Lubavitch, Aventura South

PARSHAT SHELACH

The Torah Portion in a Nutshell: sends spies to and all of them – except and - bring back frightening reports. On The Lighter Side The people react fearfully and rebelliously. G-d decrees a forty year delay until the will enter Canaan, during which time all males between the ages of twenty and sixty will perish. Many Israelites then Clerics of three different attempt to “go it alone” to Canaan, but are cut down by the Canaanites. Various laws are discussed: liba‑ religions are discussing tions, giving part of the dough to a Kohain (challah), certain sin sacrifices, and tzitzit. A Jew is found dese‑ when life begins. crating the Sabbath and is executed One says: “In our reli‑ Minority Truths By Rabbi Yossy Goldman gion, life begins at con‑ ception.” In democracies as well as in Jewish Law, majority majority of Jews today are not religious. So you reli‑ Another says: “We disa‑ rules. A beit din (court of Torah law) must always gious Jews must come over to our way of thinking!” gree. We believe that life consist of an odd number of judges, so that there The Chafetz Chaim replied with a story. should always be a majority opinion. “Recently, I had occasion to be traveling by coach back begins when the fetus is But the fact is, sometimes the majority gets it wrong. home from an important trip. En route, the coachman viable outside the moth‑ The story in this week’s Torah reading, of the twelve distributed generous helpings of vodka to his passen‑ er’s womb.” spies sent by Moses to the , is a case in gers to keep them warm and content. The coachman, The rabbi responds: “You point. too, helped himself to much more vodka than he both are wrong. In our Only two of the dozen, Joshua and Caleb, remained should have. religion, life begins when faithful to their leader, to the purpose of their mission “When we came to a crossroads, there was confusion and to G‑d’s assurance that it was a good land. The as to which way to turn. Most people argued that the the kids graduate college other ten spies went awry. left road was the correct path. I was one of the only and the dog dies.” The spies were sent on a reconnaissance mission to sober passengers on board, and I knew without a shad‑ determine how best to approach the coming conquest ow of a doubt that we needed to take the road to the of the land of Canaan. Instead of doing what they right. So I ask you, my friend, should I too have fol‑ Special Shabbat Info were sent to do—to suggest the best way forward— lowed the majority? They were hopelessly drunk and Blessing of the new month ten of the twelve spies brought back a negative report their was judgment impaired. Thank G‑d, I prevailed.” Tammuz that was designed to intimidate the people and dis‑ All too often, the values and judgment calls of “the New moon courage them from entering a ferocious “land that world” are simply wrong. No matter how outnum‑ Shabbat 8:33 17/18 devours its inhabitants,” and which signed off with bered moral people may be, we will continue to follow Rosh Chodesh the categorical conclusion that “we cannot ascend.” the path of decency and sanity. Shabbat & Sunday The people responded accordingly. They cried out to We Jews have never played the numbers game. Al‑ Moses, lamenting their very departure from Egypt. So ways, we have been the smallest of nations. We are G‑d decreed that this generation was not worthy of known not for our majority, but for our morals. His precious Promised Land. Furthermore, this day of Not so long ago—I think it was at the time of the ficti‑ weeping, on which they cried for no good reason, tious Jenin “massacre”—Kofi Anan questioned, “Can it would become a day of tears for generations. Indeed, be that the whole world is wrong and Israel is right?” our sages explain, this occurred on the Ninth of , Guess what. He was spot-on. The whole world was the day that would become a day of mourning for the wrong and Israel was right. There simply was no mas‑ destruction of our Holy Temples and many other na‑ sacre. Shabbat tional calamities throughout history. My wife has taught high school for many years. Once, Candle lighting Times: Now, the question I’d like to pose here is: why did the a former student of hers asked if she could speak to her Times for the people not follow the two good spies, Joshua and privately. She needed some guidance. She was now a Aventura area: Caleb, instead of the others? The obvious answer: they young woman, and everyone was telling her she was Friday, May 31 were outvoted and outnumbered. Ten vs. two—no crazy for insisting that she have no intimate relations Light Candles at: 7:49 pm contest. Majority rules. before her wedding. She sought my wife’s affirmation Shabbat, June 1 Tragically, though, they backed the losers. And the that she hadn’t lost her sanity. Shabbat Ends: 8:46 pm result was an extended vacation in the wilderness for All too often it is the world that is stark raving meshu‑ them, and a tragedy for all of us to this day. ga, veering drunkenly out of control. It takes substan‑ So, although we may be staunch democrats and be‑ tial strength of character to resist the pull of the drunk‑ On Shabbat we read lievers in the democratic process, clearly, there will be en majority. SHELACH times when the minority is right. May G‑d aid us to be men and women of stature, of After Mincha Pirkei Avot #3 The saintly Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaKohen Kagan, better spirit. May we be inspired with the courage to stand known as the “Chafetz Chaim,” was once challenged up and be counted, even if it means being that lone by a fellow Jew who was a somewhat educated cynic. voice in the wilderness. Otherwise, we may never get “Rabbi,” he argued, “doesn’t the Torah itself say that to our destination. we must follow the majority? Well, the overwhelming Everything You Wanted To Know About…Does the Theory of Evolution Jibe with Judaism?

Br Tzvi Freeman ble terms. Natural implies blind necessity dictat‑ Question: ed by the consistent patterns of nature. Selection I always get conflicting answers regarding the implies intelligence. I won't be the first to point theory of evolution and Judaism. Could you clar‑ out that this term is an oxymoron. What I pro‑ ify? pose, however, is that the choice of such a term Minyan Schedule Response: indicates that scientists subliminally recognize If you are getting conflicting answers, that’s most that there must be an intelligence at work here. Summer Schedule likely because you are asking Jews. Like they say, Which is my point: It's much more intuitive to Friday night for every two Jews there are three opinions. believe that the primal substance of the universe 7:00 p.m. Maariv/ Kabalat Shabbat 15 That’s just part of Jewishness. is not matter, but intelligence. minutes after Mincha But now you’re asking me, so I’ll provide my On the other hand, I’m not ready to believe that Shabbat opinion. And that is that evolution and Torah are creationism is science. How it was, precisely, that Shacharit: 9:30 a.m. two distinct paradigms. Evolution is an attempt a super-cosmic intelligence extruded all these Torah Reading: 10:45 a.m. to explain life in purely materialistic terms. beings from the primordial mud is something Kidush: 12:00 p.m. Things happen out of chance and necessity. To‑ Mincha at candle lighting still beyond our science. Perhaps one day we will Followed by Maariv rah, on the other hand, tells us that a singular, have theories that can explain some of this to us (on time) deliberate and intelligent force is to be found in in terms we can grasp. Or perhaps not. At pre‑ all things and all events. sent, however, materialistic evolution is sorely DAILY MINYAN 8:15 AM Or, put it this way: Evolution and Genesis both deficient at explaining anything at all. Followed by Daf Yomi agree that human intelligence began as a hunk of In fairness to your question, I should add that & Breakfast mud. Evolution says that if you leave enough there have been those who have attempted to mud alone for long enough, it will eventually— align Judaism and evolution, some of them quite לזכות ולרפו“ש עבור: ‑through chance events and natural selection— respectable Torah scholars. None of them, how שרה בת פולה בוליסה תחי‘ become a human being who will build comput‑ ever, have managed to make a plausible reading פנחס מאיר בן הינדא גיטל שיח‘ נועה מי‘ בת דבורה רחל תחי‘ ers and spaceships. Genesis says that intelligence out of Genesis with their theories. Their error יהודה חיים בן רבקה שיח‘ arises from a greater intelligence. stems from the belief that evolution has been Or to simplify it even further: Evolution says the somehow scientifically proven. This is simply not Ongoing Classes background of the universe is dumb matter, and the case. While Darwin’s theories and their mod‑ intelligence is an accident. Genesis places intelli‑ ern counterparts may have proven a useful para‑ SUNDAY 10:00 a.m. [for men] gence at the core of the universe, and says that digm for certain studies, they cannot at all stand Short inside on the Torah dumb matter is an illusion. Following morning prayers 9:00 am the rigor through which a theory must be put in One step simpler: Evolution says that a dumb the academic world in order to be accepted as MONDAY 4:30 5:30 p.m. JM for KM at My Gym universe can create intelligent beings. Genesis “proven.” Their sole claim to acceptance is the (For kids ages 3-6) 8:00—9:00 Torah class in Spanish for says that an intelligent universe may sometimes human mind’s endemic fear of saying, “We don’t young couples and singles at Shul. look dumb, until you look deeper. understand.” TUESDAY Mixing these two together is then an exttreme There’s lots written on our site on this topic. Here 11:00 a.m. Lunch and learn for young women at form of syncretism. is one useful article, written by an environmental Fresko restaurant. Please call Raizel (786) 515-5729 While I'm at it, please allow me to point out that scientist.

WEDNESDAY "natural" and "selection" are mutually incompati‑ 8:00 p.m. CHAVRUSOT AT OUR SHUL CHOOSE THE TOPIC AND LEARN ONE-ON-ONE A Story: A Short Story about a Long Life By Gutman Locks FRIDAY NIGHTS Torah class after Mincha The man was totally depressed. ing car whiz by. I said to him: "If you hadn't SHABBAT 9:00 Chasidus before the Tefilah He was standing by the side of the road speaking called out, I would have been dead now. A few Running commentary on the Parasha Halacha class between Mincha & through the open window of my car. His wife seconds ago you felt useless without purpose, Mariv had left him. He had no job. Each day was a bur‑ and now you have saved my life! From this den, and worse yet, he was a burden to the moment on, every good deed I do will also be A Project of world. In his words, he was "totally useless." credited to your account." His face lit up, as the Lubavitch Aventura south I tried to cheer him up with some words of hope, many months of depression fell away. 18449 NE 28th CT but he was firm in his belief. I left him with some There is a dawn, and even the darkest nights do Aventura FL, 33160 optimistic thought and darted into a U-turn, hap‑ pass. No one knows what the next moment (305)466-1545/(786)312-0235 py to go on to something more cheerful. holds and to deny hope is to deny the constant‑ [email protected] Suddenly he screamed, "Stop!" I slammed on the ly demonstrated fact that, "This too will pass." www.lubavitchaventurasouth.org www.jewishaventura.com brakes just in time to see an extremely fast mov‑