DOCSLIB.ORG

A Taste of Torah

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Taste of Torah Ha’azinu 5774 September 26, 2014 A Taste of Torah Stories For The Soul Stuck In a Rut By Rabbi Eli Mozes Who Will Win The War It’s that time of year again, when so strong that none of these strategies Based on a story from Tales of the Holocaust by Yaffa Eliach we will once again make our Rosh work; in this case, we need to go for The labor battalion was constantly on the move, never sleeping in the same location. They were given only a few hours to sleep under the open Hashanah resolutions for the new year. our secret weapon, contemplating sky before being moved to the next demolition assignment. On the eve of In the beginning we feel empowered; the day of our death. We never know Yom Kippur, they reached the Polish mountain of Bornemissza, between our destiny is in our hands, to forge when Hashem will reclaim our souls Osmoloda and Tacev, on the Slovakian border. The German commander on to a brighter tomorrow. But then and, after we pass on, we will have to stepped out from his covered wagon and gave one of the long speeches they reality sets in: “Wait a minute! Isn’t explain our every action. One ought to had learned to accept as part of their daily suffering. “I know that tomorrow this the exact same resolution I made say to himself, perhaps these are the is one of your most important holidays, Yom Kippur. It is an important fast last year? It only lasted for a day/week/ last five minutes of my life; is this how day in your religion. I want to remind you that you are soldiers, soldiers at a month!” The question we need to ask I want to meet my Maker? time of war on the battlefield, and as such, it is strictly forbidden for you to ourselves now is, where did I go wrong There are two questions we can ask fast. All those who fast will be executed by a firing squad.” On Yom Kippur, September 27, they worked as usual. It was an especially in the past, and what can I do this year on this approach from the Talmud. 1) difficult day for it rained heavily and everything around them was turning If the recollection of the day of death is so that this time I will truly walk away into a muddy swamp. When food was distributed, all the men, as if by prior a changed and better person. so potent, why bother with these other agreement, spilled the coffee into the running muddy gullies and tucked The Talmud (Brachos 5a) gives strategies? Why not just go straight for the stale bread into their soaked jackets. Kalman Mann and another Jew, us a formula for how one should our foolproof weapon? 2) We seem also from a Hasidic family, recited the Yom Kippur prayers, whatever they battle his temptations. “A person to have a source in the Torah which remembered by heart. All the others repeated after them while their tears should constantly incite his Yetzer Tov shows that recalling the day of death is mingled with the rain and their voices fought the noises of hammers, axes, (Good Inclination) to fight against not at all foolproof. We find in Parshas and the constant downpour of the rain. And so while demolishing telegraph his Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination). If he Toldos (Genesis 25:29-32) that Esav and telephone poles in the heavy downpour, the men calculated the time to say the closing prayer of this holy day, the Ne’ilah prayer. Night came and they vanquishes it (the Yetzer Hara), good. (Esau) comes home to find Ya’akov fell exhausted at the foot of Mount Bornemissza, ready to break their fast. Just But if not, one should engage in Torah (Jacob) cooking a pot of delicious then, the German commander and a group of soldiers emerged from their study. If he vanquishes it, fine. But if lentils. Esav gets an intense desire for covered wagons and ordered them to line up for roll call. The Jews expected not, one should recite the shema. If he them and begs Ya’akov to give them the worst. Fathers parted from their sons, brothers said good-bye to brothers, vanquishes it, good. But if not, one to him. Ya’akov responds, “I will give friends feared for their last moment together. should remind himself of the day of them to you in exchange for you right “I am a benevolent officer in the best German tradition.” Their fears death.” The Talmud lays out for us a as the firstborn (i.e. the right to serve intensified, for they knew what to expect when they heard one of these series of strategies for how to overcome in the Temple; see Rashi ibid).” Esav “generosity” speeches. It was usually followed by the most catastrophic aftermath. “I know that you fasted today, but I am not going to invoke the our Yetzer Hara. First, we should use responded “Lo! I am going to die; of death penalty that you deserve according to law. Instead, you are going to our own moral compass and remind what use, then, is this birthright to climb that mountain and slide down on your stomachs. Those among you ourselves what is wrong with what me?” If recalling the day of death is so who would like to repent may say that they were wrong in disobeying army we want to do. Our next step is to get potent, how could Esav discuss it and regulations and fasting today. Those who would like to do so please raise absorbed in our Torah studies and still make the terrible mistake of selling your hands.” Not a single hand went up. And so, tired, soaked, starved, the ignore the Yetzer Hara; the Talmud away his spiritual future for a bowl of emaciated Jews climbed the wet, slippery mountain. When they reached the (Kiddushin 30b) tells us that Torah is lentils? top, they were ordered to slide down on their stomachs. When they reached the antidote for the Yetzer Hara. If this Perhaps we can answer the second the bottom, they were ordered to line up again. They were asked if there were fails, we move on to our next weapon, question with the first. The reason that individuals who wanted to repent and be spared the ordeal. Mud-covered figures with feverish eyes looked at the clean-shaven German officer in silent the shema. When we recite the shema, Esav had such an abysmal failure was defiance. And so, ten times, they repeated the humiliating performance, we accept upon ourselves the yoke of because he went straight for the secret each time with more determination, each time with more strength, climbing Heaven. We internalize that even if weapon, recalling the day of his death, and sliding from an unknown Polish mountain which, on that soggy night, we really want to do something that while bypassing the first three steps. became a symbol of Jewish courage and human dignity. At midnight, as the is contrary to the will of Hashem, we There is a verse in Isaiah (22:13) that rains abated, the performance was stopped. The men were given food and are not free to follow our whims, but says, “Yet behold! There is joy and drink. They lit small campfires, trying to dry their clothes and warm their are completely subservient to Hashem. gladness, slaying of cattle and slaughter shivering bodies. Their faces shone with a strange glow as they sat around the However, sometimes the temptation is of sheep, eating meat and drinking small campfires at the foot of Bornemissza. continued on back continued on back Kollel Happenings Interpersonal Issues KOLLEL’S DONOR The Laws of Lashon Hara (Slander) Another situation of avak lashon like, thus indicating that something APPRECIATION EVENT hara is when one person asks another negative was said. The person being SEPTEMBER 30TH what a third individual said about asked should avoid answering or, if The Kollel will be holding its him. The person, while not revealing need be, he may even bend the truth the damaging information, responds, to avoid revealing the facts to avoid annual Donor Appreciation “I don’t want to discuss it” or the rechilus. Event on Tuesday, September 30th, 6:30 pm, at the home of Dr. Mickey and Susan Ask the Rabbi Gordon, 57 Sommerset Rosh Hashana, After Yom Kippur? Circle, Greenwood Village, Kevin from Johannesburg asked: and phone bills. Spiritual matters - Mitzvos, Olam Haba (the World to Come), repentance, etc. - are harder for us to get CO 80111. Dear Rabbi, excited about. I understand that Rosh Hashana is the day of judgment, and To RSVP please email info@ Therefore, we have Rosh Hashana first. On Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur is the day of repentance and forgivness. Shouldn’t denverkollel.org. all our physical needs are determined - Will we live or will we Yom Kippur be first? Wouldn’t we be better off doing Teshuva die? Will we have money for the phone bill? Once we begin (repentance) before Rosh Hashana, and go into Rosh Hashana thinking about these issues, asking Hashem for a year of health A DEEPER LOOK AT THE to be judged, already having been forgiven? and wealth, we can then hopefully go one step further, asking PARSHA WITH RABBI Dear Kevin, Hashem to enlighten us, forgive us, and to help us towards Teshuvah (returning to the way of Torah). Shachne Sommers On Yom Kippur, Hashem showers the world with forgiveness: Sources: Join Rabbi Shachne Sommers But just like a shower, if you want the cleansing effect, you have to get into the water! Kochvei Ohr, Ma’amar 83.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Source Sheet on Prohibitions on Loshon Ha-Ra and Motzi Shem Ra and Disclosing Another’S Confidential Secrets and Proper Etiquette for Speech
    Source Sheet on Prohibitions on Loshon ha-ra and motzi shem ra and disclosing another’s confidential secrets and Proper Etiquette for Speech Deut. 24:9 - "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did unto Miriam by the way as you came forth out of Egypt." Specifically, she spoke against her brother Moses. Yerushalmi Berachos 1:2 Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, “Had I been at Mount Sinai at the moment when the torah was given to Yisrael I would have demanded that man should have been created with two mouths- one for Torah and prayer and other for mundane matters. But then I retracted and exclaimed that if we fail and speak lashon hara with only one mouth, how much more so would we fail with two mouths Bavli Arakhin15b R. Yochanan said in the name of R.Yosi ben Zimra: He who speaks slander, is as though he denied the existence of the Lord: With out tongue will we prevail our lips are our own; who is lord over us? (Ps.12:5) Gen R. 65:1 and Lev.R. 13:5 The company of those who speak slander cannot greet the Presence Sotah 5a R. Hisda said in the name of Mar Ukba: When a man speaks slander, the holy one says, “I and he cannot live together in the world.” So scripture: “He who slanders his neighbor in secret…. Him I cannot endure” (Ps. 101:5).Read not OTO “him’ but ITTO “with him [I cannot live] Deut.Rabbah 5:10 R.Mana said: He who speaks slander causes the Presence to depart from the earth below to heaven above: you may see foryourselfthat this is so.Consider what David said: “My soul is among lions; I do lie down among them that are aflame; even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Ps.57:5).What follows directly ? Be Thou exalted O God above the heavens (Ps.57:6) .For David said: Master of the Universe what can the presence do on the earth below? Remove the Presence from the firmament.
    [Show full text]
  • Toras Aish Thoughts from Across the Torah Spectrum RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN for the Tumah of a Woman's Monthly Menstrual Cycle
    Tazria 5768 Volume XV Number 30 Toras Aish Thoughts From Across the Torah Spectrum RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN for the tumah of a woman's monthly menstrual cycle. Every month the egg produced in a woman's body is Shabbat Shalom ready for fertilization, the birth of new life. If this process peak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a doesn't take place, the blood vessels that would have woman gives birth to a male child, then she nurtured the fetus burst, resulting in the monthly flow. “Sshall be unclean seven days...." (Lev. 12:2). Had she become pregnant, her blood would be Not surprisingly, the occasion of childbirth is so nurturing the new life growing inside the womb. The momentous that the Torah in this week's portion of appearance of menstrual blood means that the Tazria commands sacrifices to be brought after the potential for new life was not fulfilled, an indirect birth. But what does surprise many people is that the encounter with death. Torah distinguishes, seemingly arbitrarily, between the For one to return to a state of purity after the birth of a male and a female. appearance of menstrual blood, one must completely If it's a boy, the mother brings the sacrifice after immerse oneself in a mikvah, a pool of water collected waiting 40 days, the first seven days in a state of from rainwater or a well, as opposed to a bath, water impurity (tumah), followed by 33 days of purity (tahara). being the symbol for life itself: the mikvah waters are And if it's a girl, the waiting period for bringing the Biblically called "living waters" (mayim hayim).
    [Show full text]
  • Shabbat Table Talk Page
    Hebrew for Christians www.hebrew4christians.com Parashat Metzora Shabbat Table Talk Page Overview • Parashah: Metzora ( [r"com., “leper”) • Chapters: Leviticus 14:1-15:33 hr"At yrEb.dIB. qAs[]l; Wnwñ"ciw> Ãwyt'wOc.miB. Wnvñ'D>qi rv,a] Ã~l'A[h' %l,mñ, Wnyheñl{a/ hw"hy> hT'a; %WrB' – Torah Study Blessing – Synopsis Recall from last week’s Torah portion that if someone was diagnosed with tzara’at , they were forced to leave the community and live in a state of exile. The afflicted person (called a metzora ) had to tear his clothes like a mourner, put a shroud over his face (descending to his upper lip) and remain alone. If anyone came near, the person was required to cry out: “Unclean! Stay away! Do not become impure because of me!” While so isolated, the person would have opportunity to perform teshuvah (repentance) and to reexamine his relationship with God. If the one suffering from tzara’at eventually was healed, he would first call for the priest to be reexamined. If the priest saw no sign of tumah (uncleanness), a second examination was scheduled seven days later, and if it was evident that the person was now free from the disease, the process of tahora (purification) would begin. The purification process symbolized “rebirth” through sacrifice, somewhat similar to the Yom Kippur and Red Heifer rituals. The priest ordered that one of two birds should be slaughtered over the earthen vessel filled with fresh spring water, with its blood mixing with the water. The living bird, along with a piece of cedar, and a hyssop branch were then tied together using scarlet thread, and the entire bundle was dipped into the earthen vessel.
    [Show full text]
  • ''Beth Yosef '' *** 2108 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, N.Y
    Congregation ''Beth Yosef '' *** 2108 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, N.Y. 11223 *** Rabbi Aharon Farhi Mr. Eliyahu Levy, President Parashat Tazria Tahor Maqam Saba Haftarat HaShamayim Kisei st th 1 Iyar 5780 Issue #887 April 25 2020 Candle Lighting 7:27pm * Shekiah 7:45pm * Shir Hashirim 7:00pm followed by Minha Friday Night Shaharit Shabbat 8:15am * Minha Shabbat 7:10pm * Shabbat Ends 8:28pm & Rabbenu Tam 8:58pm Time for Talit 4:42am * Seasonal Hour 80:00 * Alot Hashahar 4:26am * Netz Hachama 6:02am Weekday Minha 7:20pm * Earliest Time for Arbit 6:43pm * Tzet Hacochavim 7:23pm * Chatzot 12:53 Latest Time for Morning Keriat Shema 8:26am * Latest Time for Morning Amidah 9:46am ________________________________Please do not read this bulletin during Tefillah or Keriat Hatorah_______________________________ Moshe said: “This is the thing that Hashem has approach the Altar. Moshe encouraged him, saying, commanded you to do; then the glory of Hashem will “Why are you ashamed? It is for this, to fill the appear to you”. What is Moshe commanding Bnei position of Cohen Gadol, that you have been Yisrael to do? Moshe is referring to the Avodah, the chosen!” Moshe had a special piece of personal Temple Services performed by the Cohanim. Moshe advice that he gave over to Aharon. When Hashem said this to reassure the people that the glory of had revealed Himself to Moshe in the Burning Bush Hashem would appear to them this day as a result of and instructed Moshe to act as the leader of the Aharon’s performance of the services for the first Jewish people, as Hashem’s messenger while the time.
    [Show full text]
  • Handbook 2018-19 the IDEA SCHOOL
    THE IDEA Handbook SCHOOL 2018-19 Mission & Vision Our Mission The Idea School’s mission is to provide students with the abilities to: • Nurture a relationship with Hashem and live a rich halakhic life • Engage with the world through the prism of Torah • Be passionate and curious learners • Understand how they can uniquely contribute to the world • Recognize learning as a joyful, lifelong process “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” — Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14 Our Vision Our students will emerge from The Idea School with a clear sense of why living a Torah life is meaningful and important and an understanding of how their Judaism requires them to better the world and to live in an ethically and morally responsible manner. Our students will have developed talents, skills, and interests that will provide them with a rich inner life and the ability to be successful in their college and professional lives. Finding value in being curious and inquisitive, they’ll enter the world with a desire to always keep learning. Mission & Vision Tikvah Wiener The IDEA School 1 | page Head of School www.theideaschool.org The Idea School is focused on four core ideals: readiness for the world, passion, inquiry and meaning. • READINESS FOR THE WORLD We define this in two ways, with the first being aspirational: we want students to enter the world ready to live a Jewish and halakhic life, and to know that their religion requires of them to contribute to their own communities and to the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Hemdat Yamim Parashat Kedoshim 5768
    This edition of Hemdat Yamim is dedicated in loving memory of R ' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld PARASHAT KEDOSHIM 28 Nisan 5768 o.b.m This week….. Hemdat Yamim is endowed by Les & Ethel Sutker of • Loving the Right Convert for the Right Reason- A Glimpse from the Parasha Chicago, Illinois in loving memory of • May one Share a Monthly Bus Pass- Ask the Rabbi • Ownership on Foods That Are Assur B’hana’ah – part III- from the works of Max and Mary Sutker Rav Yisraeli zt”l and Louis and Lillian Klein, z”l. • Signing of a Ketuba of a Different Edah - from the world of Jewish Jurisprudence Loving the Right Convert for the Right Reason Our parasha includes one of the mentions of the commandment to be kind to gerim (converts). “As a citizen of yours he shall be for you, the convert who lives with you, and you shall love him as yourself for you were strangers in the Land of Egypt” (Vayikra 19:34). Since the convert is a full Jew, why must the Torah tell us separately to love him? Chazal understand that there is a need to strengthen this general directive in relation to converts. But why? The Ibn Ezra (ad loc.) says it is because a convert generally has a weaker social status. The Sefer Hachinuch (#431) similarly focuses on the difficulty of leaving his natural surroundings to join a foreign nation. The Rambam (Aseh 207) highlights the extra respect he deserves for going out of his way to accept Hashem’s Torah, comparing love of a ger to love of Hashem Himself (see also De’ot 6:4).
    [Show full text]
  • “Violate One Shabbat”
    בס“ד Parshat Ki Tisa 18 Adar I, 5776/February 27, 2016 Vol. 7 Num. 25 לע“נ נחום אליעזר בן יוסף הכהן ז“ל This issue is sponsored by Miriam and Moishe Kesten in memory of Larry Roth, who was so dedicated to Torah MiTzion “Violate one Shabbat” Rabbi Jonathan Ziring “V’shamru B’nei Yisrael et haShabbat, most dangerous principles in all of the mitzvah, and we are hurting Reuven to la’asot et haShabbat l’dorotam brit Torah, the rule that rabbis are protect other Jews from sinning. To use olam – And the Children of Israel shall empowered to preserve the integrity of Rambam’s parable, why may we guard the Sabbath, to make the the Halachic system by temporarily amputate Reuven’s arm to save Sabbath for all their generations an suspending a biblical law, the Rambam Shimon’s leg? eternal covenant.” (Sh’mot 31:16) (Hilchot Mamrim 2:4) invokes the principle of “Violate one Shabbat.” Just The Radbaz explains that the Rambam The Talmud (Yoma 85b) offers this as it is legitimate to protect Shabbat in must be assuming that 1) the Jewish verse as one of the sources for the rule the long run by allowing someone to nation is like one body, and 2) all of that if necessary, one may violate desecrate Shabbat to save his life, it is Torah is connected. Thus, when we Shabbat to save a life. “Violate one legitimate to temporarily suspend decide how to protect Torah, we can Shabbat so that he will keep many almost any of the Torah’s laws (besides make global decisions: weighing the Shabbatot.” Whether this is derived for idol worship) if that will allow Torah benefit to all Jews and all mitzvot from the word “haShabbat” (that it is to continue.
    [Show full text]
  • – Key Points of Leviticus Outline of Leviticus
    – Key Points of Leviticus Leviticus stands at the center of the Torah. Its narrative covered probably only a month. It is the first book of Torah that religious Jews start teaching their young children, since it is believed that those who are pure in heart (i.e., children) should be engaged in the study of purity (i.e., the laws of purification and atonement)—the central themes of Leviticus. • Even today, Leviticus remains the foundation for Jewish life, since it includes the laws pertaining to diet, the feasts, sex, marriage, family purity, and our relationship with our fellow man. Leviticus is at the heart of the modern Jewish synagogue service, and forms the basis for the daily devotions of religious Jews. Jewish liturgical prayer is largely based on the tabernacle service outlined in this book. Outline of Leviticus • The five main offerings (Lev 1–7) • The ordination of priests (Lev 6:8–7:38) • Laws of cleanliness (food, childbirth, diseases, etc., Lev 11–15) • Day of Atonement (Lev 16–17) • Moral laws regulating relationships between humans (Lev 18–20) • Regulations for priests, the offerings of the 1 annual feasts (Lev 21:1–24:9 Page • Punishment for blasphemy, murder, etc. (Lev 24:10–23) • The Sabbatical year, Jubilee, land laws, slavery (Lev 25) • Blessings and cursings (Lev 26) • Regulations pertaining to vows made to YHVH (Lev 27) U Themes of Leviticus • Holiness (set-apartness) is the key theme of Leviticus. The set-apartness of YHVH and the need for man to become set-apart (Heb. kadosh; Lev 11:44). • The offerings and other ceremonies served to show the holiness of YHVH.
    [Show full text]
  • CLEAR MESSAGES of LASHON HARA, 42 Bt10adway, NFW Yohli
    The full 73-volume set of the Schottellstein l!nfJllsh Edition Babylonian Talmud can be yours at hundreds rn1shte1 , mishte1 of dollars off the list price of the individual volumesr FULL SIZE EDITION: In the famedAl'tSt:l'f111 ranach.SeJ1es, I List price for the entire set, is now complete·...., volume 2 is here! on/ylJ,999:: Th.is magnificent volume, by Rabbi. EHezer Ginsburg and Rabbi Yosef Weinberger communicates the Wisdom of MIShlei;'as understood by the classic commentators, and Includes a broad and brilliant treatment of Eishes ChayU -..:... King Solomon's tribute to the Jewish Wife and mother. •t you have volume 1, you•n welcome this one. If you don't - get both volumes without delay'. Kesuvim is now compl~te _in the _A~croll Tanach series -~- [Dedicat;db~B;;.~nd---- ___________ ,, ___ "- --------------- --Harri~;Ra~:Ch)~;g;·i.. ----·- ., ___ _,,, ______ ,, __ ,.,,_J ~(;~~:\·.,' R<1bbi fu1nd·.11.L. ·= on tile P<1rcl5hiih 2 MOM irislghts, stories, and observations on the weekly Torah reading OllllAY MYSTERl!S oted for his wit, Wisdom and- elocution-~ , N 1 In thiS fascinating book, .Leah latndan helps ary excellence, Rabbi Ylssocher Frand is the polite .solve very complicated cases IJY known throughout the world as a- masterfully finding ciues trom Torah sources. YOu'JI find clear teacher of Torah. Drawing from the' vaSt mysteries that .show the dark side of· the reservoir of Rabbi Frand's teachings, this -neW human heart_- and you'JI delight to see how volume is sure w enhance Shabbos mea1S people experien-ce rear _changes through faith and celebrations throughout the, year.
    [Show full text]
  • YK-Complete-Teaching
    www.synagoguehamptons.org [email protected] 631-725-8188 P.O. Box 1800 East Hampton, NY 11937 YAMIM NORA’IM \ mi`xep mini 5771 YOM KIPPUR TEACHINGS by Rabbi Jan R. Uhrbach 1 KOL NIDRE ,el cirn epi`e exiaga zecr rceide ,ala cg`e dta cg` xacnd ,o`pey `ed jexa yecwd dyly . ..icigi ea cirne exiaga dexr xac d`exde Three the Holy Blessed One hates: one who speaks one thing with his/her mouth and another thing in his/her heart; and one who possesses evidence concerning a neighbor and does not testify for him; and one who sees something indecent in a neighbor and testifies alone against him (Pesahim 113a-b). Our central focus on these High Holy Days has been re-reading, reinterpreting, the very powerful but very problematic, metaphor of the day of judgment. And we said on Rosh Hashanah, that we shouldn’t read this Day of Judgment imagery, or the the accounting of the soul (heshbon hanefesh), as some kind of external evaluation of an immutable past, after we’re gone. We should understand it, rather, as a constant mid-life assessment, with an eye to the future. We’ve been re-reading those metaphors as symbolic language, intended to push us to focus on ultimate values, and to do teshuvah (repentance, response, return). Not so that we will receive a reward, but so that life will be more rewarding, more meaningful, holier. And we’ve been looking at rabbinic texts -- mostly from the Talmud -- which get at these issues, primarily through the metaphor of Day of Judgment.
    [Show full text]
  • Sacred Speech — Sacred Communities
    Sacred Speech — Sacred Communities BY MARGARET MOERS WENIG1 o the rabbis, gossip was a seri- argue with them, revise them or adapt ous crime: “One who speaks them. This process of study can help T lashon hara2 [gossip] . de- us use the power of speech for good and nies the fundamental principal of the not for evil, for the creation of sacred existence and authority of God” (B.T. communities rather than for their de- Arachin 15b). “God does not accept the struction. prayers of one who speaks lashon hara” (Zohar, M’tzora). “Lashon hara is the Lashon Hara Overheard cause of our exile” (B.T. Yoma 9b, Gittin 57b). • In her sermon, the rabbi is compar- In contrast, anthropologists, philoso- ing and contrasting the religious tra- phers and feminists enumerate the cru- ditions of Judaism and Islam. A cial roles that gossip plays, “conveying member of the congregation hap- information without which,” as Sisela pens to be a scholar of Islam. In his Bok has put it, “neither groups nor so- view, the rabbi’s portrait of Islam is cieties could function.”3 Who among simplistic at best, a dangerous dis- us could function without gossip? Who tortion at worst. He finds it diffi- among us would want to? And yet, cult to sit through the rest of the ser- most of us also know from experience vice, difficult to concentrate on the the serious damage gossip can cause. remaining prayers. For him, the ser- The friction between these conflict- mon has undermined the rabbi’s ing attitudes sparks a debate that sheds credibility.
    [Show full text]
  • SHABBAT SHALOM. Today Is 28 Sivan 5780. We Come
    " SHABBAT SHALOM. Today is 28 Sivan 5780. We Come. Adding the letter hey to both Avraham and Sarah bensch Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, which will be this placed them on a much higher level than the rest of the world. Monday and Tuesday. The Molad (the re-appearance of the moon) will be early Sunday morning (Saturday 4. In the aftermath of the Spy Mission, Hashem rewards night) at 12:26am and 14 chalakim (about 47 seconds), Calev with his family heritage including Chevron and the patriarchal burial plots. And it was to be given to Calev’s Jerusalem time. We omit Av HaRachamim. descendants. “And his offspring shall possess it” (14:24). No reward is mentioned for Yehoshua. The Ramban states that TORAH DIALOGUE the omission is not so noteworthy, since Yehoshua’s ultimate (p. 623 Hz) (p. 860 S) (p. 560 Hi) (p. 798 AS) reward was being Moshe’s successor. Yehoshua will lead SHELACH Numbers 13:1 Bnei Yisrael in invading and conquering Canaan. The Torah [Compiled by Rabbi Edward Davis (RED), Temimah takes a contrary approach (in his Tosefet Rabbi Emeritus and Sephardic Minyan Rabbi Berachah). He wrote that the Torah omits Yehoshua’s Young Israel of Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale] blessing because Yehoshua did not have any children. With 1. In Parshat Devarim Moshe wrote that it was the people’s no offspring to possess any part of Eretz Yisrael, there is no idea to send a Spy Mission into the Promised Land. Here, in reason to mention him and cause him more sadness. But today’s Parshah, it seems that it was Hashem’s idea.
    [Show full text]