Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Vayeilech (Shuvah) No 1644: 6 Tishrei 5777 (8 October 2016)

AS APPROACHES “I belong to My Lover and My Lover belongs to Me” – Freely-Given Love - by Esti Rosenberg, Head of the for Women,

A long journey of three Haftarot of rebuke and seven of consolation ends this Shabbat with the Haftarah “Return Yisrael to your G-d” [Hoshaya 14:2]. The masters of the Tosafot explain: “Three passages of rebuke are read before Tisha B’Av ... and seven of consolation after Tisha B’Av, including two that deal with repentance – Dirshu and Shuva.” [Megillah 31b].

The destruction of the Temple requires us to enter into a process of repentance. The journey of retribution and consolation ends with the subject of repentance.

Let us delve more deeply into the two Haftarot that deal with “Teshuva” – repentance. (We will not go into the discussion in the Tosafot about exactly when the two Haftorot are read.) This discussion is based on ideas that I heard from Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein.

The Haftarah “Dirshu – Seek G-d when He is available” [Yeshayahu 55:6] is familiar to many of us from the Mincha prayers of public fast days. It is read during the Ten Days of Awe on the Fast of Gedalia. Yeshayahu tells the nation to seek G-d, and the nation rises enthusiastically to the challenge. Yeshayahu demands, “Seek G-d when He is available, call out to Him when He is close.” The nation responds, “Let the evil one abandon his ways and the sinner his thoughts, and let them return to G-d” [55:7]. Even the Gentiles come close to G-d and repent, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives them a place of honor in His house. The hills and mountains break out in song, and there is an active movement of returning to G-d. This excellent movement is a symbol of proper repentance. It was chosen as the Haftarah for public fast days out of a deep understanding that fasting can encourage people to repent.

The other Haftarah, “Shuva,” is different. The nation of Yisrael, which has failed by sinning, is called by Hoshaya to repent. This is repentance that is a reaction to distress. “Ashur will not save you, we will not ride on a horse, and we will no longer call our own handiwork god” [Hoshaya 14:4]. It seems that in the time of Hoshaya the nation of Yisrael repents not because of a deep understanding of their sins and their evil thoughts – but rather it is searching for rescue, which does not come from Ashur.

Here is what writes about this verse: “‘I will cure their affliction, I will love them freely” [14:5]. “Because of My good spirit, even though they do not deserve love, I will show my good will to love them, for my anger of them has been reduced.”

The Holy One, Blessed be He, will accept the repentance of Yisrael in the time of Hoshaya – not as judgement but rather as an act of kindness. In truth, they will not be worthy of it by merit of their repentance – but in His love, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will agree to accept the repentance of His nation. This is exciting but it is also disappointing.

The Holy One, Blessed be He, will act towards Yisrael like the dew. Dew does not have the power or the force of rain, but its strength is seen in its quiet and never-ending dedication to its task. Later we read of repentance of the nation in the time of Yoel. This seemed deeper than what took place in the time of Yeshaya, but it too was motivated by a fear of locusts.

At times, Bnei Yisrael repent as the result of a long internal process of abandoning sin, as in “Dirshu.” At other times, the repentance is not at a superior level, and it involves external fears and troubles, as in the case of “Shuva.”

1 The Holy One, Blessed be He, extends His hand to His nation when they repent even when it is not at a superior level but is mixed with human interests. It is exhilarating to see that the sages chose for the Ten Days of Awe the Haftarah “Shuva,” which is at a relatively low level.

“Freely-given love.” How refreshing this can be.

POINT OF VIEW Repentance of Public Figures - by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet Institute

(1) “Wisdom was asked, what is the punishment of a sinner? And it replied, ‘Sinners will be pursued by evil’ [Mishlei 13:21]. Prophecy was asked, what is the punishment of a sinner? And it replied, ‘A soul which commits a sin must die’ [Yechezkel 18:4]. The Torah was asked, what is the punishment of a sinner? And it replied, let them bring an Asham Sacrifice for atonement. The Holy One, Blessed be He, was asked, what is the punishment of a sinner? And He replied, let him repent and he will be forgiven.” [Pesikta D’Rav Kahane Shuva, 24]. (2) “Seven items were created before the world... Repentance... as is written, ‘Before the mountains were born... And You said, let the people return’ [Tehillim 90:2].” [Pesachim 54a]. (3) “The act (the sin of Batsheva and Uriyah) was not appropriate for David, and the act (the sin of the Golden Calf) was not appropriate for Yisrael... Why did they take place? It is to tell you that an individual who sins is told to learn from an individual (David) and a community which sins is told to learn from a community. This is the declaration of David Ben Yishai, who established the standard for repentance.” [Avoda Zara 4b].

Teshuva – Repentance: Is it Irrational?

The concept of teshuva is unique to the Jewish faith, as a kindness of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Only He puts His hand out to accept those who repent, as opposed to wisdom, prophecy, and the Torah (quote 1, above). The Torah proposes a path of atonement: “Let them bring an Asham Sacrifice for atonement.” This is a sacrifice which accompanies an act of repentance with a symbolic act of sprinkling the blood of an animal and burning its flesh. Only the Holy One, Blessed be He, is satisfied with repentance alone, on condition that it is an act of truth, performed with honesty and from the depths of the heart. “Wisdom” and “prophecy” (that is, the intellect and the emotions), as opposed to the Torah, demand strict judgement for violating the sins: “Sinners will be pursued by evil... A soul which commits a sin must die.”

In modern terms, we can add other figures of “authority” which are involved with the question of “what to do with a soul which commits a sin.” These modern systems do not recognize the realm of repentance either. For example, the justice system gives only marginal recognition to the concept of repentance, in the framework of extenuating circumstances when setting a sentence. However, “the law is the law,” and misdemeanors and crimes are forbidden. And there is no mechanism to erase the record of sin.

One realm that is even more stringent is the “media,” especially of the inferior sort, which does not recognize any possibility of forgiveness. This is especially true in a case of sins by a public figure. The press makes its living from a lack of mercy, by pulling out past sins and quoting them from forgotten sources or collecting them from the “cloud” of the internet. There is absolutely no room in this system for repentance!

An Injunction to Forbid Publication

When King David admitted “I have sinned” [Shmuel II 12:13] after the affair of Batsheva and Uriyah, he became a symbol of the act of repentance (quote 2, above). And it may surprise us to see that he too encountered a hostile press! According to our tradition (see below), David made two requests: “That my iniquity will not be recorded.” That is, to “delete” the report of his sin. The reply of the Holy One, Blessed be He, was: “That cannot be done!” His second request was that “the rabbis shall not discuss my sins (in 2 the Beit Midrash).” And to this, the Holy One, Blessed be He, replied: I agree! In modern terms: nothing will be erased from the secret protocols, but there is an injunction that prohibits discussing the matter in public!

Here is the full quote of this discussion from the :

“David said to the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the world: You know very well that if they would tear my flesh no blood would flow. Moreover, when they discussed the matter of the four types of death punishment, they stopped their studies and turned to me, saying, What is the punishment of one who lies with a married woman? I replied to them: One who lies with a married woman is killed by choking, and he still maintains his portion in the world to come, but whoever makes his colleague’s face go white with shame in public has no portion in the world to come. David said to the Holy One, Blessed be He: “Who can understand mistakes” [Tehillim 19:13]. And G-d replied, I accept that (that is, okay!)... Do not let the rabbis discuss my sins. And G-d replied, okay. That my sin should not be recorded. And He replied, ‘That cannot be done.’” [Sanhedrin 107a].

And that indeed is the accepted halacha: “The affairs of David and Amnon are not read in public and are not translated” [Mishna Megillah 4:10].

(Written on 25 Elul.)

NOTES FROM THE HAFTARAH Like Lebanon - by Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation,

This week’s Haftarah begins with the call, “Return Yisrael to your G-d, for you have failed with your sin” [Hoshaya 14:2]. This is oriented towards the Kingdom of Yisrael, where Hoshaya prophesied. Therefore, he uses the names Yisrael and Efraim which are pertinent for the tribes in the north. The main reason that it was difficult for the northern tribes to repent was their distance from the holy service in Jerusalem, which began in the days when the Kingdom was established by Yerovam. This explains why the prophet proposes a path of repentance that does not include atonement based on sacrifices, which are prohibited outside of Jerusalem. Instead, he advises them to make use of speech. “Take words with you and return to G-d. Say to Him: Forgive all our sins and take our good intentions, and our lips will substitute for bulls” [14:3]. The emphasis on bulls and not sheep is because this is a matter of atonement for sins, which is achieved on Yom Kippur when the High Priest sacrifices a bull.

The people of Yisrael have been promised that if their repentance is real they will achieve the same level of atonement that can be achieved through sacrifices. Three verses in succession mention Lebanon: “Its roots will be strong as (the cedars of) Lebanon” [14:6]; “It will have a scent like Lebanon” [14:7]; “Its memory will be like the wine of Lebanon” [14:8]. These three elements correspond to the sacrifices – the flesh of the animals, the incense, and the libation of wine. These are all brought in “Lebanon,” which is one of the names of the Temple (see Rashi, Devarim 4:25). And “Let its glory be like the olive” [14:7] is a reference to the oil of the Mincha sacrifice.

Based on this prophecy of Hoshaya, which was linked to the unique historic background of the Kingdom of the north, a tremendous idea was developed which offered solace to us, the exiles of the Kingdom of Yehuda, during the whole time we did not have an Alter to provide us with atonement. This idea is that repentance is sufficient for atonement for all sins. (See Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva 1:3).

But this raises an obvious question. If repentance can atone for all the sins, why is there a need for the full set of rituals performed by the High Priest on Yom Kippur? Why is it so important to us in the Mussaf Prayer on Yom Kippur to emphasize our yearning for the renewal of the sacrifices of atonement and for sending the scapegoat into the desert?

3 The answer to this question is that we yearn for a time when the personal repentance by every person takes place as part of a general public activity. The High Priest incorporates all of the souls of Yisrael within his personality. In the era of the Temple Yom Kippur was a time of great joy (Taanit 26b), since there was a general feeling of a promise of atonement, while the main burden of the service was on the shoulders of the High Priest and the people showed their desire to join him by fasting themselves. However, today each person acts alone to atone for his own sins, without any combined experience of general atonement. This in itself is a major and terrible lack which we must work hard to rectify.

The thirteen traits of mercy listed by Micha (7:18-20) which are read after the words of Hoshaya show that G-d has a desire to develop methods of atonement that are suitable for Yisrael at any time.

MY KLEZMER BLOG Current Topics - by Moshe (Mussa) Berlin

The Rooster and Human Prayer

This is the story of a rooster that did not know anything about the Torah, or the , or Jewish customs, and certainly knew nothing about the prayers in the Siddur. This was because he was raised by a Gentile woman, and if she didn’t know these things, how could he know them? He spent his time pecking through garbage and showing off his bright red crest to his wives. He proudly cried out, “Kock-adoodle-doo!”

One day his mistress brought him to the big city. A Jew saw the rooster and bought him. The Jew gave the rooster an honored place underneath the oven and near a water basin. He gave him ample food and treated him well. He did not lack for anything. His spirits rose, and he became very proud.

It was nighttime. This was the night before Yom Kippur, and before the coming of dawn the rooster was still asleep. But his new owner suddenly came to the rooster and took him away from his wives.

The rooster woke up and tried to understand what was happening. Why did he wake me up? If he wanted something good he should have waited for me to wake up on my own. And if he wants something from me, why does he go about it in this way? But since dawn had not yet arrived, the rooster was quiet and looked around to see what was going on.

The man lit a lamp and opened a Siddur while holding the rooster in his hand. He started to mumble words that the rooster could not understand. He sat in the man’s hand and looked at the Siddur, but he did not understand a single word. There is a saying, about one who looks at a Siddur like a chicken looks at people. While still looking at the Siddur, the man picked up the bird and started to whirl it around his head. The rooster began to wonder: Doesn’t this Jew know that his movements make me feel bad in the head? And we cannot say that the man is doing this for his own good, what does he get from whirling a rooster around his head and murmuring some words? In any case, this did not seem to the rooster to be the way to act with a rooster, one of the finest of birds that have been created.

While the rooster continued to wonder, the man kissed the Siddur and closed it. He took the rooster and ran with it to the neighborhood shochet, the ritual slaughterer. The shochet took a sharp knife and cut the rooster’s throat, and the rooster finally became aware of what was happening. But knowledge after the fact does not do any good!

(Shai Agnon, “Tachrich Shel Sippurim”)

A Nice Story

Here is a story told by an elder of Chabad who came on Aliyah from Russia: When I was pursued by the Russian police, I was forced to move from one place to another very often. During those years of wandering, I prayed in a different synagogue every year on Rosh Hashana. 4

When I was there, I discovered a very interesting phenomenon. Usually the emotions of the congregants reached a high point when they recited the prayer, “Repentance, prayer, and charity – can overcome the evil decree!”

However, in the synagogues of Chassidim, the congregation would be engulfed in a special holy feeling during the cry, “And You are a King, a G-d who lives and exists forever!”

(Yonadav Kaploun, “Mimecha Eilecha”)

See and hear Shlomo Karlebach tell Succot stories (in Hebrew): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVxJICf9uSs

For reactions: [email protected] Visit my website: www.mussaberlin.com

NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION Zibura and Akraba - by Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for Women

“And many evil things and troubles will befall them, and they will say on that day, ‘Is it not because G-d is not among me that all of these evil things have happened to me?’” [Devarim 31:17].

The above verse was explained by the Amora Rav, as is written in the Talmud: “When Rabbi Yochanan reached the following verse he would weep: ‘Many evil things and troubles will befall them...’ Is there any hope for a slave whose master brings on him evil things and troubles? What is meant by the phrase, ‘evil things and troubles?’ Rav said, it refers to evil things that cause trouble for each other, like zibura and akraba (bees and scorpions).” [Chagiga 5a]. Rashi comments as follows: “He gives these two examples because it is written, ‘Use heat against scorpions and cold against bees, and the danger will pass’ [Avoda Zara 28b]. Therefore if one is attacked both by bees and scorpions the wounds conflict with each other – cold will not help because of the stings of the scorpions and heat will not help because of the stings of the bees.”

In this passage, the Talmud recommends that one who is bitten by a scorpion should treat the bite with hot water, while one who is bitten by a bee (or by a wasp) should cool down the site of the sting. Thus, treating a person who is stung by both insects can lead to a conflict.

This “cute pair” of the bee/wasp and the scorpion appears many times in the Talmud as an example of danger to people. One place in addition to the above quote from Chagiga, is the following: “Abayei said, One is not allowed to put bees and scorpions together, even though his intention is to prevent harm.” Sanhedrin 65a]. Abayei feels that the prohibition “vechover chaver” [Devarim 18:11], which is usually taken to mean an animal charmer, also prohibits putting scorpions and wasps together so that they will fight each other instead of harming human beings. In comparing the two insects, the Talmud implies that the scorpion is more dangerous to human beings. “A small cup for a bee, a full ‘revi’it’ for a scorpion” [Shabbat 109b]. Rashi explains that a very small cupful of urine can be used to treat one who has been stung by a bee/wasp, while a full revi’it is necessary for one who was bitten by a scorpion.”

A Bee or a Wasp?

The word “akraba” definitely refers to a scorpion, as is clear from many sources. The meaning of “zibura,” on the other hand, is more complex. In Aramaic a wasp is called zibura, which is clearly connected to the Hebrew word devorah, a bee. Since dalet and zayin are interchanged in Hebrew and Aramaic, it seems likely that both words stem from a common origin in pre- Semitic languages. The Arabic word for a wasp is “zunbur” or “zunbar,” and both of these words are very close to “zibura.”

5 At the same time, the wasp is also known in Arabic by the name “dabour.” This is true of the eastern wasp. The word for bee in Arabic is quite different – “nachala.” In Aramaic, the female form of zibura is “ziburta.” In spite of the common source of the words devorah and zibura, they do not seem to mean the same thing in the literature of the sages. “Devorah” always refers to a honeybee, while “zibura” can be either a bee or a wasp, and the context is needed in order to understand the correct meaning.

An example where ziburta can refer to a bee occurs in the words of Rav Nachman: “Arrogance is not suitable for women. Two women were arrogant, and their names are hateful. One was named ‘ziburta,’ and the other was named ‘karcushta’- a rat.” [Megillah 14b]. This statement is referring to Devorah and Chulda. Perhaps the name “ziburta” mentioned in the Midrash is also a reference to a bee, since it also produces honey: “Rabbi Tanchuma said, one says to a ziburta: I want neither your honey nor your sting!” [Midrash Tehillim, Buber, Tehillim 1].

On the other hand, in many instances in the Talmud the name zibura seems to refer to a wasp, specifically the large and dangerous eastern wasp, which is very prominent in our land. This is the largest social wasp in , and the length of the queen can reach 23-25 mm. It also appears in land adjacent to Babylon, and it can be assumed that it was also known in Babylon itself. In several places, we are told about the danger of this insect. For example, “Rav Idi Bar Abin said: one who swallows a zibura will not live long. But in any case he should be given a cup of strong vinegar so that he will live long enough to make his desires known to his household and his family before he dies.” [Gittin 70a].

Heat a Sting or Cool It?

In order to check Rav’s advice about the effects of hot and cold, I searched for modern medical advice on how to treat stings by bees and wasps as opposed to stings by scorpions. I found that even though there are very large differences in the composition of the venum of these arthropods, the recommendation is always to cool the spot where the sting took place. This is contrary to the statement by Rav that we quoted above.

According to Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Halperin, the head of the Institute for Medical-Halachic Research, we should remember that the recommendation in the Talmud is based on observation of medical experts of the time and accepted treatment practices in areas where scorpions and wasps were endemic, so we should not be so fast to discount their advice. It is possible that with respect to the poisonous venom of the scorpion, when there were no hospitals or clinics ready to supply antidotes, immediate heating with boiling water might cause denaturation and destruction of the protein of the poison and prevent death. The venom of the wasp, on the other hand, causes the immune system to suddenly become very active. Perhaps cooling the site of the sting can help to suppress the reaction of the immune system while heating it would substantially increase the reaction.

It is interesting to note the recommended treatment today for a sting by the Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus). This fish entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. It lives in shallow water, and it is a real danger to swimmers. The recommended immediate treatment is to heat the place where the sting took place, in order to cause denaturation of the venom, similar to the ancient treatment for a sting of a scorpion.

For more information in Hebrew and for pictures, and to regularly receive articles about plants and animals linked to the , write e-mail to: [email protected]

STRAIGHT TALK The Moment of Truth - by Rabbi Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim Makshivim" Website

I first met Barry in the army. A bit on the heavy side, short, with glasses, and very introverted. No matter how much I tried to get close to him and encourage him to open up, I felt that I had hit a solid wall. There was something odd and mysterious about him, but all of my attempts to break 6 through failed. And then one morning we had an unpleasant conversation. I went into the shower and saw Barry standing in front of a mirror shaving. He held a razor and slowly moved it over his cheek. This was the very first time I had seen anybody shaving with a razor, even though this is expressly forbidden by the Torah – “Do not destroy the side of your beard” [Vayikra 19:27].

I thought to myself: Perhaps he comes from a nonreligious family and never even heard that what he was doing was a problem in halachic terms. (And what kind of a name was Barry, anyway? Is it a nickname for Bernard?) I went to him, and I tried to talk to him gently: “Perhaps you don’t know, Barry, but according to Jewish law we don’t shave with a razor. The Torah teaches us that this is forbidden. If you want, I will be happy to lend you my electric shaver. The shave will be just as smooth...”

Barry looked at me with anger in his eyes, and he let out a short reply: “I know that shaving with a razor is forbidden. I do it on purpose!”

I was stunned. Why would anybody want to do such a thing on purpose? I was speechless, and Barry continued shaving without any visible emotion.

After that, I hesitated to talk to Barry, and it became clear that he had a strong objection to anything related to religion or to halacha. Even when we were looking for a tenth man to have a “minyan” for public prayers (and even the Druze soldiers were willing to help us), Barry refused. He cried out, “I am not coming! I don’t believe in all that!”

It took a while, but eventually I found out Barry’s story. He had been born into a Chareidi family in Jerusalem, and his name was Baruch. He went through the usual stages – “Cheider,” a Talmud Torah, a , a graduate yeshiva. But one day he began to feel that he was living a lie. He did not believe in this path, he was not interested in continuing to observe the mitzvot.

Barry lived a double life for a year after this decision, but when his family started to suggest girls for him to marry he understood that he must make a clear decision. He removed his Chareidi clothing, threw away his kippah, and changed his lifestyle, far removed from any observance of the mitzvot. Later on, he entered the IDF, where he consistently showed his animosity to anything that seemed at all related to faith and the Jewish traditions.

This story might have ended on a pessimistic note if not for an unexpected night encounter, which introduced me to a very different aspect of Barry’s soul. One night at about one o’clock I went into the shower room to prepare for bed. The room was completely silent, and most of the soldiers were already asleep. Then, suddenly, I heard a cry from one of the shower stalls – “Ah-haaa!” It scared me. Perhaps one of the soldiers had slipped and fallen, and he was crying out for help! I ran inside and found one of the showers working. From behind the curtain, I heard Barry singing: “Ah-haaa, Hamelech! The King!...” I was in total shock. This was the traditional melody sung in every synagogue during the Days of Awe, for the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

I said, “Barry, what are you doing?”

He answered like there could not be anything more natural: “I’m singing!”

“Is that what you sing in the shower??”

And he replied, “Sure. There are some things in life that you can never leave behind.”

And at that moment I understood the secret. In spite of the fact that Barry had decided that he has no faith and that he was not interested in observing the Torah and the mitzvot, he still had a warm spot in his heart and a strong love for the melodies of the Days of Awe which he sang when he was growing up. In spite of everything, that was one thing he could not leave

7 behind. After that, Barry’s fondness of the melodies of the prayers and the liturgical poems formed a strong bond between us. I loved to sing them too, and whenever we were together – on guard duty, in training exercises, on marches – we would sing melodies from the prayers. Even our commanding officer raised an eyebrow one night when he found two of his soldiers, one wearing tzitzit and the other who always made sure to shave with a razor, singing at their guard post in the middle of the night – “U’Netaneh Tokef...”

* * * * * *

There are some people who view the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Penitence with skepticism, if not to say cynicism. They say, “Just who are we trying to fool? Why should we make an extra effort in our prayers and try to be nicer to those around us, when we all know that in a few weeks there will be nothing left of these feelings, and we will all go back to being just as we were before?”

First of all, I want to make it clear that they are wrong. If we look at the matter in depth, we will see that we never remain in the same place. We are always advancing, even if it is only in very small steps. And even though we don’t manage to fulfill all of our plans and make a revolution, we should not disparage the small changes that we do manage to make.

In addition, such a question is based on a fundamental mistake. Who said that the viewpoint from which we should be judged is the sum total of all of our actions (or the deeds which we failed to do), during the entire year? Perhaps what is really important are the precious moments when we put aside all of our external posing, ignore all the complications, and say with all honesty, “Master of the universe, we are with you. We want to become better, reach a higher state of purity, become more precise, and be a source of light around us. Please help us!”

Perhaps such moments are few, with long gaps between them, but their value is infinite. That may well be what puts us on the positive side of the scale of judgement.

A happy and fruitful year to all!

For reactions, added material, and to join an e-mail list: milatova.org.il

RIDDLE OF THE WEEK by Yoav Shelosberg, Director of "Quiz and Experience"

Vayeilech The name of another “portion” appears in this week’s Torah portion, And the same number plays a prominent role in verses in both portions. What is the portion, and what is the number?

Answer to last week’s riddle – It was: (Today’s riddle is connected to Rosh Hashanah.) “Weakened” + “One who continued on his grandfather’s path, interpreting the words of the sages.” What is this?

(With thanks to “Mann” (a penname), from Petach Tikveh.)

The answer: “Tashrat” – the abbreviation of a full set of shofar blasts – Tekiya, Shevarim, Teru’ah, Tekiya.

- “Weakened” is the word “tash.” - Rabeinu Tam (“R-T”) was a commentator who followed in the path of his grandfather, Rashi.

* * * * * *

We will be happy to publish your riddles here, with proper credit to the author. Send your suggestions to the e-mail address given below.

8 Do you have a bar/bat mitzva coming up? Are you looking for a special quiz? To order: www.hidonim.com e-mail: [email protected]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices of the . Translated by: Moshe Goldberg To subscribe: http://www.zomet.org.il/eng/?pg=subscribe&CategoryID=165 Visit the Zomet Institute web site: http://www.zomet.org.il Contact Zomet with comments about this bulletin or questions on the link between modern technology and halacha at: [email protected] Or: Phone: +972-2-9931442; FAX: +972-2-9931889 (Attention: Dan Marans) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

9