This week’s Parsha Preview is co-dedicated to the refuah of the following people:
Men
Yaakov David Ben Sarah, Avraham Ben Sarah, Menachem Mendel Ben Faigie Ruchel, Moshe Avraham Ben Chaya Freidel, Gilon Chaim Ben Yonit, Ofek Ben Tali, Shimon Ben Miriam, Avraham Moshe Ben Miriam Tova, Baruch Kalman Ben Leiben Jacobs, Mendel Ber Ben Sarah, Aharon Ben Tamar, Shmuel Baruch Ben Golda.
Women
Kreindel Bat Esther, Kreynah Leah Bat Rachel, Simcha Bat Mazel, Sara Bat Hodda, Kyla Chaya Bat Sarah Polson, Leiba Bat Devorah Esther, Tova Rochel Bat Chaya and Yocheved Yaakovite bat Leah.
May Hashem grant them all a speedy recovery and a complete healing.
Daven for the release of Gilad Shalit-Gilad Ben Aviva-may Hashem bring him home safe and sound. If you asked to have someone put on the refuah list please update me on how these people are doing. If you would like to add someone to the list please send me an e-mail yvalloul@gmail.com
Once again, you can have this Parshah Preview dedicated in honour or memory of a loved one, you can ask for a refuah or simply acknowledge a milestone. It does not cost a thing all you have to do is ask.
Join my blog @
http://parshapreview.blogspot.com
or
http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/485050
Happy Birthday to:
Raphael Eric Rebboh
Bill Carroccio
Boris Glikberg
James Jones
Joseph Alloul
Gedaliah Grant Clingbine
Ben Ovadya
Estee B.
Gary Drukmaler
Miriam Teicher
Justin Yaakov Goldrich
Jacob Brami
Kivi Shapiro
Haskel Zionce
“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”
Parshah Shoftim - Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Torah Reading for Week of August 8-14, 2010 - Av 28-Elul 4, 5770
Candle Lighting in Toronto 8:06 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 8:06 P.M.
Number Of Mitzvot in Parshat Eikev: 41
14 Mitzvot Aseh (Positive Commandments)
27 Mitzvot Lo Taaseh (Negative Commandments-Prohibitions)
Haftorah: (Additional portion, from Prophets, which is read after the Parsha)
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 51:12- 52:12
This is the forth of seven Haftorot,-the Seven Haftorot of Consolation, that precede Rosh HaShana).
Parha Summary
Parsha Summary – Shoftim
Moshe outlines the most vital characteristics of a Judge: the ability to remain impartial and the determination not to accept bribes. The main focus of the Shofet must be to carry out the will of G-d as detailed in the Halacha. Nothing must dissuade him in carrying out his charge of justice.
Idolatrous practices must be eliminated and punished. Idol worship represents the greatest distortion of justice by replacing divine justice with human flaws and wishes.
The Sanhedrin is our direct link with divine intent, and as stated in Pasuk 17:11, we view the rulings and interpretations of the Supreme Court as G-dly directives.
Our King must be chosen for his steadfast commitment to G-d, Torah, and the people. This is why he must write his own Sefer Torah and carry it with him at all times. He must be first and foremost a Shofet, a Judge.
Moshe readdresses the task of the tribe of Levi, reemphasizing the care and attention due to them by the rest of the nation. They are our teachers. Without their instruction we will neither understand nor would be able to properly follow the applied justice.
For justice to exist, it must be accepted as a divine ruling. Only G-d's justice can be trusted to take into account all variables and possibilities. Moshe instructed his nation regarding the true Navi - prophet and the false prophet. No other forms of divination can be used to ascertain G-d's justice, and all false prophets and methods of divination must be eliminated. The value of human life is determined by our system of justice, and Moshe reviewed the laws of the unintentional killing in contrast with the intentional murder.
The end of Parshat Shoftim discusses both proper and false witnesses, as well as the Torah's approach to warfare. It may be that the judicial quality of a nation can be ultimately assessed by its behavior during war, more so than during times of peace.
The Parsha concludes with the unique mitzvah of the Eglah Arufa and the process through which the community takes responsibility for the unsolved murders. This ceremony, which reflects the priceless value of life, might be the most eloquent expression of G-d's judicial system.
The Eglah Arufah is only because of stinginess (tzoras ayin), as it says,
"They will answer and say, 'Our hands did not spill this blood.' " (Devarim 21:7).
(Sota 38b)
The mitzvah of the Eglah Arufah, the calf whose neck was to be broken when a dead body was found outside of a city and the murderer was not known. The procedure was that five members of the Sanhedrin went out and measured from the place that the corpse had been found, in order to ascertain the closest city.
They measured from the nose of the body (the place through which the soul was breathed into the first man). Then the elders of the closest city decapitated the calf, and washing their hands in a strongly flowing river, recited, "Our hands did not spill ..."
The Talmud says that such a devastating tragedy befell a town for not properly showing its wayfarers the proper amount of hospitality, for tzaros ayin-for a "tight" eye. However, at this point, whenever we come across any mention of ayin, we know that it has to do with vision, specifically the vision of the mind's eye. The Eglah Arufah came to counteract the blindness of the spiritual, mind's eye.
Which blindness? Whose blindness?
“A beautiful calf is Egypt” ... (Yirmiyah 46:20)
It was the physically-oriented and limited Egyptian outlook (symbolized by the calf) that remained in the psyche of the collective Jewish mind that led to the accidental death. Caring more about themselves than about wayfarers, the townspeople allowed the visitor to leave their city unattended and vulnerable to the negative and dangerous forces of the road. Furthermore, the word arufah (ayin-reish-peh-heh) can also be arranged to spell the name Paroh (peh-reish-ayin-heh), the infamous ruler of Egypt and main antagonist in the Pesach story. Paroh was the very embodiment of this philosophy and attitude toward life and other people.
The message is very clear: selfishness and self-centeredness is not merely a bad character trait; it is a return to Egyptian oppression, at least on a spiritual level. It is also the undoing of the Jewish people, and can lead to horrible and irretraceable results. On the other hand, it is selflessness and a sense of chesed that builds the person and society, and which forms the basis of Torah itself. For, as Hillel told the inquiring potential convert who asked about the contents of Torah:
"Don't do unto others as you would not like others to do unto you. The rest is commentary- now go and learn!" (Shabbos 31a)
And, in the words of the great Rebi Akiva: “Love your neighbor as yourself is a very important principle of Torah”!
Not only is it important, but a very difficult one to fulfill. After all, if loving one's neighbor like himself was so natural, would the Torah command it?
I had the opportunity to travel a little and was fortunate to spend Shabbat in several different shuls. Since this weeks Parsha is contrast of good and bad I would like to share with you two experiences that occurred in the very same week.
Not far from where I was staying was a large shul that looked like a good place to check out. I decided to wander over to the shul and got a bulletin to see the times of prayer. Being on vacation I decided that I would attend the 8:00 A.M. Minyan. I entered the shul and got myself ready for the start of the Minyan. I sat down prepared my tefllin and took out my siddur. My father who was with me was seated next to me. A gentleman approached us, greeted us with a pleasant smile and welcomed us warmly, after a minute or two of chatting and Jewish geography that we exchanged this gentleman saunters back over to his seat and readies himself for tefillah. This all took place prior to teffilah which started promptly at 8:00 A.M. At the close of the service the same gentleman wishes us goodbye and asks that perhaps we would like to join him and his family for the Shabbat meals. The following day my father is invited to lead services and I am offered an Aliyah.
On Shabbat we decided to attend a different shul, we had been invited and we did not want to keep our hosts waiting so we opted for a shul closer to our hosts. I entered the shul and sat in the back. It was obvious that I was not part of the community at no point was I greeted or offered a siddur or chumash. There was a group of men just behind me that could of taken a break from their talking to say “Good Shabbos” or welcome. I am sad to report that at the end of teffilah I was not offered a meal or invited into the Kiddush after services. However, I would like to tell you that as I was walking over to my hosts for lunch I happened across the gentleman from the 1st shul. We exchanged greetings and he asks “Is everything ok we did not see your father this morning”, I explained the situation and was very moved by his concern.
It takes very little to welcome someone. Are we taking the time for others?
Halacha of the Week-New
Please note that the Halachot discussed here are according to Sephardic Tradition as outlined by The Maran Shulchan Aruch. This is just a summary and in no way deemed as a Halachic ruling. Please contact your local Orthodox Rabbi for help.
Since it is Chodesh Ellul I thought it would be appropriate to discuss The High Holidays.
Talking in Between the Shofar Blasts
The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Caim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Nitzavim (12), writes that the Toke’a (person blowing the Shofar in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah) should verbally declare before blowing the Shofar that all the sounds he blows should fulfill the Mitzva obligation for himself and the congregation. Even though it is obvious and self-understood that this is the purpose behind his blowing the Shofar, he should preferably express this intention verbally, rather than simply thinking it in his mind.
The Ben Ish Hai then proceeds to discuss an important Halacha of which unfortunately many people are unaware. Namely, that neither the Toke’a nor the congregation may speak at any point from the time the Toke’a recites the Bracha over the Shofar until after the final Shofar blast is blown after Musaf. Needless to say, conversing during the prayer service is inappropriate at any time, and one must avoid talking from the beginning of the service until the end. In the case of Shofar blowing, however, this prohibition assumes even greater importance. The reason why we blow the different kinds of sounds is because we are unsure of precisely what kind of sounds we should blow. In order to ensure to fulfill the Mitzva satisfactorily, we blow every possible sound. Therefore, every Shofar blast that is sounded may be the one through which we fulfill the Mitzva, and one may not speak in between the Bracha over a Mitzva and the performance of the Mitzva. It is therefore imperative that one remain silent from the time the Toke’a recites the Bracha over the Shofar until the final sound is blown.
The Ben Ish Hai goes so far as to say that the Toke’a should not recite the verses and hymns that we customarily recite as we return the Torah to the ark (such as “Hon Tahon”), as this would constitute a “Hefsek” (interruption). The custom in our community seems to be that the Toke’a does recite these verses and hymns, but this ruling underscores the seriousness of this Halacha, and how important it is to remain silent throughout the service once Shofar blowing has begun.
Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that one should not recite Vidui (verbal confession) in between the sets of Shofar blasts. The minhag in our community is for the Toke’a to recite Vidui in between sets of Shofar blasts. The Ben Ish Hai advocates following the custom of making verbal confession during the pauses in between the sets of Shofar blasts, but Hacham Ovadia disagrees. He maintains that although one may certainly think thoughts of repentance in his mind during these pauses, one may not verbally declare confession, as this would constitute a “Hefsek.” If even confession is deemed an unwarranted interruption in the Shofar blowing, then certainly speech and conversations unrelated to the prayer service must be avoided.
This Parsha Preview is sponsored by Cars And Trucks 4 Less, Sales, Leasing and Financing. If you are in the market for a New or Used Vehicle give us a call “we will steer you in the right direction”. Please call 416-829-1761.
If you would like your company or service listed here please do not hesitate to ask. I do not take a fee for this. It is very important for us to support and promote local Jewish businesses. We spend so much time looking for the best deal possible that we lose sight of obligation to support our “brothers”. It’s forbidden to give business to others; we are obligated to do business with fellow Jews. Trust me when I say that the other nations put the welfare of their own first and not looking for the best deal in town. Again, there is no charge and would be my pleasure to list your service, product or business. All you have to do is ask.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul
Men
Yaakov David Ben Sarah, Avraham Ben Sarah, Menachem Mendel Ben Faigie Ruchel, Moshe Avraham Ben Chaya Freidel, Gilon Chaim Ben Yonit, Ofek Ben Tali, Shimon Ben Miriam, Avraham Moshe Ben Miriam Tova, Baruch Kalman Ben Leiben Jacobs, Mendel Ber Ben Sarah, Aharon Ben Tamar, Shmuel Baruch Ben Golda.
Women
Kreindel Bat Esther, Kreynah Leah Bat Rachel, Simcha Bat Mazel, Sara Bat Hodda, Kyla Chaya Bat Sarah Polson, Leiba Bat Devorah Esther, Tova Rochel Bat Chaya and Yocheved Yaakovite bat Leah.
May Hashem grant them all a speedy recovery and a complete healing.
Daven for the release of Gilad Shalit-Gilad Ben Aviva-may Hashem bring him home safe and sound. If you asked to have someone put on the refuah list please update me on how these people are doing. If you would like to add someone to the list please send me an e-mail yvalloul@gmail.com
Once again, you can have this Parshah Preview dedicated in honour or memory of a loved one, you can ask for a refuah or simply acknowledge a milestone. It does not cost a thing all you have to do is ask.
Join my blog @
http://parshapreview.blogspot.com
or
http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/485050
Happy Birthday to:
Raphael Eric Rebboh
Bill Carroccio
Boris Glikberg
James Jones
Joseph Alloul
Gedaliah Grant Clingbine
Ben Ovadya
Estee B.
Gary Drukmaler
Miriam Teicher
Justin Yaakov Goldrich
Jacob Brami
Kivi Shapiro
Haskel Zionce
“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”
Parshah Shoftim - Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Torah Reading for Week of August 8-14, 2010 - Av 28-Elul 4, 5770
Candle Lighting in Toronto 8:06 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 8:06 P.M.
Number Of Mitzvot in Parshat Eikev: 41
14 Mitzvot Aseh (Positive Commandments)
27 Mitzvot Lo Taaseh (Negative Commandments-Prohibitions)
Haftorah: (Additional portion, from Prophets, which is read after the Parsha)
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 51:12- 52:12
This is the forth of seven Haftorot,-the Seven Haftorot of Consolation, that precede Rosh HaShana).
Parha Summary
Parsha Summary – Shoftim
Moshe outlines the most vital characteristics of a Judge: the ability to remain impartial and the determination not to accept bribes. The main focus of the Shofet must be to carry out the will of G-d as detailed in the Halacha. Nothing must dissuade him in carrying out his charge of justice.
Idolatrous practices must be eliminated and punished. Idol worship represents the greatest distortion of justice by replacing divine justice with human flaws and wishes.
The Sanhedrin is our direct link with divine intent, and as stated in Pasuk 17:11, we view the rulings and interpretations of the Supreme Court as G-dly directives.
Our King must be chosen for his steadfast commitment to G-d, Torah, and the people. This is why he must write his own Sefer Torah and carry it with him at all times. He must be first and foremost a Shofet, a Judge.
Moshe readdresses the task of the tribe of Levi, reemphasizing the care and attention due to them by the rest of the nation. They are our teachers. Without their instruction we will neither understand nor would be able to properly follow the applied justice.
For justice to exist, it must be accepted as a divine ruling. Only G-d's justice can be trusted to take into account all variables and possibilities. Moshe instructed his nation regarding the true Navi - prophet and the false prophet. No other forms of divination can be used to ascertain G-d's justice, and all false prophets and methods of divination must be eliminated. The value of human life is determined by our system of justice, and Moshe reviewed the laws of the unintentional killing in contrast with the intentional murder.
The end of Parshat Shoftim discusses both proper and false witnesses, as well as the Torah's approach to warfare. It may be that the judicial quality of a nation can be ultimately assessed by its behavior during war, more so than during times of peace.
The Parsha concludes with the unique mitzvah of the Eglah Arufa and the process through which the community takes responsibility for the unsolved murders. This ceremony, which reflects the priceless value of life, might be the most eloquent expression of G-d's judicial system.
The Eglah Arufah is only because of stinginess (tzoras ayin), as it says,
"They will answer and say, 'Our hands did not spill this blood.' " (Devarim 21:7).
(Sota 38b)
The mitzvah of the Eglah Arufah, the calf whose neck was to be broken when a dead body was found outside of a city and the murderer was not known. The procedure was that five members of the Sanhedrin went out and measured from the place that the corpse had been found, in order to ascertain the closest city.
They measured from the nose of the body (the place through which the soul was breathed into the first man). Then the elders of the closest city decapitated the calf, and washing their hands in a strongly flowing river, recited, "Our hands did not spill ..."
The Talmud says that such a devastating tragedy befell a town for not properly showing its wayfarers the proper amount of hospitality, for tzaros ayin-for a "tight" eye. However, at this point, whenever we come across any mention of ayin, we know that it has to do with vision, specifically the vision of the mind's eye. The Eglah Arufah came to counteract the blindness of the spiritual, mind's eye.
Which blindness? Whose blindness?
“A beautiful calf is Egypt” ... (Yirmiyah 46:20)
It was the physically-oriented and limited Egyptian outlook (symbolized by the calf) that remained in the psyche of the collective Jewish mind that led to the accidental death. Caring more about themselves than about wayfarers, the townspeople allowed the visitor to leave their city unattended and vulnerable to the negative and dangerous forces of the road. Furthermore, the word arufah (ayin-reish-peh-heh) can also be arranged to spell the name Paroh (peh-reish-ayin-heh), the infamous ruler of Egypt and main antagonist in the Pesach story. Paroh was the very embodiment of this philosophy and attitude toward life and other people.
The message is very clear: selfishness and self-centeredness is not merely a bad character trait; it is a return to Egyptian oppression, at least on a spiritual level. It is also the undoing of the Jewish people, and can lead to horrible and irretraceable results. On the other hand, it is selflessness and a sense of chesed that builds the person and society, and which forms the basis of Torah itself. For, as Hillel told the inquiring potential convert who asked about the contents of Torah:
"Don't do unto others as you would not like others to do unto you. The rest is commentary- now go and learn!" (Shabbos 31a)
And, in the words of the great Rebi Akiva: “Love your neighbor as yourself is a very important principle of Torah”!
Not only is it important, but a very difficult one to fulfill. After all, if loving one's neighbor like himself was so natural, would the Torah command it?
I had the opportunity to travel a little and was fortunate to spend Shabbat in several different shuls. Since this weeks Parsha is contrast of good and bad I would like to share with you two experiences that occurred in the very same week.
Not far from where I was staying was a large shul that looked like a good place to check out. I decided to wander over to the shul and got a bulletin to see the times of prayer. Being on vacation I decided that I would attend the 8:00 A.M. Minyan. I entered the shul and got myself ready for the start of the Minyan. I sat down prepared my tefllin and took out my siddur. My father who was with me was seated next to me. A gentleman approached us, greeted us with a pleasant smile and welcomed us warmly, after a minute or two of chatting and Jewish geography that we exchanged this gentleman saunters back over to his seat and readies himself for tefillah. This all took place prior to teffilah which started promptly at 8:00 A.M. At the close of the service the same gentleman wishes us goodbye and asks that perhaps we would like to join him and his family for the Shabbat meals. The following day my father is invited to lead services and I am offered an Aliyah.
On Shabbat we decided to attend a different shul, we had been invited and we did not want to keep our hosts waiting so we opted for a shul closer to our hosts. I entered the shul and sat in the back. It was obvious that I was not part of the community at no point was I greeted or offered a siddur or chumash. There was a group of men just behind me that could of taken a break from their talking to say “Good Shabbos” or welcome. I am sad to report that at the end of teffilah I was not offered a meal or invited into the Kiddush after services. However, I would like to tell you that as I was walking over to my hosts for lunch I happened across the gentleman from the 1st shul. We exchanged greetings and he asks “Is everything ok we did not see your father this morning”, I explained the situation and was very moved by his concern.
It takes very little to welcome someone. Are we taking the time for others?
Halacha of the Week-New
Please note that the Halachot discussed here are according to Sephardic Tradition as outlined by The Maran Shulchan Aruch. This is just a summary and in no way deemed as a Halachic ruling. Please contact your local Orthodox Rabbi for help.
Since it is Chodesh Ellul I thought it would be appropriate to discuss The High Holidays.
Talking in Between the Shofar Blasts
The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Caim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Nitzavim (12), writes that the Toke’a (person blowing the Shofar in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah) should verbally declare before blowing the Shofar that all the sounds he blows should fulfill the Mitzva obligation for himself and the congregation. Even though it is obvious and self-understood that this is the purpose behind his blowing the Shofar, he should preferably express this intention verbally, rather than simply thinking it in his mind.
The Ben Ish Hai then proceeds to discuss an important Halacha of which unfortunately many people are unaware. Namely, that neither the Toke’a nor the congregation may speak at any point from the time the Toke’a recites the Bracha over the Shofar until after the final Shofar blast is blown after Musaf. Needless to say, conversing during the prayer service is inappropriate at any time, and one must avoid talking from the beginning of the service until the end. In the case of Shofar blowing, however, this prohibition assumes even greater importance. The reason why we blow the different kinds of sounds is because we are unsure of precisely what kind of sounds we should blow. In order to ensure to fulfill the Mitzva satisfactorily, we blow every possible sound. Therefore, every Shofar blast that is sounded may be the one through which we fulfill the Mitzva, and one may not speak in between the Bracha over a Mitzva and the performance of the Mitzva. It is therefore imperative that one remain silent from the time the Toke’a recites the Bracha over the Shofar until the final sound is blown.
The Ben Ish Hai goes so far as to say that the Toke’a should not recite the verses and hymns that we customarily recite as we return the Torah to the ark (such as “Hon Tahon”), as this would constitute a “Hefsek” (interruption). The custom in our community seems to be that the Toke’a does recite these verses and hymns, but this ruling underscores the seriousness of this Halacha, and how important it is to remain silent throughout the service once Shofar blowing has begun.
Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that one should not recite Vidui (verbal confession) in between the sets of Shofar blasts. The minhag in our community is for the Toke’a to recite Vidui in between sets of Shofar blasts. The Ben Ish Hai advocates following the custom of making verbal confession during the pauses in between the sets of Shofar blasts, but Hacham Ovadia disagrees. He maintains that although one may certainly think thoughts of repentance in his mind during these pauses, one may not verbally declare confession, as this would constitute a “Hefsek.” If even confession is deemed an unwarranted interruption in the Shofar blowing, then certainly speech and conversations unrelated to the prayer service must be avoided.
This Parsha Preview is sponsored by Cars And Trucks 4 Less, Sales, Leasing and Financing. If you are in the market for a New or Used Vehicle give us a call “we will steer you in the right direction”. Please call 416-829-1761.
If you would like your company or service listed here please do not hesitate to ask. I do not take a fee for this. It is very important for us to support and promote local Jewish businesses. We spend so much time looking for the best deal possible that we lose sight of obligation to support our “brothers”. It’s forbidden to give business to others; we are obligated to do business with fellow Jews. Trust me when I say that the other nations put the welfare of their own first and not looking for the best deal in town. Again, there is no charge and would be my pleasure to list your service, product or business. All you have to do is ask.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul
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