rtv vacug s; Volume 26 RE’EH No. 48 SHABBAT MEVARCHIM Daf Hashavua 23 August 2014 • 27 Av 5774 Shabbat ends in London at 8.57pm Artscroll p.998 • Hertz p.799 • Soncino p.1055 Rosh Chodesh Elul is on Tuesday and Wednesday Judaism and The Modern Economy Modernity Rabbi Garry Wayland, Assistant, Youth and Young Families Rabbi, Part 11: Woodside Park United Synagogue Much of the history of the twentieth century – the Jubilee year, in which properties sold in revolved around the rights and wrongs of Israel return to their original owners. G-d economic systems. Was free-market capitalism reminds us that “the land is Mine” (Vayikra or was communism best suited to maximise 25:23). Similarly, we are reminded in Pirkei personal freedom, dignity, wealth and Avot (2:8) that “the more possessions, the stability? Simply speaking, the collapse of the more worry.” Material pursuit should be USSR and China’s move to a free market functionary, not an end in itself. The Torah indicated a victory for capitalism. However, provides reminders that life is transitory and the 2008 financial crisis, exposing those possessions are entrusted to us by G-d, individuals and countries that had and not necessarily ours by right. spent beyond their needs, and how some institutions had Another economic woe, which is manipulated the markets for their as true now as ever before, is own corporate gain, shook faith in when individuals pursue their own the fundamentals of the modern interests to the detriment of economy. others and society as a whole. The Torah helps frame this by giving Whilst the Torah does not primary focus to respons- mandate any particular eco- ibilities rather than rights. nomic model – for example Adam was first tasked with there are religious kib- “cultivating and guarding butzim that operate on a Eden” (Bereishit 2:15), and only collective basis – many halachot assume a afterwards “you may eat of any tree…” (ibid free-trade economy. Examples include the 2:16). Responsibilities focus on others – we prohibition of ona’ah, which bans us from have a responsibility to use our talents, skills deceitfully overcharging or underpaying for and energies in the appropriate way, as items, the commandment to pay workers on opposed to having the right to demand time and the prohibition of charging interest. remuneration for them. The Torah provides many lessons that can be Modern economies provide enormous applied even in the modern economy. Every opportunities, as well as unprecedented seventh year, for example, is Shemittah challenges. Through application of the (sabbatical year), in which, in Israel, we refrain Torah’s laws, ideals and ethics, these from working the land. Every 50 years is Yovel challenges can be beneficial for all. The Pig of the Future by Rabbi Jonathan Hughes Richmond United Synagogue, US Living & Learning City Rabbi, Chaplain, Bristol & Western Universities "But this shall you not eat from among those Hebrew word for pig that bring up their cud or have completely (chazzir) which in Hebrew separated split hooves: the camel, the hare, and also means ‘return’, the the hyrax, for they bring up their cud, but their Kabbalists make the hooves are not split — they are unclean to you; following surprising and the pig, for it has a split hoof, but not the statement: cud — it is unclean to you" (Devarim 14:7-8) “Why is it [the pig] called Pig has always represented the prototype of ‘chazzir’? Because one day G-d will impurity, the quintessential ‘treif’ (non-kosher) return it to us and it will become kosher(!)” item. In Hebrew, the very word for In other words, G-d will ‘save pig has become a common epithet our bacon’! used to refer to all repulsive, unwanted items or behaviours – One should be clear that the even those which have nothing to ‘one day’ the kabbalists speak of do with food. Something deemed is, of course, not yet here. As of really disgusting is sometimes today, pork is very much not referred to as “chazzir treif” – kosher. In fact, some understand meaning as unkosher as a pig! Yet that this ‘one day’ refers to the why is pig meat more infamous Messianic era and the world- than tiger or lion's meat? Surely wide refinement that it will they are also just as ’treif’, but usher in, when even the pig will they do not have anywhere near become kosher. as bad a reputation! Beyond telling us about the Vilna Gaon To be kosher, an animal must future kosher status of pork chew the cud and possess split hooves. There chops, we are also being taught a lesson about are four animals that only have one of these repentance and redemption. If we understand signs. Of these four, only the pig has split the pig to represent all that is negative, we hooves, whereas it does not chew the cud. It is might say that perhaps we all have elements of as if the pig is saying: “Look at me, I'm kosher!” ‘pig’ in our personality and our past. Yet it is all Yes, he is kosher on the outside; but when one redeemable – all those activities that are takes a closer look, he is not kosher on the presently very much on the negative side of inside. The Vilna Gaon (Rabbi Eliyahu Kramer d. our spiritual scorecard can be ‘returned to us’ 1797) compares the pig to those who come if we turn our lives around. across as attractive and sophisticated, but, G-d has a plan for the world and for every upon examination, are fundamentally immoral. individual. Every act has the potential to be This is perhaps why the epithet has developed. redeemed towards the ultimate good. The However, there is a silver lining. There is a prophecy of the purified pig of the future kabbalistic teaching that seems to take a more represents the potential purity that is within benign view of the pig. Using a play on the reach of each and every one of us. A Century since Sir John Monash WWI by Rabbi Z M Salasnik, Bushey & District United Synagogue Brigadier Herbert Spencer Seligman (1872- Hughes, recognised his qualities of leader- 1951) of the Royal Artillery was the ship and organisation. highest-ranking British Jewish officer in the First World War. The highest rank As Commander of the Australian Corps, achieved by a Jew in His Majesty’s he planned the decisive Battle of Amiens. Forces was that of Lieutenant-General, In August 1918, King George V knighted held by the Australian Sir John Monash him on the battlefield, a rare honour. (1865-1931). Field Marshal Montgomery, a Lt. Colonel in the First World War, later wrote: ‘I would The difference between the two is worthy name Sir John Monash as the best general of note. Herbert Seligman was a career on the western front in Europe.’ officer who had been an officer for over 20 years As Director-General of before the War, and Repatriation and Demob- came from a wealthy ilisation, he spent the family – his father was year after the War in a merchant banker. He London, arranging for mirrored the British the return of Australian officer class, which was soldiers home from predominantly aristo- Europe. cratic or wealthy. Returning to Australia at Born in Australia, John Sir John Monash the end of 1919, he Monash was from a became head of the State German Jewish family. He was a success- Electricity Commission of Victoria and ful civil engineer and was also a part- Vice-Chancellor of the University of time army officer. At the start of the Melbourne. Within the Jewish com- War, he was given a desk job as censor. munity, he was President of the However, he preferred active service, and Zionist Federation of Australia and New was given a command in Egypt and at Zealand. In 1946, a moshav (village) in Gallipoli. the Sharon plain was founded by Australian ex-servicemen and named In 1916, Monash and his forces relocated Kfar Monash. In 1958, Monash University to the Western Front. Being Jewish and was founded in Melbourne in his memory. of German parentage was not to his advantage, and Sir Keith Murdoch (father US Living & Learning’s booklet com- of Rupert Mudorch) was one of those memorating the 100th anniversary of the who tried to hinder his promotion. outbreak of World War One is available at However, Australian Prime Minister Billy www.theus.org.uk/100yearsago. This Week The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik in History: by Jonny Lipczer, Educational Shaliach, Bnei Akiva of Toronto The Jewish cemetery in Warsaw’s Okopowa Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. Street is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries When Reb Chaim died in Poland in 1918, a in Europe, containing over 200,000 marked few months before the end of World War One, graves, as well as mass graves of victims of the a three-way argument erupted over where he Warsaw Ghetto. should be buried. The people of Otwock – Among them is an ohel containing the graves a summer resort near Warsaw – argued that, of two leading Torah scholars – Rabbi Chaim as he passed away in their town, he should Soloveitchik, buried adjacent to his first wife’s be laid to rest there. However, the com- grandfather, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin. munity of Brisk claimed that since he was their Rabbi, he should be buried there. The Rabbi Soloveitchik – known as Reb Chaim people of Warsaw felt that it would be Brisker, after the Yiddish name of the city befitting for him to be buried in their city, where he served as Rabbi – is credited as the knowing that they could accommodate the founder of the popular “Brisker tens of thousands of mourners method”, an analytical approach that would come to the funeral.