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TRANSCRIPT
Last opportunity forKidush L'vana this monthis THU night, 1:54am ofFRI Sept. 8. (This is localtime; adjust for other time zones.)
Note that astronomical full moon thismonth is THU 21:42 Israel SummerTime. Yet one may say KL for more than4 hours after full moon, because ourhalachic deadline for KL is based on theaverage time it takes the moon to gothrough its cycle of phases not theactual time (which can vary up toseveral hours before or after the averagefigure). Our deadline is midway betweenthe previous molad and the upcomingmolad. This is the standard rule: One cansay KL until SOF ZMAN KL, even if it isafter actual full moon.However... there will be a small/shallowpartial lunar eclipse on Thursday night,approx. 9:0010:30pm. One who seesthe eclipse and understands cont. p.2
Correct for TT 731 • Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) 8:07pm6:19pm (5:36) Jerusalem 7:30pm6:36pm (5:38) Raanana 7:32pm6:35pm (5:37) Beit Shemesh 7:31pm6:36pm (5:38) Netanya 7:32pm6:36pm (5:38) Rehovot 7:32pm6:15pm (5:38) Petach Tikva 7:32pm6:35pm (5:37) Modi'in 7:31pm6:36pm (5:38) Be'er Sheva 7:32pm6:34pm (5:36) Gush Etzion 7:30pm6:35pm (5:37) Ginot Shomron 7:31pm6:19pm (5:36) Maale Adumim 7:30pm6:34pm (5:37) K4 & Hevron 7:31pm6:24pm (5:36) Tzfat 7:30pm
Ranges are FRIFRI • 1522 ELUL • (Sept. 815)Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:285:33amSunrise 6:18½6:23amSof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:279:28am (8:418:43am)Sof Z'man T'fila 10:3010:30am (10:0010:00am)Chatzot (halachic noon) 12:3712:34½pmMincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) 1:091:06pmPlag Mincha 5:365:29pmSunset 6:596:50pm (6:54½6:45½pm)
OU ISRAEL CENTERSeymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union
Jerusalem World CenterYitzchak Fund, PresidentRabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice PresidentProf. Meni Koslowsky, Vice PresidentRabbi Dovid Cohen, Vaad memberMoshe Kempinski, Vaad memberSandy Kestenbaum, Vaad memberSimcha Rock, Vaad memberZvi Sand, Vaad memberHarvey Wolinetz, Vaad memberRabbi Avi Berman, DirectorGeneral, OU in IsraelMenachem Persoff, Director of Programs, Israel CenterPhil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor
22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem 91370phone: (02) 566 7787 • fax: (02) 5617432
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This Shabbat is the 341st day (of 354); the 49th Shabbat (of 50) of 5766 • We all read/learn the 3rd & 4th perek of Avot
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`eaz ike"qyz lel` f"h
September 89, '06
Peter Pan / Robin HoodEd. note: I could not think of a good title for what I want to say in this Lead Tidbit, so I opted for a weird train ofthought that flashed back to a song from the soundtrack of an old OffBroadway musical, You're a Good Man,Charlie Brown. The song was about the children having to write a composition about the story of Peter Pan.Linus hadn't really read it, but he had read and loved the story of Robin Hood. His book report begansomething like, "Peter Pan reminds me very much of Robin Hood, because of their green outfits. Speaking ofRobin Hood..." So went the composition. We do not find out what mark he received for his efforts. The followingidea should really be expressed in the context of Parshat R'ei, but it most definitely comes to mind when lookingat Ki Tavo. So speaking of R'ei... PC
The Torah quite frequently presents us with a twosided deal or set ofconditions from Gd. If we keep His word, harken to His voice, preserve Hismitzvot... then all sorts of good things will come to us. If we do theopposite, then bad things will occur. The most dramatic form of this "deal"from Gd is found in Parshat B'chukotai and in this week's sedra of Ki Tavo,in the TOCHACHA. Both are very detailed, and extremely frightening andupsetting. This "deal" is also said by us (at least) twice daily, in the secondpassage of the Sh'ma. If you listen (keep) to the mitzvot, then you (we) willget beneficial rain in its time and bountiful crops in our fields. If not, if weturn to idolatry, then Gd will hold back the rain, etc. The "deal" is repeatedin different ways, over and over again. Perhaps the major result of ourawareness of the "deal" is our deep belief in Reward and Punishment. And inthe accountability we each have for our deeds. Do the right things reward;do the wrong things punishment. This world, next world, or a combination,but there is no doubt about Reward and Punishment.
But take a look at the beginning of R'ei. Gd says, I have presented to youthis day (a choice of) BRACHA and K'LALA, blessing and curse. The BRACHA that you listen to Gd's mitzvot that I command you this day. And the K'LALA if you do not listen to the mitzvot,and you veer from the path that I command you to follow, and you go after other gods...
It does not (in R'ei) say, if you keep mitzvot then you will receive the blessing of this or that. It defines the BRACHA
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Word of the Month cont.
its significance, namely that a lunar eclipse occurs only at full moon such an individual may not (according to oneopinion) say KL after the eclipse, even though the official deadline for KL (i.e. the average full moon) has not yetcome. Apparently, the combination of the knowledge of the passing of the full moon, the knowledge that the moon isnow beginning to diminish, together with the experience of the eclipse, makes the person unable to say the bracha.Mere knowledge of the time of the full moon does not prevent the person from saying KL later especially becausethe moon still looks full. And if a person witnesses the eclipse, but is lacking the knowledge that the eclipse tells usthat the moon is full (middle of the eclipse, that is), then he still can say KL until the halachic deadline.
As indicated earlier, there are other opinions on this issue, specifically that we follow the average calculation and payno attention to the actual details. The first opinion, though, is more interesting. Think about it: At midnight betweenThursday and Friday, September 7 & 8, Full Moon is past and halachic full moon is yet to come. Neither knowledgeof the actual full moon nor the experience of an eclipse (i.e. experience of the full moon) overrides the halachicreality of full moon. But both knowledge and experience combine to prevent KL at midnight.
Knowledge and Wisdom are not the same thing.Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, not avegetable. Wisdom is knowing that you shouldn't includeit in a fruit salad. From "1001 Smiles" by Marion Kaplinsky
as keeping the mitzvot. And defines K'LALA as not keeping them. Not, if you don't do the mitzvot, then this and thatwill happen. Just, not keeping mitzvot is the Curse. Keeping mitzvot is the Blessing. Significant difference. All theother times, good things are described as the reward for keeping the Torah. In R'ei, Keeping the Torah is the rewardfor Keeping the Torah. It is the BRACHA. And the opposite for the K'LALA.
Interestingly, it is in Ki Tavo, that the topic of the Blessings and Curse and Har G'rizim and Har Eival is continued andelaborated upon. And in Ki Tavo, the BRACHA is defined by good things, and that which results in BRACHA is theobservance of mitzvot. Similarly for the opposite.
What does it all mean? The rule is: Reward and Punishment. There is ample text in the Torah to teach us thatprinciple of faith. But there is another lesson to learn from the one time that the Torah speaks of Torah observancebeing its own reward, so to speak. S'CHAR MITZVA, MITZVA. The reward for doing a mitzva is the doing of a mitzva.(The Baal Shem Tov had a nice spin on that he said, S'CHAR MITZVA, SIMCHAT MITZVA. The reward for doing amitzva is the joy derived from the mitzva.) And a nonTorah way of Life is the Curse, not only what punishmentsresult from that way of life.
Perhaps it is the balance that Antig'nos Ish Socho was trying to teach. (Believe in Reward and Punishment, but) donot be like a servant who served his master in order to receive the reward, rather be like a servant who serves withno thought of the reward, save the reward of being the master's servant. His students drew a fatally flawedconclusion from the teachings of Antig'nos. We must always be mindful of the fact that mitzvot are rewarded (here orthere) and sins are punished. But that should not be our motivation to do mitzvot.
R'ei is not quite unique. At the end of Nitzavim Gd tells us that He has presented us with the Free Will to choosebetween Life, Good, and Bracha on the one hand, and Death, Evil, and Curse on the other. And you shall choose Life to love HaShem, to listen to His voice, and to cling to Him for this is our Life.
KI TAVO STATS50th of the 54 sedras 7th of 11 in D'varim
Written on 233 lines in a Sefer Torah (rank: 13)
21 Parshiyot; 5 open, 16 closed(ranks 7th, tied with Vayikra and Va'etchanan)
122 p'sukim ranks 17th (2nd in D'varim)Same number as Vayakhel & Va'etchanan;Ki Tavo is larger than Vayakhel, smaller thanVa'etchanan
1747 words ranks 16th (2nd in D'varim)Same as Ekev. Ekev is a bit larger than Ki Tavo
6811 letters ranks 15th (4th in D'varim)
P'sukim are longer than average for the Torah,short for D'varim
MITZVOT6 of the 613; 3 positives and 3 prohibitions
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AliyabyAliyaSedra SummaryNumbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzvacount of Sefer HaChinuch ANDRambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is theperek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes.
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tumarespectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number ofp'sukim in the parsha.
Kohen First Aliya 11 p'sukim 26:111[P>26:1] When we come to the Land and settle it, weare commanded to take of the First Fruits [the mitzva ofBikurim has already been counted back in ParshatMishpatim] of the "Seven Species", put them in a basketand go to The Place (the Beit HaMikdash). We are to go tothe kohen on duty, announce our presence and presenthim with the basket. He shall take it and place it beforethe Altar. We are then to recite the "Bikurim passage"[606,A132 26:5].
MitzvaWatchIt is said of Bikurim: "Do this mitzva, for in its merit youwill enter the Land". The ARI HaKadosh singles outBikurim as the mitzva which is the "tikun" (repair) forthe Sin of the Spies. Bikurim has a Torahordained,builtin recitation that helps us to focus our thoughts in aparticular direction. With this recitation, the Jewidentifies himself with his Jewish Heritage and announcesto one and all the centrality of Eretz Yisrael in Gd'splans for the People of Israel. Bikurim makes thestatement that we are glad to be here. Being happyabout being in Eretz Yisrael grants us the "z'chut" to behere. Joyfully thanking Gd for our being here helps"repair" the opposite attitude as expressed by the 10spies and echoed by the multitude. The Sin of the Spieswas committed by what the Meraglim SAID, and it waswhile they were displaying fruits that they brought fromthe Land, no less. Bikurim is the mitzva that isperformed by what the Bikurim bringer SAYS (in additionto bringing the fruits), and while he displays fruits thathe brought from the Land. "A perfect match!" (inopposites). Bikurim is a prime example of "HakaratHaTov", recognition and acknowledge ment of the goodthat was done for us by Gd. This lesson too must beapplied to other areas of mitzvot and life in general. Maywe soon be privileged to bring Bikurim with all the joyand Jewish pride that says that we are truly pleased tobe chosen by Gd as His People and that we aregenuinely thankful for this wonderful Land.
The first four p'sukim of the Bikurim recitation form themain text for the Pesach Seder; they summarize theEgyptian enslavement and subsequent Exodus. The fifthpasuk speaks of coming to Eretz Yisrael. This corresponds to the fifth term of redemption and is representedby Eliyahu's cup.
We all bring Bikurim (including the Levi and the convert)with feelings of joy and thanks to Gd for all we have.
If Lavan is the Arami referred to in the pasuk (asmany commen taries hold), then the pasuk impliesthat Lavan was responsible for our going down into
Egypt. Yet Yaakov returned to his father's house after the timespent with Lavan, and only many years later ended up inMitzrayim. Commentators point out the following sequence:Lavan deceived Yaakov and gave him Leah as a wife instead ofhis beloved Rachel. When Yaakov subsequently married Racheltoo, there developed a rivalry between the two sisters. Thisrivalry transferred to the next generation in the form of theproblems between Yosef and his brothers. Yaakov's giving theStriped Coat led to Yosef being sold into slavery. His descentinto Egypt later brought the whole family down there. Therefore,Lavan IS the appropriate beginning of that process that found usin Egypt, hence the pasuk: ARAMI OVED AVI, VAYEREDMITZRAIMA.The Bikurim recitation is perfectly suited to form theheart of the story of the Exodus, more so than any of theoriginal passages from Sh’mot. The editors of theHagada found in ARAMI OVEID AVI the “whole” story inonly four p’sukim something we are all capable ofhandling at the Seder table. The original material is toocopious. There are other factors that also favor theBikurim parsha.
Levi Second Aliya 4 p'sukim 26:1215[S>26:12 (4)] After one has completed proper separationand distribution of T'ruma, Ma'aser, and Ma'aser Ani (during the third and sixth year of a Shmita cycle), one isrequired to formally declare that none of the "holyproduce" remains in his possession and that it wasactually given to its intended recipients [607,A13126:13]. This declaration is made on the last day of Pesachin the 4th and 7th year.
Vidui Maaser implies that there is something wrong inour performance of the mitzvot mentioned. Yet thestatement specifically says that we did everything thatwe were supposed to do. In fact, a person who mighthave transgressed does not make the statement. Onlysomeone who did not sin at all can make the declaration.Why then, do we get the impression that something wasnot 100%? Rav Soloveichik zt"l pointed to the wordK'CHOL (like all), which is mentioned twice. Theimplication is that our performance was almost perfect,but not quite. Also, the statement implies that theindividual did only that which he was required to do, anddid not (often) go beyond the call of duty. Or perhaps wedid a mitzva sort of like it is supposed to be done, butmaybe without full KAVANA. These implica tions mightbe responsible for the title VIDUI. What an importantmessage this is as we approach Rosh HaShana, when wehave to answer for what AND HOW we do mitzvot.
It is forbidden to eat Maaser Sheni (the second tithes ofyears 1, 2, 4, 5 of a Shmita cycle, which remain theowner's property but which must be eaten "with sanctityand ritual purity" in Jerusalem or be redeemed) whileone is a mourner (here it refers to the status of themourner before burial of the dead ANINUT) [608,L15126:14] or in a state of ritual impurity [609,L150 26:14](the person and/or the food). It is also forbidden to use
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the redemption money of Ma'aser Sheni for purposesother than food and drink in Jerusalem [610,L15226:14].
The literal meaning of this prohibition is not to use themoney for "the dead". This can narrowly apply toshrouds, casket, etc., but is also generalized to includeall nonfood uses.
We next call upon HaShem to "look down" upon HisPeople from on high and bless us and the Land of Israel.[We have kept our promise, we say to Gd (so to speak),now You keep Yours. Rashi]
Many a Baal Korei raises his voice and emphasizes theword HASHKIFA. This is based on the TalmudYerushalmi.
Shlishi Third Aliya 4 p'sukim 26:1619[S>26:16 (4)] This short portion is a summary of ourrelationship with Gd. We are to keep, preserve, observe,practice all the mitzvot, statutes, laws which Moshe hasreiterated for us, with all our hearts and souls. We havepledged allegiance to Gd, promised to follow His ways[611,A8 26:17] and to listen to Him. He pledges to takeus as His "Chosen Nation" and to elevate us above thenations of the world IF we keep His mitzvot.
MitzvaWatchTo follow in Gd's footsteps means to develop andpractice various traits that are attributed to Gd. As He ismerci ful, so too shall we BE merciful. As He is holy, sotoo must we behave in ways that lead to our becomingholy. From general traits, we can also use specificexamples as Gd clothed the naked, visited the sick,buried the dead, comforted the grieving... so too mustwe. There are mitzvacounters who define this mitzva asBikur Cholim, visiting the sick, in addition to generalizingto include all types of acts of kindness.
R'VI'I Fourth Aliya 10 p'sukim 27:110[P>27:1 (8)] Moshe Rabeinu and the Elders commandthe People concerning the inscribing on 12 pillars ofstone the words of the Torah (parts thereof; the Book ofD'varim or parts of it); this to be done upon crossing theJordan.
Subsequently, another set of pillars is to be erected andinscribed on Har Eval where a Mizbei'ach is to be built (ofwhole, uncut stones) and sacrifices are to be offered.
[S>27:910 (2)] Moshe and the Kohanim next declare tothe People that they have grown into completenationhood at this point, with all the mitzvot of the Torahhaving been reviewed. Privilege of nationhood goeshandinhand with the responsi bilities of keeping themitzvot.
Moshe, the Kohanim and Leviyim, say to all thepeople, "on this very day you have become Gd'snation". Rashi says that the Torah emphasized THIS
VERY DAY, to teach us that our commitment to Torah andmitzvot should be as if we have entered into a covenant withHaShem on this very day i.e. everyday. We are challenged torefesh our Judaism contin ually. This, of course, is not the onlyplace this is learned from. But that fact just reinforces thesignificance of the idea.
Chamishi Fifth Aliya 22 p'sukim 27:1128:6[S>27:11 (4)] Moshe describes what will happen afterthe People enter the Land. Six tribes will stand on Mt.Grizim and six on Mt. Eval. There they will hear theblessings and curses that will be the fate of those whokeep or don't keep Torah and mitzvot.
Twelve curses are enumerated in this portion touchingupon many diverse areas of Jewish life including"between Jew and Gd" as well as interpersonal mitzvot.Each K’LALA is a pasuk long and its own parsha stuma(almost). To each curse, the people are to respondAMEN...
[S>27:15 (1)] he who makes idols...
[S>27:16 (1)] he who degrades his father or mother...
[S>27:17 (1)] he who encroaches on his neighbor’sboundary...
[S>27:18 (1)] he who misleads a “blind” (it's figurative)person...
[S>27:19 (2)] he who perverts the judgment of orphanor widow... he who sleeps with his father’s wife... (Notethat these two curses share a parsha.)
[S>27:21 (1)] he who engages in sexual behavior withanimals...
[S>27:22 (1)] he who sleeps with his sister (orhalfsister)...
[S>27:23 (1)] he who sleeps with his motherinlaw...
[S>27:24 (1)] he who secretly strikes his fellow...
[S>27:25 (1)] he who takes a bribe and an innocentperson is killed...
[S>27:26 (1)] he who does not uphold the words of theTorah to do them...
[P>28:1 (14)] Once again, Moshe Rabeinu tells us thatfollowing Gd's commandments will earn us superiorstatus among the nations of the world. We will also beshowered with blessings for hearkening to Gd's voice. Wewill flourish economically and agriculturally, and beblessed with a healthy increase in population. Our everycoming and going will be blessed.
The blessings begin with the letter BET BARUCH. The cursebegin with the letter ALEF ARUR. This is how some commentators explain the large BET of the opening word of the Torah B'reishit. Gd wanted to start the Torah on a note of blessing,not the opposite.
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Shishi Sixth Aliya 63 p'sukim 28:769Longest of the 378 Aliyot in the whole Torah
The blessings continue with the prom ise of victory overour enemies. Gd will "command" His blessings upon usand the Land, and will establish us as a holy nation... oncondition that we keep the mitzvot and follow His ways.
[The Torah's expression V'HALACHTA BIDRACHAV isrepeated here emu lating Gd is defined as being kind,merciful, charitable, etc.]
The nations of the world will see the special relationshipwe have with Gd, and be appropriately reverent towardsus and fearful of us. Gd's heavenly treasurehouse willopen for us and we will flourish. Gd's blessings areconditional upon keeping the mitzvot.
[P>28:15 (54)] "But, if we don't listen to Gd..." Thusbegins the "Tochacha". The admonition againstdisobedience of Torah.
There is a custom to read this part in a low voicebecause of how devastating it is to realize that Gdneeds to warn us in such graphic terms, what willhappen if the Jewish People do not remain faithful toHim. Unfortunately, we need these harsh words ofreproach. Unfortunately, they have turned out to beprophetic more than once. The Tochacha is containedwithin one Aliya (resulting in the longest Aliya in theTorah) so as not to prolong the discomfort in hearing it.And it is sandwiched (so to speak) between "good"p'sukim, so the Aliya begins and ends on a good note.
The first portion of the Tochacha is the negative mirrorimage of the blessings previously pronounced in theTorah. The p'sukim then proliferate and describe inshocking and grisly detail that which will occur if we donot remain faithful to Gd. The final pasuk of the Aliyareiterates the "simple" but eloquent covenant with Gd:Keep the Torah and all will be good, if not...
The contrast between the "good times" that Bikurimbrings to mind and the terrible times as described in theTochacha is overpowering and fright ening. It is thedifference between contentment and respect on the onehand, and devastation, despair and degradation, on theother. Prosperity in our own Land vs. poverty and exile.The key to the difference is Torah & Mitzvot.
One of the famous “sum it all up” p’sukim in theTochacha is 28:47, which says that many of theterrible things will happen to us because we did not
serve Gd with joy and a good heart (even while we still had allgood things). The Kotzker Rebbe gives this pasuk an interestingspin. Because, not only did you not serve Gd, but the notserving Him was with simcha to you. When a Jew does mitzvot,there is the extra aspect of doing them “with a smile”. And,conversely, when a Jew sins, there is the extra aspect of sinningwith a smile. Does one who eats nonkosher cry about hisbetrayal of Gd (probably not), or does he lick his fingers withrelish and joy (sadly, probably yes). And if and when the joy ofsinning leaves a person, or is driven out by him, then and onlythen will the person be on the path to T’shuva.
[S>28:69 (1)] After all those dreadful p’sukim of theTocheicha, this long aliya is concluded with thestatement: These are the words of the covenant that Gdcommanded Moshe to make with the people of Israel inthe territory of Moav besides the covenant of Sinai(Chorev).
Sh'vi'i Seventh Aliya 8 p'sukim 29:18[P>29:1 (8)] Moshe Rabeinu calls to the People, andtells them that they now have seen (and know) all thathas happened from the Exodus through the forty years ofwandering until this very moment. It is incumbent uponus to keep our "deal" with Gd. "And Gd did not give youa heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear, untilthis very day." This realization comes only after living allthe experiences and miracles of the 40 years ofwandering.
The last three p'sukim are read for the Maftir.
Haftara 22 p'sukim Yeshayahu 60:122This is the 6th of the Seven Haftaras of Consolation, allcoming from the book of Yeshayahu, from chapter 40 on,where he changes mood from a prophet of tragedies to aprophet of consolation and redemption.
The uplifting message of the haftara is the coming of theGeula, when Gd will restore His People to the Land andthe nations and peoples of the world will flock toJerusalem to pay homage to Gd and His People.
The concluding words of the haftara are enigmatic: "...IAm Gd, in its (the redemption's) time, I will hasten it."Will the Mashiach come in his appointed time, or sooner?That depends upon us. If we enhance the overallconditions of Jewish Life, increase Torah observance,improve relations between Jew and his fellow then wemight be privileged to an "early" arrival of the Mashiachand the Geula. If we do not lay the proper groundwork forhis coming, then he will come in his (preordained) time.
This is a major part of our Elul challenge. Let's put it thisway — the first level of our Elultime task is personal,individual. This adds another level, that of thecommunity, of Klal Yisrael. Rambam in Hilchot T'shuva"suggests" that we each consider ourselves, and ourcommunity, and the entire world to be precariouslybalanced between merits and demerits. One tiny mitzvaon our part cannot only tip our personal scale to the goodside for us, but that of our community and that of thewhole world as well. One person can make a difference.Each of us has the power to hasten the Mashiach. So, let'sdo it.
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THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OFJEWISH LAW Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean
Lesson 347 (part four)
Right of First RefusalWe continue our discussion of the Right of First Refusal, thistime discussing who may exercise the right and the time inwhich the neighbor must exercise it.The right of first refusal may be exercised only by Shimon, thecontiguous neighbor to the land being sold by Reuven to Levi.Shimon must be the neighbor both during the time that theland is sold by Reuven and also when Shimon exercises theright. If he is the contiguous owner only when the land is soldbut no longer the owner when the right of first refusal issought to be exercised or if he is the contiguous owner whenhe attempts to exercise his right of first refusal but was not thecontiguous owner when the land was sold by Reuven, he maynot exercise the right of first refusal. For example, on January1, Reuven sells his land, parcel#1 to Levi. On January 2,Shimon is the contiguous neighbor to Reuven’s land by virtueof the ownership of parcel #2. On January 2, Shimon beforeattempting to exercise his right of first refusal, sells parcel #2to Jacob. Neither Shimon nor Jacob can exercise the right offirst refusal, Shimon because he is no longerthe contiguousowner to parcel #1, and Jacob, because he was not thecontiguous owner on January 1. Shimon did not, together withthe sale of parcel #2, transfer to Jacob the right to exercise theright of first refusal that Shimon had on January 1. Levi doesnot have to act in a just and honorable manner to Shimon sinceShimon sold his land, and not to Jacob because Levi boughtparcel #1 before Jacob came into the picture. Shimon may notassign his right of first refusal to another person.
There must be an immediate exercise by Shimon of the rightof first refusal. That is, Shimon is given the amount of timethat it takes for a purchaser to go to his bank and obtain themoney to complete the purchase, and to go to Beth Din to getan order to rescind the sale from Reuven to Levi, and torequest Beth Din to order a deed from Reuven to Shimon, ifReuven has already sold the real estate to Levi. If the sale hasnot yet been completed, Shimon is given sufficient time to goto his bank to get the funds and to go to Beth Din to obtain aninjunction to stop the sale from Reuven to Levi. If Shimondoes not immediately commence his lawsuit in Beth Din, heloses his right to exercise his right of first refusal. If Beth Dinis closed or if there is a storm that prevents Shimon fromgoing to Beth Din, or something similar, he does not lose hisrights of first refusal until he has time to get to the Beth Dinafter it is in session again or after such storm abates.If the sale from Reuven to Levi is done surreptitiously, thetime for Shimon to exercise his right to first refusal beginswith the time that the sale is publicized to the people of thecommunity or from the time that Shimon has actualknowledge of the sale, whichever is earlier. If there is adispute between Levi and Shimon whether Shimon hadknowledge of the sale, Shimon may take an oath that he hadno knowledge and he will be believed.
The price to be paid by Shimon to Reuven (or to Levi if thesale between Reuven and Levi has already been completed) isthe price that Levi offered to Reuven and Reuven agreed to
accept, or that Reuven offered to sell for and Levi agreed topay (or actually paid to Reuven if the deal between Reuvenand Levi was completed). If the value of the land appreciatesbetween the time that Reuven sells the land to Levi and thetime that Shimon exercise his right of first refusal, Shimonneed pay only the price that Levi paid. If the land declines invalue between the time that Reuven sells the land to Levi andthe time that Shimon exercises his right of first refusal.Shimon must pay the price that Levi paid.
Levi pays Reuven $100 for the land. The land is appraised asof the date of the sale at $200. If Reuven would have sold theland to any purchaser for $100, Shimon need pay Levi only$100. (Reuven was hard pressed for immediate cash andwould have sold the land to any purchaser for $100.)However, if Reuven sold the land to Levi at a reduced pricebecause of his special relationship with Levi and would havesold it to anyone else for $200, Shimon must pay Levi $200, ifShimon exercises his right of first refusal. Levi need not sharethe excess $100 with Reuven. In the event that there is adifference of opinion between Shimon and Levi as whetherReuven would have sold the land to others for $100, theburden of proof is on Shimon.Shimon may waive his right of first refusal either to Levi orReuven. There are situations in which Shimon can waive toLevi his right of first refusal prior to the sale by Reuven toLevi. Levi consults with Shimon and advises him that Reuvenis about to sell his field to Levi. Shimon advises Levi topurchase the field. Shimon has not waived his right of firstrefusal. Shimon can claim that he intentionally wanted Reuvento sell to Levi so that there would be established a realisticprice for the field. Until now Reuven has asked Shimon for anexorbitant amount, knowing that Shimon wanted to buy thefield contiguous to his. If Shimon waives to Levi his right offirst refusal by a kinyan, then the waiver is binding onShimon. Shimon advises Levi that he waives his right of firstrefusal and Levi hands a handkerchief to Shimon and Shimontakes it into his hand. Also if Shimon, in front of twowitnesses advises Levi that Shimon waives his right of firstrefusal, the waiver is binding. Levi tells Shimon that he willpurchase the land from Reuven and then transfer the land toShimon. Shimon responds that he does not want Reuven’sland. Shimon may not thereafter exercise his right of firstrefusal against Levi. If Shimon waives his right of first refusal,then the waiver is binding in almost all situations, even if itwould not have been so binding if requested by Levi. Forexample, Reuven consults Shimon and advises him that hewants to sell his land to Levi, and Shimon tells him to goahead and sell to Levi. The waiver is binding on Shimon if hehas been told of the proposed sales price. If Shimon has notbeen told the proposed sales price, it is not binding on Shimon.Shimon can plead that he advised Reuven to go ahead and sellto Levi so that he would then see the realistic purchase price.The subject matter of this lesson is more fully discussed involume V chapter 175 of A Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Lawby E. Quint. Copies of all volumes can be purchased via email:[email protected] and via website:www.israelbooks.com and at local Judaica bookstores.Questions to [email protected]
Israel Center TT #731 · page 6 · The Parshat KI TAVO 5766 issue
Religious and Ethical Challengesof Money [1] by Dr. Meir Tamari
Beginning with this issue and for the next number of weeks,Dr. Tamari's column will focus on an important and sadlyneglected area of Torah Life. We hope that Dr. Tamari'swords will not only be of academic value, but will alsoimpact on a "Tachlis level" to help improve our behavior asindividual Jews and as Klal Yisrael."Without Gd's protection and the framework provided byTorah, people will give up their very beings to achievematerial goals. Then in the pursuit of livelihood and socialstatus, Gd is denied, morality is abandoned, a neighbor'sproperty, life or honor is unprotected, and even respect formarriage and sexual purity is lost" (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch).This is a reflection of the power of the yetzer hara for moneyand wealth. "The yetzer for sex the more one feeds it, thestronger is the desire, when one starves it then the less onedesires" (Sanhedrin 107). Money is different the less onehas the more one wants and the more one has the more onewants; "One has 100 coins yet one still desires 200" (KoheletRabba 1:34). This is a lust that is not blunted by physicalweakness or old age; rare is the person who truly believesthat he has enough money or has acquired enough wealth.The world has never been as prosperous as it is today, so theeconomic needs can now be satisfied by legal and moralmeans more easily than at any other period in human history.Unfortunately while needs are relatively few, wants areunlimited; our consumer society which is geared to "more isbetter than less", to human greed, and to coveting whatothers have, constantly turns wants into needs. The inabilityto echo Yaakov's answer to Eisav: "I have enough", meansthat contemporary patterns of spending, everspiralingstandards of living, and the social status expressed inconspicuous consumption, become minimum needs thatexert constantly increased pressure on our halakhic andspiritual defenses against the yetzer hara of wealth. So,despite its legitimacy as the means of satisfying needs, theeconomic yetzer becomes the motivation, hidden oracknowledged, behind immorality, fraud and oppression."Hashem provides each person with the wherewithal tosupport his soul, pay his debts to Gd through tzedaka,gemilut chesed, etc. However, the yetzer hara entices him toconduct his household affairs, clothing, and so forth in afashion far above his means… Then when his income isinsufficient… . he succumbs to theft, to robbery, to fraud andto the evasion of his debts" (Chafetz Chaim, Sefer Tamim 5)."In business dealings most people get a taste for stealing,whenever they permit themselves to make an unfair profit atthe expense of somebody else, claiming that such profits arebusiness not theft. So it is not merely obvious and explicittheft and fraud which needs to concern us, but any unethicaltransfer of wealth that may occur in ordinary and everydayeconomic activity" (Mesilat Yesharim).In our day, the growth of depersonalized economic state orquasi state institutions and corporations facilitates thisrationalization of unethical business behavior. Exploitationof welfare benefits, the abuse of subsidies and government
aid to development, bribery to achieve ideological aims orfavorable business term and opportunities, and tax evasionbecome merely ways of doing business and hardly seem likeaveirot. Employees' pilfering and private usage of employer'sfacilities and materials are often viewed as no more than actsagainst some depersonalized corporation. The samerationalization enables us to make excessive claims againstinsurance companies or to transfer rights to others who arenot legally entitled them.It seems that because of the enduring power of economic lustand its pervasiveness, the Torah surrounded it with moremitzvot [over 100] than it did for kosher food [28], that issuch a well known hallmark of Judaism. Obviously, thedisparity in no way reduces the importance of kashrut or anyother aspect of Judaism; it simply shows that manyguardians and much spiritual protection in the form ofmitzvot are essential if this most powerful yetzer is to bemade holy."The nations, when they heard the first commandments,complained that Gd gave the commandments solely for Hisown glorification. Later, on hearing the socialcommandments, they confessed that the beginning wasperfect truth" (Rashi, Kiddushin 31a). "They think that Gdcommanded the rational mitzvot because they are aselfevident and logical truth. Israel, however, says: "You area Gd of truth and there is no other truth". Therefore one maynot steal because the Gd of truth forbade it, and one may notdefraud as He has forbid den it, and thereby theseinjunctions become truth (Admor Kalonymos ofPishiatsetna). "It is true that all nations have social laws butonly with us are the mishpatim Avodat HaShem" (TheRebbe of Kotsk). "Torah expands the concepts of socialmorality and business ethics far beyond the grasp of humanintelligence. Further more, the Torah's insistence on Divinereward and punishment ensures that people know that thereis no possibility of the secret crimes or grey area or hiddenactions that constitute the mental framework for white collarcrime, injustice, and exploitation, since there is nothinghidden from Him" (Abarbanel, Introduction to Shmot 21)."After shacharit, one should go about their commerceb'emuna, but one should always keep Torah study the mainpursuit and their commerce secondary" (Shulchan Arukh,Orech Chayim 156). This is in keeping with the statement byRabban Gamliel: "It is good to combine the study of Torahwith having an occupation for the wearying toil involved inthem both keeps all sin out of mind" (Avot 2:2). "Commerceb'emuna does not refer here to the injunction forbidding theftor fraud since they have their own halakhot. It refers toearning a livelihood having the emuna that Hashem satisfiesall our needs [this makes having enough possible]" (OrechHaShuchan,Orech Chayim 156)."The Jewish role model, the Talmid Chacham, conducts hiscommerce in faith and in truth. His yes is yes and his no,'no'. He forces himself to be exact in calculations when he ispaying but is willing to be lenient with his debtors. Heshould keep his obligations in commerce even when thehalakhah permits him to withdraw or retract, so that his wordis his bond. He should be careful not to deprive his neighborof his livelihood [even when this is legal] or cause hardshipand anguish to others [either bodily or financially]. He who
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acts in this way is the one referred to by Yeshayahu, when hesays in Gd's Name: 'You are My servant Israel, in whom Iexult'." (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Deot 5:13).
MISC section contents:[1] Vebbe Rebbe[2] Candle by Day[3] From Aloh Naaleh[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit[5] Parsha Points to Ponder[6] Portion from the Portion[7] Torah from Nature[8] MicroUlpan[9] From the desk of the director
[1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBEThe Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of alltypes in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of themare answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for AdvancedJewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel andRav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l,to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the NationalReligious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is ajoint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, EretzHemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A fromEretz Hemdah...
QWhat do I do if I eat a meal and am unsure ifI bentched (recited Birkat HaMazon)?
AThe Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 184:4) says thatif one is unsure whether he bentched or not, he shouldbentch. Although usually one should avoid a b'racha
when it might not be appropriate, when the potential obligationis from the Torah, he should take his chances and recite whatmight be an extra b'racha (based on Berachot 21a). However,this is only if he ate enough to be satiated (k’dei sevi’a), as theTorah mentions Birkat HaMazon in the context of “You shalleat and be satiated and bless Hashem… ” (Devarim 8:10 seeMishna B'rura 184:15). Otherwise, it is at most a rabbinicobligation and we revert to the regular rule not to make b'rachotout of doubt.
There are many questions regarding whether one has had k’deisevi’a. One is whether there is an objective amount or itdepends whether the individual is full (see Mishna B'rura,ibid.:22 with Bi'ur Halacha). The most common question, whichwe will now focus on, is what one has to eat in the process ofsatiation. One is obligated in a full Birkat HaMazon only if heate bread (Shulchan Aruch, OC 168:6), as only bread turnseating into a full meal. The question is whether one needs to eatbread and be satiated, or one needs to eat enough bread to besatiated from the bread.
The Halachot Ketanot (II, 227) makes the following claim.When one eats a k’zayit of bread he no longer has to makeb'rachot on other foods of the meal because they are attached to
the eating of the bread, which sets the meal’s tone. If so, even ifhe became filled only because of the other foods, it is as if hewas satiated from bread, and there is an obligation to bentchfrom the Torah.
In contrast, the Pri Megadim (EA 184:8) assumes that the k’deisevi’a must come from the bread for there to be an obligationfrom the Torah. If it were enough just to be full, why does oneneed even a k’zayit of bread? There are a few answers to the PriMegadim’s question. One, which he hints at but rejects, is thatit is necessary to fulfill the Torah’s first requirement of “youshall eat” with bread. (Regarding many Torah laws, a k’zayit isthe cutoff point of what is considered significant eating.)Regarding being satiated, the important thing is the state at theend (see Bi'ur Halacha to 184:6 regarding one who was almostfull before eating bread). Another possible answer is that if oneate less than a k’zayit of bread, it is likely that he must make ab'racha on subsequent foods (see Magen Avraham 177:1). If so,the Halachot Ketanot’s logic does not apply, and he wouldagree with the Pri Megadim that other food would not counttoward k’dei sevi’a. (The Pri Megadim (ad loc.) feels that evenless than a k’zayit of bread exempts other foods).
Rav O. Yosef (Y'chaveh Da’at VI 10) suggests that thismachloket existed among the Rishonim. The Gemara (B'rachot48a) tells how Shimon ben Shetach ate very little, yet bentchedon behalf of King Yannai and friends. Tosafot (ad loc.) saysthat this is difficult according to the BaHaG, who says that onewho ate only enough for a rabbinic obligation cannot exemptthose who were satiated, as the king certainly had a full meal.Rav Yosef suggests that Yannai ate a big meal with only a littlebread. According to Tosafot, that would obligate him from theTorah and according to the BaHaG it would not. In any case,the more widely held position seems to be that the satiationneed not come only from the quantity of bread (see Igrot MosheIV 41; see sources in Piskei Teshuvot 184:(82)). There areadditional halachic factors that indicate that in our case oneshould bentch out of doubt (Y'chaveh Da’at, ibid.). Therefore,one who ate at least a k’zayit of bread (within a relatively shorttime Mishna B'rura 208:48) during a filling meal and is notsure if he bentched should bentch now.
There is an open question whether a woman's obligation tobentch is from the Torah or is rabbinic (B'rachot 20b). Likewise, there is a dispute whether a woman who is uncertain if shealready bentched should do so now (Mishna Berura 186:3). Atleast in our case, considering the additional factors, it is likelybetter that she not bentch out of doubt.
Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weeklyparsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read thissection or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org orwww.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamimby email weekly, by sending an email to [email protected] the message: Subscribe/English (for the English version)or Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew version). Please leave thesubject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by theJewish Agency for Israel
[2] Candle by DayWhen we see red, we see nothing at all.
From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein
A Candle by Day • The Antidote • The World Of Chazal byRabbi Shraga Silverstein • Now available at 0542099200
Israel Center TT #731 · page 8 · The Parshat KI TAVO 5766 issue
[3] CHIZUK and IDUDfor Olim & notyetOlim respectively
In his comment on the first verse of our parsha, Rashi quotesthe Gemara in Kiddushin (37b) which states that the mitzva ofBikurim became obligatory only after the Jewish peopleconquered all of the land of Canaan and divided it among thetwelve tribes of Israel.
It is well known that the conquest took 14 years to complete.The question that presents itself is why the mitzva of Bikurimdid not go into effect after each section of Eretz Israel wasconquered and as soon as each part was cultivated and borefruit. After all, the mitzva of Bikurim is primarily ademonstration of Hakarat HaTov, appreciation and thanks toGod for having granted us the privilege of living in Eretz Israeland enjoying its fruits. Why then was it necessary to wait untilall of Eretz Israel was conquered and apportioned? The Gemarain Pesachim (36b) emphasizes that the mitzva of Bikurim isfulfilled between Shavuot and Sukkot because that is the timeof the ingathering of the fruit, when the joy is greatest. Whywere the Jewish people not required to give thanks for the landand its fruit during the first 14 years in the land?
The Torah seems to be teaching us that our personal happinesscannot be complete until all of Eretz Israel is conquered andsettled. While mitzvot pertaining to the land of Israel must befulfilled on every inch of the holy land, the Bikurim,thankfulness and appreciation to God for having given us thefruit of the land, cannot be fulfilled until all of the land is oursand until all Jews dwell therein. To be complete, our personalhappiness must be coupled with the happiness of Klal Israel.
While the conquest of all of Eretz Israel may appear to besomething in the distant future, Jews settling in the land whichis already ours can be achieved right now.
We hope and pray that all Jews will settle in the land and thatGod will grant us the privilege of possessing all of Eretz Israelin our own time.
Rabbi Binyamin Walfish, JerusalemTORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh membersfor publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', aweekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a
[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of WitR' Moshe Sofer, the Chasam Sofer, did not appreciate thosewho had all types of mystical intentions and meanings whenthey blew the shofar.
A baal tekiya asked him, "Rebbe, please teach me whatthoughts I must have when I blow the shofar."
"Think that you are fulfilling your duty and that you are alsoacting for those who are listening", said R' Moshe.
#####
R' Dovid of Levov once came to Lublin to spend RH with hisrebbe, the Chozeh. Just before they were due to blow the shofar,it became apparent that R' Dovid was not in the shul. Someonewent back to his inn, and found him feeding a horse. Thehorse's owner had been so intent on praying that he hadforgotten to feed the animal.
Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series for ArtScroll:Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch
of Wit; and "Wisdom and Wit" — available at your local Jewishbookstore (or should be). Excerpted with the permission of thecopyright holder
[5] Parsha Points to Ponder Ki Tavo1) Why does the person state that I HAVE NOTTRANSGRESSED YOUR COMMANDS AND I HAVE NOTFORGOTTEN? (26:13) Isn't it obvious once he has nottransgressed the laws that he has not forgotten them?
2) Why are the Leviyim suddenly included in the group that isspeaking to the Jewish people (see 27:9) something which wedo not find elsewhere in the Torah?
3) Why does the Torah single out idolatry when teaching thatwe should not veer at all from the commands of the Torah? (See28:14)
THESE ARE THE ANSWERSPonder the questions first, then read here
1) The Sfat Emet teaches that it is possible to do a mitzvawithout any real recognition of the fact that a mitzva is beingdone. We often do things by roe with not thought at all. Theperson here proclaims that he not only performed the mitzva buthe also did not forget. He was conscious of what he was doingand performed these actions with focus and thought.
2) The Meshech Chachma answers that the new covenant beingestablished here was only for those who nullified the firstcovenant through the sin of the golden calf. Since, the Leviimdid not take part in that sin, they were not the recipients of thiscommand and were free to assist in the giving of the command.
3) The Chatam Sofer explains that our Sages have the power tocreate fences around the Torah even if it means violating acommand in the Torah on a temporary basis and we are boundto follow their orders. The Torah is teaching us here that theSages cannot extend this power to enacting that one shouldperform some form of idolatry even for the sake of preservingTorah. Idolatry is something which cannot be violated in anycircumstance.
Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman,who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim, Tiferet, and MachonMaayan in Beit Shemesh and RBS and is the author of"DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questionsabout the Jewish Faith", soon to be republished by [email protected]
[6]
by Rakel BerenbaumFEEDback to [email protected]
Sweetening the CursesThis portion (D'varim 28:1568) like in the portion ofB'chukotai, has the section of curses. The verses are veryvivid in their description of all the horrible things that will
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come upon us if we don't "obey Hashem carefully andkeep all the commandments". Some examples mentionedare "Gd will send misfortune, confusion, and frustrationagainst you in all you undertake" (:20) "Gd will strike youwith consumption, fever, delirium, paralysis, the sword,the blight and these calamities will pursue you until theydestroy you" (:22) "You will have sons and daughters, butthey will not remain yours, since they will be taken intocaptivity" (:41).The commentators try to find meaning in the differencesbetween the verses in Vayikra and those in D'varim.Ramban says that the curses in Vayikra refer to thedevastation accompanying the destruction of the firstTemple, while the verses in our portion refer to the time ofthe destruction of the second Temple. The Abarbanel hasa different way of looking at our verses. He sees theverses in both sections referring to one continuous exilethat started with the destruction of the first Temple andcontinues until today. Reading his commentary on ourverses is a lesson on all the troubles that befell the Jewishpeople throughout our history.Even within the bitterness of these verses, somecommentators try to find a bit of sweetness. This is doneby understanding that all the terrible things that befall theJewish people are the natural consequence of sin. RavNachshoni brings a parable. A doctor tells his patient, "Ifyou smoke cigarettes you will get sick". He is not cursingthe person that he will definitely get sick; rather he istrying to prevent him from getting sick by warning himabout the ill effects of smoking. The same with Hashem.He doesn't want all these bad things to happen to us. Heis trying to warn us so they won't happen to us. Theremedy is to follow in Hashem's way and if for somereason we didn't then to do Teshuva.Another "blessing" that is found in the curses can be seenin verse 65. "Hashem will scatter you among the nations...and there will be no place for your foot to rest," We willnever have peace in foreign lands. We will always havesome problem with the goyim. This sounds like a curse,but in essence it is a blessing because this way we cannot fully assimilate and the Jewish people will continue tosurvive.
Sweet & Sour Sauce½ cup ketchup½ cup vinegar¾ cup. cold water2 Tbsp. Lemon juice1¼ cup white sugar½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed3 Tbsp. Cornstarch¼ cup cold water
Combine first six ingredients in a saucepan and bring to aboil. Simmer for 23 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in coldwater and stir into sauce. Simmer until thickened, stirring.Cool and store in refrigerator in a tightly closed jar. Goodwith chicken, meat or mixed vegetables.
[7] Torah from NatureCrescent Nailtail Wallaby Australia has the unfortunatedistinction of being the continent in which the most mammalspecies have become extinct over the last 200 years. Changesfollowing European arrival, in particular widespread habitatalteration and the introduction of exotic species, have led tothe extinction of 19 mammal species from Australia. A further10 species have disappeared from the mainland but still occuron offshore islands...
One example of an extinct species... once widespread is theCrescent Nailtail Wallaby (picture on previous page). Thissmall, beautifully marked wallaby once occurred over largeparts of southwest and central Australia... the species hasbeen extinct for only 60 years or so. This animal wasconsidered common as recently as 1929.
[8] MicroUlpan
oFa §W §g ©n ß dI ¦pFA §W ¤gTwo ways to add them up: abacus CHESHBONIA,pocket calculator MACH'SH'VON
[9] Divrei MenachemParshat Ki Tavo begins to draw to a close the long soliloquyinitiated by Moshe in the weeks approaching the end of hismission in this world. How appropriate, therefore, thatMoshe reminds Bnei Yisrael of the mutual relationshipbetween them and Gd.The Torah uses an unusual term to describe this specialrelationship: "You have distinguished (He'emarta) Hashemtoday to be a Gd for you… and Hashem has distinguishedyou (He'emircha) today to be for Him a treasured people"(Devarim 26:1718). The active form of the Hebrew wordfor "saying" (Amar) implies that both Hashem and BneiYisrael proclaimed this special relationship and, as onetranslation has it, vouch for each other. The parallelism ofthis unique expression suggests that we have chosen to serveHashem no less than He has chosen us to do His will on thisEarth. Thus, our act of embracing Hashem is clearly an actof immense spiritual proportions.This mutuality between the Jewish people and Hashem isunique to Judaism. It implies that Hashem cares for us, as weyearn to serve Him. The rabbis express this idea beautifullyby describing how in their respective Tefillin, Hashem andBnei Yisrael praise each other. For in our Tefillin is written,"Shema Yisrael, Hashem is our Gd, Hashem is One." Andin His Tefillin is written, "And who is like your peopleIsrael, a nation, one in the earth!" (cf. Bavli, Brachot 6a).
Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff
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Towards Better Torah reading and Davening...V'ANU KOL H'AM V'AMRU AMEN:One should take care when reading the above phrase, not topause after the word HAAM, as i tempting because of theTROP. The words might then sound like they mean: And thepeople answered (something), and then said AMEN.Rather, it means: And all the people answered and saidAMEN. Answered by saying AMEN.It is tempting (and common) to pause after a T'VIRcombination. It does not call for a pause, and sometimes,pausing will result in a changed meaning of the pasuk.
SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...A series of articles on Beit HaMikdashrelated topics by CatrielSugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest, andanticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization ofour hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and theBeit HaMikdash.
From the Mikdash Mailbag KetoretYom Kippur is on the Horizon a Story
Very early one morning in the Azara, as he watched the hustleand bustle around him, Meir Hakohein asked himself, "How didit get to be Elul already?" To Meir like most members of the"Mikdash community" Elul meant that Yom Kippur was onthe horizon. And if Yom Kippur was on the horizon, couldSukkot, with its uncounted myriads of Olei Regel jamming theMikdash and Yerushalayim be far behind? "Not only Sukkot!Increasingly large numbers of Olei Regel spend Yom Kippur inthe Mikdash as well." As he observed a Levi leading a party ofearlybirds from Ramat Aviv with their sacrificial animalstowards the Taba'ot north of the Mizbei'ach, Meir let his mindrun free. "Does an Oleh Regel from say Ramat Aviv orRa'anana or Rechovot or wherever have the slightest idea ofthe incredible work and planning that goes into preparingYerushalayim and the Mikdash for the thrice yearly flood ofpilgrims from all over the world? They need places to stay andfacilities for purification. They need animals for Korbanot. TheShuk has to be well stocked so they can get them! Does oneOleh Regel out of a hundred know that during the week ofSukkot, four times the normal amount of food has to be broughtinto Jerusalem so the supermarkets won't be caught short? OleiRegel panic when they see empty shelves! A thousand thingscan go wrong. A week after Shavu'ot, a dozen committees andscores of sub committees were already hard at work, each in itsown area, preparing for Sukkot. How the Segan coordinates allthis, I don't know!" Ever the perfectionist, Meir ruefullythought, "As refined as the system is, there still is theoccasional bug." Meir shivered when he recalled how on oneday during Chol Hamo'ed Sukkot four years earlier, they ranout of the Solet (fine wheat flour) required for the Menachot(meal offerings). "What a Balagan that was! If Achzaka(maintenance) hadn't brought some up from the emergencystores right away, I don't know what would have happened."
That afternoon, Meir (at the request as the Segan) was going tosit in on a meeting between the Mikdash Gizbar (Treasurer) andthe chairmen of all the Israeli banks. Temporary bank brancheshad to be set up in the airport, train stations, hotels, just about
everywhere, for the convenience of the countless "Chutznikim"who needed to change their foreign money "for rituallyacceptable coin" and there was no time to lose. Meir chuckled."These swaggering bankers are amazingly respectful torepresentatives of the Mikdash. Perhaps the fact that theMikdash has hefty accounts in all their banks helps. But, I haveto admit, the banks have become very efficient over the yearsand the number of complaints from Olei Regel has reallydropped. Then there are the credit card companies. They arealways pestering us with proposals for new deals. I stillremember when I had to sit through a whole series of deadeningmeetings between the Mikdash treasurers, fidgetyrepresentatives of the Beit Din Shel Kohanim and overlyaggressive knowitall salesmen. Horrible!" With a start, Meirsuddenly remembered that the Segan had dumped on his desk awhole pile of requests submitted by various Mikdashcommittees. Were they justified? One committee recommendedthat three new Mikva'ot be built for the Kohanim in addition tothose they already had beneath Beit Hamokeid. Onesubcommittee claimed that Beit Garmu, the Kohanim whoprepared Lechem Hapanim, needed a new stove. Hagros benLevy (who "was over the singing") demanded that the Leviticalchoir be authorized to buy a couple of dozen new instruments'immediately'". The advent of Elul also meant that Meir had toarrange his crazy schedule so he had time to meet the elders ofBeit Avtinas and participate in their yearly conference. SinceBeit Avtinas compounded the Ketoret and Ketoret played suchan important role in the Avoda of the Mikdash and of YomKippur in particular, their conference was a priority. Thoughthey could be difficult to deal with at times, and their salaries,as everyone in the "Mikdash community" knew, were grosslyinflated, their work was flawless. "As soon as I get back to myoffice, I'll call their Mazkirut and set up an appointment." Hiswife Yehudit claimed that she knew exactly when he visitedtheir perfumery high above the Sha'ar Hamayim. When he camehome, he always smelt sooooo good.
As Meir was musing, he suddenly heard his name called. "Meir,where HAVE you been?" It was one of the Katikolin, Kohanimwho report directly to the Segan. "We've been looking all overfor you! The new Kohanim are offering their Minchot Chinuchthis morning!" Meir's mouth dropped open, "Ha'avoda! I almostforgot!" The two Kohanim moved as fast as they could in thedirection of the Lishkat Hachavitin the "Chamber of theGriddle Makers" in the Ezrat Yisrael, south of Sha'ar Nicanor.(When a Kohein appeared before the Mizbei'ach to inauguratehis service in the Mikdash for the first time, he was required tobring a special Mincha meal offering of twelve smallunleavened loaves called Minchat Chinuch. [Vayikra 6:13,Ma'aseh Hakorbanot 13:4]) Upon reaching their destination andout of breath, they opened the door and were greeted by themost marvelous sight. The room was full of twenty year oldwhite robed Kohanim, ever so carefully, ever so earnestly,preparing their Minchot Chinuch! The Minchat Chinuch loavesconsist of Solet and olive oil, with salt and frankincense addedlater, and there were bins of these ingredients and (cookingutensils) lining the walls. The Kohanim first measured out anIsaron of Solet in a Mikdash vessel (thus sanctifying it) andmixed it with three Log of oil. They prepared each loafseparately so it could be mixed with oil before they kneaded itwith warm water. Under the supervision of expert bakers, moreexperienced Kohanim showed the novices how to blanch theloaves in boiling water, bake them slightly, and then fry them ina Machvat a griddle. Meir's heart melted. These beautifulchildren! It reminded him of long ago when he still had red
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hair! Soon the "children" would carry their loaves in Mikdashvessels to the Mizbei'ach, touch them to the southwest corner,thereby sanctifying them, and then burn them together with theTamid. Even though these young Kohanim had all survived thevery demanding Avoda 101 course, passed their brutal finalexams, received their Mikdash Service Permits from the BDK,and had been duly certified by the Sanhedrin, they were stillvery nervous. Once a Kohein offered his Min chat Chinuch, hetook his place in his Mishmeret, and "like his brethren theKohanim", served in the Mikdash when called.
As the Levitical choir finished singing the Shir Shel Yom, theSegan took Meir aside. "There are five more groups of noviceKohanim who will be offering their Minchot Chinuch beforeSukkot." Looking very serious, he added, "There is somethingelse. It's an open secret that the Kohein Gadol is not well. It islikely that the Sanhedrin will declare him incapacitated andphysically incapable of performing the Avoda on Yom Kippur.If the Kohein Gadol is incapacitated, you know who takes hisplace and does the Avoda." Meir reddened: he knew. "TheSegan. YOU!" The Segan nodded his head, "Yes, me, and Iwant you at my side as much as possible if I do it."
<to be continued>
Upperright is the Bikurim story. Basket of first fruits placedat the side of the Mizbei’ach. The bringer is smiling theultimate smile he is SMILE personified, as the Torahcommands us to rejoice in all that Gd has given us. And thesmiley is reciting (speech bubble) about going down toEgypt and about being brought out of Egypt and taken toEretz Yisrael.
Upperleft is HASHKIFA... Gd, look down upon us from onhigh... (of course, he does not need a telescope...)
One of the blessings mentioned in the sedra is that if wekeep the Torah, then we will be “heads” not “tails". See thetwo shekel coin images.
Lowerleft are the 12 stones upon which were engraved theTorah (or parts of it).
Lowerright is the opened treasure, as we ask of Gd. Thattreasure is in the form of beneficial and timely rains, and thebumper crops that result from good and plentiful rain.
The skate is for the word HASKEIT. It is a unique word inTorah and Na"Ch. Words that appear only once are oftendifficult to translate, since they provide only one contextwith nothing to compare it with. HASKEIT is rendered as"pay attention" or "be silent" or "form groups". It is followedby USHMA, and listen, hence the different possibilities forHASKEIT.
The successful basketball shot is for BARUCHTANACHA, blessed is your basket (i.e. fruit, Rashi).
Thumbs up pointing to a city scape and a field is BARUCHATA BA'IR UVARUCH ATA BASADEH.
Pepper with YES & NO. Is pepper a PRI HAADAMA. Well,as far as Ki Tavo is concerned, the answer is YES and NO.The command to take of the first fruits of the land, PRIHAADAMA does NOT include pepper. Only the Seven
Species. On the other hand, later in the sedra when the PRIHAADAMA is to be blessed (if, and not so if not), pepper isassumedly included in that term.
At the top of the ParshaPix is a (spice) rack, representinganother promise for our faithful behavior, that will will beRACK L'MAALA, just at the top. (Please forgive badHebrewEnglish puns.)
The opened lock is for the prophecy in the haftara, that yourgates will be open always, day and night they will not beclosed...
The flower next to the 12 stones is a "forgetmenot", as in"... I did not violate any mitzvot, nor did I forget." Part ofVidui Maasrot.
The golf club (it's an IRON) is UNDER the STONES, as inthe haftara: V'TACHAT HAAVANIM BARZEL.
TTRIDDLES...are Torah Tidbitsstyle riddles on Parshat HaShavua(sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hardcopyof TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of differentcolumns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found alltogether at the end of the ParshaPixTTriddles section. The bestsolution set submitted each week (there isn't always a best) winsa double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift(game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal
Last issue’s (KI TEITZEI) TTriddles:[1] Caveat in Sedra for Bob Merrill '52 songBob Merrrill (19211998) was "one of popular music's mostprolific and popular songwriters". Probably his two bestknown songs are Barbara Streisand's "People" and the '52novelty smash hit, "How much is that doggie in thewindow?" It is that song that is the key to this TTriddle. Thewarning contained in the sedra that relates to the song is theprohibition of using M'CHIR KELEV, a kosher,Mizbei'achworthy animal that was the barter for a dog, as akorban in the Beit HaMikdash. So however much thatdoggie in the window costs (arf,arf) you know, the onewith the waggely tail if someone buys it with one or morelambs, let's say, the lambs are invalid as korbanot (equivalentin a way to a BAAL MUM, a blemished, disqualifiedanimal).[2] R, A, E, nonJew, nonhumanY'FAT TO'AR, one of the phrases describing a beautifulwoman (note how unflattering the transliteration of thephrase is), occurs 5 times in Tanach. (There are other termsfor beauty, and hence others who are described as beautiful,but this TTriddle is restricted to the specific phrase Y'FATTO'AR.) The three women that are identified thusly areRachel Imeinu, Avigayil, and Esteir (perhaps you know heras Esther or even Hadassa). Interesting to note that thephrase also describes the beautiful captive (from thebeginning of Ki Teitzei), a nonJew until her conversion (if).The term is also used to described the first set of cows inPar'o's dream, and they were nonhuman. This was notmeant in any way to detract from the beauty of R, A, and E it was just a TTriddlestyle observation.[3] Ammon, Moav, Amalek and [L] Miriam
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The key phrase here is BADERECH B'TZEIT'CHEMMIMITZRAYIM, on the way out of Egypt. The phraseoccurs only three times in all of Tanach all three timesbeing in Parshat Ki Teitzei. In telling us why we shall notpermit Amonites and Moavites to enter K'HAL HASHEM(converts to Judaism from those nations have restrictions onwho they may marry), the Torah gives reasons: That theywere not hospitable to us "on our way out of Egypt" and thatthey hired Bil'am to "bless" us. The Torah commands us toremember what Amalek did to us "on our way out of Egypt".So too, L'HAVDIL, are we to remember what happened toMiriam, again, "on our way out of Egypt".[4] All of Israel, an ox, a donkeyLO TIREH... do not see, is a phrase that occurs only threetimes in the Torah (and only three other times in the rest ofTanach). In Ki Teitzei, we find the mitzva of returning astray animal to its owner, and not to see your brother's ox orlamb roaming around. And the mitzva of helping your fellowunload his beast of burden, and not to see your brother'sdonkey or ox collapsed on the road and turn a blind eye to it.The other occurrence of the words is in Parshat Balak whenBalak is showing the People of Israel to Bil'am, at one point,they are able to see only part of the people, but were not ableto see all the people.[5] plus 1 element from the ParshaPixThe unexplained element from the ParshaPix is a visualversion of TTriddle [1] above. It is a drawing of a dog with adollar sign on it, representing the prohibition of M'CHIRKELEV. See [1] for details.[6] And "something else"The "something else" referred to in the TTriddles challengein the PDF version of Torah Tidbits (and the hard copy) wasthe choice of "bullet" for the list of explanations of theParshaPix elements. The choice of Hamantashen was basedon the presents of Parshat Zachor at the end of Ki Teitzei. Itwas sort of a hidden TTriddle.By the way, the Grogger in the ParshaPix, as well as theHamantasen, have another link in the sedra in addition toZachor. Part of the Chalitza ceremony is to say about thebrother, who refuses to uphold his brother's name in Israel,KACHA YEI'ASEH LA'ISH... so shall be done to the man... a phrase that is wellknown from Megilat Esther.
And one more ParshaPix item...Follow up to the KEY in the ParshaPix of Ki Teitzei. As wasexplained in last week's TT, there are 48 "KEYS" in KiTeitzei, including, of course the sedra's name and openingwords. This makes KI TEITZEI at least one of the threeKEY SEDRAS in the Torah, along with KI TISA and KITAVO. However, it should be noted that if we define a KEYSEDRA, not by its first word, but be how many times theword KI occurs in the sedra, we need to identify a differentsedra as the KI sedra in the Torah namely, R'EI. To bespecific (courtesy of the Office of the Torah Tidbits ChiefStatistician), the word KI (KAFYUD) occurs in its threeforms 1038 times in the Torah. (981 KI, 7 CHI, 50 V'CHI.)Parshat R'EI has 55 KEYS to Ki Teitzei's 50. No other sedra
has more than 40. T'ruma and Vayakhel are the two KIlesssedras. This has been a service to statheads of the Jewishworld.
This week's TTriddles:[1] Chester would qualify for both[2] A day, A month, All Mitzvot[3] Connected to all three legs[4] Repeated several hours later
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