Shabbat Parah
Hertz p.352
Soncino p.540
Shabbat ends in London at 6.48pm
| Sidra Lite | |
| Two tablets to be taken daily | Rev Michael Binstock |
| Shabbat Lunch - Kiddush | Rabbi Daniel Roselaar |
| Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar | Rabbi Dr Michael Harris |
| 20th of Adar | Rabbi Yisroel Fine |
| Roman water tunnels of Alona | Simon Goulden |
| Riddle of the Week | Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis & Harvey Freeman |
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TWO TABLETS TO BE TAKEN DAILY
In this week's Parshah an enlarged letter Resh concludes the phrase Ki lo tishtachaveh l'eil acher - For you shall not bow down to another god. Since the Hebrew letters Dalet and Resh are similar in appearance, this emphasis is necessary so we should not, Heaven forbid, read echad - one instead of acher - another.
Conversely, the well known verse Shema Yisrael (Devarim 6:4) concludes with an enlarged Dalet to emphasise that Hashem is indeed One.
Tragically, we read of the sin of the golden calf in this week's Parshah. The Israelites put the Resh of Acher before the Dalet of Echad, and instead of remaining faithful to the One G-d, they constructed an idol - hence the letters Resh and Dalet spelling the word Reid - Descend. Moses is commanded to descend the mountain to observe how the people had descended to one of the lowest points in their history when not long out of Egypt, they turned to idolatry.
When Moses saw this, he smashed the Luchot (tablets). Why did he do this rather than put them aside for a future occasion when the Israelites would be worthy of them? And what did G-d think of his action? The clues can be found in the very last phrase of the Torah: l'einei kol Yisrael - before the eyes of all Israel.
On this phrase, Rashi comments: And his heart inspired him to break the tablets in their sight and the Holy One Blessed Be He agreed with him saying 'may your strength be firm for having broken them'. G-d actually gave Moses a "Yishar Koach" for smashing them!
It is significant that the first set of Luchot were given amidst great pomp and ceremony. Every single man, woman and child stood in awe and actually heard the voice of G-d. It was the greatest audio visual experience ever known.
Yet the second set was given without any pomp and ceremony whatsoever. Moses merely ascended the mountain and returned 40 days later - on Yom Kippur - having secured G-d's pardon for the sin of the Golden Calf. Nevertheless, it was the second set that endured - not the first. This teaches us the importance of being unostentatious. So often in life, what is done without fanfare stands a far greater chance of success than what is done under the glare of publicity. Therefore, Moses saw fit to destroy the first set of Luchot. The second set, however, would endure because it was acquired through human effort. Now perhaps we can understand why Moses received a "Yishar Koach" from G-d for his action. Let us, therefore, apply ourselves in our Torah study so that we too will deserve a "Yishar Koach" for our efforts.
A general requirement of Kiddush is that it should form a prelude to a Shabbat meal and if that requirement is not fulfilled (i.e. if a meal is not eaten immediately afterwards) Kiddush must be repeated.
There is a dispute amongst the authorities regarding the definition of a meal for these purposes. According to some (and this is also the recommendation of the Vilna Gaon) a proper meal with bread must be consumed in order to properly fulfil the mitzvah of Kiddush. The Geonim maintain that it is sufficient to eat just a kezayit of cake or biscuits, and according to other halachists one can even fulfil this requirement by eating fruit. In normal circumstances the second view is considered authoritative.
Though this rule is also relevant to the Friday night kiddush, it is of particular relevance on Shabbat morning when many people make kiddush some time before their main meal (and indeed, most Shuls serve a kiddush following the service, but few treat the congregation to a complete meal). In such circumstances a person should be sure to eat a few biscuits or pieces of cake in order to comply with the requirements of this halachah. (Of course when eating this quantity of food one should also make sure to recite the appropriate after-berachah at the conclusion of the snack.) The practice of singing Zemirot at the Shabbat meals is an ancient practice and many of the traditional texts were authored by the Rishonim and refer to Rabbinic teachings about the sanctity of Shabbat and its laws. The Talmud (Pesachim 105a) rules that the best foods should be saved for consumption at Shabbat lunch.
Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar
Rabbi Chaim was born in 1696 and died in 1743. His fame rests chiefly on his commentary to the Torah, Or Hachayim, which displays his expertise in both Talmudic and kabbalistic literature.
Rabbi Chaim is often referred to as the "Or Hachaim Hakadosh", "the holy Or Hachaim". Though his comments are often lengthy by comparison to, for example, those of an exegete like Rashi, Rabbi Chaim's commentary is one which continues to be cited frequently in sermons and divrei Torah in our own day.
A Moroccan, Rabbi Chaim led Moroccan Jewish resettlement in Eretz Yisrael and founded a yeshiva in Jerusalem.
20th Adar
Choni Hama'gel (the circle drawer), who lived at the end of the Hasmonean era, was a legendary figure famous for his personal and direct prayers of intercession on behalf of the Jewish people.
It was on the 20th Adar that his most legendary prayer was answered. Adar had arrived and the land of Israel was in drought. Choni, following the precedent of the prophet Habakkuk, drew a circle in the sand, and from its centre looked heavenward and vowed not to move until rain fell. Rain fell in droplets, and then as a deluge; each time it was rejected by him, until it fell in moderation.
He finally prayed for its removal with the words "Let it be Thy will that the rains may cease and the world become happy".
An equally famous episode finds Choni questioning the purpose of an old man planting a carob tree, whose fruit would only produce 70 years later. "As my grandfather planted for me, so I will plant for my grandson" came the reply. Choni emerged from a slumber of 70 years to find the grandson fulfilling the prediction.
These were the 70 years spanning the destruction of the First, and the rebuilding of the Second Temples, fulfilling the words of King David, "When the L-d brings back again the captivity of Zion, then shall we be like dreamers".
According to Josephus, Choni died tragically during the Hasmonean Civil War, when he refused the request of Hurkenos to curse his brother Aristobulus and was stoned to death by his followers.
Wet walks for hot days - the Roman water tunnels of Alona
The aqueducts of Caesaria have been well-known from Roman times to the present. But where did the water come from? In the Alona Park, in the hills beyond Caesaria, there is a fig tree in an otherwise dry area which the locals believed was fed by waters from an underground spring, named Ein Ami.
In 1967, local farmers stumbled upon a vast underground network of tunnels, part of a 23-km long system of canals, tunnels, clay pipes and aqueducts built by the Romans to deliver water to the port of Caesarea. The water delivery system they built, operated throughout the Roman and Byzantine times. With foresight, it was designed to serve a growing population, both for agriculture and drinking.
Following slow restoration, a 280 metre stretch of tunnel - out of a total 6 km - has been restored. During restoration, an original Roman filter, a rare find, was uncovered - and can be seen today. Today, rainwater continues to feed the tunnels, as in ancient times. Electric pumps, however, have been installed and bring the water to the national water carrier, Mekorot.
A trip through the tunnels is a great hot weather tiyul, as the water level is about half a metre high. All walks are led by a local guide, [tel: 04-638-8622 e-mail: meykedem@hotmail.co.il] the tunnels are lit and you can walk upright. Don't forget your flashlight, water shoes - and a change of clothing. Alona Park lies off Route 4 between Moshav Amikam and Bat Shlomo, near Binyamina and Zikhron Yaakov.
This week's questions:
1. The first reference to an organ transplant is mentioned in today's Haftarah for Shabbat Parah. What type of transplant is it?
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE set by Harvey Freeman of Hendon.
A recent riddle asked which Haftarah is printed twice in the Hertz Chumash but is only ever chanted once a year.
Today we ask: Which Haftarah is printed twice in the Hertz Chumash but in most years is not chanted at all?
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