Torah Weekly
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
בס״ד TORAH HOW ARE WE TO a Jew. If you were born a observant and more WEEKLY VIEW JEWS BY Jew, you will die a Jew. passionate about Judaism CHOICE? Are converts But a convert did not have to than most born Jews? “A 26 May – 01 June, 2019 looked down upon in become Jewish. No one blight upon Israel” would 21 - 27 Iyar, 5779 Judaism? Is conversion to forced him or her into it. If then mean that their deeper Torah: Leviticus 26:3-27:34 our faith frowned upon? To anything, those electing to commitment and zealousness Haftorah: Jeremiah 16:19 - 17:14 be sure, I have been privy to join the Jewish faith are puts us to shame. PARSHAT BECHUKOTAI plenty of disparaging This week we read the aware of something called remarks over the years— anti-Semitism. Do they need Tochachah—the Rebuke. A We have Jewish ironically, often made by it in their lives? Are they series of dire warnings to the Calendars. If you people who themselves are suicidal, or just plain stupid? Jewish people not to stray would like one, far from religiously Why would anyone in their from G‑d’s ways, and of the please send us a observant. “A leopard right mind go looking for curses that will befall us if letter and we will doesn’t change its spots” is tzoris?! Says the Midrash: we should, the Rebuke is send you one, or ask one of the milder ones I’ve CALENDARS one who does make that always read shortly before the Rabbi / Chaplain heard. But, never mind what conscious, deliberate choice Shavuot, the holiday of the to contact us. certain individual Jews may giving of the Torah. That to embrace the G‑d of say. What does Judaism say? Abraham despite the unique moment at the mountain, Do you have family The simple answer is that the unpopularity of the children when we stood at Sinai, on the outside classic, age-old definition of of Abraham is someone experienced the great struggling? a Jew has always been “one worthy of G‑d’s special love. Revelation and received the Please contact or born of a Jewish mother, or A Jew by choice is a Jew Ten Commandments, was have them contact one who has converted to indeed. the moment when we our office to learn Judaism according to There remains a difficult became constitutionally more about our halachah (Torah law).” So, passage in the Talmud enfranchised as a people. family programs. provided the conversion (Yevamot 47b) that begs Shavuot marks the day when You and they are process was supervised and some elucidation. “Converts we were transformed from a FAMILY PROGRAMS not alone, we are performed by a valid, are as difficult for Israel as a family—children of here to help. authentic rabbinic body, a blight!” Not a very flattering Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, convert is just as Jewish as depiction. A simple Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah—to a nation. That is We offer free Grape any born Jew. Those who explanation might be that the day we all converted to Juice and Matzoh would look down upon when converts are insincere, Judaism. We all became for you to be able to converts should remember and they are not really Jews at Sinai. make the blessings that some of our greatest committed to living a full & MATZAH Torah sages were descended Jewish life—perhaps they So, every year at this time we every Shabbos. Please have your from converts, including the converted for ulterior read the sobering Rebuke to chaplain / Rabbi legendary Rabbi Akiva. motives, like to marry a prepare us for the reliving of contact us to enroll Furthermore, the Midrash Jew—then their failure to the historic event when we (available to all contends that a genuine observe the commandments too became “converts,” so brings disrepute to Judaism, that we should enter into our GRAPE JUICE prisons). convert is more precious in G‑d’s eyes than one who was and may have a negative covenant with G‑d sincerely Hyman & Martha Rogal Center born Jewish. Why? Because ripple effect on other Jews. and genuinely, in reverence 5804 Beacon Street one born of a Jewish mother But there is also an and in awe. Pittsburgh, PA 15217 had no choice in the matter. alternative interpretation. May all of us, those born or 412-421-0111 If your mother is Jewish, you Some understand the those who have become, be Fax: 412-521-5948 are Jewish. Period. You www.alephne.org suggestion that converts are a true Jews who will be true to [email protected] cannot surrender your blight upon Israel to mean our faith, our Torah and our birthright. Like it or not, it is that they give born Jews a tradition. May we accept the a biological and spiritual fact bad name. Why? Because all Torah anew with the passion of life. You can attempt to too often, converts are more and zeal of one who has just convert out of the Jewish zealous than any other Jews made that momentous faith, but Judaism does not in their commitment to the choice, the choice to become recognize such artificial faith. Have we not seen a Jew. alterations. A Jew is a Jew is converts who are more by Rabbi Yossy Goldman IN JEWISH HISTORY EFFORT THAT REALLY COUNTS As we conclude the third Sunday, May 26, 2019 - 21 Iyar, 5779 book of the Torah in synagogues around the world this week, I am Kfar Chabad Established (1949) reminded of the traditional prayer recited upon completion of a The Chabad-Lubavitch village in Israel, Kfar Chabad, tractate of the Talmud. In it, we thank G‑d for the great was founded by the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi opportunity to toil in the study of Torah. The prayer contains a Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, on Iyar 21 of 1949. The line that goes like this: “We toil and they toil. We toil and receive first settlers were mostly recent immigrants from the reward, while they toil and don’t receive reward.” This line is Soviet Union, survivors of the terrors of World War II originally found in the Talmud (Berachot 28b), as part of the and Stalinist oppression. Kfar Chabad, which is prayer that Rabbi Nechunia ben Hakanah would say upon exiting located about five miles south of Tel Aviv and the study hall. The prayer is obviously contrasting Torah study includes agricultural lands as well as numerous with all other activities and forms of work: while Torah study educational institutions, serves as the headquarters of offers meaningful compensation, other endeavors don’t. the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic movement in the But this needs further explanation. Is this really so? Is there really Holy Land. ' no meaningful compensation in other fields of work? Last I heard, Monday, May 27, 2019 - 22 Iyar, 5779 people were being compensated in other areas as well! So, how Shabbat Commanded (1313 BCE) does Torah study differ? Following the descent of the manna (the miraculous Torah study is mostly about the means, not so much about the "Bread from Heaven" that sustained the Israelites in ends. The explanation lies in careful examination of the words of the desert), G-d commanded the Children of Israel to the prayer: “. .they toil and receive no reward.” Why did the keep the Shabbat. This Shabbat was the 22nd of Iyar, author of this prayer of thanksgiving choose the word “toil” as of the year 2448 from Creation (1313 BCE) (see opposed to, let’s say, “work” or “achieve”? "Today in Jewish History" for Iyar 15). The answer, I believe, is that Torah study is all about the effort Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 23 Iyar, 5779 and the “toiling,” in contrast with other endeavors or sciences, Water from a Rock at Rephidim (1313 BCE) where the main focus is on accomplishment and the final product. The Children of Israel arrived at Rephidim on the Torah study is mostly about the means, not so much about the 23rd of Iyar, 1313 BCE -- 38 days after their exodus ends. In other areas of life, who cares about your toiling? Toiling from Egypt. Rephidim was desert land and waterless, is just a means to an end. There is no reward for hard work and the people grumbled that they and their flocks were in shvitzing. In fact, if you could accomplish the same job without danger of dying of thirst. G-d commanded Moses to toiling, that would be just as good. No extra reward is given for take the elders of the people to a rock which he was to the toiling. It is mostly the results that count! In Torah study, hit with his staff. Moses hit the rock and from the dry however, it’s the opposite. Even if you were to toil in Torah study stone, a well sprang forth. without any tangible results, that itself is worthy of reward! Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 24 Iyar, 5779 Germany Surrenders (1945) The reason for this is because unlike other sciences, Torah study is In Rheims, France, the Chief-of-Staff of the German not about accumulating knowledge. Unlike other self-help books Armed Forces High Command signed the and religious manuals, the Torah is not only about learning how to unconditional surrender documents for all German observe. Torah study is primarily about forging a relationship with forces to the Allies, thus marking the official end of G‑d. When we toil in the study of Torah, and connect to the World War II in Europe.