5 August 2017 13 Av 5777 ends London 9.37pm 8.12pm

Volume 29 No. 45 Va’etchanan Shabbat Nachamu Artscroll p.958 | Hertz p.755 | Soncino p.1008

In memory of Gershon ben Chaim (Gerald Hyer) 17th Av 5752 - 16th August 1992

A close-up photo of the Shema inscription on the Menorah in Jerusalem

“Moshe called all of , and said to them: Hear, O Yisrael, the decrees and the ordinances that I speak in your ears today; learn them, and be careful to perform them” (Devarim 5:1). 1 Sidrah Summary: Va’etchanan

1st Aliya (Kohen) – Devarim 3:23-4:4 4. Keeping Shabbat 5. Honouring one’s parents; Moshe recalls that after defeating Sichon and Og Prohibition of: 6. Murder; 7. Adultery; 8. Stealing; in battle (see Devarim 2:31-3:11), he prayed to be 9. Bearing false testimony; 10. Coveting what allowed to enter the Land of Cana’an (see Rashi). others have. God refused Moshe’s request, allowing him only Point to Consider: what is the difference to see the Land from afar. Moshe tells the people between the Commandments as listed here and to observe the mitzvot, which will allow them to when they were first given? (compare Devarim inherit the Land and he reminds them of the 5:12 to Shemot 20:8) punishments they witnessed when the nation strayed with the idol of Pe’or (see Bemidbar 25:3). 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 5:19-6:3 Moshe recalls that the heads of the tribes and the 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 4:5-40 elders asked him to relate God’s commandments Moshe tells the people that studying to them directly; they feared they would die if they and keeping the mitzvot will raise their stature in continued to hear directly from God. God agreed the eyes of the other nations. He warns them to their request. not to forget the historic at , in which God Himself spoke the Ten 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 6:4-25 Commandments from the midst of the fire. Moshe The paragraph of is stated, in which adds that they must not fashion any idols, the Jewish people are enjoined to believe in the including the sun, moon and stars, lest they be Oneness of God, to love Him, to teach Torah to tempted to worship them. He warns them that their children, to wear tefilin and to affix mezuzot failure to heed this will result in exile from the to their doorposts. Moshe warns the people not Land. However, God will never abandon His to allow the material attractions of the Land to nation; they will always be able to return to Him. cause them to neglect their service of God, nor to test Him like they did in the desert. 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 4:41-49 Moshe sets aside three cities to the east of the 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 7:1-11 Jordan River. These cities are to provide refuge When the will come into the Land of for a person who has killed accidentally and is Cana’an, they will successfully overcome seven fleeing from the relatives of the deceased. great and mighty nations. Moshe warns them not Question: what were the names of these three to enter into a covenant with these nations, nor cities? Answer on bottom of page 6. to intermarry with them. Israel is God’s chosen nation, whom He lovingly brought out of Egypt. 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 5:1-5:18 Haftarah Moshe again stresses that the people stood “face Taken from the book of Yeshaya, this is the first of to face” with God at the time of the giving of the the seven ‘haftarot of consolation’ read after Tisha Torah at Mount Sinai. B’Av. It starts with God’s declaration “Comfort, Moshe recalls the : 1. Faith comfort My nation” and goes on to prophesy that in God’s existence 2. Prohibition of idol worship God will return to Jerusalem and bring an end to 3. Prohibition of taking God’s Name in vain the exile.

United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Ilana Epstein, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Loraine Young on 020 8343 5653, or [email protected] If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected]

2 Connecting to the Land by Rabbi Chaim Gross, Editor, Daf Hashavua

After recalling his punishment This seems problematic. Surely silence is not a for striking the rock, Moshe punishable offence. Moreover, why are Yosef’s reiterates that he will not be words considered meritorious? entering Israel, a Divine decree that even his most sincere It seems, explains Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz prayers could not rescind: (d.1979), that the issue here is not reward or “For I will die in this land; I am punishment, rather connection. The Land of not crossing over the Jordan Israel offers endless potential for personal growth [river] …” (Devarim 4:22). and spiritual development. It is the only place where prophecy flourished, the only place where Rashi (ibid) quotes a question on this verse a Temple was built. To tap into that potential, one posed by the Talmudic Sages. If Moshe will needs to be connected to the Land. die in the desert (‘this land’), is it not obvious that he will not be ‘crossing over the Jordan’? On a subtle level, through his remaining Why did he add this second, seemingly silent, Moshe, unlike Yosef, failed to establish superfluous phrase? a connection. Once that was the case, burial in the Land was simply not possible. The answer is that there was another issue at stake – the location of Moshe’s burial place. That This also explains why the sin of the spies too, the verse is hinting, would not be in Israel. (Bemidbar chapters 13 and 14) resulted in Indeed, Moshe was eventually buried in the an entire generation dying in the desert and plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River. being denied entry to the , whereas the sin of the golden calf, seemingly a more Yet why was Moshe not allowed a burial in Israel, severe transgression, did not result in the same a merit that great people over centuries of Jewish punishment. Once the spies had slandered the history would seek? In fact, at that very point in Land of Israel and their words had been publicly time, the Jewish people had been carrying accepted, their connection to the Land was Yosef’s bones (salvaged from Egypt) for 40 years severed, making it impossible for them to enter. so as to bring them into Israel for burial. Why was Moshe denied a right that Yosef was granted? For those of us who holiday in Israel, or even live there, it’s worth taking a few moments to ponder A fascinating Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 2:8) how we can use our time there to make lasting sheds light on this. Yosef was publically insulted personal connections that allow us to tap into the by his master’s wife as being a slave from the great spiritual potential that the Land offers. land of the Hebrews. Languishing in prison, Yosef openly referred to the fact that he came from the ‘land of the Hebrews’ (Bereishit 40:15).

In contrast, when Yitro’s (Jethro’s) daughters referred to Moshe as an ‘Egyptian man’, Moshe remained silent, not stating that he was actually a descendant of Ya’akov, from the Land of Cana’an (Shemot 2:19). This silence, explains the Midrash, was the reason that Moshe was denied a burial in Israel.

In loving memory of Marilyn Newman z"l on her Yartzeit 3 Bein Adam Lechaveiro Part 8: Judging People Favourably: Applications by Rabbi Daniel Fine, Community Rabbi, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue

We have noted previously 3. In your student house, you notice that your that the mitzvah of judging shampoo has depleted recently; you hear one others favourably depends of your house mates saying that he has not on the person and situation bought any shampoo for a while. This seems in question. A righteous more of a 70-30 situation i.e. lending itself to a person should always be positive interpretation; there are many ways judged favourably, whilst the shampoo can go down, including you making a mitzvah does not apply to mistake as to how much was left in the first someone who acts in a wicked way. An ‘in- place. Therefore as long as your house mate is between’ person is judged favourably if the not someone who acts in a wicked way, there is action appears to lend itself equally to positive a mitzvah to judge his actions favourably – or negative interpretation. In addition, there is assume someone else took the shampoo. no technical obligation to judge someone favourably, if you do not know them. With these We see from these guidelines and examples that guidelines in mind, let us return to consider the mitzvah of judging favourably does not call some of the scenarios we have mentioned: for us to create an imaginary utopian world in which we believe that everyone only does good 1. You lost your watch yesterday and your the whole time. We take into account what friend 'suddenly' starts wearing the same would be considered normal behaviour for the watch you had lost. Are you to suspect your person in question before evaluating their friend? This depends on the situation and who actions accordingly. On the contrary, the verse your friend is. Let us assume that your friend is calls for us to utilise our faculties of judgment an ‘in-between’ person (neither righteous nor to evaluate another's behaviour (in a non- wicked) and that this is a 50-50 situation (your judgmental way) using the context of who the friend could have easily bought a similar watch). person is and the scenario in question. If so, there would be a mitzvah to judge their actions favourably. You would have to assume that the watch is not your lost watch, despite the resemblance.

2. Your boss, who is living rather comfortably, has for three months said he has no money to pay you. You then see him driving an expensive new car. If your boss is an ‘in- between’ person, and this situation seems like a 30-70 case i.e. there is more pointing to a negative rather than a positive evaluation, then there is no mitzvah to judge your boss favourably. Similarly, if you do not know your boss well enough to evaluate his character, there would be no obligation to judge him favourably; however, it would be praiseworthy to do so. (Of course, even if you judge your boss favourably, this does not mean that you forgo your wages!)

In memory of Yaakov Yehoshua ben Ephraim Hirsch 4 Allenby and the Taking of Jerusalem by Rabbi Z M Salasnik, Former Rabbi of Bushey and District United Synagogue

In previous articles, we Falkenhayn (the German general commanding discussed how General the Ottoman Turkish troops) and other German Sir Edmund Allenby was officers would not allow the orders to be carried appointed overall commander out in Jerusalem. The NILI group, an abbreviation on the Western Front in 1917, of 'Netzach Yisrael Lo Yeshaker' – 'The Eternal the same year that his only One of Israel does not lie' – (Shmuel I 15:29) child, Michael, had been was a group centred round the Aaronsohn killed in action. family. The Turks discovered the group in October 1917. While this was excuse enough Under Allenby’s instruction, the larger section of for Djemal Pasha to punish the Jewish the army advanced into Palestine through population, Falkenhayn understood that NILI Beersheva. One of the most noteworthy aspects was unrepresentative of the . of the Battle of Beersheva was a mounted infantry bayonet charge by the 4th Light Horse Brigade On 11 December 1917, Allenby entered the old under the Australian Sir Harry Chauvel. This was city of Jerusalem on foot, in contrast to the to be the last of history's great cavalry charges – Kaiser, whose entry on horseback in 1898 had its objective was to capture Beersheva and its upset the residents. Allenby was sensitive to vital water supply. Once Beersheva fell to the the fact that Jerusalem was holy to three faiths British-led forces, Gaza also fell to the British. and discouraged the use of the word ‘crusade’, which held a different memory for Muslims Sir George McDonogh, Director of Military and Jews than it did for Christians. He was Intelligence at the War Office, said in a post-war particular to point out that the enemy was the lecture: “Someone who is looking from the Ottoman Empire, not the Muslim faith. sidelines, lacking knowledge about the situation, is likely to think that Allenby took unwarranted He followed up these victories by moving north risks”. Allenby had received information from and defeating the Ottoman and German forces at Aaronsohn, a Jewish agronomist who, Megiddo (September 1918), capturing Damascus distrustful of the Ottoman Empire, chose to spy on 1 October 1918. for the British, giving them a reliable picture of In 1919, he became Viscount Allenby and British Ottoman military positions. “Allenby knew with High Commissioner in Egypt, holding this latter certainty from his intelligence (in Palestine) of all post until 1925. the preparations and all the movements of his enemy. All the cards of his enemy were revealed The author is indebted to former United to him, and so he could play his hand with Synagogue President Elkan Levy who has complete confidence. Under these conditions, recently given lectures on 'Allenby in Palestine'. victory was certain before he began”. Those aware of Aaronsohn’s siding with the British feared his actions would provoke Ottoman cruelty. Indeed, Djemal Pasha, the Ottoman commander who had been involved in the Armenian Genocide, ordered an evacuation of civilians from Jaffa and Jerusalem. This new evacuation resulted in the deaths of many Jews in Jaffa. However, the inhabitants of Jerusalem were fortunate that the German General Erich von Sir Edmund Allenby entering Jerusalem on foot 1917 to show respect for the holy city

In memory of Mordechai Avraham ben Nechemia 5 Celebrating 10 Years of Tribe Camp by Isaac Forsyth, Tribe Youth Worker

If you had been at Alton His comrade replied, “I am crying because I don’t Castle in the summer of 2008, know how to cry like you”. The Rabbi told us that it you would have seen Jewish was ok to be either one of these soldiers. Whether children from around the we were the soldier who cried for his religion, country standing on their his heritage, his God, or merely the soldier who chairs and singing at the top wished that he could, that was acceptable. of their voices. You would have seen them running with I learned that night of the destruction of our Temples all their might in a colour war relay race, shrieking and the tragedies that had befallen our people on in fear during a murder mystery programme, and that day. As I shed a tear of my own, I wondered dancing together joyfully as they welcomed in which of the soldiers I related to the most. But Shabbat. As a participant in the second ever Tribe I realised then that whatever the answer, everything summer camp, I remember these scenes well. would be ok, because these people would accept me and value me regardless. The whole experience was phenomenal. The many impactful episodes included the opening ice-breaker Last Tuesday was Tisha B’Av. Every year I am programme, in which our leaders managed to get reminded of this experience, my ‘first Tisha B’av’. us shy and anxious kids singing, dancing, and making friends in the middle of camp. Other highlights included when one of the leaders went out On Shabbat Nachamu, we look ahead to a bright of their way to put together a whole talk on a future for all of our members and the Jewish people question I had asked them relating to Judaism; and as a whole. I hope that Tribe, which caters for so the final evening awards ceremony, where the many Jewish youth in shuls, schools, camp and leaders made a personal speech and award for every elsewhere, will carry on playing a central role in single one of the participants. But perhaps the most fulfilling those hopes. impactful moment of all was on the night of Tisha B’av, and I remember it vividly to this day.

We entered a dark room, lit only by a few candles. We were used to being loud, chatting and joking with one another, but as we sat down in a circle around the candles, silence fell. Rabbi Andrew Shaw told us a story which took place in the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967. The Western Wall had just been liberated by the IDF, and Israeli soldiers, hearing the momentous news, came flocking. Many among them hugged the Wall and wept.

One observant soldier noticed that to his right, a non-observant comrade of his was crying too. He asked, “My friend, I know why I am crying. I am crying because for 2000 years we have faced this Tribe Israel Tour 2016 direction and prayed every day that God bring us back to this holy place. And we are finally here.

I know why I am crying, but why are you crying?”

olan G Answer: Betser, Ramot and and Ramot Betser, Answer:

In memory of Tzemach ben Yisrael 6