s; vacug s; nyu,-nxgh Volume 27 No. 40 MATOT-MASEI Daf Hashavua 18 July 2015 • 2 Av 5775 Shabbat ends in London at 10.09 pm Artscroll p.900 • Hertz p.702 • Soncino p.955 Solutions in A Photo that Speaks a Thousand Words the Sidrah: by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community There is a photograph displayed in the of the Land of Israel. The reason they gave is Washington State Holocaust Museum of a because the land there had good quality Jewish class in Ostrava, a town in the former pasture for their animals (Bemidbar 32:1-5). Czechoslovakia. The photo was taken just a Eventually Moshe agreed, as long as they year before the entire community was would help the rest of the people conquer the deported to Theresienstat concentration Land first. However, there was one crucial camp. difference between their offer and Moshe’s An unusual element of this photo is that response. there are missing pieces. After The tribes of Gad and Reuven said Czechoslovakia was liberated, that they would first build stables the owner of the picture, Frieda, for their livestock and homes for found out that only a couple their children on the east bank of of her former classmates had the Jordan. They would then survived. These survivors had accompany the rest of the people nothing left – no photos of to fight in Cana’an, and return themselves, their families, only when they had succeeded in or their friends. So Frieda cut conquering the Land. Moshe their pictures out of the photo accepted their offer to help to give to them, so that they conquer the Land and warned would at least have one them of the consequences if Holocaust Museum, Washington DC memento of their childhood. they would fail to fulfil their Photos are precious to many of us. They trace commitment. Yet he then pointedly changed the story of our lives and provide us with a the order of their words. He instructed them pictorial narrative to accompany our to first build cities for their families and only memories. However, most would agree that thereafter worry about the livestock. what makes a photo special is not the Subtle as the difference may seem, Moshe scenery, but the people it portrays, like those wished to convey a crucial point. It is the precious cut-outs from the class photo. people in the picture who count, rather than In this week’s sidrah, the tribes of Gad and the scenery. As important as building ‘stables Reuven asked for land on the east bank of the for our livestock’ may seem, it is the people in Jordan River, rather than inside the borders our lives who must always come first. Delivering on Our Promises by Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet Mill Hill United Synagogue Parashat Matot begins with a discussion people collectively. On a about oaths and how they are annulled. simple level, this is The laws pertaining to vows and because the heads of annulments are very complex and are the tribes would be the discussed at great length in the Talmud and ones entrusted with in subsequent halachic literature. the task of annulment. This demanded that they had to First and foremost, this indicates the great be very familiar with the intricacies of importance attributed to one’s word. Our the law. resolutions and undertakings are not mere verbalisms. The verse says about the person On a deeper level, it is often those who find making the vow, “Like everything which themselves at the helm, especially those comes out of his seeking election, that mouth he must do” are in danger of making (Bemidbar 30:3). Sad- promises which they ly, we live in a day and may later fail to deliver age where the power of the word on. Thus the command was has become far less sacred. Whereas addressed to the tribal heads, for the once a handshake was a sufficient means by onus is on the leadership to set the which to close a deal, today millions are example. The foundation stone for success paid to lawyers in order to fine-tune in leadership is honesty and integrity. contracts, lest they be breached. Perhaps it is for this reason that this law is People are often quick to undertake introduced at this juncture, just prior to the commitments of sorts. Yet when it comes Jewish nation’s entry into the Land of time to fulfilling our undertakings, we may Israel. Honour and trustworthiness are find excuses in order to ignore our pledges. paramount for social stability and are the The emphasis on oaths in the sidrah stresses hallmarks of a G-d fearing individual. If you the great importance that G-d attributes to cannot keep your word with another person keeping one’s word. Commitment means whom you will have to face, it is hardly staying loyal to what you said you were likely you will keep your word with G-d. going to do, even long after the mood in The Jewish nation was soon to become which you made your pledge has departed. established in its own Land, with all the typical functioning of a society. It had It is especially noteworthy that the become incumbent upon both the leader- command regarding oaths was relayed in ship and the masses to learn that while the first instance to the heads of the tribes people with good intentions make (ibid 30:2), as opposed to most other laws, promises, it is people with good character which were communicated to the Jewish that endeavour to keep them. Great Rabbi Professor Israel Abrahams (1903-1973) British-Jewish by Rev Stanley Brickman, former Chazzan at Hampstead United Synagogue Scholars Last week, we encountered Town University in 1938 and Rev. Simeon Singer, editor of Chief Rabbi of South West the “Singer’s Siddur”. In the Africa in 1945. He was amongst final part of this mini-series, the founders of Herzlia School in we will recall his son-in-law, Cape Town, promoting the Rabbi Professor Israel importance of Jewish schooling Abrahams. and Jewish values in South Africa. He and his wife were Israel Abrahams was born in renowned for their charity and Vilna, Lithuania, in 1903, hospitality, leading their coming to England in 1907. community ‘from the front’ in His family were very active in these areas. the famous Great Garden Street Synagogue in the East Rabbi Professor Israel Abrahams His scholarly works include a End of London. A gifted student, his history of the Cape Jewish Community from daughter related that when he was 11, her 1879 to 1902, an English translation of father began to tutor barmitzvah boys! (see Professor Umberto Cassuto’s commentaries www.jewishgen.org/safrica/familyhistories/ on the Bible and an English translation of rabbi_i_abrahams/index.htm) the Tractate of Chagigah for the Soncino edition of the Talmud. He went to JFS, where he was awarded the Hollier Hebrew Scholarship and the Hester As well as being a renowned scholar, he was Rothschild Prize. He later attended Jews an eloquent speaker and broadcaster. College, where he graduated first with his After retiring in 1968, he and his wife made Ministerial Diploma and then with semicha aliyah. He continued his literary pursuits, (ordination) in 1933. He received BA and including a role as a consulting editor for MA degrees from London University in 1924 the Encyclopaedia Judaica, until his passing and 1931 respectively. in October 1973. His daughter recalls that In 1928 he became Visiting Tutor in the years in Israel, surrounded by the Rabbinics at Cambridge University and intellectual milieu in Jerusalem, were Rabbi of Shepherds Bush Synagogue, at amongst the happiest of her father’s life. around the same time. In 1933, having It was whilst translating the works of Prof. gained his semicha, he moved to the Great Gedalyahu Alon in 1973 that he passed Synagogue in Manchester and soon became away. a Dayan of the Manchester Beth Din. I hope you have enjoyed this mini-series In 1937 he went to the Great Synagogue and have gained a greater appreciation of in Cape Town. He became head of the some of the scholars produced by the department of Hebrew Studies at Cape British-Jewish community. Journeys with The Book of Shmuel (Samuel I) Chapter 23 the Prophets: by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, New West End United Synagogue Part 37 Summary: David was told that the Philistines David asked G-d if he should come out of were waging war against the city of Ke'ilah. hiding and risk endangering himself and his Evyatar, the son of Achimelech, had brought men to an attack from Shaul in order to save the Ephod (High Priest’s breastplate) with the people of Ke’ilah. The Urim V’tumim him when he fled from the city of Nov. After responded positively. Yet his men refused consulting the miraculous Urim V’tumim (the until David repeated his request. Why did parchment inserted inside the High Priest’s David’s men insist that he repeat the breastplate) his men came out of hiding and request? defeated the Philistines. Shaul travelled to Ke’ilah to capture David. David Rabbi Levi ben Gershon asked G-d through the Urim (known as the Ralbag, d. V’tumim what he should do. He 1344) explains that David hid with 600 men in the Desert had asked them if they of Zif, where he was secretly should wage war with reunited with Yonatan (Jona- the Philistines to help the than). However, the people of people of Ke’ilah.