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Torah Weekly J U N E 1 9M, A2Y0 280, |2 0S2H0E |L AECMHO |R P A G E 1 Congregation Beth Sholom TORAH W EEKLY Learning Initiative ז"ל A Project of the Linda Mitgang To sponsor, please click here The Spies & Pete Seeger ZMANIM Candle-lighting 8:10 pm BY RABBI KENNETH HAIN Mincha 7:00 pm [email protected] 8:18 pm Shacharit Hashkama 7:45 am Apparently one the the consequences of the Coved 19 pandemic Shacharit Sephardic 8:45 am has been the dramatic increase in American Jews wanting to make Shacharit Joel Shiff/Main 9:15 am Aliyah. According to the Jerusalem Post more American Jews have Teen Minyan 9:45 am applied to immigrate to Israel in May than any single month over 8:15 pm the last two decades. In fact the Jewish Agency has been receiving Mincha some 1000 calls a week to provide assistance for new immigrants. Shiur with R. Miller 8:30 pm Maariv 9:15 pm The term – “Aliyah” - is clearly derived from this week’s parsha. Shabbos Ends 9:20 pm The word appears repeatedly as the descriptive term for travel to Israel, e.g. “They ascended (vayaalu) and searched the land”. IN THIS ISSUE That is tragically followed by: “But the men who had ascended 1 The Spies & Pete Seeger, R. Hain (alu) with him said: we cannot ascend (laalot)…” This word appears throughout the entire Tanach as the primary expression of the 2 Standing On The Fringes: Where desire to return to Israel and has been the dream that animated The True Power Is, R. Laufer Jewish history. 3 Tzizis & the Mishkan, R. Miller However a deeper look at the numerous uses of the term “Aliyah” 4 Yishtabach: The Power of Song, throughout the Tanach raises the question of why should a Chazan Kaplan geographic direction of “going upward” always apply? Yes, it 5 Running Away From School, would certainly suggest a notion of seeing Eretz Yisrael in an elevated status. But Aliyah seems to imply not just a direction R. Fogel geographically, but a statement of spiritual elevation. Israel is not 6 Halacha Al HaDaf, Chayim Maza just a place – it is an idea, an aspiration and a dream to be 6 Why is there Maftir?, R. Laufer fulfilled. Given this lofty status, there apparently is another element at play to motivate us to ascend voluntarily.In our generation we have been blessed to see the return of Jews from all over the world to Calev: “And my servant Calev, since find Israel as a safe haven from persecutions and hatred. But he possessed a different spirit, he what is required to literally “ascend” when not compelled because followed Me…” That “different spirit” of danger or oppression? is the capacity to not just gain the right to have an Israel, but to An insight by Rav Ezra Bick, I believe, is helpful and timely. He overcome our natural reluctance to points to Calev’s statement in response to the reluctant spies: uproot. It would seem that the “Let us ascend (alo naale) and we shall possess it, for we can “different spirit” these days is alive surely overcome.” He is recognizing that it is not the physical and well. In growing numbers ascent that is holding them back, it is the lack of will to go diaspora Jews today are recognizing forward. Calev understands the need to rouse them from their that they can not only ascend but complacent or defeatist mind set. “Alo naale” – “Let us ascend, can actually overcome their and we shall overcome them” means gather your inner strength hesitation and make Israel their and we shall succeed. In fact G-d notes the remarkable insight of home. M A Y M1JMU5AA,MNMY Y2AE A 10 UY1Y152 5G 9,011, U, ,2, | 2S 2022 0T02B002 202E200 0H0 | |2 A| || B0 R B S AEE-|AHBMM MEEIIOOSLICDRDSARHBU B CU|A|EHA KR R NOP P||AO TAP PGAPG.AA AEIE4GG| G E3 3EE P2 22A G E 3 Perhaps, this provides an insight as to why Pete Seeger Upcoming Shiurim popularized the powerful song in the Civil Rights movement- “We Shall Overcome”. I believe he recognized that in addition to the legal and cultural obstacles facing African Americans struggling to attain real equality - a spirit of courage and conviction is needed by all Americans to make it happen. Recent days of tragic violence and brutality have certainly shown that we have some serious work to do to insure that indeed all can overcome. Daf Yomi 7:30am with R. Weberman Standing On The Fringes: 8:30 am with Chayim Maza Where The True Power Is BY RABBI KALMAN LAUFER Tuesday [email protected] is most famous for its description ,פרשת שלח ,Talmud Shiur with R. Hain This week’s Parsha of another instance in a series of Jewish failures – the sin of the Spies. I find it interesting that while the narrative certainly is Wednesday essential to understanding the Jewish People’s experience in the 8:45 pm, R. Laufer, Medical desert, as well as its portends of generations of future Jewish suffering, it is the end of the Parsha that I believe to be most is the Parsha of פרשת שלח Ethics significant. The last few Pesukim of :The obvious question almost pleading to be asked is .ציצית the why is this Parsha placed here? Rashi answering this very implied Thursday question takes a closer look at the words in the Pesukim of the :The Pasuk states .ציצית ,pm, R. Weberman 9:15 ׳׳ ְו ָהיָה ָל ֶכם ְל ִצי ִצת וּ ְר ִאי ֶתם אֹת ֹו וּ ְז ַכ ְר ֶּתם ֶאת ָּכל ִמ ְצ ֹות ְיקֹוָק וַ ֲע ִ ׂשי ֶתם אֹ ָתם ְול ֹא Parsha Shiur ָתתוּרוּ ַא ֲח ֵרי ְל ַב ְב ֶכם ְו ַא ֲח ֵרי ֵעי ֵני ֶכם ֲא ׁ ֶשר ַא ֶּתם זֹ ִנים ַא ֲח ֵרי ֶהם׳׳ “and it was for You as Tzitzis, and you will see them and IN CASE YOU MISSED IT remember all the Commandments of Hasehm, and you will perform them, and you will not follow after your hearts and eyes, that you lust after them” are similar to the words ולא תתורו Rashi points out that the words from the beginning of the Parsha – the beginning of the disaster .to follow the land ,לתור את הארץ to come – that Moshe sent men however does not mean to follow as in to walk לתור AUDIO SHIUR ROUNDUP The word along the path set, rather it means to wander and divert from the proscribed approach. Rashi explains that the heart and eyes R. Laufer Mitzvah 20 - Do Not lead the body astray from the correct the Torah expects of us. As ,העין רואה, הלב חומד, והגוף עושה את העבירות :See Chametz On Pesach Rashi succinctly puts it the eyes see, the heart desires and the body does the sins. The Tzitzis are there to serve as a first line defense, a visual reminder R. Wein: "Modesty Hasn't Left that seeing correctly prevents injurious desire from causing us as For I Am Still Here" humans to commit to actions incongruent with that which the you will remember the ציצית Torah commands. When you see the Commandments. Tzitzis is not a passive memory but rather an active form of course correction, preventing us from getting lost wandering in the wilderness. TO PAY FUTURE SHUL CONTRIBUTIONS NOW, The beauty in God’s ready-made solution to the sin of the spies - the Tzitzis – to rectify their inability to stay the course set for PLEASE CLICK HERE them and instead to wander lost in the throes of their own selfish convictions is undeniable. How though are the Tzitzis supposed to accomplish this goal? What about strings hanging off of our TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE clothes will prevent us from getting lost? Understanding the Tzitzis properly requires us to look at the other place that the RABBI'S CHARITY FUND, Parsha of Tzitzis play a significant role – Kriat Shema. PLEASE CLICK HERE The Gemara in Maseches Brachos 12b explains that there were five reasons that the Parsha of Tzitzis is included in the recitation of the Shema. Two of them are fairly obvious that of the mitzvah of tzitis itself and the mentioning of the Exodus. The remaining three are: the yoke of Hashem’s commandments, thoughts of Avodah Zarah, and thoughts of Aveiros in general. These M AJ UY N 1MJEU5A ,NJ1MY U2E AN,10 Y 152E2 9,0 08 5, 2, |, 20 2 20 B20|020E2 20 HB0|0 EA| |BH |R S AAE-HNBMAEAELIOLCSDOAROHBT C U|AE|HK CR POHP ||A TA PGAGP A|EIAEG | GP6 2E AE P 3GA3EG 9E 2 concepts and ideas are inherently tied to the The connection that Rashi draws between the sin values that we are attempting to espouse when we of the spies and the Mitzvah of Tzitzis, is even recite the Krias Shema every day. The values in the more important now than ever. In times of trouble, Shema are the ones upon which our entire system when our collective faith in the Torah can be of Jewish belief is founded. Rav Yosef Albo in his shaken, it is the Tzitzis that are supposed to 15th Century work, Sefer HaIkarim, codifies the remind us that no matter the situation or how dire foundational principles of faith in Judaism to 3 it may seem it is incumbent upon every one of us the existence of to remember our Tzitzis and hold even more) מציאת ה׳ tenets.
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