J U L Y 1 8 , 2M0 A2 Y0 |8 , M 2A0 T2 O0 T|- ME AMSOERI | P A G E 1 Congregation Beth Sholom TORAH WEEKLY Learning Initiative ז"ל A Project of the Linda Mitgang To sponsor, please click here The Longest Three Weeks BY RABBI KENNETH HAIN ZMANIM [email protected] Candle-lighting 8:04 pm Mincha 7:00 pm Clearly this summer of the pandemic is a summer of our 8:12 pm discontent. Since March we have struggled with increasing 7:45 am restrictions and numbing isolation. Our celebrations are Shacharit Hashkama 8:45 am curtailed and our social interactions are minimal, and now Shacharit Sephardic 9:15 am we find ourselves in the Three Weeks period before Tish A Shacharit Joel Shiff/Main 8:10 pm B’Av and it hardly feels different from the past four months. Mincha Shiur with Rabbi Miller 8:25 pm I have been exploring new understandings of this Three Maariv 9:05 pm Week period. Our son Rabbi Yonah Hain at Columbia Shabbos Ends 9:11 pm University Hillel has shared with me some remarkable ideas and I hope to share them with you next week in a two part IN THIS ISSUE Zoom series – “ The Challenge of Lamentation” Monday, & Tuesday, July 20-21. 1 The Longest Three Weeks Rabbi Hain Much of our tradition focuses on the anticipation of what will 2 On the 5T's Vaad HaKashrus happen after the Three Week period of sadness. A Midrash Rabbi Fogel from Eicha Rabba 1:2 demonstrates this approach: 4 An Alternate Ending to the Torah “…she has no comforter…” (Lamentations 1:2) – R. Levi said: Rabbi Miller every place where it says ‘has no,’ She has. “And Sarai was 5 A Prayer For The Traveler barren; she had no child” (Genesis 11:30). And she did have, Yael Saffra as it says “And the Lord remembered Sarah” (Genesis 21:1). 6 Halacha Al HaDaf Similarly, “…but Hannah had no children” (Samuel 1 1:2). Chayim Maza And she did have, as it says “For the Lord remembered 7 The Maharam M'Rutenberg Hannah” (Samuel 1 2-21) Similarly, “…that is Zion whom no Rabbi Miller one seeks out” (Jeremiah 30:17). And she did have, as it says 8 Baseless Hatred “And a redeemer shall come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). And so Rabbi Fogel too you say that “she has no comforter” – she has, as it says “ I, yea I am the one who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12). M A JYU M1LJJMJU5YUAUA,MN MLYN 31YY2AE AE,8 10 UY1 ,Y1522 5G 19,020161, U,20 ,2, | 20S 2022 0T 02B0|02 202E |200C 0H 0 | MH |2 A| || BU0A R B PS AKETE-|AHIBMAOM NMEEITRIOOCSLICD--ARDSHARBMHBCU B CAU|A|HEHASL KRS AR E|NOP |P|K| IA O TAP P PG|APG.AAA A EIEG4PGG| G EA3E 3EE G P2 22E2A G2 E 3 The essential idea seems to be that even in the depths of Upcoming Shiurim tragedy and despair- there is hope. Even in the darkness there is the anticipation of light eventually emerging. This recurring theme of eventual redemption casts this three week period as almost a means to an end. We need to suffer to attain (or deserve) celebration! To quote an often sung verse in Shir Hamaalot: “those who sow in tears will harvest in joy. But is that the whole picture of why we experience this Daf Yomi annual, as well as our current period of diminished joy? Is it 7:30am with R. Weberman all just about a means to an end – to survive the ordeal so we 8:30 am with Chayim Maza can get to the “promised land”? Or is there something inherently valuable or meaningful in experiencing loss with no conditions attached? Tuesday 7:30 pm, R. Hain, Talmud In our upcoming series in “The Challenge of Lamentation” we 9:00 pm, Yael Saffra, will explore possible answers to these questions. As always, Between The Narrow Straits however, we do not give in to despair. The famed Pri Megadim (Joseph ben Meir Teomim (1727-1792) was once Wednesday asked if an earthenware cup may be use for breaking under the chupah instead of glass. He responded no because 9:00 R. Wein, Mysterious unlike earthenware, under the right conditions, glass can be Talmes of Elijah repaired. Our vision is indeed we too will one day ( soon) put Thursday back together the broken pieces. 9:00 R. Yoni Rosensweig, Mental Health & Halacha Let us deepen our understanding of lamentation with the 9:15 pm, R. Weberman, hope that we merit to see Jerusalem and our world restored Parsha Shiur and healed. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Letter to a HAFTR Student BY RABBI BARUCH FOGEL [email protected] AUDIO SHIUR ROUNDUP Dear Student, R. Wein: The Difference Between Among Others and Thank you for asking me for my opinions about the recent Private kashrus issues in town. As you know from our previous conversations, I have expressed strong opinions regarding the Vaad HaKashrus of our area. I feel that due to recent TO PAY FUTURE SHUL developments it is worthwhile to write them clearly for you, CONTRIBUTIONS NOW, and any other student or interested person. (And, as you know, I am not part of the Vaad in any way.) PLEASE CLICK HERE We live in a community. We don't all agree on much, but we, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE by necessity, share community institutions. Most obvious are RABBI'S CHARITY FUND, an eruv and a mikva, of which we all equally partake. Next PLEASE CLICK HERE are Shuls and schools. Although it is clear that there are many Shuls and schools, so that different groups can join like-minded community members, nevertheless, these institutions service a large number of constituents even if they have slightly different opinions. Even our own school, HAFTR, has many families with a wide range of identification M AJ UJJYUN 1MLJJJEU5YUUA , NJ 1MLNY 31U2YE A,E8N,10 ,Y 1252E 2 1902,0 608 ,520 ,2, |,0 2 20 22 002 B2|00 |200 E2|2 0C2 H0 B0| 0HM EA| ||UABH |R PSK TAKAE-HNIBAOMANEAETTRLIOCLCS--DOAHABRMOHBCT AC UA|AEH|HLSKS CR A PE|O|HP |K|I A TAP P PG|AGP AAA| E IAEGPGG | GP6EAE 2E AE G P33 3GEA3E G3 9E 2 We live in a community. We don't all agree on I think that it is clear that I have just described a much, but we, by necessity, share community monopoly. I do not use that term negatively. institutions. Most obvious are an eruv and a Rather, because the VAAD is all of our mikva, of which we all equally partake. Next are representatives, it is by definition a singular Shuls and schools. Although it is clear that there organization. The minute we don't all agree, the are many Shuls and schools, so that different minute the VAAD does not represent ALL of us, groups can join like-minded community it loses its power to work on OUR behalf. Which members, nevertheless, these institutions brings me to the next point. The ONLY power service a large number of constituents even if the VAAD has is the power of “removing their they have slightly different opinions. Even our approval”. It is the only way that the VAAD can own school, HAFTR, has many families with a do their job representing us. If they catch wide range of identification with Modern someone doing something wrong, (which we Orthodoxy, and yet we join together in one have to admit does occur) they can say, in all of institution. our names, “we will not patronize you”. In other words, removal of certification is OUR way of A Vaad HaKashrus, which represents the whole saying that WE will not patronize any community, is another of those vital establishment that does not act in good faith to institutions. It acts as OUR agents to ensure ALL of us. that all of us have access to kosher food, be it raw or prepared. They are not an independent After that very long introduction, I think it is institution. It is better than a non-profit clear that the new hekhsher is a horrible turn of organization, which can reap as much money as events for our community. I will not discuss the possible. Every Yeshiva can “make” money and individuals as I don't really know them or their then pay whatever salaries they want. That is kashrut experience. I will not discuss their not unethical. And, the Vaad is even better than standards, because they have not revealed that. They are the hired hands of ALL of us. them. Rather, I will discuss what it does to the Instead of each one of us, or our individual Vaad. By offering an alternate hechsher, the Rabbis, having to check on each establishment, VAAD loses its only power. The VAAD, which we we have decided, as a community, to hire all need, can no longer work on our behalf if people to do this FOR us. The cost of having the any establishment can just pick another random Vaad is only to pay those who work FOR us. (If institution, which does not represent anyone, we wanted, we could change the financial and use it to sell to the community. Because a model, and charge each family a tax instead, private hechsher does not represent the just like we do for the eruv. Unfortunately, the community, it inherently has no power. It financial situation of the eruv indicates that this cannot punish an establishment caught doing is not a practical idea).