60nis non-members- Limited to 28 people each Call Naomi at the Travel Desk (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! 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 only shul in any of Israel's fire stations. Sunday, Sep. 19th 10:00am - NIS 25 (02) 560 9110 or 050-725-8392 Philanthropists and Leaders from Antiquity to Modernity: Herod to Rothschild - Connecting Rabbi Akiva to the State of Israel via Caesarea with Teacher of Tour Guides Dr. Hagi Amitzur Tuesday, September 21st - 8:00am to 6:00pm We will visit Hefziba, cradle of modern Jewish settlements... plus a delightful area of water and nature We will continue our tour with Caesarea, a dream come true by Herod, walk through the Hippodrome where R. Akiva was executed and visit the archeological remains of the aqueducts, mosaic floors, villa, theatre and more. On our way we will view the most advanced computerized interactive presentation: "Journey in the Past" We are very pleased that Dr. Amitzur will be available to guide us on this highly educational and exciting tiyul 175nis members (195nis non-mem) - Call Naomi at the Travel Desk (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! BOOKED - CALL TO BE WAITLISTED - Save this Date - Chol HaMoed Sukkot Special Family Outing to the COCA COLA Factory in Bnei Braq - Sunday, September 26th, 9:30AM-4:00pm (approx) -80nis/100nis; Call now to reserve your place before the tiyul fills up Call Naomi at the Travel Desk (02) 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 Home Home on the Coastal Plain, where the Olives & Buffalo range - TUE Oct. 5th / 08:00-18:30 / Guided by Hughie Auman WEIZMANN INSTITUTE where landmark research and medical solutions have changed lives in Israel and abroad. The Clore Garden of Science: the latest, coolest exhibits... Get an insider's view of the life of Israel's first president at The Weizmann House... The Solar Complex, one of the world's most sophisticated solar research facilities OLIVE OIL VISITORS CENTER Olive Harvest at Moshav Bnei Darom... Modern cold olive press... learn about ancient & modern methods of Olive Oil production. Taste & purchase different strains of Olive Oil and the new line of Gourmet Olive Oil products... TWO UNIQUE TORAH SCROLLS See and hear about the scroll which was carried by the last person to leave Kibbutz Kfar Darom in 1948 as well as the last Torah Scroll to be rescued from Lebanon by the Israeli Paratroopers in "Operation Sh'lom HaGalil" WATER BUFFALO DAIRY FARM See the huge docile buffalo at the Triester Dairy Farm. Taste and buy the delicious Buffalo cheese and yogurt. 190nis members / 210nis non-members // Call 560-9110 or 050-725-8392 - Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Lech Lecha - "Let's Go" to the Nir Etzion Hotel located on the Carmel mountain ridge for an inspiring Shabbaton with our very own, well-known Rabbi Zev Leff - Friday morning 9:00am thru Motza'ei Shabbat October 15-16, Parshat Lech Lecha Rooms are available in the balconied main building or in the deluxe garden rooms. There is a beautiful heated covered pool and a dry sauna. The hotel cuisine is Glatt Mehadrin all year round. Prices are per person, double occupancy, full board Main Building: 890nis, Deluxe Garden rooms: 840nis, Don't wait until the last minute to reserve Call Naomi at the Travel Desk (02) 560-9110, 050-725 8392 Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! "Once There was a Shtetl" They were the first professional farmers in modern Palestine. They beat the secular Zionists by 2 decades, and the religious Zionists by 4. The history books deliberately ignore them. They defied their patron, Baron Rothschild and nearly paid with their lives. They lost their grandchildren to secularism Come with us to beautiful MAZKERET BATYA Guided by Sam Finkel who is authoring a book on the history of Mazkeret Batya Tuesday, Oct. 26th - 8:30am to 2:30pm We will visit the museum and slideshow presentation. See the beautiful synagogue built by Rothschild in 1925 View a stirring video about their rebellion against Rothschild And we will tour nearby Yesodot, one of the rare Charedi agricultural communities in Israel with the dynamic young lady Chava Rivka Landau 90NIS members / 110nis non-mem Call Naomi at the Travel Desk (02) 560-9110, 050 725 8392 Shulamit's tiyulim are always a treat; Come! You will enjoy her delicious sweets! Travel Deal Sukkot SPECIALS exclusively thru Travel Deal Leonardo Plaza J'lem: Free upgrade to Deluxe OCV! Inbal: Free Chol HaMoed meal - minimum 3 nights. Kinar: 2 kids free in parents' room - minimum 7 nights stay Prima Kings: Great Sukkot packages! Ramada Jerusalem: Great Sukkot packages! Hertz car rental Book a car for 14 days over sukkot and get 6 days rental free! (02) 999-6035 - res@traveldealisrael.com Check out our web site and BOOK NOW for discounted rates !!! www.traveldealisrael.com The Back Page of TT922 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 - 25nis members, 30nis non-members. 5nis maintenance fee for life members. Special rates for mornings with two or more shiurim: 40nis members, 50nis non-members. 10nis for life members. Yearly membership 360NIS couple, 275NIS single. Life membership, call us. Programs of the Center are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel, No one will be turned away for inability to pay. Yom R'vi'i, 22 Elul, - WED, September 1st 9:20am Contemporary Halachic Issues Rabbi Macy Gordon 9:45am N&V: Aveiro-abundance with Reuven Wolfeld 10:45am Parshat HaShavua R' Yosef Wolicki various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 12:30pm Dr. Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center presents... VIDEO in the LIBRARY: Rabbi Aharon Adler "The Rosh HaShana Machzor" 12:45pm TaiChi for Health with Avi Hirsch 1:30pm Medical Chi Kong with Avi Hirsch 050-7671-722 2:30pm Women's Beit Midrash - Pearl Borow First hour: the KUZARI; Second hour on Chumash with Rashi 7:30pm Rabbi Chaim Eisen - Cosmic Deadline; part two - Does Redemption depend on Repentance? Wednesday, September 1st, 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series - Rabbi Macy Gordon - What is Rosh HaShana really about? Yom Chamishi, 23 Elul - THU, September 2nd 9:00am Exercise Class for Women at the ISRAEL CENTER Focus on balance, correct posture, back and abdominal strengthening Given by DR TOVA GOLDFINE Chiropractor/Rehabilitation FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES AND EXERCISE FITNESS LEVEL What to wear... loose clothes What to expect... fun and challenging exercise and movement Leaving you wanting more and more... and for sure, take home tips for you to continue your strengthening at home 25NIS members 20NISnon-mem PLEASE BRING A BOTTLE OF WATER AND AN EXERCISE MAT Contact Dr Tova 052-420-1201 chirodivine@gmail.com 10:30am (to 12:30) Aggadata and Midot Tovot Dr. Hayim Abramson various MINI-Shiur/Divrei Torah while you fold 1:30pm Verna with the knitting needles (and D'var Torah) in the library Knitting 101 on Thursdays in the library, 1:30-2:30. Open to men and women who are beginners. Questions? Please call Verna 054-842-6696. No charge for this class. Thursday, September 2nd 4-5:30pm -and- Tuesday, September 14th 2-3:30pm FORGIVENESS IS DIVINE Elul Psycho-Spiritual Workshop This experiential workshop is based on Torah principles using guided imagery and writing exercises. No personal sharing required. Please bring notebook. Sessions are designed to increase awareness of emotional blocks and to teach processes and tools to responsibly resolve/heal guilt in order to be able to experience "at-one-ment" with ourselves and G-d. When we betray our values, we may feel ashamed, guilty or angry with ourselves. The purpose of healthy guilt is to motivate us to do "teshuva," to return to our essential truth and to Hashem. Hashem wants to forgive us and to be in relationship with us. Wipe your slate clean during Elul so that you can begin the New Year "anew" with yourself and with Hashem. 1st Session: Identify Healthy Guilt vs. Toxic Guilt 2nd Session: "T'shuva"= Return to Hashem Chaya Sara Brand LMSW Integrative Psychotherapist - Over 30 Years International Experience Thu. Sep. 2 8:00pm Dr. Henry Goldblum - The Leadership of the Nation, Talmud Rosh Hashana Friday 24 Elul / September 3rd 9:00am Rabbi Eisen's shiur on Aggada 11:00am RCA Daf Yomi SHABBAT day 25 Elul - September 4th 5:00pm Yaacov Peterseil & Co. 6:00pm Mincha First Slichot (x2) - Motza'ei Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayeilech, September 4th 9:30pm Pre-Slichot Shiur - Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko - "T'shuva with the Flick of a Wrist?" 10:30pm Slichot - Rabbi Eddie Abramson 11:30pm Pre-Slichot shiur - Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld - The Way to God's Heart and... Forgiveness 12:30am (after chatzot) Slichot - David Katz Sun-Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor) 10:00am Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld - Brachot - 4th perek 10:00am MONDAY New shiur Mishnayot Yoma (8th perek) with Michael Newman 11:15am RCA Daf Yomi by Rotation (and Fri. at 11:00am) 1:20pm Mincha (this time stays the same throughout the year) 3:15pm Hilchot Shabbat - Rabbi Chaim Sendic (052-668-0312) - Tuesday and Wednesdays 4:30pm Masechet K'tuvot with Rabbi Hillel Ruvell (not Tuesdays) Sunday 26 Elul / September 5th L'AYLA - Elul-time program for young women - Reaching higher... Together - (for further details and to arrange for babysitting, call Mrs. Rivka Segal (02) 625-3634 rsegal@ouisrael.org) Preparing for the Yamim Noraim Sunday, September 5th, 26 Elul 9:15 Living Tehillim - Mrs. Rivka Segal 10:25 Exploring the Tefillos the the Yamim Noarim - Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz 11:30 Taking Good care of Yourself - Mrs. Michaela Rosenfeld Classes will be held at the OU Israel Center - Each class 20nis, 40nis for the morning XXX Let's Study the Yom Kippur Machzor Tonia Frohwein women 10:30am Mystical Insights into the Months of the Year Golda Warhaftig women 12:30pm Life: A fantastic adventure - Alan Romm XXX Hebrew for Beginners Learn to read and converse in Hebrew and feel more comfortable when you daven. Given by Haya Graus with Cecily Davis 10nis per session - resumes Oct. 10 2:00pm Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher - How to play "Let's Make a Deal" on Yom Kippur XXX Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop (2 hrs) - resumes next week Contact: Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) and Judy Caspi (054-569-0410) - resumes after the chagim 7:30pm Rabbi Eisen's Shiur - Ramban's commentary on the Torah and its wellsprings 7:30pm The Book of Nechemya - Rabbi Mordechai Machlis 8:30pm Rabbi Dr. Joseph C. Klausner/Yedidyahu - T'Shuva in the Making: Preparing for Rosh HaShana in History, Halacha, and Hashkafa Sunday, September 5th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series - Rabbi Aharon Adler - The Relevance of the Akeida to the RH Experience Monday 27 Elul / September 6th N'SHEI LIBRARY: 10:00-12:30 Pre-Rosh HaShana Yesha Fair - Monday Sept 6th, 27 Elul 10am - 3pm in the cafe Selection of wines, honey, cakes, spices, cosmetics and more from the farms and settlements around Yehuda and Shomron 9:15am Excursions into the Book of Shoftim Pearl Borow 10:30am Elul & the Yamim Nora'im Rabbi Zev Leff We will be doing HATARAT NEDARIM at the end of Rabbi Leff's shiur 11:35am Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best! Exercise for women of all ages - Call Sura Faecher 993-2524 11:35am Monday, September 6th - Israeli orthodox communities "Who's Who" - 70 faces of the chassidic world - Rosh haShana special: Who and why traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashana: those who are with it, those who are against those who are traveling and those who are staying at home. And where are the women? Interactive lecture with pictures by Gabriella Licsko researcher 12:30pm Dr. Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center presents... VIDEO in the LIBRARY: Rabbi Aharon Adler "Yom Kippur Was Created Before Man" Women's Beit Midrash 2:00pm "Bring on the Blessings" - Pearl Borow 3:00pm Mishna, Mitzvot, and More - Phil Chernofsky Rabbi Dr. Elie Assis a senior lecturer of Tanach at Bar Ilan: On Summer recess. Watch for announcements. Contact Sam Finkel 052-469-1263 MASK - J'lem Chapter at the Israel Center - maskjerusalem.cjb.net 050 754 2717 - NEXT MEETING: Monday, September 13 7:30-9:30pm with Dr. Judy Belsky Mondays, September 6, 13 6:30-9:30pm Personal Breakthrough Workshop Series given by Shlomo Kory, certified NLP Master-Practitioner This week: #3 How to Motivate Yourself (Regular) 75NIS per workshop, (IC members) 65NIS per workshop For more information: email: shlomokory@gmail.com or visit www.nlpjerusalem.com Monday, September 6th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series - Rabbi Zev Leff - Judgment on RH - what is HaShem looking for? Yom Sh'lishi 28 Elul - TUE September 7th No L'Ayla program this morning. Next session, IY"H, Tuesday, September 14th This week; TUESDAY, Exercise Class for Women 9:00-10:00am - FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES AND EXERCISE FITNESS LEVEL Contact Dr Tova Goldfine 050420 1201 chirodivine@gmail.com 10-12am, 7-8:30pm - G'mach 9:00am Rabbi Aharon Adler - Torah of Eretz Yisrael 10:15am Rabbi Sholom Gold - Parshat HaShavua In recess Jewish History, 2nd Temple Period - Dr. Henry Goldblum 11:20am Esther Sutton's inspirational Elul series: (women only) Sweeter than Honey - an in-depth study of the gifts of Elul; Teshuva, Compassion and Renewal Tuesday, Sept. 7th, 11:30am - From the Twin Towers to Ground Zero by Dr. Mori Bank 12:30pm Dr. Maurice E. Joseph Jewish Video Resource Center presents... VIDEO in the LIBRARY: Rabbi Stewart Weiss "The Akeida- Man's Partnership With G-d" 1:00pm Writing as self-discovery (women only) - Exploring the stories of your life - Esther Sutton Tuesday, Sept. 7th - EREV EREV ROSH HASHANA The Center will be closing at 4:00pm Shabbat day 3 Tishrei September 11th 5:00pm Shabbat Shuva Drasha - Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb - Topic: Teshuva: the Psychology of Change 6:00pm Mincha Reminder: Summer time ends in Israel on Sunday, Sep. 12, when 2:00am becomes 1:00am Standard time Note: Regular schedule for Sunday thru Thursday can be found on the previous pages. Special programs are listed below: Sunday, September 12th - TZOM GEDALIYA 3:45pm Shiur by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher in memory of his father Harav Pesach Moshe ben Efraim zt"l - Who will live and who will die? Why then do the righteous suffer? 4:50pm Slow-paced MINCHA, followed by mini-shiur 6:10pm Maariv, followed by fast-breaking refreshments Sunday, Sep. 12th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series (women only) - Mrs. Shira Smiles - Revealing the Light of Yom Kippur Monday, September 13th 5 Tishrei 5771 The shiurim and classes on Monday, 5 Tishrei are dedicated to the memory of Evelyn Krumbein a"h on her first yahrtzeit by her husband, Eliezer Krumbein, the Krumbein, Maramtz and Soibelman Families 11:35am Monday, Sep. 13th Israeli orthodox communities - "Who's Who" - 70 faces of the chassidic world - Chassidic and Kabbalistic two chassidic "schools" with especially strong connection to jewish Mysticism: the legacy of Komarna and the various communities in Ashlag chassidut. Interactive lecture with pictures by Gabriella Licsko researcher 6:30-9:30pm Monday, September 13 6:30-9:30pm - Personal Breakthrough Workshop given by Shlomo Kory, certified NLP Master-Practitioner - Creating Resourceful Emotional States and Upgrading Your Behaviors to Meet Challenging Situations 65/75NIS Monday, Sep. 13th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series Rabbi Yosef Wolicki - Lest your heart grow haughty Tuesday, September 14th - 6 Tishrei 5771 L'ayla - Preparing for the Yamim Noraim 9:15 Highlights of Shir HaShirim - Mrs. Batya Weinberg 10:20 "Scents and Essences" - Rabbi Moshe Miller 11:30 How to communicate with various types of people - Dr. Miriam Adahan 11:30am Jewish History, 2nd Temple Period - Dr. Henry Goldblum - After the Churban (1) The extra-ordinary Life of Josephus 2:00pm (to 3:30pm) Forgiveness is Divine with Chaya Sara Brand 3:00pm RCA in Israel lecture (the public is invited) Women in the Public Sphere, Is Hadash Asur Min Hatorah? - A Relevant Response by Rabbi Simcha Krauss Tuesday, Sep. 14th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series - Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg - Jonah - Submission or Surrender? Wednesday, September 15th 7 Tishrei 5771 9:00am Exercise Class for Women see BackPage A for details Wednesday, Sep. 15th 8:00pm - Yamim Nora'im Lecture Series - Rabbi Sholom Gold - Shortcuts to T'shuva according to Reb Zushe of Annapole Torah Tidbits issue #923 for Shabbat-Yom Kippur - Folding and Distribution on Wednesday and Thursday September 15-16 - The Center will close at 4:00pm - Please arrange your pick-ups accordingly upcoming... at the Israel Center Yamim Nora'im Minyan at the Israel Center - Yedid Nefesh, in cooperation with the Israel Center, is excited to announce that we will be having a community minyan for Rosh Hashana, Shabbat Shuva and Yom Kippur, under the leadership of Rabbi Hillel & Neima Novetsky. Come join other singles, couples and young families for an inspiring Tefillah. Davening will be held in the Wolinetz Family Shul at the OU Israel Center, 22 Keren HaYesod. Kiddush will be provided. Reserve a seat: Rosh Hashana only: 80nis, Yom Kippur only: 70NIS; Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur: 120NIS Reservations by email at: milkmunch03@hotmail.com - Payment should be given to Sara Fax, Malky Wormser, or Gershon Swimmer at the front lobby of the OU, 7pm-9pm, on the following dates: Thu, Sep 2 & Mon, Sep 6 (IMPORTANT: Do not just leave payment at the front desk of the OU) Babysitting will be provided if there is sufficient request. We wish you all a Shana Tova Israel Center's Annual Arba'a Minim Sale Sunday, Sep. 19 - 10:00am - 10:00pm Monday, Sep. 20 - 10:00am - 10:00pm Tuesday, Sep. 21 - 10:00am - 10:00pm WED, Erev Chag, Sep. 22 - 9:00-11:00am in the garden of the Israel Center access from Mendele St. 10% discount for Israel Center members Wide selection of Etrogim, El Arish Lulavim, Sets of mehudar hadasim Lenny Solomon in Concert - Lenny Solomon performs a Solo Show of selections from his new CD A Shabbat In Liverpool. The Music of the Beatles set to Zemirot and Tefilot of Shabbat. He will also perform his classic Shlock Rock hits and his own original music. [30/35 NIS] Motza'ei Shabbat Chol HaMoed - Watch for further details MOMMY & BABY MUSIC CLASSES with Jackie - Register now for classes starting September 13th Call Jackie 054-533-9305 or email dcorre@zahav.net.il Yeshivat HaKotel in cooperation with the Israel Center offers men (seniors) a companion Yeshiva bocher for an hour or two a week (in your home, at the Center, or elsewhere) to learn, talk, walk, play chess, checkers, Scrabble... If you are interested, call 560-9125 for further details Three new courses beginning the week of Oct. 17th 1. The Memory Workshp - 5 week course Sun. and Thurs. 10:30am- 12:30pm 2. Care Giving course - 6 sessions, Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00pm 3. Aging - Be Smart About Your Future - 9 sessions - Wednesdays, 10:30-12:30 All given by Bernice Schwartz For More info. call 651-0090 x 2 or email barbara.avitan@touro.edu Save the Date - Motzai Shabbat, December 11 7:30pm when the RCA-Israel Region will proudly be honoring Phil Chernofsky at its Annual Melava Malka, to take place at the OU Israel Center - More details to follow Rosh Hashana ASHREI HA'AM YODEI T'RUA Fortunate (or happy) is the nation that KNOWS the T'ru'a... This pasuk in T'hilim does not say, "hears" the shofar; it says KNOWS the sound of the Shofar. There's a big difference, even though the same word is used for both hearing and knowing (or understanding). LISHMO'A. To hear. And sometimes (often, actually) it means to understand. Our commitment at Sinai, for example, was NAASEH V'NISHMA. "We will do, and we will understand (what G-d wants of us)". Not just "we will hear". Might we suggest that the bracha for Shofar - LiSHMO'A KOL SHOFAR, implies that understanding is essential to the mitzva, not just hearing the sounds. We have to hear, and understand, and not misunderstand. And we have to react appropriately. Everyone except for the profoundly deaf, can HEAR the sounds of the shofar. But do you straighten with pride of membership in the Jewish people when you hear the T'KI'A? Are you humbled and broken when you hear the broken wail of the T'RU'A or the sob of the SH'VARIM. Does the T'KI'A remind you of the experience of MATAN TORAH? Do the broken sounds inspire you to introspection and set you on the path to T'shuva. It is not enough to merely hear the sounds of the Shofar; we must under- stand them too. Imagine standing at a crosswalk waiting to cross the street. To your right, a truck is standing at the curb. As you are about to enter the road, your hear an insistent beeping sound. It is the warning sound that the truck automatically emits when it is put into reverse. The truck is slowly rolling towards you, and you are warned by the beeps - Do not step into the road; it would be a dangerous thing to do. You hear the sounds - but you do not know what they mean! Maybe you think it is a car alarm, or a sound coming from the nearby construction site, or maybe you just aren't thinking at all. You hear the sound, but it doesn't dawn on you that you are being warned of some danger. And you step into the road, just as the truck backs up. Fortunately B"H, the truck driver sees you in his rearview mirror and applies the breaks just in time. He jumps out of his truck and yells at you: "Hey! Didn't you hear the warning beeps?!?" "Yes", you answer, "but I didn't understand the sound." So too, it is with the sound of the Shofar. Many, many Jews go to shul to hear the Shofar. They hear the sounds, but do they know what the sounds mean? Do we heed the warning of the Shofar? Are we moved to rise to the challenge of T'shuva? Are we inspired to strengthen our commitment to Torah and Judaism? Are we going to work harder to improve ourselves as individuals and as a community, so that we will do our share in hastening the Moshiach? Or will we continue walking into the path of the oncoming truck? ASHREI HA'AM YO'D'EI T'RU'A... Happy (or fortunate) is the Nation who KNOWS the T'RU'A... We must hear the Shofar, must understand its meanings, must let its sounds and meanings penetrate to our minds, hearts, and souls. The Shofar must bring about a SHIPUR (a spiritual improvement). Then we may consider ourselves truly fortunate and happy to be the Nation that KNOWS the T'RU'A. ### EIRUV TAVSHILIN When Yom Tov is Friday or Thursday-Friday, we make an Eiruv Tavshilin (ET) on Erev Yom Tov, which begins the preparations for Shabbat, so that we will be able to continue cooking for Shabbat on Friday. Without the ET, cooking (and other things) is allowed on Yom Tov, only for the day itself. Rosh HaShana 5771 is on Thursday and Friday. Making an ET on Wednesday, Erev RH, permits cooking, baking, and lighting candles on Friday (Yom Tov) for Shabbat. Sometime before Yom Tov, one takes a Challah or Matza and a cooked food (hard boiled egg, piece of gefilte fish, piece of chicken, etc.) which will be eaten on Shabbat (many eat the ET at Seuda Shlishit, but it only must last until Shabbat to be effective). With baked and cooked items in hand, one recites the following bracha... BARUCH ATA HASHEM ELOKEINU MELECH HAOLAM ASHER KIDSHANU BIMITZVOTAB V'TZIVANU AL MITZVAT EIRUV: and then makes the Eiruv declaration, which is in Aramaic - because it must be understood and Aramaic was the vernacular of the time. It follows from this that one should make the declaration in whatever language he understands. It is still traditional to say it in Aramaic, but you should feel free to follow the Aramaic with Hebrew and/or English, as follows... (SEE HARD COPY OR PDF FOR FULL TEXT) With this EIRUV it becomes permitted for us to bake, cook, to "hide" food (refers to packing food into an oven in such a way that not only will heat be maintained, but increased as well), to light candles, and do all other needs from Yom Tov to (for) Shabbat - [for us and all Jews who live in this city]. After the bracha and declaration (it is also a good idea to explain the basics of Eiruv to the members of your household, if not at the time of making the Eiruv, then at least at the dinner table), one places the Eiruv items in a secure place so that they will not accidentally be eaten before cooking for Shabbat is completed. REMEMBER: Kindling fire is forbidden on Yom Tov. Extinguishing a fire is forbidden. Only lighting a fire from a pre-existing flame is permitted. There are two levels of ET. The first is personal. It is made by an individual for himself and his household. Period. And the correct text of the ET declaration is LANA, it shall be permitted for us. The advanced version is for "Gedolei HaIr", the rabbinic leaders of the community. They add, LANU ULCHOL YISRAEL HADARIM BA'IR HAZOT, for us and for all Jews who live in this city. A person who forgets to make an ET, or whose ET was eaten before he had a chance to cook on Friday for Shabbat, is covered by this "advanced" ET. One who purposely does not make an ET, intending to rely on the ET of others, is NOT covered by it. Although officially for the leaders of the community, anyone can make the "advanced version" of the ET. However... in order to make this kind of ET, one has to take the ET food, give it to someone else (one's child above the age of mitzvot, or some say only to someone not part of your household) to "acquire" it on behalf of (unknown) others. Then he takes it back, makes the bracha and declaration, including the extra phrase in brackets. One way of looking at ET is that cooking on Yom Tov for the following day is forbidden by the Torah only when the next day is CHOL. For Shabbat, it would be allowed. But the Sages said "no", lest one makes a mistake on a subsequent Yom Tov that is not followed by Shabbat. Then the Sages said, if you make a start of cooking for Shabbat before Yom Tov and you perform the ET on Erev Yom Tov, this will clearly - consciously and subconsciously - distinguish between Yom Tov followed by Shabbat and Yom Tov followed by a weekday and then there is no "danger of mistake" and cooking on Yom Tov Friday for Shabbat is permitted. Another school of thought holds that we cannot cook on Friday (Yom Tov) for Shabbat, but with an ET, one may cook on Friday so that in case unexpected guests should happen to come to our home, there will be food for them. If no guests show up, the food can be used for Shabbat. This opinion insists that one finish his cooking on Friday a reasonable amount of time before Shabbat, so that the food could really be served to unexpected guests on Yom Tov. The first opinion would allow cooking until close to candle lighting time. Consult your rav on this issue, if necessary. (So too if you are away for Yom Tov.) ET is a rabbinic mitzva that was meant to solve the problem of fresh cooked food for Shabbat, and at the same time to preserve the proper observance and respect for Yom Tov. ET does not permit anything that is a Torah prohibition, but it does (properly) bypass what would otherwise be a rabbinic violation. Someone who does not plan to do any cooking on Yom Tov (invited out for meals or whatever) but does plan on lighting candles on Friday for Shabbat, should also make an ET. [Because circumstances differ, it is advisable to consult your Rav on this issue - ET, yes or no; bracha - yes or no.] ### We are not scheduled to have a Shabbat-Sunday Rosh HaShana until 5781 - that's 10 years from now. Therefore, we have not included in this 4-pager the parts of Kiddush for Shabbat or Motza'ei Shabbat. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, here's the scheduled* days of the week for the first day of Rosh HaShana for the next 10 years. 5771 THU Sep 9, '10 5772 THU Sep 29, '11 5773 MON Sep 17, '12 5774 THU Sep 5, '13 5775 THU Sep 25, '14 5776 MON Sep 14, '15 5777 MON Oct 3, '16 5778 THU Sep 21, '17 5779 MON Sep 10, '18 5780 MON Sep 30, '19 * Scheduled means based on our fixed calendar. IY"H, when the Sanhedrin is restored and the setting of the calendar month-by-month will be based once again on eye-witness testimony to the first visibility of the lunar crescent, the days and dates may vary. ### The Rosh HaShana "Seder" Customs for the night of Rosh HaShana vary from community to community and from family to family. This page is provided as a set of suggestions for those who do not have a fixed custom in their home. Nothing mentioned here is the final word on anything. If you are in doubt about anything, check with your Rav. After KIDDUSH, wash for HaMotzi and eat from the LECHEM MISHNEH. Some use honey on the challa rather than salt. Some use salt for the HaMotzi and then take another piece with honey. After challa with honey, say: YEHI RATZON MILFANECHA HASHEM ELOKEINU V'ELOKEI AVOTEINU, SHE'T'CHADESH ALEINU SHANA TOVA U'METUKA: It is appropriate to respond to Y'HI RATZON statements of others with AMEIN, as it is bracha-like. Since the fruits and vegetables to be eaten as part of the SEDER LEIL ROSH HASHANA are not "normal" components of a meal, they are not covered by the HaMotzi, and need their own brachot, which should be said in accordance with the "rules of brachot". Among the fruits of trees, one should say the bracha on the fruit with the highest priority, as follows: [1] Olive, [2] Date, [3] Grape, [4] Fig, [5] Pomegranate, [6] your favorite among fruits not of SHIV'AT HAMINIM, [7] a whole fruit, rather than cut up, [8] larger piece. This list does not imply that all these fruits [1]-[5] are part of your Leil Rosh HaShana Minhag; the full list of priorities is provided to cover any situation. Among vegetables, make the bracha on what you like best. Between HaEitz and HaAdama, HaEitz will usually be said first, unless you have a HaAdama that you like better than any of the fruits, in which case, HaAdama will precede HaEitz (even over 7-Minim). If one or more fruits require a SHE'HECHYANU, they will be covered by the SHE'HECHYANU of Kiddush, if they are on the table at the time. Otherwise, one additional SHE'HECHYANU should be said (even if there are more than one fruit that "need" it). When all brachot are taken care of, many eat a slice of (sweet) apple dipped in honey. The Y'HI RATZON above can be repeated for the Apple & Honey. From this point on, whatever of the items to the right that you have - to eat (or even to just be on the table) and say the appropriate Y'HI RATZON. FULL TEXT OF THE SIMANIM IN PDF OR HARD COPY ### SHOFAR GUIDE The first "session" of Shofar blowing, which consists of 30 blasts and constitutes the fulfillment of the Torah's mitzva of Shofar, is done after the reading of the Torah and Haftara (and Drasha) and before the Torahs are returned to the Aron. This session is known as the "sitting-down" blasts, as opposed to the Shofar blasts during the Amida - although we stand for this set too. It is the minhag to say T'hilim 47 seven times before Shofar blowing: The Shofar-blower AND each person listening to the Shofar should have KAVANA during the BRACHOT to fulfill the mitzva of Shofar, both the Torah requirements and those of our Sages. One must be careful to hear the entire BRACHOT without interruption, and to answer AMEN to each. It is proper not to talk (other than davening and what is necessary for davening and Shofar) from the BRACHOT through the last of the blasts (after the repetition of the Musaf Amida), but especially until the first set of 30 KOLOT is completed. Although there are Machzorim that have passages for the KAHAL to say after each trio of sounds, it is widely accepted for the KAHAL to remain silent throughout the set of 30 blasts. The Mitzva to Hear Shofar First and foremost, before any of the themes, symbolisms, and reminders mentioned in the paragraphs that follow, is the main reason and kavana for doing ANY mitzva - because G-d commands it. The phrase L'SHEIM MITZVAT SHOFAR should be on our minds from the Brachot of the shofar-blower and from the first blast to the 100th. The Torah says that the first day of the seventh month shall be a T'RU'A DAY. We are taught by the Oral Law that this means that we are to hear the sound called T'RU'A, which is to be produced by the Shofar. Furthermore, we are to hear the T'RU'A three times, and that each T'RU'A is to be preceded by and followed by a P'SHUTA, a plain, long blast, the one we call T'KI'A. We do not know exactly what our Sages meant the T'RU'A to sound like. It is to sound like crying, wailing, sobbing, moaning, sighing, or some combination thereof. To satisfy different opinions, we have two sounds that we call SH'VARIM and T'RU'A, and the combination of the two. Therefore, to fulfill the Torah's requirement of hearing the Shofar on Rosh HaShana, we must hear 3 each of the following combinations: T'KI'A / SH'VARIM-T'RU'A / T'KI'A T'KI'A / SH'VARIM / T'KI'A T'KI'A / T'RU'A / T'KI'A Let's refer to this as a Large Set of Blasts (a.k.a. 30 KOLOT). One of each make a Small Set (a.k.a. 10 KOLOT). Although the requirement of the Torah will be satisfied with 30 KOLOT (sounds or blasts), the Sages instituted the practice of sounding the Shofar during the Amida there- by linking the Shofar-sounds with each of the 3 main brachot of Musaf - MALCHIYOT (Kingship), ZICHRONOT (Remembrances), and SHOFAROT (Shofars). Some shuls blow during the repetition of the Amida only; others blow during the silent Amida as well. And, as is well-known, the custom is to blow additional blasts (10 or 40, as the case may be) after the Amida, to bring the total number of blasts to 100. 100 conveys completeness and fullness. On Rosh HaShana, we don't just blow the Shofar, we are fully saturated with the Shofar sounds. This fulfills the sense of "YOM T'RU'A there shall be for you", more than a lesser number would. (There is also another reason given for the 100 blasts, having to do with the lament of the mother of Sisra, as recorded in the Book of Sho'f'tim.) Symbolisms and Kavanot (based on Menorat HaMa'or) G-d's Kingship Rosh HaShana corresponds to the 6th day of creation, the day human beings were created. Since it is the day that G-d's subjects, so to speak, came into existence, it follows that He became King on that very same day. We therefore consider Rosh HaShana to be the Coronation Day of the Supreme King. To herald that event, we sound the royal trumpet - the Shofar. This concept of G-d's Kingship is one of the major themes of Rosh HaShana. One of the three central brachot of the Rosh HaShana Musaf is Malchiyot - Kingship. In that bracha, we quote ten p'sukim from Tanach that deal with this theme. The T'KI'A (the long monotonic, unbroken blast) specifically is associated with this aspect of Rosh HaShana. The T'KI'A is a happy and proud sound. Although other emotions claim our attention, one should be happy and proud on Rosh HaShana as we reaffirm our loyalty to the King of Kings. Call to Repentance The Shofar is the alarm that (hopefully) wakes people up to the challenge of doing T'shuva and asking G-d for forgiveness. This is one of the major aspects of Shofar (and the main reason for having blown the Shofar for having blown the Shofar throughout Elul). It is the broken sounds of the SH'VARIM and T'RU'A that most fit this aspect of Shofar. Shofar is associated with embarking on the road to Spiritual Return. Akeidat Yitzchak One of the most prominent aspects of Rosh HaShana is the Binding of Isaac. The choice of a ram's horn as Shofar, the Torah readings, the main focus of the Zichronot bracha, and Tashlich, all point to the AKEIDA as a major theme of the day. When we stand in judgment before G-d, we are not isolated individuals but are the spiritual heirs of the Avot and Imahot whose commitment to G-d is exemplified by the Akeida. The Chafetz Chaim points out that most of the promises of blessing in the Torah are conditional upon our good behavior. The notable exception is G-d's promise to Avraham Avinu at the Akeida, which is unconditional. If our sincerity and commitment to G-d and His Mitzvot ever comes into question, we need only realize that we are the descendants of Avraham & Yitzchak and have inherited from them an absolute and complete dedication to G-d's Word, the Torah. Matan Torah The Torah describes the events of Sinai as being accompanied by the "sound of the Shofar ever increasing". When we hear the Shofar (specifically the T'KI'A), we should be motivated to rededicate ourselves to Torah and mitzvot. In essence, this is the foundation of T'shuva. The Shofar reminds us of our commitment to the Torah; repentance is G-d's gift to us when we fail in that commitment. The words of the Prophets are likened to the sound of the Shofar. This reminder should inspire greater commitment to faithful observance of Judaism. Our deal with G-d, when we asked not to hear His voice directly, was our promise to listen to the prophets, starting with Moshe and continuing through successive generations. This aspect of Shofar, then, expands on the previous item - Matan Torah. Instills Fear "If a Shofar sounds in the city, will not the People tremble?" Think of the sound of a siren - the feelings of apprehension and dread that it filled us with. That's a Shofar - our spiritual siren, helping us to get serious about Torah and T'shuva. Churban Beit HaMikdash should also be kept in mind while hearing the Shofar. The Prophets mention the Shofar in their description of the Churban. One should think of the "ups and downs" of Jewish history as part of the Rosh HaShana challenge that we all face. Furthermore, the destruction of the Temples resulted from our not keeping faith with G-d. These thoughts then, should also lead us to think of repentance as the way to reverse the devastating effects of the Churban. Ingathering of the Exiles is described by Yeshayahu as being accompanied by the sound of a Great Shofar. We are witness to the beginning of that process; may we be privileged to see its continuation and culmination. This too is in the realm of the T'KI'A and is one of the promises to keep in mind so that we can put "things in proper perspective". The Great Judgment Day is associated with the Shofar. One must understand that we stand in judgment before G-d on every Rosh HaShana, but that we we will also do so on a different scale "after 120 years" and "at the end of days". T'chiyat HaMeitim is also associated with Shofar. Thinking of this gives us a broader perspective on what G-d expects of us and what is in store. ### Tashlich - First day of Rosh HaShana, Thursday, September 9th, '10 What it isn't & what it is Tashlich is NOT a hocus-pocus magical method for ridding oneself of sins. It's just not that simple. One must do sincere T'shuva, pray to HaShem, say Vidui, and if interpersonal sins are involved (which they inevitably are), one must appease those he/she has wronged and receive their forgiveness before T'shuva can succeed. One cannot go to the waterside, say some p'sukim, throw some crumbs into the water (a practice which poskim frown upon, by the way), and walk away with a clean slate - without some hard, real Repentance. In fact, there have been rabbanim in various times and places who have banned Tashlich in their communities so that people should not slacken off from the major challenges of the Yamim Nora'im - T'shuva, Prayer, and Tzedaka. There are other authorities who did not mention the custom of Tashlich in their writings at all, since it does not appear in the Talmud or other early sources. For example, the Vilna Gaon's practice was/is not to do Tashlich. Yet Tashlich is a wide-spread minhag in most Jewish communities around the world. If it is difficult to go to Tashlich on Rosh HaShana, or for some reason one wasn't able to do so, it may be said during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva, or even afterwards until Hoshana Rabba. The lead passage of Tashlich gives us the origin of its name, and probably the main origin of the custom itself. The second pasuk (Micha 7:19) speaks of G-d, in His mercy, "casting our sins into the depths of the sea". This is our T'shuva goal - to repent so sincerely, that G-d will erase our sins completely. Kings of Israel were anointed by the riverside. Water is the symbol of life, of Torah, and of continuity. On Rosh HaShana, when we celebrate the coronation of the King of kings, we go to the river (or other body of water) as a reminder of this theme of the day. The Midrash tells us that the Satan received G-d's permission to try to dissuade Avraham Avinu from going to Har HaMoriah to sacrifice Yitzchak. He placed a river in Avraham's way, but Avraham was so determined to carry out G-d's command, that he walked right into the water. Nothing would stop Avraham. The river became a symbol of dedication to G-d. On Rosh HaShana, the anniversary of the Akeida, we go to the riverside and "remind" G-d (so to speak), and ourselves, of the dedication of our forefather Avraham, and to rededicate ourselves to Torah and mitzvot with that high level of commitment. There is a kabbalistic analogy drawn between the opening, main p'sukim of Tashlich, and the Thirteen Divine Attributes. This idea adds to the significance of the Tashlich recitation, because of the power of invoking the Yud-Gimel Midot. They are an essential element in the Slichot and T'shuva process, and are integrally bound to the Biblical events of the Elul - Rosh HaShana - Yom Kippur period. The text for Tashlich varies from machzor to machzor. In this 4-pager, you will find a bit more text than some, and less than others. It is appropriate to supplement the regular Tashlich texts with your own prayers. On Rosh HaShana, when we spend a significant amount of time in shul davening, we don't say "enough is enough". After a festive lunch, we go out of our homes to pray between prayers. But we don't go to the Beit Knesset. Instead, we go to a body of water, into nature (on the anniversary of Creation), where G-d's Presence should also be strongly felt, and we revel in His majesty and recommit ourselves to His service. The pages with the text for Tashlich are numbered 1-3. USE TASHLICH WISELY. Make it a meaningful part of your Rosh HaShana, and let some of the ideas presented here enrich the experience. In some communities, Tashlich is a big social event. While not a bad thing per se, people must "be on their best RH behavior", so to speak. (see hard copy or pdf) ### According to Minhag Yerushalayim (MY), T'hilim 81 pre-empts the regular Shir shel Yom for Thursday and Friday on the two days of Rosh HaShana. Since the regular Shir for Thursday is 81, everyone will be saying it on the first day of RH. Those who follow MY, should say these two statements on the two days of Rosh HaShana respectively: HAYOM YOM SHISHI B'SHABBAT AND HAYOM YOM CHAMISHI B'SHABBAT (independent of any particular Psalm). This is a fulfillment of "Remember the Shabbat day and sanctify it." ### FULL TEXT OF CANDLE LIGHTING FOR SHABBAT AND YOM TOV CAN BE FOUND IN THE HARD COPY OR ON THE PDF FILE ### FULL TEXT OF NIGHT & DAYTIME KIDDUSH, GREETING EXCHANGED ON THE 1ST NIGHT OF ROSH HASHANA AFTER MAARIV, AND HAVDALA (FOR AFTER) FOR ROSH HASHANA CAN BE FOUND IN THE HARD COPY OR ON THE PDF FILE