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Volume 27 VAYIKRA No. 23 SHABBAT ROSH CHODESH NISAN PARASHAT HACHODESH Daf Hashavua

21 March 2015 • 1 Nisan 5775 Shabbat ends in London at 7.02 pm Artscroll p.544 Maftir p.348 Haftarah p.1218 Hertz p.409 Maftir p.253 Haftarah p.1001 Soncino p.605 Maftir p.386 Haftarah p.1195

Journeys with The Book of Shmuel (Samuel 1) Chapter 3 the Prophets: by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, New West End United Synagogue Part 22

Summary: During the night, Shmuel heard a the previous chapter stated that Eli had indeed voice calling out his name. He thought Eli rebuked them (ibid. 2:23-25). Rabbi David wanted something, so he ran to attend him. Kimche (d. 1235) explains that Eli initially had Yet the voice was not Eli’s. This happened a the authority to stop them but waited too second and third time, after which Eli long for his words to be effective. Had he understood that it was G-d rebuked them at the time calling to Shmuel and in- that their behaviour was structed him to respond. G-d first reported, he could have relayed a prophecy to inspired them to repent. Shmuel which described the Rabbi Avraham Sorotzkin downfall of Eli and his (in his commentary Rinat family. Yitzchak) explains that Eli A Deeper Look: Eli had two did not want to embarrass sons, Chofni and Pinchas, his sons in public. When who were responsible for carrying out the a person sins in private, he should be ad- offerings in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Yet monished in private, but if the sin is public they abused their position of authority by one must admonish him in public. misappropriating more than their fair share This was a grave mistake on Eli’s part, due to of the sacrificial meat (Shmuel I 2:12-17) the very public desecration of G-d’s name and indulging in promiscuity (ibid 2:22). () that his sons had caused. There is a command to rebuke those Their behaviour had brought the religious who are breaking Jewish law (Vayikra 19:17). establishment into disrepute. Nothing short of Even though Eli was a righteous man, he public castigation would suffice to limit the was punished for not admonishing his sons damage. in a fitting manner (Shmuel I 3:13). While This tragedy would not only leave the young this responsibility is restricted to certain prophet Shmuel to take charge of the Mishkan individuals and circumstances, Eli was cer- and lead the Jewish people. An ominous war tainly in a position to reprimand his sons. with the Philistines was also brewing, threat- Yet there appears to be an inconsistency, as ening to jeopardise the people and their Land. A Fan of the Almighty by Rabbi Joseph Kaye University Jewish Chaplaincy, Associate Chaplain for university students on the South Coast

As a Manchester United fan, I have a sin to Rabbi Shimson Rafael Hirsch (d. confess. I am in debt to their local rivals 1888) explains the words of the Manchester City. You are probably thinking verse “and they [man] will bring that I have committed a serious offence. How down” (Bereishit 1:25) to mean could I stoop so low? that man must ‘bring the Heavens down’ to earth. We need A few years ago, even though I am a United to make our world as spiritual as possible. fan, I went to watch Manchester City play in The best way to do this is to use the physical the Champions League. While I was there, I had world for meaningful purposes. The offerings a paradigm shift. I felt I was watching a group display this concept. We take an offering that of adult men running around in pyjamas, is totally physical and we offer it in the chasing a football. I asked holiest place in the world. That myself a question: if these same is why it has a “pleasant smell people were playing in a park, for G-d” (e.g. Vayikra 1:13) – would I spend my time and we are using His world in the money to watch them? right way. The Almighty is In all honesty, I would not. totally meaningful. So the more What is it that draws thousands meaning we experience in of people to part with their hard our lives, the more we become earned cash to watch their team play? like the Almighty. That makes you a fan. Why become a fan of the Almighty? We pehaps feel a need to cling to a force greater than ourselves, for example a football Two people can experience the same thing team, a singer or a celebrity. We really would and come out of that experience completely love to be in their shoes, but usually we cannot. differently. It depends upon the meaning So we take the second best option. We give that they attach to the experience. The them our time, money and energy to be ultimate truth and reality in this world is connected to them, to become their fans. By the Almighty. The greater our connection to doing so, we feel that we are growing and Him, the more our lives shift from a form of contributing to our life and society through illusion to reality. We start to see and following their ‘growth and contribution’. experience life like Him and make better decisions. So by becoming a fan of the It is easy to live other people’s lives, to become Almighty, you are the one who gains – you get their fans. Some elements of contemporary to play your own game of life. society do not encourage people to feel good If we want to become fans of the greatest about themselves. We can be spectators to force in life, then we need to experience more other people playing the game of life, instead pleasure by bringing more meaning into our of playing our own game. lives through the guide that the Almighty This week’s sidrah (Vayikra) is all about gave us, the Torah. That is a central message becoming a fan of the Almighty, through the behind the offerings. Make His reality our Temple offerings. What is the message of the reality, become like Him and join the offerings? Almighty’s fan club. 70 Days for Reflecting Back 70 Years by Rabbi Andrew Shaw, Community Development Rabbi, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue and Director of US Living & Learning and US Futures

There have been many highlights during the the Nazis and replacing it with that person’s 70 days for 70 years project. These include the name. emotional launch in London with survivor In some ways this follows Rabbi Lau’s idea Lily Ebert, who inspired us with her cry of perfectly, of moving from ‘death to life’. ‘Am Yisrael Chai ’ and the numerous Obviously we cannot bring the dead back initiatives of thousands of people who took to to life. However, by living what they lived Facebook and Twitter to let us know how and died for, and learning in their memory, they were being touched by the project. as we are doing for 70 days, we have in However, the memory that stands out for me some way made their memory live on in us. so far is the words of Holocaust survivor and former Chief There is a custom to make a siyum, a Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yisrael celebratory meal, upon the Meir Lau, at the project completion of a set por- launch in Jerusalem tion of Jewish learning. Most commonly a He spoke passionately about siyum is made the project and made a powerful upon finishing a tractate of . statement at the end of his address which can We recite two Aramaic words after com- be summarised as follows: “We have to pleting the tractate, ‘Hadran alach’, meaning honour the past, because we have to promise ‘we shall return to you’. This is a powerful the future exactly like we hope will emerge message – as soon as a Jew finishes their from the festival that ends the 70 days – learning, they vow to return to their learn- Pesach – which is a celebration not only of ing, to continue the journey, to capitalise emerging from slavery to freedom but also upon the momentum already achieved. from death to life”. (If you have not seen his speech, it is on the 70 days for 70 years In connection to the 70 days project, there You Tube channel.) is also a global message – we here in the UK will soon be finishing our 70 days; but Soon it will be Seder night. We will sit around across Europe and South Africa they are just our table and hear the four questions that beginning. When they finish, Australia and we have been asking for millennia. As Jews New Zealand will begin. When they finish, we have always asked questions. Some have parts of the USA and Canada will start. been mundane, others central to our The learning and the remembrance will existence and survival. Today we can ask continue throughout 2015. another one – what have we achieved with this project? This answer is self-evident. We Thank you for taking part in this monumental have undertaken the monumental task of project, which has truly remembered the past. learning in memory of another Jew, thus I hope and pray that it has also helped to reclaiming a ‘number’ assigned to a Jew by build the future, the Jewish future, our future. An in-Depth Margarine and Misconceptions: Part 3 look at Kashrut by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz, KLBD

Previous articles detailed the Rabbinic common enough in their day to negate the enactment of Marit Ayin. This is a general rule of Marit Ayin. Rabbinic enactment which prohibits taking Today, popular and familiar daily staples actions which are permitted according to the such as margarine, soy products, non-dairy letter of the Law, but nevertheless give creamers, parev ice creams and whipped onlookers the impression of doing something desserts are commonplace. Therefore, the halachically forbidden. vast majority of Rabbinic authorities rule However, we saw an important exception to that there is no longer a Marit Ayin issue this rule, first legislated by Rabbi Yonatan with these products at all. In this day and Eibeshutz (d. 1764). Any time that the age, who would suspect an obser- questionable object (or action) vant Jew of eating milk or ice becomes commonplace, Marit cream after eating meat, Ayin no longer applies, as instead of assuming that suspicion will no longer be the alternative is aroused. This basis for being being used? lenient in cases of Marit Ayin Although other authorities has been widely accepted by maintain that it is still pref- contemporary Rabbinic authorities as erable to exercise caution, since well. They have debated exactly how the dairy versions are more common, and common the item/action has to be in order that therefore one should ideally keep the to be entitled to this exemption. container or wrapper on the table at the time of eating, nevertheless they essentially agree There was a famous dispute recorded in the to this principle. This explains why nowadays 19th century , between Rabbi Baruch Eckfeld many do not even think twice about (d. 1891) and Rabbi Chaim Mordechai “buttering” their sandwich with margarine or Ya’akov Gottlieb (d.1867) regarding some enjoying a coffee with non-dairy “milk”, even novel egg-based pareve desserts served at after a meaty meal. a wedding, which looked remarkably dairy- like. Although both Rabbis agreed with Although the creator of margarine never got Rabbi Eibeshutz’s approach, they disagreed to see its widespread fame, we enjoy it at as to whether such desserts were considered will, with full culinary and halachic rein.

United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue, together with US Living & Learning Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor in Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Richard Marcus on 020 8343 5685, or [email protected] If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected]