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בס״ד SIVAN 5778 I SHABBAT BEGINS -20:36- YOM TOV ENDS 22:01 5 BAMIDBAR THE COMMUNITY Parasha Sheet To receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email us [email protected] www.torahactionlife.com This week’s Parsha Sheet is sponsored Lirfuat David Ben Margalit Betoch Shaar Cholei Yisrael RABBI JONATHAN TAWIL Which is it - was the census concerned with the overall numbers (the “Klal”) or was the census > SHAVUOT TIMES interested in the individual names (the “P’rat”)? SHABBAT BEGINS 20:36 DIRECTOR FIRST DAY YOM TOV 21:57 SECOND DAY YOM TOV 21:59 TAL Have you ever been in a synagogue searching for a YOM TOV ENDS 22:01 Minyan? When people arrive in the synagogue the Shliach Tsibur has to wait till there are ten men. The Halacha is that he may not count these people THE WEEKLY QUOTE directly. “Once you let go of negative Rav Mordechai Gifter zt’l, explains that numbers people, positive ones appear.” UNITY IN NUMBERS! by their very definition are finite. Stating a number, one quantifies an item such that the quantity is > UPCOMING EVENTS What does a number mean to you? Technically a no more and no less than the number stated. A • SHAVUOT PROGRAM number is a mathematical object used to count human being, by his very definition, is not finite 19th May (More info check online) and measure. Yet we use numbers to represent in this sense. He has a soul and strengths, and important times in our lives, to role dice in a game characteristics. He has unlimited potential to grow • FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT th or even play a lucky lottery. This week we enter and expand his capabilities. Trying to put a number 10 June 2018 (More info check online) the fourth book of the Torah Bamidbar. Our Sages on an individual limits him and restricts his ability • FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER ST JONHS WOOD know this book as Sefer Hapikudim – the book of to reach untold heights. Therefore, when we speak 15th June 2018 (More info check online) Numbers. of a “Minyan” we are not speaking of a “mispar” [a number]. We cannot just “count” Jews. When On first thought we understand the book is so we enumerate people and treat them as numbers called after the beginning of our Parsha which we in effect say they are defined and limited. This deals with a population census that is taken of the is certainly not the way Hashem wants us to view Jewish people at the time. the Jewish people. DVAR TORAH P1 Yet when we think of it, why is a whole book named Unity in Numbers! Thus when there is a census of the people, the aim after such a one off event? Wouldn’t it have been RABBI JONATHAN TAWIL is to work out the number, but they are not counted better for our sages to keep the name as the book by numbers, rather they are counted through of Bamidbar, especially seeing as most of the DVAR TORAH P2 names. Each name represents an individuality, an book deals with occurrences in the wilderness? Our Individual Mission unlocked potential – each person has a separate RABBI YEHONATHAN SALEM Furthermore on inspection the Torah states: “Take task in life. The end number is the sum of all the a census…..according to their fathers’ house, BY physical bodies, but it in no way measures the NUMBER OF THE NAMES, every male according to awesome infinite power of all their souls. OUR CHACHAMIM P3 their head count.” (Bamidbar 1:2). RABBI ABBA Getting the Jewish people to unite nowadays isn’t The expression “Bmispar Sheimot” [by number easy. of the names] seems contradictory. What does HALACHOT P3 But lets think about it 3323 years ago, when the it really mean? The term “number” and “names” Touching Food... In the morning Jews left Egypt. How easy was it for them to unite? RABBI ELI MANSOUR are almost mutually exclusive. When we talk about numbers we imply anonymity. The word “names” The Midrash states that when the time was right has the exact opposite connotation. A name gives to leave Egypt Hashem gathered the Jews from all Kid’s Q&A AND UPCOMING EVENTS P4 a person singularity and a quality of being special over Egypt. They all set out and followed Moshe Time - more than just a number! into the wilderness. This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimot - Please dispose of accordingly 1 Imagine, a people that had been scattered Similarly we find in this weeks Parsha. Moshe was same time, how we value the whole nation as a across a vast land, there were no technological worried. Each tribe had a different flag, each tribe united entity. It is only through unity that we can communications, and yet they all went following had a different Avoda (work) set out for them. have the Mishkan and Hashem’s presence within one leader into the wilderness. How would they all be able to integrate? Perhaps us. The census at the end refers, a generation Forty nine days later they stood at Har Sinai – some of the tribes would complain about their flag and they encamped united - KeIsh Echad Belev and tasks? later, to a newborn nation, about to enter Israel. Echad. Millions of people, a whole nation, and Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky explained that Hashem The message being sent to them is clear. To within 49 days they had achieved unity! reassured Moshe, and told him so long as they inherit the land of Israel, there must be unity. A What is the secret to this unity? are encamped around the Mishkan all will work count of the people is taken, each exists on their well. So long as we are unified in our ideology, Chazal explain that Moshe had already told them individual level, yet each must know the centre we understand the important things in life and set that the whole purpose of Yetsiat Mitsrayim was piece must be Holiness. these as the centre of our attention – the Holy Taavdun…Al Hahar Hazeh – receiving the Torah. The people had a goal, they were excited and had Presence of Hashem – then we will be successful. Am Yisrael are a successful nation when we are a goal to work towards. They united behind this The Netsiv explains that book of Numbers, is so united. goal, and worked on themselves for 49 days each called, because it begins with a census and ends day improving their characters and unity, until with a census. The census at the beginning refers Let us focus on our heritage, focus on our they were able to completely unite to receive the to a census shortly after leaving Egypt. A nation individual goals and unite in His service to merit Torah. that had received the Torah, built the Mishkan the coming of Mashiach Bimhera Byamenu Amen. The Torah could only be received by a united and was ready to start their voyage. It was a show people! of how we value each Jew individually, yet at the ■ Shabbat Shalom RABBI YEHONATAN SALEM - SHALOM LAAM DIASPORA were basking in His divine presence. Yet, for happy, relaxed or calm. On the other hand, DVAR these souls to derive such enjoyment without there are moments when we feel overwhelmed, having first earned it, causes them much challenged, sad or empty. TORAH embarrassment. Hence, G-d created this physical world and enabled souls to descend We should try to understand our individual into it, encased in a body of flesh, to be given duty in this world, to define our goal clearly the chance to earn their reward by choosing and not to lose sight of it. By doing so, we will to do His will, i.e. the mitzvot of the Torah. be able to channel even our most challenging OUR INDIVIDUAL MISSION By exerting effort in their adherence to the moments into being part of a purposeful and mitzvot, they earn eternal reward which they This week, as we start the book of Bamidbar, fulfilling existence, as we steer away from will receive when their souls become detached the Torah begins by enumerating the Jewish wrongdoing and remain on our defined paths. from their earthly bodies and return to their People who were in the Sinai desert. This is maker. The underlying message of the book of to symbolize that every Jew, without exception, has a unique and intrinsic value, and is not However, since each soul is unique in its Bamidbar is that life has its challenges and just a number or a stereotype. His importance spiritual characteristics, each one has a its “ups and downs”, as we journey through is such that for him alone the entire Creation specific goal and mission, which it must fulfil our phase of life in this world. Recently, my is justified. At the time of Creation, G-d made in order to attain its perfection. Accordingly, grandmother described the events of her many of each species, but of man He only each person is created with a different childhood to me. She was orphaned at a very created one, from whom the whole world combination of physical characteristics, young age from both her parents, witnessed was to be populated. This demonstrated strengths and attributes, to enable him to “Kristallnacht, “and escaped with her life from the uniqueness of each person, and for this fulfil his given spiritual mission for which he the hands of the Nazis. Today she derives reason our Sages taught us the importance of has descended to this world.