Hertz p.686
Soncino p.932
Shabbat ends in London at 10.19pm
| Sidra Lite | |
| Sidra Insights | Rabbi Alan Plancey |
| Pidyon Haben | Rabbi Daniel Roselaar |
| Rabbi Yerucham Levovits | Rabbi Dr Michael Harris |
| 21st Tammuz | Rabbi Yisroel Fine |
| Israel A - Z, K - Rav Kook | Simon Goulden |
| Riddle of the Week | Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis & Harvey Freeman |
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Every young person is a link in the chain of traditions, where he or she inherits the physical and the unique attributes of their ancestors. Pinchas was a grandson of Aaron the High Priest whose character was Ohev Shalom - a passionate desire to promote peace and harmony. The Torah emphasises on more that one occasion that Aaron had a genuine love of his fellow man going out of his way to bring Shalom Bayit - a harmonious home, and respectful relationships between people.
Aaron’s grandson, Pinchas, in one action turned his back on the teachings and character traits of his family. Only through Divine intervention was he spared the wrath and anger of the Jewish people. What gave him the authority to reject his family values and kill a prince of Israel?
Pinchas was rewarded with the status of priesthood, a position that would not allow him to become defiled by a dead person, and certainly not slay them. He would be a leader amongst the people and therefore his behaviour would have to be above reproach. He was to be a shining example of love of his fellow man, bringing people closer together and not separating them in the manner he did. What possible connection could there be with the reward he received and the actions he took with Zimri? He committed murder and brought upon himself the anger of the people, thus making himself spiritually impure.
The Chafetz Chayim describes leadership with the example of a sweeping brush. We use this utensil to clean the floor of any debris leaving it clean and tidy. However, the result is that the brush itself becomes covered in dirt. He explains that as leaders we must never be afraid to get our hands dirty through standing up for the truth. We may at time be in a situation that will necessitate actions that may be entirely against our nature or instincts. We may even feel that our reputation has been damaged, but when the truth prevails our leadership roll is only enhanced. He emphasises that at all times we must ensure that when the task is complete we then remove any of the tarnish from the brush, and continue to perfect ourselves. We have a responsibility to suppress our inner feelings, even the good virtues, in order to preserve the honour of G-d. Once the situation has been resolved we can then return to our natural loving behaviour.
Pinchas was witnessing a desecration of our moral code of behaviour. He felt the desire to remove the insulting characters by actions that were totally contradictory to his upbringing and family traditions. His only motive was to show true leadership at a time when everyone just stood and watched. His reward was that his true nature of Kehunah, priesthood, where he would serve the community in a loving way would now be an official position granted by G-d. This was a testimony to true leadership in a time of trial.
In Israel as well as throughout the world, in a time when we witness actions that only destroy our precious and moral codes of living, we require true dedicated leadership in order to receive Divine protection and blessings for peace and harmony.
Pidyon Haben
A Pidyon Haben takes place once the baby who needs to be redeemed is a month old. According to the Shulchan Aruch this is on the thirty-first day after birth, counting the date of birth as the first day. If the baby was born just before sunset this means that the Pidyon may take place when the child is only a little more than twenty-nine days old (since Jewish days begin and end in the evening) . Other authorities maintain that a complete lunar month (which is somewhat more than twenty nine and-a-half days) must elapse before the Pidyon Haben. In practice a Pidyon Haben is usually delayed until the morning in order to accommodate both views.
A Pidyon Haben cannot take place on a Shabbat or major festival since it involves a monetary transaction. In such instances it is deferred until the conclusion of the holy day.
A Pidyon Haben is effected by the child’s father paying a Cohen the value of five silver selahs. This is the equivalent of approximately 100g of silver, which at the time of writing is £10.00. The father must give the Cohen something that has an intrinsic value such as silver, jewellery, or housewares, but cannot use something that only represents a value, such as money or a cheque. The Cohen is entitled to keep the payment and spend it as he wishes, but if, following the ceremony, he feels motivated to return it to the father he is permitted to do so. (R’ Yaacov Emden asserted that it is actually proper that the Cohen should return the money. He maintained that nowadays Cohanim are unable to conclusively prove their priestly lineage, and thus they cannot be certain that they are legitimately entitled to what they have been given.)
RABBI YERUCHAM LEVOVITS
Rabbi Levovitz, known as "The Mirrer Mashgiach", was born in 1875 and died in 1936. He was one of the most influential figures in the mussar movement of his time.
Rabbi Levovitz first became "Mashgiach" (spiritual mentor) of the Mirrer Yeshivah in 1908, but during the First World War assumed various positions in different Yeshivot. In 1923 he returned to his position at Mir.
He was a man of powerful intellect who focused especially on the sphere of Aggada, the non-halachic part of the Oral Law.
During the last period of his life, highly educated students from Western Europe and America came to the Yeshiva, and found in Rabbi Yerucham an inspiring mentor. His devotion to the yeshiva and to his students was legendary.
Rabbi Yerucham’s lectures on Chumash are collected in Daat Torah, and one often hears his insights quoted in contemporary Divrei Torah.
21st Tammuz
The full story of how 960 men, women and children ended their lives at their own hands in 72 CE at Masada, rather than submit to their Roman enemies, was revealed by the excavations of Professor Yigael Yadin in the early 1960s. However, it was on this day corresponding to July 7th 1969, that the remains of 25 members of the Sicarii community of Masada were interred with full honours at the foot of the rock-fortress overlooking the Dead Sea.
The complete absence of any reference to the defenders of Masada in the whole range of Talmudic and Midrashic literature has baffled many scholars.
The Talmudic silence was likely to have been prompted by Rabbinical revulsion at the proposal of the leader Eliezer Ben Yair that his followers should slay the members of their own family and then put one another to death. This for three reasons:
1. Martyrdom may only be justified if one is coerced to practice idolatry, to commit murder, or to indulge in adultery.
2. Suicide to the Rabbis, spelled the annihilation of something infinitely precious which was not man’s but G-d’s bestowal.
3. Stoicism in the time of the Talmud competed with Judaism for those who were seeking a more rational faith. Stoicism’s legitimisation of suicide was anathema to the Sages.
There are those who defend the Defenders on the grounds that at times of ‘Shemad’ - when Judaism is under threat - one is permitted to sanctify the name of G-d and sacrifice one’s life even for a "light" mitzvah. Likewise the suicide of King Saul is justified on the grounds that he had reason to believe that he would be tortured and shamed by the enemy.
Seen from this perspective Eliezer and his followers died as they lived in undivided devotion to G-d and His land.
K - Rav Kook
Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook was the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of modern Eretz Yisrael. Born in Latvia in 1865, he received a typical 19th-century Eastern European Jewish education, but at a very early age he showed an independence of mind and far-reaching curiosity, supplementing it with Tanach, Hebrew language, Jewish and general philosophy and, particularly, mysticism.
In 1904 he emigrated to Eretz Yisrael, where he served as Rabbi of Jaffa, seeking close ties with people of all shades of opinion and belief. Identifying with Zionism, he antagonised both the Rabbinical establishment and irreligious pioneers. He travelled to Europe in 1914 to participate in a conference of Agudat Israel to urge traditional Jews to fulfil the Zionist ideal, but the outbreak of World War I meant that he was unable to return. Kook accepted a temporary position as the Rabbi of the Machzikei Hadass in London, where he tried to influence British Jews to back Zionist political activity, particularly during the momentous signing of the Balfour Declaration.
After the war, Kook was appointed Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and, with the formation of the Chief Rabbinate in 1921 he was elected the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Palestine. Kook dreamed of establishing a yeshivah with an integrated programme of higher Jewish education, emphasising the development of a lucid style in both writing and speaking, as the graduates would become teachers and spiritual leaders in their communities. Whilst this project failed, in 1924 he set up a yeshivah in Jerusalem, Merkaz ha-Rav, which was unique in its religious philosophy and its positive attitude to Zionism. He died in 1935.
Last week's questions:
1. Concerning two men, the Torah tells us, "he rose up in the morning and saddled his ass".
One was Bilam (Bemidbar 22:21). Who was the other?
Answer:
Abraham (Bereishit 22:3).
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE
Where in Parshat Balak do we find a reference to Pesach, Shavuot & Succot?
Answer:
Bilam’s ass said to him, "What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?" (Bemidbar 22:28).
In the Hebrew text, "three times" is Shalosh Regalim, the term for Pesach, Shavuot & Succot.
This week's question:
1. Explain:
One before six, and approximately seven hours later, six before one.
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE set by Harvey Freeman of Hendon.
Which name is given to two different women in the Torah?
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