28 April 2018 13 Iyar 5778 ends 9.12pm 7.55pm

Volume 30 No. 32 Acharei Mot Artscroll p.636 | p.1173 Hertz p.480 | Haftarah p.509 Soncino p.705 | Haftarah p.735

In loving memory of Yaacov ben Shmuel

The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854

"The he-goat will bear upon itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land, and he should send the he-goat to the desert" (Vayikra 16:22). 1 Sidrah Summary: Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

1st Aliya (Kohen) – Shemot 16:1-24 harvesting one’s field or vineyard, certain produce God speaks to Moshe after the death of two of needs to be left over for paupers to take free of Aharon’s sons (detailed in parashat Shemini). charge. One may not place a stumbling block in Moshe is told to warn Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, front of a blind person. not to enter the Holy of Holies (Kodesh 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 19:15-32 Hakodashim) area of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), A judge is not allowed to favour any litigant. It is except on Yom Kippur. The sidrah details the Yom forbidden to harbour hatred or to seek revenge. Kippur service in the Mishkan: Aharon will have You shall “love your fellow as yourself” (see p.3 to bring a bull as a chatat (sin) offering and a ram article). Eating the fruit of a tree during the first as an olah (elevation) offering. The people will three years of its growth is forbidden. In the tree’s provide two male goats. Aharon must place lots fourth year, the fruit has to be eaten in Jerusalem. on the two goats, designating one to be a chatat It is forbidden to cut one’s skin in mourning. There and the other to be thrown off a cliff in the is a to stand up in the presence of a wilderness (see p.4 article). Inside the Kodesh scholar and an elderly person. Hakodashim, Aharon will bring an incense offering (ketoret). He will also sprinkle blood from the Question: What term is used to describe the fruit various offerings in specific areas of the Mishkan. of the tree during its first three years? (19:23) Answer on bottom of page 6 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 16:25-17:7 The nation is commanded to fast on Yom Kippur. 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 19:33-20:7 When Yom Kippur arrives, Aharon does exactly One must have accurate scales, weights and as commanded by God. This special service is to measures. There was a severe prohibition be repeated every year by future incumbents of against giving one’s children over to an ancient his office. It is forbidden to bring an animal cult called ‘Molech’. offering to anywhere other than the Mishkan. Point to Consider: Why are accurate scales, 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 17:8-18:21 weights and measures linked to the Exodus It is forbidden to consume the blood of any from Egypt? (see Rashi to 19:36) animal (Rashi). After doing (slaughter) on kosher fowl or non-domesticated animals, 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 20:8-27 there is a mitzvah to cover the blood. The laws of Cursing one’s parents is forbidden. The forbidden relationships are listed, such as with punishments for the forbidden relationships close relatives, or with another’s spouse. detailed in the 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) are listed. Keeping the laws of will enable us 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 18:22-19:14 to remain a distinct and distinguished nation. The nation’s well-being in the Land is dependent upon adhering to the laws about forbidden Haftarah relationships. The prophet Amos rebukes for being no This week’s second sidrah, Kedoshim, contains better than the Pelishtim (Philistine) nation. Those many mitzvot, a selection of which has been who were particularly sinful will suffer the included here. We are commanded to revere our harshest punishment. But once they have died by parents and to observe Shabbat. Offerings need the sword, the Davidic kingdom will return and to be eaten within their designated time. When the Land will be rebuilt.

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2 Love your fellow as yourself… this is the entire Torah, the rest is commentary by Rabbi Yoni Golker, Assistant Rabbi, St.John’s Wood United Synagogue

In the second sidrah read The Midrash relates a parable: several people this week, Kedoshim, we find were sailing on a ship. One took out a drill and the maxim: “Love your fellow began drilling into the floor. “What are you as yourself” (Vayikra 18:18), doing?” the others asked. “Why should you which the great Talmudic care?” was the reply, “Aren’t I drilling only under sage Rabbi Akiva labelled “a my place?” prime principle of Torah”, and of which Hillel said, “This is This parable illustrates for us how dependent the entire Torah, the rest is commentary”. we are on each other. Our inter-connections are crucial. When going our own way and doing our Particularly at this time of year, during Sefirat own thing, like the man in the ship, we are not Ha’Omer, we strive to reflect on our interpersonal just affecting ourselves, we affect those around relationships. This period, which could have been us too. one of excitement and anticipation of Shavuot and the giving of the Torah, was transformed into The Torah states that before we received one of mourning for the deaths of the students of the Torah on Mount Sinai: “the nation camped Rabbi Akiva, who did not display the appropriate there” referring to the foot of the mountain level of respect to one another. (Shemot 19:2). The commentaries make note of the fact that the word “and the nation camped” A story is told of Rabbi Aryeh Levin (d. 1969), is written uncharacteristically in the singular concerning a specific interpersonal mitzvah from conjugation. This is because the Children of the second of this week’s sidrot, the command to Israel had achieved a perfect unity at that time. respect elders (“ve’hadarta pnei zaken” – see It was because of that that they merited to Vayikra 19:32). Rabbi Levin entered a book shop receive the Torah. in Jerusalem which also sold etrogim, just before Succot. He asked the owner where his etrog was This is the meaning behind Rabbi Akiva’s and was given a box. Rabbi Levin peeked inside statement “Love your fellow as yourself; this is for a second, closed it up and went on his way. a major principle in the Torah”. As displayed A young boy ran after the Rabbi. When he in practice by Rabbi Aryeh Levin, it is a major reached the bus stop, the boy asked him why principle because unity is a prerequisite he had not checked the etrog for a longer time. to the fulfilment of our destiny as Jews, without which we would not have merited Rabbi Levin answered, “There are two mitzvot to receive the Torah. that require hidur (beautification): one is etrog and the other is showing respect to elders. For these two mitzvot the Torah uses the word hadar, meaning you must beautify, or go above and beyond. I am now running to the nursing home to bring dentures for an old man there whose teeth have completely deteriorated. He needs to eat a proper dinner; if I don’t make it in time he will once again be forced to eat bread dipped in milk. This is also hidur mitzvah!” Rabbi Aryeh Levin (d. 1969)

In memory of Harav Yitzchak Yoel ben Shlomo Halevi 3 Solutions in the Sidrah: Jewish Time by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community

Jews often have an The ish itti was the hidden, mysterious figure, interesting relationship with barely noticeable in comparison to the very time. The online ‘Urban public and prominent role played by the Kohen Dictionary’ records the Gadol on Yom Kippur. Yet the entire nation definition of phrases depended upon him fulfilling his task at that widely used in popular moment, alone, and on time. culture. Remarkably, perhaps somewhat worryingly, there In a deeper sense, the ish itti also represents is an entry for ‘Jewish Time’, which is defined each and every one of us. We know the names as follows: of those who had a prominent and leading role in Jewish history – people like Aharon and “Not perfectly on time; possibly somewhat late, Moshe. But the unnamed ish itti, the timely but no harm is done as a result. The implication man, reminds us that we all have our own is that there is no need to be exactly on time, moments. We all have a chance to seize the day, and starting a little late is acceptable. When to take the opportunity to make a difference. an event is scheduled to take place at 2:00 That is the real definition of ‘Jewish Time’, Jewish time, it could be at 2:15 or even 2:35, and not starting a simcha 15 minutes late. Like the everyone is satisfied, [as in], ‘The wedding will ish itti of Yom Kippur, when our moments of start at 6:00 pm Jewish time’”. Jewish Time arrive, we must be ready to seize them without delay. There is one day a year, however, when the notion of Jewish time – in a serious sense – is felt more than any other, and that is Yom Kippur. It has its own rhythm, and feels genuinely different to every other day of the year.

There is a deeper element to the relationship between Yom Kippur and time, as revealed in the first of this week’s sidrot. There is a mysterious, unnamed individual who was critical to the observance of the Yom Kippur Temple service every year. Pre-designated before Yom Kippur and referred to as the “ish itti”, meaning ‘the timely man’, his task was to lead the goat that would be sent away into the desert over a rocky cliff (Vayikra 16:21).

He was selected on the grounds of his skill at time-keeping. When the moment arrived to fulfil his task, he had to be on time and under no circumstances could he delay, as the Kohen Gadol could not proceed with the rest of the service until the ish itti had completed his task.

In memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion 4 Bein Adam Lechaveiro Part 31: The Ramban’s Letter (Igeret HaRamban) V by Rabbi Daniel Fine, Community Rabbi, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue

We have been studying “Once you have distanced yourself from anger, the Letter of the Ramban the quality of humility will enter your heart. This (Igeret HaRamban), which radiant quality is the finest of all admirable traits, was sent by the Ramban because ‘Following on from humility comes the (Nachmanides d. 1270) to fear of God’ (Mishlei/Proverbs 22:4)”. his son in Catalonia in the 13th century. Last week we How does a lack of anger lead to humility? commented on the Ramban’s opposition to anger. Let us clarify this further. First, anger can be caused by an over-inflated sense of self; therefore its negation will naturally The Rambam ( d. 1204) speaks lead to humility. Yet, as Rabbi Michoel Gourarie about four fundamental elements in a person’s (a contemporary scholar in , Australia) spiritual makeup, two of which are associated explains, there is another layer. We can with water and fire. Some people are naturally generally choose to control one of two things. calm and tranquil. They have the ‘water’ trait. Either we can feel that we can control the Water represents relative stagnancy; viewing situation, or we can let go of that control and water, such as a nice sea view, can also be instead decide to control our responses to the calming. For such a person not to get angry may situation. not be a great challenge – it is simply part of their makeup. The Rambam recommends The first way can be a major cause of stress, developing this trait to help avoid anger. Yet he because one cannot really be in control of is not asking us to become apathetic. outside factors. Stuck in traffic on the way to an important meeting, we could panic and The opposite trait to water is fire. Fire represents become irate if we think we are in control of the passion and movement. Unlike water, fire situation. Being able to let go, to relinquish outgrows its container. The ideal, according to control of the situation and instead simply the Rambam, is for a person to combine fire and take charge of that which we can control – our water; to be passionate and excited, yet to also response – can reduce stress, for it returns control and direct such passions. control to a manageable area.

For example, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter (d. 1883) Removing anger acknowledges a reduced said that it was important on occasion to display sense of control over all situations. If we can anger when disciplining children. For instance, if relinquish, let go, and focus on our response to a child runs into the street towards oncoming situations then we will have both removed anger traffic, a nice hug and a “would you mind not and developed humility, a sense that we are not doing that again” might not be effective. expected to control everything. However, Rabbi Salanter was very careful only to ‘show’ anger and not to be angry on the inside; he would mutter under his breath the words “anger of the face but not anger of the heart” whenever admonishing a child.

Having discussed the dangers of anger, the Ramban’s letter goes on to address humility:

In memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen 5 The Chacham Tzvi by Rabbi Z M Salasnik, Former Rabbi of Bushey and District United Synagogue

Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ashkenazi, northern Europe, he accepted the Rabbinate of known as the Chacham Tzvi, Lvov, returning to the Poland his parents had died in 1718. The 300th fled 70 years before. He died a few months later. anniversary of his death was last week. He was born Among the many halachic questions he between 1656 and 1660 in answered were a few about Britain: Moravia, into a Rabbinic In 1693, he was asked if the British coastline was family that had fled from Vilna a wall high enough to be considered a natural during the Khmelnytzki massacres. The family eruv, enabling carrying on Shabbat. He ruled that subsequently moved to Alt-Ofen (Budapest). In it was not, arguing that everywhere in the world is the mid-1670s, he studied in in Salonica. ultimately enclosed by coastlines; if the coastline After staying in Belgrade and Constantinople, was an eruv, why was there ever a need for a he returned to Alt-Ofen and married. In 1686, man-made eruv? When asked later about a his wife and baby daughter were tragically smaller area, The Hague, he ruled that the canal killed in a bombardment by European Christian walls did create a natural eruv. forces. Bereaved and unaware that his A decade later, Chacham David Nieto, Rabbi of parents had survived and been taken captive, London’s Sephardi community, gave a sermon the Chacham Tzvi moved to Sarajevo, , that was (deliberately) misunderstood. To a Prague and eventually to Berlin, whose crowd who believed in God, but understood community had ransomed his parents. phenomena as natural, Chacham Nieto He married Sarah Rivka, daughter of the Rabbi explained that what is called Nature is God. of the Triple community of Altona, Hamburg Opponents accused him of following the and Wandsbeck. He headed the Klaus () heretic Spinoza and others who thought that in Altona, Denmark. God does not direct the world. The lay leadership asked the Chacham Tzvi his opinion. He replied In 1707, he succeeded his late father-in-law, that the sermon was correct and not heretical. sharing the Rabbinate with Rabbi Moshe Rothenberg. They had a disagreement about Although the Chacham Tzvi did not accept a whether a chicken found after shechita to be position in London, he was a grandfather of without a heart was kosher. The Chacham Tzvi British Chief . Tzvi Hirsch Levin (Hart ruled that the chicken could not have lived Lyon), Rabbi of the Great Synagogue (1758- without a heart and therefore the heart must 1764) was a grandson. His son, Solomon have been lost only after the shechita, thus Hirschell, was Chief Rabbi (1802-42). rendering the animal kosher. The disagreement Meshulam Solomon, son of Rabbi Yaakov highlighted the difficulties of the shared Emden, the Chacham Tzvi’s eldest son, arrangement and the Chacham Tzvi resigned. was rival Chief Rabbi to Hart Lyon’s successor, David Tevele Schiff, until 1780. Former Chief In 1710, he became Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Rabbi Lord Sacks community of . He left in 1713, after is from the Frumkin a major difference with the Sephardi Rabbi family, who have a Solomon Ayllon over whether Nechemya written tradition of Chayyun could sell his books in Amsterdam. descent from the The Chacham Tzvi viewed Chayyun as a Chacham Tzvi. follower of the false Messiah Shabbetai Tzvi.

The Chacham Tzvi then visited London briefly,

but declined a position. After travelling through Answer: orlah Answer:

In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah 6