mikxan irqn-zehn e"dl 868 July 17•18, '09 • h"qyz fenz e"k

This Shabbat is the 292nd day (of 354), 42nd Shabbat (of 50) of 5769 :l`¨ «¥x§U¦i zi¬¥A zFggR§§ W¦nÎl«¨k§e arw£®r«©i zi´¥A 'dÎx©g a§c E¬r§n¦W PIRKEI AVOT: In • 2nd perek; In Chutz LaAretz • 1st perek The community that neglected a mitzva There is a Jewish community • a fine Jewish community, really • with shuls and schools and mikve, with an eiruv, a glatt slaughterhouse, kosher supermarkets and restaurants, Daf Yomi available in three languages at different times of the day, a great chesed infrastructure and community support of individuals with a variety of "situations". It isn't just the community as a whole that is so exemplary, its members are out• standing models of intelligent, learned, observant, sensitive and caring Jews. We could say that this community is perfect... except for one thing: There Correct for TT 868 • Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) • 9:08pm is one mitzva they don't follow, when 7:09 (6:18) Yerushalayim 8:26pm 7:26 (6:20) S'derot 8:27pm they shecht (ritual slaughter) 7:24 (6:18) Gush Etzion 8:26pm chickens, they neglect to cover the 7:27 (6:20) Raanana 8:28pm blood of the sh'chita as is required by 7:25 (6:19) Beit Shemesh 8:27pm the Torah and as is detailed in 7:26 (6:20) Rehovot 8:28pm Halacha. KISUI DAM BE'AFAR. Their 7:27 (6:20) Netanya 8:29pm sh'chita is meticulous. All other 7:23 (6:18) Be'er Sheva 8:26pm aspects of bringing the chickens to the 7:25 (6:19) Modi'in 8:27pm table are cared for beyond reproach, 7:09 (6:20) Petach Tikva 8:28pm but they don't do KISUI DAM. 7:09 Maale Adumim 8:26pm (6:17) continued below... 7:26 (6:19) Ginot Shomron 8:28pm 7:25 (6:18) Gush Shiloh 8:26pm 7:24 (6:18) K4 & Hevron 8:26pm Shabbat Shiur, 5:00pm 7:25 (6:18) Giv'at Ze'ev 8:26pm 7:26 (6:19) Yad Binyamin 8:28pm Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher 7:27 (6:20) Ashkelon 8:28pm 7:16 (6:19) Tzfat 8:28pm Mincha at 6:00pm

Tel: (02) 999•8440 US toll free: 1866•376•6716 [email protected] www.traveldealisrael.com Ranges are 10 days, WED•FRI 23 Tamuz • 3 Av (July 15•24) Earliest Talit & T'filin 4:46•4:53am Sunrise 5:45•5:50am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:14•9:17am (Magen Avraham: 8:20•8:25am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:24•10:26am (Magen Avraham: 9:48•9:52am) Chatzot 12:45•12:45½pm (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola 1:21•1:21pm (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 6:18•6:14½pm Sunset 7:50•7:46pm (based on sea level: 7:45•7:41pm)

Word of the Month Tammuz has only 29 days, so Rosh Chodesh Av is only one day. And even though "as Av enters, we diminish simcha", P we wholeheartedly cont. below

Orthodox Union OU ISRAEL OU Kashrut • NCSY • Jewish Action Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • World Center NJCD / Yachad / Our Way • IPA OU Israel Center programs • Makom BaLev • Lev Yehudi Synagogue Support Services Pearl & Harold M. Jacobs ZULA Center • NESTO • The Jack OURadio.org • Young Leadership Gindi Oraita Program • Mashiv HaRuach • OU Israel Kashrut Project Areivim • OU West Coast Stephen Savitsky, President, Orthodox Union Yitzchak Fund, President, OU Israel Harvey Blitz, Chairman of the Board, Orthodox Union Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President Rabbi Steven Weil, Executive Vice President Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President Stuart Hershkowitz, Vaad member Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Exec. V.P. Emeritus Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member Headquarters: 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member 212•563•4000 • website: www.ou.org Zvi Sand, Vaad member Harvey Wolinetz, Vaad member Produced, printed*, collated, and folded in•house Phil Chernofsky • (02) 560•9124 Rabbi Avi Berman, Director•General, OU Israel [email protected] • www.ou.org/torah/tt David Katz, CFO, OU Israel Advertising: Ita Rochel Menachem Persoff, Director of Programs, Israel Center [email protected] • (02) 560•9125 Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor TT Distribution • 0505•772•111 • [email protected] 22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem 91370 phone: (02) 560•9100 • fax: (02) 561•7432 OU Israel and Torah Tidbits do not endorse the political or halachic email: [email protected] • website: www.ouisrael.org positions of its editor, columnists, or advertisers, nor guarantee the quality of advertised services or products. Nor do we endorse the Torah Tidbits and many of the projects of OU Israel are kashrut of hotels, restaurants, caterers or food products that are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel advertised in TT (except, of course, those under OU•Israel hashgacha). Founders and initial benefactors of the Israel Center: We recommend that readers check with the advertisers themselves to clarify kashrut and shmita details of their services and products. George z"l and Ilse Falk Lead Tidbit cont. from front page Strange community, wouldn't you say? Hard to figure them out. It seems that way back when they started, they didn't know about KISUI DAM, or they didn't think it was so important. Or was it that they found it too difficult to do. And when they found out that the kashrut of the meat was not affected at all by their not doing it, they just didn't make the effort. Wonder how many TTreaders to this point still think that this Lead Tidbit is talking about a Jewish community that neglects the mitzva of KISUI DAM. The fact is, KISUI DAM is only a place holder for a different neglected mitzva. One that actually finds one of its sources in this week's sedra • KISUI DAM does not. But the real issue is "similar". We are talking about not one strange Jewish community, but about many, many not strange at all Jewish communities in many places around the world. Communities that have the shuls and restaurants and all the other things mentioned at the beginning of this piece, but some• how they seem to neglect one par• ticular mitzva. We're not even going to claim that the neglected mitzva is more important than KISUI DAM (although it might be so claimed.) We are talking about communities and the individual Jews that make up those communities, who are very conscientious about Shabbat and Kashrut, about Taharat HaMishpacha and learning Torah and davening... but seem to sadly neglect • not everyone equally • the mitzva of YISHUV ERETZ YISRAEL, living in Israel. It should not be neglected.

WORD of the MONTH from p.2 A weekly TT feature to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby enhancing our appreciation of G•d's gift to us of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... "bench" this coming month, and in addition to all the things we ask of G•d, we add our prayer that Av becomes a complete month of comfort and joy in the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. .x¤wFA©A r©W¥Y i¥x£g©` mi¦w¨l©g d¨Wi¦n£g©e zFwc © dx§ ¥U¤rÎr©W§Y ,i¦ri¦a§x mFi§A d¤i§d¦i c©lFO©d The molad is WED (July 22) 9h 19m 5p which is 9:58am In Rambam notation: fny:eh 'c i¦ri¦a§x mFiA § d¤i§d¦i a¨` m¥g©p§n y¤Frg W`rx :d¨aFh§l l¥`¨x§U¦i l¨M l©r§e Epi«¥l¨r `¨A©d Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av is Wednesday (July 22nd) Matot•Mas'ei STATS Kohen • First Aliya Matot Mas'ei M&M 16+12=28 p'sukim • of 54 sedras 42nd 43rd — of 10 in Bamidbar 9th 10th — 30:2•31:12 lines in a Torah 190 189 379 [P> 30:2 (16)] "And Moshe spoke rank 29th 30th 1st to the leaders of the Tribes of Parshiyot 9 8 17 Israel..." The first principle of the P'tuchot 4 6 10 topic of Nedarim (vows & oaths) is S'tumot 5 2 7 that a person must fulfill the terms P'sukim 112 132 244 of his vow and it is prohibited to rank (Torah/Bam.) 24/7 12/5 1/1 "profane one's word"[407,L157 Words 1484 1461 2945 30:3]. rank 29/6 32/7 1/1 On the other hand, built into the Letters 5652 5773 11425 Torah's laws are procedures for rank 30/7 28/6 1/1 release from vows. These proced• Mitzvot 2 6 8 ures also constitute a mitzva, viz. positive 1 2 3 HAFARAT N'DARIM [406,A95 prohibitions 1 4 5 30:3]. A girl (12•12½ yrs. old • officially called a NAARA) who Drop in rank • p'sukim to words & letters • vows can have her vows nullified noticeable for Matot, drastic for Mas'ei • results by her father (only on the day he from short p'sukim. P'sukim of Mas'ei are the hears of them). Similarly (but with shortest in the whole Torah. differences), a wife's vows can be nullified by her husband. (In this case, only some vows, those which Aliya•by•Aliya affect the husband can be nullified Sedra Summary by him.) Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva•count of Sefer HaChinuch AND MitzvaWWWaattcchh Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). In addition to HAFARAT N'DARIM, X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the nullification of a wife's or the mitzva comes. daughter's vow by husband or father, there is another aspect of this [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate mitzva, known HATARAT as start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the N'DARIM. This is the nullification of beginning of the parsha; (Z) is theone's vows (those that halachically number of p'sukim in the parsha. CAN be nullified) by a Rav•expert in the laws of N'darim or a panel of three dayanim (even laymen). Hatarat N'darim is a rare (but not unique) example of a mitzva that is considered Torah law, although there is no clear supporting text in thetribe of Levi sent a contingent to Written Word. The Mishna in Chagiga fight this war or not. If they did, did assures us that Hatarat N'darim is no Menashe and Efrayim combine as less a Torah concept because of the the tribe of Yosef, thereby keeping lack of a written source•text. This is the total number at 12,000, or were but another in a long series there of actually 13,000 who fought. demonstrations of the absoluteLevi's probable involvement is due to necessity of defining Torah as BOTH the fact that the war was NOT for the Written Word and the Oral Law the purpose of conquest of territory; and Tradition. had it been, Levi would not be directly involved. If so, Menashe and [P> 31:1 (12)] G•d next Efrayim probably fought as the tribe commands Moshe to do battleof Yosef in this war against Midyan. against Midyan, and then to prepare to take leave of this world. Moshe drafts 1000 men from each Levi • Second Aliya tribe for the task. 12+17+13=42 p'sukim • SSS DDD TTT : Commentaries point out that the People were reluctant to comply31:13•54 because they knew that Moshe would die [S> 31:13 (8)] Moshe, Elazar, and shortly after successful completion of the the tribal leaders went out to greet battle. Moshe, on the other hand, enthusi• the returning army. Moshe was astically complies with G•d's command, his personal interests to the contrary, notwith• angry that the officers kept the standing. The Chatam Sofer notes thatwomen of Midyan alive since it when G•d commands the battle againstwas they who were instrumental in Midyan, He calls it NIKMAT BNEIthe downfall of Israel in the Pe'or YISRAEL, a revenge for Israel's sake.affair and the consequent plague. When Moshe calls the people to battle, he The women and male children refers to revenge for G•d's honor. If thewere killed; the girls remained people would be fighting for their owncaptive. The soldiers were told to honor, they might forgo the battle and not remain outside the camp for seven hasten Moshe's end. But to avenge G•d's days because of their ritual impurity honor, they dare not refuse. as a result of the war. Pinchas is sent as "chaplain". The SSS DDD TTT : The SHLA"H HAKADOSH asks 12,000 strong army succeeded in and answers: Why did Moshe get angry killing all male Midyanites including with the officers for leaving the women of five kings and Bil'am. The women, Moav alive? They were not commanded to children, herds, flocks, and posses• kill them? He says that we are held sions of Midyan were taken responsible as for things our logic tells us, booty. The cities and palaces were even if we were not directly commanded. destroyed. The army returned toAnd we learn this from here. the Israelite camp at Arvot Moav. [S> 31:21 (4)] Elazar HaKohen Note: There is confusion amongsets down the laws of purification commentaries as to whether theof vessels. Many of the details of "kashering" and "toveling" (which that these were cities in the former are not the same thing) of vessels territory of Sichon and Og. Targum are derived from here. Onkeles, interestingly, does not leave the city names as they are in [S> 31:25 (30)] G•d tells Moshe to the Torah • which is usually the case, order a counting of the spoils ofbut he renders the names into war. The booty is to be dividedAramaic. This has been an observa• equally between the soldiers on the tion only. one hand and the People on the [S> 32:5 (11)] They then other. Taxes of 1/500 were requested permission to settle on imposed upon the soldiers. the east bank of the Jordan River. Detailed itemization takes up many Moshe's initial reaction is intense p'sukim of this portion. anger, fearing that the request of And then the half that went to the the two tribes would discourage people is itemized. A tax of 1/50the People of Israel from wanting (the standard amount for T'ruma) is to proceed into the Land, repeating imposed upon the people. These the experience of the "spies" of taxes were turned over to Elazaralmost 40 years earlier. HaKohen. Detailed itemization [S> 32:16 (4)] The key objection takes up many more p'sukim. on Moshe's part seems to be the The officers approach Moshe with potential negative effect on the rest more gifts of gold in thanks to G•d of the People. To this, the tribes for not losing even one person in replied that they would be battle. prepared to settle their animals and families “here” and they would • Third Aliya surely accompany their brethren Shlishi into Eretz Yisrael and not return to 19 p'sukim • 32:1•19 the east bank until all is settled in the Land. [P> 32:1 (4)] The Torah tells us that the tribes of Reuven and Gad SSS DDD TTT : In addition to the main were heavily laden with flocks of "dressing down" that Moshe gives Reuven sheep and that they noticed thatand Gad, there is a more subtle rebuke on the lands of Ya'zeir and Gil’ad were another issue. The tribes offer to build particularly suited for raisingenclosures for their flocks and homes for livestock. The came before Moshe, their children. Later, when Moshe gives them permission to establish themselves on Elazar, and the leaders of the the East Bank, he tells them to build homes People and they “mentioned” that for their children and accommodations for the territory was good for animals their animals. Your children go first. Then and that they happened to haveyour property. It is important that we get many animals. our priorities straight in life. Note the unusual pasuk, 32:3, in which each of its 9 words is the name of a city. Rashi just mentions Sea, and the 3•day journey that R'vi'i • Fourth Aliya brought the People to Mara, with 23+10+39=72 p'sukim • its "water problem" (and solution). From there it was back to Yam Suf, 32:20•33:49 before continuing into the Wilder• The fourth Aliya is always the BRIDGE ness. Aliya between two sedras when they are combined. This particular R’VI’I is Travelog These are the places THE longest Aliya in the Torah. There of encampment and some comments... are seven whole sedras in the Torah with fewer p'sukim than this Aliya. From (0) Ra•m'ses to (1) Sukkot to (2) Eitam to (3) Pi HaChirot [P> 32:20 (23)] Moshe's response is the administration of an oath to (4) Mara to (5) Eilim (many details of the proper form of to (6) Yam Suf to (7) Midbar Sin "conditions" are derived from this to (8) Dafka to (9) Alush famous oath of the 2½ tribes)to (10) R'fidim to (11) Midbar Sinai agreeing to the request to settle on to (12) Kivrot HaTaava the east side of the Jordan iff (that's to (13) Chatzeirot to (14) Ritma not a typo; it's the abbreviated form to (15) Rimon Peretz of "if and only if" and is a valid word to (16) Livna to (17) Risa on its own) the 2½ tribes fight side to (18) K'heilata to (19) Har Shefer by side with the other tribes of Israel. to (20) Charada to (21) Mak'heilot to (22) Tachat to (23) Terach The Torah describes the cities that to (24) Mitka to (25) Chashmona the 2½ tribes established to settle to (26) Moseirot to (27) Bnei Yaakan their families and flocks prior to their crossing the Jordan. to (28) Chor HaGidgad to (29) Yotvata to (30) Avrona Perhaps the seemingly unnecessary to (31) Etzion Gever details give us the message that we are dealing with part of Eretz Yisrael, to (32) Midbar Tzin (which is Kadesh) and not just something extra•to (33) Hor HaHar... territorial. This is where Aharon died at the [P> 33:1 (39)] The sedra of Mas'ei age of 123, on Rosh Chodesh Av. begins with a summary listing ofNot only is this the only Yahrzeit the 42 places of encampmentmentioned in the Torah, but it is during the years of wandering ininteresting that the date is NOT the Wilderness. Most places are just mentioned in Chukat, where we read listed; a few are anecdoted. Theof Aharon's death. It appears here in present day identity of many ofthe recounting of the episode • on these places is in dispute Shabbat or M’vorchim Av. unknown. This portion covers the [S> 33:40 (10)] The Torah then Exodus from Egypt (the city oftells us again that our presence was Ra•m'ses), the passage through the noted by the K’naani king of Arad in the Negev of Eretz Yisrael. We were given there. • Baal HaTurim know from earlier in the Chumash, The Midrash says that it was at that the K'naani attacked ALUSH the that the People first received people after Aharon's death, butthe Manna and where we spent our that is not mentioned here. Rather, very first Shabbat. The Manna was the list of places then continues... given to the People of Israel in the merit of our mother Sarah, who was to (34) Tzalmona to (35) Punon asked by Avraham to knead and to (36) Ovot to (37) I'yei HaAvarimbake cakes for the angels/guests. to (38) Divon Gad Her enthusiastic providing of food for others was repaid by G•d, Who to (39) Almon Divlataima provided food for Sarah's children to (40) Harei HaAvarim more than 400 years later. The to Arvot Moav (41). name ALUSH is a play on the word "I will knead". Apparently, the counting of the encampments includes their firstRITMA was the place from which the point of departure, which we marked spies were sent, and therefore the as 0. So the number 42 holds. Weplace where the decree to wander numbered from 0 to 41 so thatthe wilderness was pronounced. One Chashmona would could out as the can imagine a qualitative difference 25th place of encampment and serve in the mental attitude of the people as a REMEZ to Chanuka from the during the first 14 encampments as Torah (among others). compared to those following Ritma. G’matriya of RA•M'SES = 430, theCHASHMONA was the 25th resting number of years from the originalplace of the People. Centuries later, prophecy to Avraham Avinu in thethere was a resting (from battle) on BRIT BEIN HA'B'TARIM until thethe 25th (of Kislev). The people EXODUS (as in Sh'mot 12:40•41). through whom G•d wrought the miracles of Chanuka were the The first stop out of Raamses is Chashmona'im. This is considered SUKKOT, G'matriya = 480, the one of the "hints" to Chanuka from number of years from the Exodus the Torah. until the building of the First Beit HaMikdash • the arrival of the People Rashi points out that with 14 places EL HAMENUCHA V'EL HANACHALAbefore the decree to wander, and (D'varim 12:9). So just the first leg with 8 places in the final year, there of the wandering representswere only 20 places that the People (numerically) the major first (andmoved to and from in 38 years or second) leg of the journey of Jewish so. That is not really all that much. History. G•d was merciful with the People even as He was punishing them. SUKKOT, says the Baal HaTurim, got its name from the Heavenly Clouds SDT: One commentary obseved that that began "functioning" there. the initial letters (Rashei Teivot) of the first MIDBAR SIN got an extra YUDfour words of Mas'ei are ALEF, MEM, (which is TEN) to be SINAI to mark BET, YUD. These are the initial letters of the fact that the ASERET HADIBROT the four exiles of the people of Israel: EDOM, MADAI, BAVEL, and YAVAN. The by G•d to the Jewish People. To the P'SHAT (plain meaning) of the pasuk is the Jewish People. To the Jewish People. travelog of the people from Egypt to Eretz To us. Unlike the identity of many of Yisrael. On this REMEZ (hint) level, the it encampments, we know where refers to the other travels, the these one boundaries are. Eretz Yisrael undertaken by the people throughout their for the Jewish People goes at least long periods of exile. (see next paragraph) from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. The Torah does not seem to Chamishi • 5th Aliya indicate that parts of the Promised Land should become a foreign state • 22 p'sukim • 33:50•34:15 regular or demilitarized • or be given [S> 33:50 (7)] G•d speaks toto enemies of the State of Israel or Moshe in Arvot Moav the and Jewish People. commands the People to enter,In G•d's original promise to Avraham conquer, acquire, and settle theAvinu, the land to be given to his Land, according to the “Divinedescendants was to be "from the Lottery”. This is one of the 613Egyptian River until the great river, mitzvot according to Ramban • The P'rat". The boundaries described in mitzva of YISHUV ERETZthis week's sedra contain a territory YISRAEL, the mitzva to live insignificantly smaller than that which was promised. Our Sages tell us that Israel. Ramban says that this mitzva the original promise includes terri• applies in all times, including our tory to be added to Eretz Yisrael in own. the future, in the times of the Part of the mitzva, explains Ramban, Moshiach. is that the people of Israel may not shun G•d’s gift and promise, and go conquer and settle elsewhere. Jews Shishi • Sixth Aliya who live anywhere in the world out• 14+8=22 p'sukim • side of Israel should always remember their “stranger in 34:16•35:8 a strange land” status. Adopting someplace else as your own and[P> 34:16 (14)] Next the Torah removing Israel from your personal lists the new leaders of the tribes agenda, contravene the spirit (andwho will be in charge of the maybe the letter) of this mitzva. "Divine lottery" by which the Land will be apportioned. [P> 34:1 (15)] The boundaries of the Land are detailed. TheseElazar and Yehoshua are the boundaries are now for the 9½overall leaders of the Nation. tribes, since Reuven, Gad and half Kalev b. Yefuneh is the leader of of Menashe have claimed theirYehuda. allotments on the East Bank. Shimon: Shmuel b. Amihud. Read the description of the bound• aries of the land that is being given Binyamin: Elidad b. Kislon. Dan: Buki b. Yogli. Sh'VII • Seventh Aliya Menashe: Chaniel b. Eifod. 26+13=39 p'sukim • Efrayim: K'mu'el b. Shiftan. 35:9•36:13 Zevulun: Elitzafan b. Parnach. [P> 35:9 (26)] The cities of refuge Yissachar. Paltiel b. Azan. (and the other 42 Levite cities,with Asher: Achihud b. Shlomi. some differences) serve to protect Naftali: P'dah'el b. Amihud. the inadvertent killer. Even a murderer flees to a protecting city [P> 35:1 (8)] Following thepending trial. general plans for dividing the Land, the People are instructed to pro•It is forbidden to kill a murderer until he stands trial and is found vide cities for the Leviyim[408, guilty [409,L292 35:12]. A183 35:2], since they, the Leviyim, do not receive Land asThe inadvertent killer is sent • or he inheritance. The cities and theirflees • to a city of refuge[410, surrounding areas, number 48,A225 35:25]. The Torah presents including the 6 cities of refuge. guidelines for defining murder and PNote that the measure of 2000inadvertent killing and sets down amot as "city limit" was subse•some of the court procedures, such quently borrowed by the Sages inas the prohibition of a witness also fixing the distance outside acting the as judge in a criminal case dwelling place that a person may[411,L291 35:30]. We are also walk on Shabbat, known as T'CHUM warned not to permit substitute SHABBAT (even though the Torah's punishments for a murderer[412, maximum is much greater). L296 35:31] and the inadvertent PRashi points out that there werekiller [413,L295 35:32]. Strict three cities of refuge on each side of adherence to all rules of justice the Jordan River, even though in the assure us continued "quality living" western case, they would serve 9½ in Eretz Yisrael, accompanied by tribes and in the eastern case, they the Divine Presence. would serve 2½ tribes. An inference is drawn that there would be more careless homicides on the easternMitzvaWWWaattcchh side of the river. Mitzvot 412 and 413 basically These cities, to be given by thecommand us to follow other mitzvot in tribes to the Leviyim, were given the Torah that require a convicted proportional to the populations of murder to be executed and a convicted the tribes. SHOGEG•killer to be sent to a City of Refuge. How unusual for the Torah to do that. The small Sanhedrins of 23 judges, whose jurisdiction it is to carry out the commands of the Torah in matters of “sentencing” for certainmitzva among the Taryag); it crimes/sins are duty•bound to comply applies only in this case. In with halacha. Why these compliance, extra Machla, Tirza, Chogla, commands to follow procedures thatMilka, and No'a marry are already required? It is quite pos•Menashe•ites. sible for us to rationalize an alternative punishment or treatment of the con•The Book of BaMidbar ends with victed murderer • intentional or inadver• the statement, "These are the tent. And sometimes, the alternativeMitzvot and the Laws that G•d suggestion will be more appealing,commanded Moshe to (transmit to) more logical, more beneficial than the Bnei Yisrael, in Arvot Mo'av on the Torah•required procedure. Jordan (Jericho) River." Take, for example, the case of a doctor Last 3 p'sukim are reread for the who was playing golf one Wednesday, Maftir. missed an important putt, and flung his putter in a fit of frustration, said putter striking a bystander and killing him.Haftara • 28 p'sukim One of the judges at the doctor's trial makes the following suggestion to his • Yirmiyahu 2:4•28, 3:4 colleagues: If we conclude that theThis is the 2nd of the 3 Tragic doctor is guilty of SHOGEG•homicide, Haftarot read during the Three he will be sent to an IR MIKLAT andWeeks. It is the continuation of last we will lose our hospital's top surgeon. week's haftara. In fact, these two Instead, let's put him under househaftaras are the only continuous arrest at the hospital, and require him portions of the Prophets read as to turn over his fees to the municipality. haftarot on consecutive weeks. Very tempting. So the Torah comes to G•d, speaking through the prophet, reinforce its insistence that its procedures be carried out. Ir Miklat is chastises the People of Israel for punishment, protective custody, andthe terrible double•sin of forsaking atonement all rolled into one. And it is Him AND turning to gods who are the command of G•d. We cannotnothing• ness. Repeatedly, we are change it. asked how it was possible that we turned away from G•d so. Terrible [P> 36:1 (13)] Leaders of thepunishment for this betrayal of G•d family of Menashe to which theis prophesied. The haftara ends on daughters of Zelofchad belong,the hopeful note that if we return to approach Moshe and raise theG•d, then He will return to us and problem of potential erosion ofrestore His special relationship with their tribal allotment if Zelofchad's us. Some end with 4:1•2 daughters marry outside their tribe, taking their land with them. Moshe issues a ruling restricting them from marrying outside their tribe. This is not a law in perpetuity (and therefore, it is not counted as a THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean

Lesson #484 betrothal. Betrothing With a Stolen, A man robbed (or stole) from a woman Robbed, or Forbidden Object and gave to her the stolen object and said that she is betrothed to him with the A man betrothed a woman with an object proper language, and she remained silent, that was stolen or robbed or plundered • if they were not discussing becoming such objects belong to the robber or thief betrothed when this giving took place, or plunderer if the owner from whom it she is not betrothed. But if they were was stolen or robbed or plundered gave discussing becoming betrothed, then the up hope of ever recovering the object.betrothal is valid. Especially if she said I (This does not affect the obligation of the accept this as the consideration for thief to repay the victim of the theft.) If becoming betrothed to you. He still has to the man gave the stolen object to thepay to her the value of the object he stole woman after such abandonment of hope from her. by the owner, and the woman accepted Or if he owed her ten zuz and he gave her the object as the consideration for her ten zuz and said "become betrothed to me being betrothed to the man, the betrothal with these ten zuz". If this proceeding is valid. The abandonment of hope by the took place while they were discussing victim and the change in possession to kiddushin, it a valid kiddushin if she the woman took the object out of the accepted the money without saying ownership of the victim. But if the victim anything. Her silence cannot be construed of the theft did not abandon hope of to mean that she accepted the ten zuz as recovering the object, the betrothal is not repayment of the money that he owed to valid. her. A case cited in some of the He asked her to watch an object for him. commentaries: A man was hired to work He then stated, "become betrothed to me for an employer for a day. In the middle with this object I just gave to you". If he of the day he removed the amount of made this latter statement before he gave money he will be paid after he completes her the object, then there is kiddushin his work for the day. He gave it to the even if she was silent when he made this woman to betroth her; the betrothal is not declaration. If he first gave her the object valid. and then he made his statement, she is not There is an opinion that since the Jew has betrothed to him if she is silent, but if she to abide by the law of the land in specific declares that she accepts the object as subjects such as theft and if the law ofkiddushin, the kiddushin is valid. this particular land was that the object He gave her an object to effect kiddushin, must be returned to the victim even after and she said that the object was not worth abandonment of hope and change of a p'ruta, and he said, "become betrothed possession, there would not be a valid unto me with the ten zuz that Assume are that someone owed money (more contained in the object I just gave than to a p'rtuta) to the man and he held a you", there is a situation of doubtfulnote evidencing the indebtedness. He said kiddushin. to the woman become betrothed unto me A woman seized money from the manwith this note. If the value of the paper on and he said to her, give me back thewhich the note is written is worth a p'ruta, money, and she refused. He the saidthe kiddushin is valid, if not there is no become betrothed unto me with thesekiddushin. moneys that you seized. She was silent. A woman wants to borrow 200 zuz from This is not a valid kiddushin since herthe man for a period of one month. He silence came after the object was in her loans her the 200 zuz and states that it possession. need not be repaid for two months, the A man gave a women an object to safebenefit to her is that she has extra time to repay the loan, this extra time can be keep for him. Or else she had borrowed an object from this man. He stated to her, quantified into money, say more than a "become betrothed unto me with thep'ruta. When he gave her the money he object that you are holding for me".said become betrothed unto me with the Before he made this declaration part ofextension of time I am giving you to the object had been stolen from repay the the loan. She is betrothed unto him. woman. If the part of the object thatBut it is prohibited to so betroth a woman remained with the woman was equal to a since it appears that the extension of time to repay to be interest on the loan. p'ruta, there is a valid kiddushin, if not, there is no valid kiddushin. A man loaned money to a woman and he is holding an object as collateral security She owed him money and he said become betrothed unto me with the money youfor the loan. He tells her to become owe to me. This is not valid kiddushin,betrothed with the forgiveness of the loan and he returns the object to her. There is a since the money that he had given to her was for spending by her. This holds true valid kiddushin. This holds true even if even if she still has the original money he he did not return the collateral object to loaned to her. This holds true even if he her. had a note of indebtedness of the loan he A man is owed money by a third party. made to her and he returned the note to The man says to a woman become her. This holds true even if she owes him betrothed unto me etc. with the money the money for labor he performed for her owed to me by the third person. She is and he told her to keep the money for the betrothed by becoming the person to wages and it shall serve as money forwhom the debt is now due. There is also a kiddushin. dissent that holds that in this situation there is not a valid betrothal. A special series of articles for the Three Weeks by Dr. Meir Tamari The Challenge of Money The haftara of Matot•Mas'ei this year is the skull still outweighed them. They the second one of destruction, andconcluded that the human being was 'mentions 'My land' or 'land' six timesnever satisfied. Only when Alexander (2:6•7). Here Yirmiyahu finds Israelthe Great placed dust to close the eye guilty of defiling the Land of Israelsockets, was the skull outweighed; only which possesses an intrinsic holiness in death is Man satiated" (Tamid 32b). of its own. This is a holiness that This is love of money and material wealth meant to be the physical foundation on breaks through all moral and ethical which is to be built the barriers social, and promotes economical communal and political life of the Holy immorality and crime. Even the law can Nation, so a violation of that holinessthen become a means of evading brings destruction and galut in social its obligations, economic equity and wake. ultimately, all morality. "Bayit Sheini The religious and spiritual situationwas destroyed because they placed all during the days of the their emphasis on the law and each was radically different from that of the one demanded their full legal rights" First Temple. Then the people had(Bava Metzi'a 30b). Rambam sees this been weaned away from idolatry andas diametrically opposed to the Jewish the bloodshed and sexual immoralityrole model: "The Talmid Chacham that went together with it; study forces of himself to be exact in Torah and religious observance were calculations when he is paying but is at an unprecedented high level.willing to be lenient when others are his Nevertheless this Temple too wasdebtors. He should keep his obligations destroyed. In the Talmud, variousin commerce even when the law reasons were given for this destruction. permits him to withdraw or retract, so Superficially, some of them seem tothat his word is his bond, but if others have no relationship to morality have or obligations to him he should deal ethics with regard to the market and to mercifully with them" (Hilkhot De'ot economic behavior, yet 5:13). closer examination will show that in all "'Who of is the wise man who can them this powerful relationship exists. understand and tell us why the country "Bayit Sheini was destroyed becauseis destroyed and has become a they loved their money" (Yerushalmideserted wilderness? G•d said, this is Yoma 1:1). This is a love that is never because they have deserted My Torah' satiated and never dies out. "Once, the (Yirmiyahu 9:11•12). This teaches us wise men wondered why a human skull that they did not recite the opening consistently outweighed the gold, silver b'racha on the Torah" (Nedarim 81a). and jewels they set against it; Destruction no and exile for not reciting matter how much treasure was added the b'racha before reading or studying Torah, seems to be an excessive and collar crimes are a denial of G•d who cruel punishment. "However, when we sees, knows and records even the realize that the blessing ends with, 'He most secret of actions. "'You shall have who gives the Torah', we can under•just scales and just weights' (Vayikra stand that it is possible to study even19:35•36). Why does the verse link much Torah, without knowing andweights and measures to, 'I am G•d remembering that there is One who is who brought you out of Egypt'? the Giver of all that Torah" (ShemThe G•d who distinguished between MiShmuel). Without this consciousthe seed of the firstborn and the other knowledge and constant awareness of sons, a distinction based on the most the G•d who gives Torah, then, secret and intimate knowledge, shall irrespective of the degree of one's surely punish one who perverts his study and knowledge of Torah, one is weights in order to defraud in secret" liable not to act according to Torah.Bava Metzi'a 61b). This behavior inevitably earns destruc• tion. "Publicly, during Bayit Sheini, the people behaved towards each other as Another of the causes of destruction of though they were friends and good Bayit Sheini was the needless hatredneighbors, but in secret they coveted, that permeated its society. Althoughstole and defrauded one another; this sin'at chinam existed also in the days was their sin'at chinam. The exile of Bayit Rishon, then it had only been punishing the public sins of the Bayit prevalent among the ruling classes and Rishon was limited to only 70 years, the religious leadership, whereas inwhereas that of the secret crimes of Bayit Sheini it was prevalentBayit Sheini still continues down to our throughout society, therefore own days" it (Yoma 9b). determined the Churban (Yoma 9b). Such hatred leads to gossip Not and only are economic crime and slander that is expressed also in thebusiness immorality the causes of downgrading of competitors and their destruction but they also perpetuate products, in fierce competition both in the resultant exile. The Babylonian business and in extravagant patterns of Exile lasted 70 years, each year for consumption. one Shmita that Israel had not observed during the First Temple days. The same Talmudic source reveals a In a similar vein, Rabbi Moshe of profound insight into sin'at chinam that Coucy (S'mag; 13th century France) goes to the very root of all white collar explains why the present galut endures crime. These crimes are alwaysfor so long and what will hasten the committed far outside of the publicredemption. "Now that the galut sight and are characterized by the continues so long, it is incumbent on secrecy under which they Israel are to cling to the essence of G•d perpetrated. That is why impartialthat is truth and not to deal falsely with scrutiny, transparency and publicanyone, neither Jew nor non•Jew, nor accountability are the only protectionto deceive them in any way. Rather to society has against confidencesanctify ourselves with what is tricksters, economic dishonesty,permitted to us. ' The remnant of Israel fraudulent players in the market andshall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, other forms of white collar crime. White neither shall a deceitful tongue be I went to play ball with friends, found amongst them' (Tsefania 3:13). Q one of whom decided to leave Then G•d will redeem us and the early. He asked me to take his bag nations of the world will say, 'in justice back but I forgot about it, and it is now does G•d redeem them for they arelost. He says that I owe him $500 for my people of truth and the Torah of truth is negligence, as he had a lot of cash and on their lips'" (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol,some electrical devices. While I trust Mitzvot Asei #74, Hilkhot Hashavathim on the facts, I would not have Aveida). accepted such a big responsibility had I known what was in the bag. We asked a rebbe of ours what to do, and he said I MISC section • contents: should pay, which I did. Later, he said [1] Vebbe Rebbe that it might be a complicated case and that we should ask someone who studied [2] Candle by Day dayanut. Did I have to pay and, if not, [3] Wisdom and Wit can I get the money back? Indeed, the question and the [4] From Aloh Naaleh A present situation are tricky. The [5] Parsha Points to Ponder gemara (Bava Kama 62a) says that if Reuven told Shimon that coins he wants [6] Portion from the Portion him to watch are silver and they are really [7] From Machon Puah gold or if he covers a pile of wheat to be watched with barley, Shimon is responsible [8] Pirkei Avot to pay only for the lower value of the [9] MicroUlpan objects he thought he was watching. Following this logic, you might claim that [10] Gimatriya you accepted upon yourself to watch the normal value of a bag one brings to a [11] Person in the Parsha playground, which is far less than $500. [12] Torah from Nature However, there at least two distinctions [13] Divrei Menachem between your case and the gemara's. The gemara discusses a case where, after deceiving Shimon, Reuven wants him to [1] From the virtual desk of the OU pay according to conditions he had VEBBE REBBE indicated did not exist. Here, while your friend did not volunteer pertinent The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish information, he did not lie or refuse to law and values. Some of them are answered byanswer your questions (he probably did not Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish think twice about telling you what was in Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel the bag). Also, Shimon accepted to watch and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav certain objects and Reuven wants him to Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim andpay for different ones. In your case, you dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is knew you were responsible for the a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, unknown contents of the bag with Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. Theunknown value. You just were surprised by following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah... the extent of your surprise. We must find a precedent that is closer to forum) that had the case come before us, your case. The Shulchan Aruch (Choshen we would not have enabled your friend to Mishpat 72:8, based on the Hagahotextract money from you out of the doubt of Mordechai, Bava Kama 207) tells of Levi a machloket. However, in a case of doubt, who lost a sword that Yehuda receivedif the defendant paid even based on an from a non•Jew as collateral. The non•Jew erroneous p'sak, the former plaintiff now extracted a lot of money from the Jewishholds the benefit of possession (according lender but, says the Shulchan Aruch, Levi to most opinions• see Shach, CM 25:2 and has to pay Yehuda only the price of commentators, a ad loc.). While you cannot normal sword. The S'ma demand (72:28) the money back, we believe you understood the case that the non•Jew made have a moral right to request a Yehuda pay an unreasonable price, which compromise. he may not pass on to Levi. However, the Shach (72:40) proves that the sword really Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the was worth a lot of money, just that Leviweekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. could not have been expected to realizeYou can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. that. Still, says the Shach, we apply the rule And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email from the gemara above that one is notweekly, by sending an email to responsible for values above what he [email protected] with the message: reckoned for. What is important to us isSubscribe/English (for the English version) or that the Shach's case resembles ours in the Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew version). two elements that we discussed above, and Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe the Shach still posits that the exemptionRebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for applies. Israel The Yam Shel Shlomo (Bava Kama 6:34) [2] and the K'tzot Hachoshen (291:4) agree Candle by Day that one cannot obligate a watchman forWe often see a theory as a true explanation more than he accepted. However, they say, of reality, when the truth is that it paints a watchman cannot claim that he wasreality in its own image. unaware of the object's value (even if he is From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein being honest), as one acceptsA Candle an by Day • The Antidote • The World of Chazal open•ended obligation for whatever the by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein object is worth unless the owner actually Now available at 054•209•9200 deceives him. In our case, there was no deception. According to them, you should [3] Wisdom & Wit be obligated. The Netzach Yisrael (Grossman, 6) claims that the K'tzotR' Meir of Premishlan spent his free time HaChoshen would agree in some cases that raising funds for the poor and dispersing the watchman is exempt from the higherwhat he had collected. When he was asked why he concentrated on this mitzva, he value, as one's acceptance of obligation is replied: not fully open•ended. However, we believe that in his case, the surprise "I once was had a dream, and in it, I was waiting qualitatively bigger than yours should have for entry to the World to Come. As I waited, been. a man came and asked to be admitted. He was asked why he should be admitted and It is likely (we cannot say in a one•sidedreplied: "I spent all my life studying Torah, and acquired a great deal of the Torah People not to engage in abominable knowledge." He was told, "Wait until webehavior because in so doing, HaShem is • evaluate whether your Torah study was done k'ilu • compelled to depart from the Land. out of pure intentions." The Divine and tum'a simply cannot "Along came another man, and he said: "Ico•exist. The Netziv then adds that once spent my time praying with great kavana." G•d leaves, Israel's exile is a given. Why? He was told, "Wait until we see whetherBecause G•d has chosen to bind His your prayers were made with the properdestiny with that of His People. G•d will intentions." not abandon Israel even if, as a "Then a simple man came, and told them: "I consequence of their "uncleanliness", they spent my time helping others in need." Heare forced from the Land. In this was admitted immediately. After formulation, all, the Netziv presents us with a whatever his intentions, those in need hadrather unsettling scenario. When Israel been helped. misbehaves in the Land, G•d leaves, and the People soon follow. HaShem will "And that was when I decided to help others remain with His People • notwithstanding in need," he concluded. their "impure" conduct • even in exile. ### However, should they decide to return to The Kotzker asked: "How is it that Moshe the Land, they will have erred if they broke the first Luchot, but did not break the believe HaShem will automatically join second ones?" He answered: "The difference them. Indeed, if there is no tum'a, HaShem is that the first Luchot were given gladly by returns. If however, chas v'shalom, Hashem to Moshe, and he did not have tothat is not the case, HaShem simply waits exert any effort to acquire them, whileuntil it is so. Of course, as the Rambam Moshe had to work hard to carve the second tells us, there is an aspect of the Sh'china Luchot and to inscribe the letters on them. that has never left Har HaBayit. But for the What we learn from this is that anythingfull Presence of HaShem to return, the given as a gift is much more People easily must first merit the Divine discarded, and that is why Moshe was able homecoming with deeds cleansed of to smash the first Luchot." immoral and vile behavior. Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series forThe author of the B'nai Yisaschar observes ArtScroll: Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch ofthat the parshiyot of Matot and Mas'ei Wisdom, A Touch of Wit; and "Wisdom and Wit" invariably — fall out during the three weeks available at your local Jewish bookstore (or should be). Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder prior to Tisha B'Av. This is no coincidence. Inter alia, these Torah portions, in their discussions of Eretz Yisrael as our sacred [4] CHIZUK and IDUD inheritance, give us the chizuk we need to for Olim & not•yet•Olim respectively survive this difficult period of Towards the end of the book of Bamidbar, semi•mourning. But equally so, there are we hear HaShem warning us in rather clear p'sukim that clearly challenge and remind language, "Do not contaminate the Land in us that the gift of the Land is not which you've settled, in which I dwellunconditional. Implicit in the verses quoted because I am HaShem who dwells above in is some harsh rebuke. Is our Israel" (Bamidbar 35:34). behavior here in Israel keeping the Sh'china away? Is all machloket Rashi comments that G•d is admonishinglegitimate? Is our discourse civil, our speech cleansed of lashon hara? Are wereally take a stand against these women, so honest; are we vindictive? How prevalent with him as the leader, the Jewish army is sinat chinam? would have the merit necessary to win. Indeed, we have, B'H, returned to our2) The Kli Yakar teaches that the tribe of patrimony, but has the Sh'china followed? Gad had more animals than Reuven, as These three weeks require that we address indicated by the previous verse where it ourselves to this painful question. It is mentioned a VERY STRONG (ATZUM time for deep introspection and t'shuva. We M'OD) in relation to the pressing needs of can only pray we find the courage andGad. Thus, since they were in need of this inspiration to do so and act upon it. Theland more than Reuven, they were Land still sits "as a widow." It's time thatmentioned first. this Tish'a b'Av be our last mournful one! 3) The S'forno explains that this list comes Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld, Jerusalem to teach us the merit the Jews had to enter the Land of Israel. They followed G•D and THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for entered a desert in which they had to travel publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a through all these locations. In that merit, they entered Israel. Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi [5] Parsha Points to Ponder Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and is the MATOT•MAS'EI author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith" 1) Why did Moshe send Pinchas to lead the (Feldheim) and "TIMEOUT: Sports Stories as a Jews in their battle against Midian and not Game Plan for Spiritual Success" recently Yehoshua who was his newly crownedreleased by Devora Publishing. [email protected] successor (31:6)? [6] 2) Why does the Torah mention the tribe of Gad before the tribe of Reuven when describing their request to live on the other side of the Jordan, considering the fact that Reuven was the firstborn (32:2)? 3) Why does the Torah list the places by Rakel Berenbaum where the Jews traveled in the desert FEEDback to [email protected] (33:1)? What lesson can we learn from this? Nedarim and Revenge POSSIBLE ANSWERS... Against Midian Ponder the questions first, then read here This past Shabbat was the first Friday night that we ate at my daughter's 1) The Ohr HaChayim answers that Moshe house. I asked my son•in•law for a did not want there to be any possibility of book about the Parsha and among the G•D punishing the Jewish army for their books he handed to me was, MEIN having succumbed to the temptations of the BEIT HASHOEVA, by Rabbi Shimon Midianite women when they seduced theShwab, the former Rav of Kehilat Jewish men. Pinchas was the only one toADATH YESHURUN in New York's Washington Heights. I enjoyed learning they were instructed to kill all the males from this big book with large print and and only 12,000 Jewish soldiers went with very nice ideas on the parsha.to fight against the 5 kings of Midian This week's portion on the portionand all their battalions. Midian had a comes from what I read in that book. large army as can be gleaned from the number of females under the age of 3 This weeks portion begins (30:2•17) that were taken as captives from with the topic of vows NEDARIM and Midian (23,000 young girls) (31:35). oaths, SH'VU'OT. If a person vows to The nation would have wanted to make G•d to do or not to do something vows and oaths before such a relating to an object, or makes an oath dangerous war. Even the women that he himself will refrain from doing would make vows, hoping it would help something or will do something, he is their husbands or fathers win in battle. obligated to uphold what he promises • With so many people apt to make vows LO YACHEIL D'VARO, K'CHOL at this time in history • the Torah chose HAYOZEI MIPIV YA'ASEH. The verses to clarify the laws of vows. elaborate what to do if a female makes a vow while she is still a girl in herIf already one makes a vow, then they father's house, or if she is betrothed, or must know how careful they must be if she is a widow or divorcee, or about a upholding it. It is better not to married woman in her husband'smake a promise at all then to promise house. something and not keep it. We must be careful about what comes out of our Right after all these laws (31:2) the mouth. verses talk about the command to take revenge against the Midianites. What is This week's recipe is for all those who the connection between these twohave vowed to be on a diet and didn't topics? And why does the Torah start make a vow not to eat desert. It is for a off with the topic of vows? And why so dietetic desert so they can stick to their many verses about vows made diets. by Most recipes for apple rings use women? sugar • this one does not. Rav Shwab says that it was a common practice in the olden days that before a SPICED APPLE RINGS battle people would make a vow, toWITHOUT SUGAR prohibit something on themselves or to 4 cinnamon sticks (each 10cm long) promise something to G•d. This is what we read about in the haftara of a few 2 tsp. whole cloves weeks ago (Shoftim 11:30•31) , where 2 tsp. whole allspice Yiftach HaGiladi, before going out to battle with Bnei Amon made a vow and 6 cups apple juice promised that if he was successful in 2 liters water battle he would give to G•d the first thing that came out of his house to1 Tbsp. lemon juice great him. 1 Tbsp. salt It would make sense then, that Bnei8 lg. or 12 sm. baking apples Yisrael made vows before the war 1¼ to 1½ tsp. almond extract against Midian. This was a war where Tie up spices in a piece of dampened our example) where the semen sample cheesecloth. Bring apple juice andmight not immediately be used to produce spices to a boil. Lower heat a andpregnancy. simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. One posek recently wrote a halachic Core apples; cut crosswise into half•opinion that single men are not allowed to inch circular slices. In a large bowl mix freeze sperm because obtaining a sample together water, lemon juice and salt.compromises Torah prohibitions. An Place apple slices in lemon solution.unmarried male, he reasoned, is not (With large apples, you can cut theactively obligated with the mitzva of P'RU pieces in half, if you want.) URVU (procreation) because he currently Drain about a fifth of the apple sliceshas no way to fulfill this obligation. He is and drop them into the boiling spicedtherefore exempt from the mitzva and apple juice. Cook just until cannot they utilize the exception allowing for become wilted. Store cooked slices in the production of a sperm sample. glass jars. Add a bit of almond extract This is, however, an unusual position and to each jar; cover with hot juice.is disputed by the vast majority of poskim. Continue till all the apple slices areAccording to the dissenting opinion, a man cooked. becomes obligated to do all the mitzvot at the age of 13, even though he may not be [7] From Machon PUAH practically able to do so until some further time. As such, marriage is simply the Fertility Preservation and preparation and method by which he P'RU URVU becomes able to fulfill this mitzva which has been his obligation to perform since Last week we introduced the subject ofachieving manhood at his Bar Mitzva. fertility preservation, wherein a terminal patient facing treatments that may renderAccordingly, even a single boy (at least 13 him/her infertile store genetic materials for years old) is obliged in the mitzva of future use. We considered the halachichaving children and any sperm sample question as to the permissibility produced of by him is considered to be done performing fertility preservation with anso within the framework of this mitzva. In unmarried male cancer patient. this case there is therefore no significant difference between single and married men The initial opinion to permit the procedure and both are permitted to produce sperm is based upon the fact that fertilitysamples for preservation and future use. preservation can be considered part of the therapeutic process. This week we willIn conclusion, although there is a minority discuss another approach to this issue. opinion that disallows the practice in the case of single men, most authorities permit According to halacha, married men arefertility preservation for single men and all permitted to produce a sample even when authorities permit it for married men. the sample is obtained with a method that may possibly transgress halacha. This isNEXT: Supervision & Male Fertility permitted because a married man's sample Preservation is produced within the framework The of Puah Institute for Fertility and Gynecology in procreation (i.e. for the purpose Accordance of with Halacha is based in Jerusalem and impregnating his wife) even in a case (as in helps couples from all over the world who are experiencing fertility problems. Puah offers [10] free Gimatriya counseling in five languages, halachic supervision, and educational programs. Puah has offices in New York, Matot and Mas'ei are the most•often Los Angeles and Paris. To contact the Puah Institute combined of the 7 pairs of double•sedras. please call 1•800•071111 in Israel or in the Their US first p'sukim are Gimatriya Twins 718•336•0603. website: www.puahonline.org ### [8] Pirkei Avot • second perek It is forbidden to redeem a sacred animal by "transferring" its sanctity to another Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai receivedanimal. It doesn't work • as stated in the [the tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. following pasuk: "He shall not alter it, nor He used to say: If you have learned much change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a Torah, take no special credit for yourself, good; and if he shall at all change beast for for it was for this that you were created. beast, then it and the exchange of it shall be Let's take this mishna in two direction. holy" (Vayikra 27:10). This is the prohibition of T'MURA. The first sacred First, notice that Rabban Yochanan animal b. remains sacred, and the second Zakkai tells the Torah•learning personanimal becomes sacred too. (Talmid Chacham? Matmid? What might we refer to him as?) that he must not take That the second one becomes Kodesh can special credit for his learning. He does not be seen as a result of a NEDER of sorts; tell the rest of us not to give such a person even though the person's goal was not credit. Only the person himself should not achieved, he did consecrate the second boast. We are required by the Torah to give animal • and he must keep his word, as it the Talmid Chacham respect. To stand for says: "If a man vows a vow to G•d, or him. To cling to him so that we may learn swears an oath to bind his soul with a more Torah. And, it can be argued, thatbond; he shall not break his word, he shall when we honor such a person, he shoulddo according to all that proceeds out of his not refuse the honor, based on the teaching mouth" (Bamidbar 30:3). of this mishna. But rather, his acceptance These 2 p'sukim are Gimatriya Twins. of due honor is Kavod HaTorah and it serves as a lesson for us in Yir'at HaShem. (On the other hand, a Talmid Chacham[11] Person in the Parsha must be very careful not to improperlyby Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb profit from his status and achievements.) The other idea is that we can apply the"Honesty and Integrity" mishna to other areas of Jewish excellence. Every so often, I come across a sentence of A great chazan, a tremendous Baal Chesed, another person's writing which expresses an outstanding teacher... none should patone of my own thoughts in a language far themselves on the back • this is why theysuperior to my own. Over the years, I have were created. contemplated and written about the concepts of "honesty" and "integrity" and [9] MicroUlpan In honor of the the difference between the two. But never Maccabiah Games... In soccer, the center was I able to articulate their precise forward and the center back are the definitions and the difference between CHALUTZ MERKAZI and the BALAM, them as cogently and as concisely as in the respectively. following passage from Stephen Covey'swoman, young or old, simpleton or scholar, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: utters a commitment, he or she is duty•bound to honor that commitment. "Integrity includes but goes beyond "Motza sefatecha tishmor ve'asita. That honesty. Honesty is...conforming our which your lips express must be honored words to reality. Integrity is conforming and performed." reality to our words •• in other words, keeping promises and As fulfilling helpful as is Covey's succinct definition expectations. This requires an integratedof "integrity", it is also deceptively simple. character, a oneness, primarily with self but There is so much more that we need to also with life." know about integrity. And about "honesty", for that matter. Honesty for Covey, and I for one heartily agree, is the virtue describing realityFor one thing, honesty and integrity are not exactly as it is, of telling the truth. In thisjust descriptors of individual persons' day and age, when there is so muchcharacters. Rather, they are social values, confusion as to whether or not there even is which ideally should define the essence of such a thing as truth, it is refreshing to see human communities and entire societies. the place of honesty restored to the list of From a Jewish perspective, "honesty" and important human virtues. "integrity" cannot be restricted to individual paragons of virtue, saints and For Judaism, truth, EMET, is more than holy men, but must become universal just a virtue. It is one of the three cultural norms. fundamental principles, along with justice and peace, upon which the world stands. In This is why the laws of vows, unlike all the the words of the Talmud, "The signature of other laws of the Torah, are explicitly the Holy one, blessed be He, is truth." given to rashei hamatot, the chieftains of the tribes. It is to emphasize that the So rare is the man of truth that legend has sanctity of speech is not just a goal for a the aged Diogenes searching for him with few spiritually•gifted individuals. It must lanterns. But as rare as the trait of honesty be enunciated as one of the essential mores is, the trait of integrity is even more of the entire tribe. difficult to find. The Talmud relates the story of an Integrity is the ability not only to say what immortal community, a legendary village you mean, but to mean what you say. that knew not death. This was because no Following Covey, it is the quality of one there ever lied. This idyllic existence conforming one's actions to one's words, of came to an abrupt end, however, when a reliably following through on one's young person, eager to protect the privacy commitment. It is more than the ability to of his parent, told an inquiring visitor that make things happen. It is making your own his parent was not home. A harmless and promises happen! well•intentioned remark, common to us all. This week's double Torah portion,A white lie, perhaps, but a lie nevertheless, Matot•Mas'ei, opens with a lengthy andand one which ruined forever the eternal intricate discussion of the concepts of "the life of that fabled village. vow" Biblical teachings insist that the Yet another lesson about keeping our word words we express must be taken very that is taught in the opening verses of this seriously; indeed, we are taught that our week's Torah portion (Bamidbar 30:1•17). words are sacred. Once a person, man or Sometimes, we overextend ourselves and to keep. make promises that we cannot possiblyJudaism teaches us the primary importance keep. In moments of extreme urgency, or of keeping our word. But it does not lose sublime inspiration, we are wont to express sight of our human frailties and limitations commitments that are beyond our capacity and recognizes that often it is not moral to fulfill. failure that explains our lack of integrity, Can a vow thus expressed be annulled?but simple human weakness, hopefully rare The Torah, ever practical, answers "!yes!", and surely forgiven by God. and describes some of the proceduresIntegrity is a cherished value for the designed to release a person from his or her society at large. The acknowledgement of vows. The Talmud, in an entire tractatehuman limitations in maintaining integrity devoted to this topic, specifies must the be accepted. These are two important circumstances and conditions under which and timely lessons from this week's Torah such a release can be obtained. portion. Most well•known among the "ceremonies" releasing us from our personal vows and [12] Torah in Nature see next page promises is the Kol Nidrei prayer which ushers in our most hallowed day, Yom Kippur. Not really a prayer in the ordinary [13] Divrei Menachem sense, Kol Nidrei is a statement in which Parshat Matot reveals interesting insights we declare our past vows null and void.that, at first glance, are hidden from us. Two This custom is experienced by many asinstances revolve around Hashem's strange and as an offense to the value ofinstruction to Moshe to, "Avenge the integrity. But I personally have alwaysChildren of Israel against the Midianites," found that it reinforces the role of integrity after which Moshe would be gathered unto in my life and in the lives of all of us who his people (B'midbar 31:2). live in the "real world" First, when Moshe repeats this directive to During the entire year, you and I makethe people, he does not refer to Israel's many commitments and resolutions. With vengeance; instead, he alludes to, "the the noblest of motives, we promise things vengeance of the Eternal against Midian". In to our loved ones, verbally establisha powerful message Rashi explains that this objectives to improve the world around us, variant usage indicates that any affront to or simply vow to lose weight, Israel stop is equivalent to an assault on G•d smoking, or start exercising. As the yearhimself. wears on, situations change, priorities shift, Then we are told that, "Of every tribe, a and we ourselves become different. Atthousand [soldiers] were delivered... least one time each year, on Yom Kippur, equipped for war." Why the passive tense? we realize how unrealistic we were andWhy not say that each tribe provided 1000 that we erred in our assessment of what we soldiers? Here Rashi expounds poignantly could accomplish. And so, we ask that the that while Moshe perceived the people as Almighty release us from these impossible ready to stone him (ibid 27:14), Bnei Yisrael and often no longer relevant commitments, were, in fact, so reluctant to witness Moshe's and begin with Divine help a new slate,impending death that the soldiers had to be hoping that the next time we makedragged a out of the tribes in order to promise, it will be one that we will be able implement their mission. Clearly, these types of deep•rootedcould ultimately sever the bonds between relationships between G•d and Israel, andthem. Moshe and his people, are so profound that Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff not even the greatest iniquities of the people Meet the Malleefowl ...stocky ground•dwelling southern Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken... In winter, the male selects an area of ground... and scrapes a depression about 3 m. across and just under a meter deep in the sandy soil by raking backwards with his feet. In late winter and early spring, he begins to collect organic material to fill it with... sticks, leaves, bark... and then covers all with a layer of sand... After rain, he turns and mixes the material to encourage decay and, if conditions allow, digs an egg chamber... the female usually lays between September and February, provided there has been enough rain to start organic decay of the litter. The male continues to maintain the nest•mound, gradually adding more soil to the mix as the summer approaches (presumably to regulate the temperature)... Malleefowl are thought to mate for life... female lays a clutch of anywhere from 2 or 3 to over 30 large, thin•shelled eggs... usually about a week apart... Incubation time depends on temperature and can be anywhere from 50•100 days. Hatchlings use their strong feet to break out of the egg, then lie on their backs and scratch their way to the surface, struggling hard... reaching the surface takes 2•15 hrs. Chicks pop out of the nesting material... take a deep breath and open their eyes... the chick then quickly emerges from the hole... disappearing into the scrub within moments... Chicks have no contact with adults or other chicks... Thank you Tasya for sending the link to zootorah.com • Rabbi Natan Slifkin's fantastically interesting and informative website (specifically, one of his blog pages) From the Zoo Rabbi, we went to the web for further details...

(great camouflage E)

Towards better Davening and Torah Learning NO COLUMN THIS ISSUE well•marked to facilitate the escape to them of one who committed a homicide, regardless of the level of his cupability x Cow with the horns stands for the rare (this once only) occurrence x Father/daughter; husband/wife. of the TROP called KARNEI PARA The pairs involved in HAFARAT x Big rock under the sword is TZUR, NEDARIM the name of one of the late x Five crowns + one with a sword Midyanite kings. the under them refers to the five mathematically incorrect kings and Bil'am who saw their statement, that a quarter is equal end during the battle against to a fifth. A quarter is REVA, one Midyan of the five kings (1/5) killed in the x Face•to•face sheep, cows,Midyanite battle donkeys represent the even split x logo of YOTVATA; choir for of the spoils of war from Midyan, MAK•HEILATA; Lulav for SUKKOT; between the army and the people dreidel for CHASHMONA, x Pot of gold refers to the pomegranate with P for Rimon contribution of the officers of the Peretz • all names of places of battle in thanks to G•d for the encampment zero casualty rate x Another Chatan•Kalla x 5, x Pyramids, the many arrows, and representing the daughters of the , of course, Zelofchad who marry distant stand for the travels of the people cousins to solve the old "land from Exodus to Eretz Yisrael going from one tribe to another tribe" problem x The quill refers to the Torah's statement that Moshe wrote down x 2K over the U with a little the travelog of Bnei Yisrael attachment is a partner of the cow with the horns. ALPAYIM x The map above the Pyramids with (2K=2000) BA'AMA from a big 3 on each side of the Jordan Bamidbar 35:5 is the phrase with River refers to the Cities ofthe rarest TROP marks • YERECH Refuge to be designated in Eretz BEN YOMO under ALPAYIM and Yisrael KARNEI PARA over the word x The scales of justice are for the BA'AMA. careful attention that the courts must pay in cases of homicideTTRIDDLES... are Torah Tidbits•style (the example from this week'sriddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the sedra) in determining culpability calendar). They are found in the hard•copy of of the guilty party TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions x The road sign to Hebron is one of of TT, they are found all together at the end of the requirements for Cities the of ParshaPix•TTriddles section. The best Refuge (of which Hevron is one). solution set submitted each week (there isn't Roads to them must be always a best) wins a double prize a CD frombrother is to carry his name, then the issue is a Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, male child and whether the man had a daughter or book, etc.) from Big Deal. not might be irrelevant. This would result in UVEIN TTriddles are scattered through the hard copy of EIN LO meaning exactly the same in both contexts • Torah Tidbits and are listed in the email andsomething that would not surprise us. The fact • web versions. They are in the order in whichone we learn unequivocally from the Oral Law, is they are found in the hard copy, but that not BEN in the YIBUM context is inclusive. To necessarily in the order in which they wereinterpret it exclusively would be to permit a originally conceived. In the wild, they forbidden are relationship (woman with her husband's sometimes overlooked. If you are interested, go page by page and keep your eyes peeled. brother) and potentially produce mamzeirim • rather than fulfilling a mitzva. Last issue’s (PiNCHAS) TTriddles: [2] But was he good or bad? [1] Same phrase • exclusive here and This refers to one of Naftali's sons, YEITZER. The inclusive in Ki Teitzei TTriddle question translates to whether he was a YEITER TOV or a YEITZER RA. In Parshat Pinchas, we find the Jewish Laws of Inheritance. Actually, the mitzva according [3] to A part of Menashe's family Rambam and the Sefer HaChinuch is in Pinchas,Menashe's son was MACHIR, whose son was GIL'AD, with various details found elsewhere in the Torah. In who had many sons, including CHEILEK who was a setting down who inherits from a person, the Torah part of Menashe's family and whose name means implies • without actually stating it • that sons"part". He was a brother of CHEIFER and uncle of inherit. If there are no sons, then daughters inherit. Tz'lofchad, as well as the great•uncle (or The phrase that introduces this rule is UVEIN EIN granduncle • both terms are acceptable, but notice LO (if a man dies and he has no son • BEN). This that great•uncle is hyphenated or even two phrase occurs only in one other context, that ofseparate words, whereas granduncle is one word • YIBUM in Parshat Ki Teitzei. There we find • When just thought you'd like to know that) of the five brothers live together and one of them dies, UVEIN daughters of Tz'lofchad. EIN LO, and he has no BEN, then his wife shall not be permitted to marry just anyone, but rather her [4] first cousins, twice removed • namesakes YAVAM (her deceased husband's brother) takes her but one has variant for a wife... [The relationship that is established between his wife and his brother upon his death is N'MU'EIL is one of the sons of Shimon. One of either consumated with YIBUM or severed Reuven's by sons, PALU had a son named ELIAV. His CHALITZA • here is not the place for any furtherthree named sons are the infamous DATAN and details.] The noteworthy detail here • which makes AVIRAM and the less known and hopefully a source this a serious TTriddle • is that the word BEN inof NACHAS for the family, N'MU'EIL. Shimon's Parshat Pinchas is exclusive, meaning son, maleN'MU'EIL and Reuven's PALU are first cousins; child, whereas in Ki Teitzei the term is inclusive,Palu's grandson N'MU'EIL is a first cousin twice meaning son or daughter, i.e. offspring. In Pinchas, removed to Shimon's N'MU'EIL. As far as Shimon's there is no ambiguity with the term BEN, since it is N'MU'EIL is concerned, he was Shimon's firstborn followed by specifically mentioning BAT, daughter. and is called N'MU'EIL in Bamidbar (Parshat BEN cannot be other than exclusively the malePinchas) and in Divrei HaYamim but is called child. But in Ki Teitzei, the term is definitelyY'MU'EIL in B'reishit and Sh'mot. ambiguous. One could think that if the Torah says that the B'CHOR born to the man's wife and his [5]Discombobulated miracle•soot Parshat Pinchas. YYW, who solved most of this week's TTriddles, added that the location of Sgt. Miracle is NEIS (NUN•SAMACH). Soot is PI'ACHPreston also alludes to one of GAD's sons, TZ'FON. (PEI•YUD•CHET). Discombobulated means thrown Sgt. Preston was a TZ'FONI, a northerner. His horse into a state of confusion, i.e. mixed up. When the was Rex and his dog was King, the smartest lead letters of NEIS and PI'ACH are discombobulated just sled dog in all the world. right, you get PINCHAS. [9] When he left the ark, he got into the [6] They had Tz'lofchad and what in lottery common? When NO'ACH (NUN•CHET) left the ark, he got into THEY are his daughters, MACHLA, NO'A, CHOGLA, the lottery. The well•known lottery in Israel is called MILKA, and TIRTZA. (By the way, the daughters are PAYIS (PEI• YUD•SAMACH). If you move the SAMACH named three times in Bamidbar and once in theaway from the PEI•YUD to make room for NO'ACH, book of Yehoshua. In Parshat Pinchas, they arethe result is PINCHAS. The was a wordplay, as was named twice, and in the above order. When they are [5]. listed at the end of Parshat Mas'ei, their order is MACHLA, TIRTZA, CHOGLA, MILKA, and NO'A. TIRTZA and NO'A switch places and the other three This week's TTriddles: hold their places. In Yehoshua, the order is the[1] No'ach around the house? same as in Pinchas.) And what do these special women have in common besides their father? All [2] Epsilon Ceti B II their names end in the letter HEI. So what? Sew[3] Hebrew, Hartford, Hereford, Hampshire buttons, as we used to say. It's just a TTriddle. [4] 08•635•7444 [7] This one is topped even in a Sefer Torah [5] The most specifik of the encampments The letter VAV, when it serves as a CHOLOM, as in the word SHALOM, is topped with a dot. In a Sefer [6] The friendly brother places Torah, there are no vowels, so all the CHOLOMs[7] He gets land; his namesake doesn't (and SHURUKs) look just like VAVs. However, there are Scribal Traditions about dots above certain[8] Did he mix up the Yom Tov on Motza"Sh letters in the Torah. One such example is the procedure? second VAV of the word V'ISARON, and a tenth of a [9] 3rd of 3 in a row, earlier in Va'eira measure of flour accompanying each lamb in the [10] Same day half ruby Ohio Musaf sacrifices on the first day of Sukkot • Bamidbar 29:15. In a printed Chumash, that[11] One a day for August and September CHOLOM is topped by two dots, one of which also occurs in a Sefer Torah. This could be the only CHOLOM that appears so in a Torah scroll. [8] Need a mounty? Call Sgt. Preston Doubtful that the original Sgt. Preston of the Yukon is still around. What were the names of his horse and dog? Tell you later. In order to call this mountie or any mountie in the Yukon Territory, or anyone at all in the Yukon Territory, you need to dial the area code 867, matching our TT issue number for