18 August 2018 7 Elul 5778 Shabbat ends London 9.09pm Jerusalem 7.58pm

Volume 30 No. 48 Shoftim Artscroll p.1024 | Haftarah p.1199 Hertz p.820 | Haftarah p.835 Soncino p.1078 | Haftarah p.1094

In loving memory of Chaim ben Moshe Bentzion

“Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities … and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment” (Devarim 16:18). 1 Sidrah Summary: Shoftim

1st Aliya (Kohen) – Devarim 16:18-17:13 accidentally and is fleeing from the relatives of the Judges and officers must be appointed in all cities deceased. Instructions are given about what (Rashi). Judges must endeavour to avoid showing constitutes ‘accidental’ and how the community must favour to any one litigant. One may not erect (even) a endeavour to protect the accidental killer from those single stone for worship, even to worship God. It is who are pursuing him. In Messianic times, another forbidden to bring a blemished animal as an offering. three cities will be added (Rashi). Idol worship is subject to capital punishment. If a 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 19:14-20:9 halachic question or dispute cannot be resolved by One must not tamper with someone else’s land local courts, the case should be taken to the boundary. Court cases are determined by the Kohanim in the Temple. testimony of a minimum of two witnesses. The 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 17:14-20 laws of conspiring witnesses (edim zomemim) are When the nation comes into the Land, they have the detailed, in which a second set of witnesses accuse right to request a king. That king has to be appointed the first set of witnesses of having been unqualified to by God (through a prophet) and cannot be a . give their testimony, since they could not have been The king must not return the people to Egypt in order at the scene of the incident, due to their having been for him to acquire horses. He must also avoid having elsewhere (Rashi). When the nation goes out to war, multiple wives and amassing too much wealth. He is they must not fear the enemy, however mighty they obligated to have his own Sefer Torah, from which he may seem. Before battle commences, a Kohen is to must read daily. encourage the people, reminding them that God is protecting them. Certain people are sent home from (Shlishi) 3rd Aliya – 18:1:5 the battlefield before war commences. The tribe of Levi does not a portion in the Land, Question: Which people are sent home before the unlike the other tribes. However, the Kohanim are to war? (20:5-7) Answer on bottom of page 6. be given parts of certain Temple offerings to eat. They are also to receive the first tithe of the produce of 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 20:10-21:9 fruits grown in the Land (terumah gedolah), as well Before the nation goes to war, it must offer its enemy as the first shearing of the flock (reishit ha’gez). the opportunity to make peace. However, in the initial 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 18:6-13 conquest of the Land from the Cana’anite nations, their cities and inhabitants must be destroyed (Rashi). The Kohanim are to be split into different groups, who If a corpse is found between two cities and it is will rotate performing duties in the Temple. The right unclear who is responsible for the death, the elders of to eat designated parts of regular offerings is the city nearest to the location of the corpse must reserved for whichever group of Kohanim is serving take a heifer and behead it in a valley, after which the in the Temple that week (see Rashi). After coming into Kohanim shall ask God for atonement on behalf of the Land, the nation must avoid the ways of the the elders (Rashi). Cana’anite nations, especially their various forms of witchcraft, divinations and sorcery. Point to Consider: What is the deeper meaning of man being compared to a tree in a field? (20:20) 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 18:14-19:13 Moshe tells the people that they will have prophets Haftarah who will guide them and convey God’s messages. Taken from the book of Yeshaya, this is the third of the A prophet’s legitimacy will be tested by whether seven ‘haftarot of consolation’ read after Tisha B’Av. his prophecies materialise or not. Moshe gives Yeshaya tells the people that they may have suffered instructions regarding the establishment of three cities punishment, but they can ‘awaken’ themselves and of refuge (in addition to the three on the east bank of emerge from their captivity. God is constantly ready to the Jordan River – see Devarim 4:41-43). These cities redeem the nation if they turn to Him. are to provide refuge for a person who has killed

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2 The Bystander by Rabbi Pinchas Hackenbroch, Senior Rabbi, Woodside Park United Synagogue

In the early hours of March 13 treat this poor victim correctly while he was 1964, Kitty Genovese was passing through their city. murdered outside her apartment in New York. The However, this begs a new question: what does extent of the tragedy came hospitality have to do with homicide? Why would to light two weeks later, a declaration stating that “We did not kill this following an article that man” imply anything about the way the elders (or appeared in the New York the townspeople) treated him? Times that claimed that no fewer than 38 people had witnessed or heard the attack, but none of them had called the police or come to her aid. One can answer this question from a psychological perspective. If someone comes through a town and is virtually ignored by the The incident prompted inquiries into what townspeople – for example, he comes to shul and became known as the “bystander effect”. no one greets him or asks him home for a meal – Experiments carried out by Darley and Latané in his sense of isolation is increased. This can 1968 found that the presence of other people impact his sense of self-worth and self-esteem. inhibits those watching from helping, often by a Someone in this mind frame who is attacked may significant margin. For example, Bibb Latané and be more vulnerable to injury and even loss of life. Judith Rodin (1969) staged an experiment around a woman ‘in distress’. When witnessing the scene alone, 70 percent of the people called out or went In a society where more and more people are in to help the woman, after they believed she had danger of leading insular lives, the sidrah acts as fallen and was hurt. Yet when there were other a stark reminder to the rest of us as to the extent people in the area, only 40 percent offered help. to which we should go to in exhibiting sensitivity, genuine care and concern for others.

This observation resonates with a passage contained in this week’s sidrah, where a wayfarer is found murdered outside the city precincts. The elders of the nearest city are charged with the responsibility of declaring their own innocence and are required to make a declaration that “our hands did not spill this blood!” (Devarim 21:7) This appears to be a strange requirement. Did we seriously entertain the possibility that the main suspects in the homicide were the elders of the city?

Of course they were not the main suspects. The Talmud (Sota 45b) explains that the elders’ declaration was to confirm that the wayfarer had not been turned away from the city without being offered food and that he did not leave their city without an escort. In other words, the elders are declaring that they did whatever they could to

In memory of Harav Yisrael ben Uriah 3 Solutions in the Sidrah: Plastic Pollution by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community

The recent BBC series Blue This week’s sidrah contains a striking affirmation Planet 2, narrated by Sir of this notion. Various laws are set out regulating David Attenborough, was the the conduct of the Israelite army during their most watched programme in upcoming campaign to conquer the Land of the UK in 2017. Aside from Cana’an. Prominent amongst them was an its stunning videography and instruction not to cut down fruit-bearing trees in remarkable stories of life in whilst laying siege to a city (Devarim 20:19). the ocean, it also served to dramatically highlight the problem of plastic Warfare at any level is a tremendously difficult waste in the world’s oceans. According to experience. Requiring those besieging a city to research presented this year by the National make an effort not to destroy particular types of Geographic Society, half the plastic that has ever trees may therefore seem like an unnecessary been made was produced in the past 15 years, burden on the soldiers. Yet it is from this very and a trillion plastic bags are used every year instruction that the Sages derive the general worldwide, with an average ‘working life’ of just principle not to act in an unnecessarily wasteful 15 minutes. Even more worryingly, nine million manner, known as bal tashchit. Perhaps one tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every reason the Torah teaches this lesson in this year and plastic waste is thought to endure for at particular manner is to demonstrate, as Martin least 450 years. To put that into perspective, if Dorey argues through his work on reducing plastic had been invented when the Pilgrim plastic waste, that reducing waste always takes Fathers sailed to the New World aboard the effort, and often some measure of discomfort. Mayflower, the waste they had thrown in the sea Yet the results make it worthwhile. on the way would still be washing up on our beaches today.

One individual who has attempted to do something to change the problem of plastic pollution is Cornwall-based surfer Martin Dorey. After spending 10 years on the beach, regularly picking up plastic waste himself, he realised that if he could inspire beachgoers to spend just two minutes removing waste they found, it would make a real difference to the amount of plastic finding its way into the ocean. Thousands have since taken part in his campaign, labelled the #2minutesolution. His recent book No. More. Plastic details this and other simple steps people can take to reduce their overall waste footprint.

The key point about Dorey’s idea was his attempt to convince people that the inconvenience they would suffer spending two minutes of their precious time picking up rubbish was worth the long-term goal of improving the environment for all of humanity.

In memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion 4 Arguments for the Sake of Heaven: Part 5 by Rabbi Garry Wayland, Living & Learning Educator

Rabbi Yosef Karo lived at a introduction, Rabbi Isserles writes that, after critical juncture of history. seeing the Beit Yosef, when he realised his work Aged four, he and his family was seemingly redundant, he said “I was terrified were expelled as part of the that my work would be for naught, my efforts Spanish Inquisition in 1492. wasted”. In a stunning act of humility, he After living in Portugal and acknowledges that, “my words compared to him Turkey, Rabbi Karo eventually [Rabbi Karo] are nothing… God has blessed him settled in the holy city of with everything; he omitted nothing”. However, , north Israel, an emerging Torah centre. rather than scrap his entire project, Rabbi This was a transitional time – of exile and Isserles did something that had a profound regathering; of turmoil and renewal; of the impact on future scholarship; he republished his flourishing of the printed word. This background work, not separately, but as commentary and helped lay the foundations for his magnum opus, glosses on the . the Beit Yosef, and his Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), perhaps the most influential Jewish Thus, on any page of the Shulchan Aruch, one book of the past 500 years. finds the main rulings of Rabbi Karo, and the glosses of the Rema. The Shulchan Aruch Rabbi Karo, in his introduction to the Beit Yosef, primarily reflects Sefardi custom and Rabbi writes that each locality used to rule solely Karo’s methodology of choosing the majority; according to its established custom. However, in contrast, the Rema rules according to the Inquisition led to entire communities moving Ashkenazi practice. from place to place, leading to an upheaval in the consistency of Jewish practice. In addition, the Later halachic commentators added to their proliferation of halachic commentaries, partially discussions, and now the page of the Shulchan as a result of the recent invention of printing, had Aruch is replete with detailed commentaries such made it more difficult to get a conclusive grasp as the Taz, the Shach and the Magen Avraham. of Jewish law and practice.

Had the Shulchan Aruch been printed alone, it Rabbi Karo therefore wrote the Beit Yosef, an would likely have been a more controversial incredible, encyclopaedic compendium which work. It was the interaction with the Rema that summarises, analyses and critiques the key created a dynamic work that became reflective works of Jewish law up to his time. Rabbi Karo of the whole Jewish people. This created an concludes with his own ruling, based primarily enduring gem from which we continue to benefit. upon the majority decision of what he termed the ‘Three Pillars’ the rulings of the Rif, the Rosh and the Rambam (Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi, Rabeinu Asher and ). These are encapsulated in the abridged version of the Beit Yosef, the Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law, published in 1565.

Meanwhile, 1,500 miles away in Krakow, Poland, Rabbi Moshe Isserles, known as ‘the Rema’, (1530-1572) was unknowingly labouring away on a very similar project, the Darkei Moshe. In his Rabbi Yosef Caro Rabbi Moshe Isserles

In memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen 5 Shabbat Morning III by Rebbetzen Shuli Liss, Highgate United Synagogue

The popular American irritations or things that had displeased them, author Max Lucado wrote and the third made a list of events that had “Imagine the only things affected them (with no emphasis on them being you had today were the positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who things that you thanked wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and God for yesterday”. This felt better about their lives. Interestingly, they strikes a chord. Stop for a also exercised more and had fewer visits to moment and think what doctors than those who focused on sources of you might have ended up missing today if you aggravation. hadn't followed Lucado's advice! When we sit in shul on Shabbat, it is a great It is human nature to take things for granted and opportunity to practice looking for the good in we often focus more on the problems and our lives. In the Modim section of the Amidah, challenges that we are dealing with, rather than we say: “We shall thank You and declare Your the gifts we receive daily. praise — for our lives which are in Your hand, for our souls which are in Your care, for Your In our brains, there are two different systems for miracles that are with us every day and for Your negative and positive stimuli. Neuropsychologist wondrous deeds and favours at all times: Rick Hanson (Senior Fellow of the Greater Good evening, morning and noon” (see green siddur, Science Centre at University of California, p. 396 ). Berkeley) explains that the amygdala (a section of the brain that is responsible for detecting fear) Recently I was unwell, and was unable to drive uses approximately two thirds of its neurons to for a number of months. I thought that when I detect negative experiences. Once the brain was able to drive again, I would never complain starts looking for bad news, it is stored into long- about giving lifts or about slow traffic. However, term memory quickly. Positive experiences have we are all human, and after the first few weeks, to be held in our awareness for more than I did not feel the same sense of huge gratitude 12 seconds in order to facilitate the transfer from when I used the car. Gratitude does not come short-term to long-term memory. “The brain is naturally, and therefore our gave us a gift like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon with this prayer of Modim – that we recite at least for positive ones”, says Hanson. three times each day – to constantly remind us to focus on our blessings. Shabbat, when we In order to combat our natural tendency towards stop and look back at the previous week, is a negativity, we need to practice focusing on what good time to truly focus on this prayer. we do have, rather than on what we are lacking.

Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done substantial research about gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on different topics.

One group had to write about things they were her. married

grateful for that had occurred during the week. not but woman a betrothed or it; redeemed inagurated it; or planted a vineyard but not but vineyard a planted or it; inagurated A second group had to write about daily not but house new a built has who one Answer:

In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah 6