Hertz p.409
Soncino p.605
Shabbat ends in London at 7.13pm
| Sidra Lite | |
| Spiritual and Physical | Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler |
| Seudah Shlishit | Rabbi Daniel Roselaar |
| Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotsk | Rabbi Dr Michael Harris |
| 6th Nisan 5639 | Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler |
| Mount Tabor | Simon Goulden |
| Riddle of the Week | Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis & Jerome Cohen |
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Our Sidra is devoted to the theme of personal sacrifices as opposed to public sacrifices (with the exception of the community sin offering)
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SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL
In commenting on the fact that G-d called Moses to the Tent of Meeting, the Midrash tells us, "The Holy One, blessed be He appears to the heathen nations only at night, as it is written 'Then G-d came to Avimelech in a dream of the night' [Bereishit 20:3]. However, to the prophets of Israel He appears by day, as it is said 'And the L-d appeared to Abraham ....as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day [Bereishit 18:1]'." (Lev Rabbah: 1.13)
Rabbi Mordechai Rogov, the Ateret Mordechai, explains what this really means. He says that this Midrash symbolises the spiritual and the physical as day and night. There are many religions which teach that it is only possible to remain on the highest levels of spirituality if you separate from the world and deny yourself the physical objects that G-d has provided. Engaging with other people, benefiting from tangible things, only serve to bring one down from the lofty heights.
Judaism however, teaches the opposite. The Torah teaches that the highest form of holiness comes through material matters; through engaging with others and enjoying the physicality of the world. Man has to take everything that's permitted to him from the things that the L-d creates, and enjoy and benefit from them.
When, at the Red Sea, the Israelites sang: Zeh Keli V'unveihoo, 'This is my G-d and I will beautify Him,' they meant that they would use beautiful objects with which to perform Mitzvot, they would take the loveliest things available with which to do G-d's will. Not just the first palm branch that comes to hand, but a beautifully formed one - not any old paper bag in which to put Tephillin, but a lovely, embroidered one.
Praying every week, as many of us have the privilege to do, in the glorious surroundings of the New West End Synagogue, makes us realise how much the physical environment can add to one's Kavannah - concentration.
Of course you can daven in a barn or a shed, and you can attain a high level of spirituality. But in these places you have to work harder to create the atmosphere than you do in a building that was lovingly built specifically for the purpose of prayer.
This year, the New West End is celebrating 125 years since it was opened in March 1879. In 1895 the decorations of the building were improved upon, with marble cladding being added to the walls and scriptural texts being affixed all round, and it has remained largely unchanged since then.
More recently, the carpets have been renewed and much of the gold paintwork has been regilded, and, thanks to the devotion lavished on it by those who care for the building, it is unlikely that it has ever looked more beautiful than it does today.
Just as numberless Jews have been inspired to raise their voices to our Father in Heaven, by the splendour of this House of G-d, so may it continue to enliven the hearts of the many more who will come to pray within its walls in the years to come.
When Moses told the Israelites on Shabbat to eat the Manna they had collected the previous day, the word "today" is used three times (Shemot 16:25). Accordingly, the Talmud (Shabbat 117b) asserts that there is a requirement to eat three meals over the course of Shabbat - one on Friday night, and two during the day. (According to most authorities this is a Rabbinic requirement and the Scriptural verse is merely "borrowed" as a support, but the Yereim maintains that it is a Biblical requirement.)
It is an absolute requirement that bread be served at the first two Shabbat meals, but there are some authorities who maintain that this is negotiable at the third meal. The Shulchan Aruch rules that ideally two challot should be used at the Seudah Shlishit, but if that is not feasible cake or biscuits can be eaten instead, and in extremis (such as when one is really not very hungry) it is acceptable just to eat fish, eggs, or even fruit. Furthermore, it should be noted that the Shabbat meals are supposed to demonstrate the enjoyable nature of Shabbat. Therefore, if eating a third meal is onerous and unenjoyable (as it can sometimes be on the shortest Shabbatot of the year) there is no requirement to force oneself to do so.
Different customs are recorded in the Shulchan Aruch regarding whether the Seudah Shlishit should be eaten before or after Minchah. In any event it should preferably be commenced before sunset and certainly not within half-an-hour of nightfall.
If the Shabbat addition of Retzei is accidentally omitted from the Birkat Hamazon at after either of the first two meals, Birkat Hamazon must be repeated. But if Retzei is omitted at the third meal Birkat Hamazon should not be repeated since on this occasion the requirement to eat bread is less strict.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotsk
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, the "Kotzker Rebbe", was born in 1787 and died in 1859. He is better known as a major Polish Chassidic leader than as a commentator on the Torah, but one will frequently hear his insights and aphorisms cited in contemporary divrei Torah.
Deep and shrouded in mystery, the Kotzker never published his thoughts. Born into a non- Chassidic family, he was a demanding leader who would often rebuke his followers for their inadequacies and insist on higher standards. He was especially uncompromising in his search for truth and his rejection of false motivations and self-centredness.
The Kotzker placed great emphasis on the importance of Torah study. Though he himself did not publish, his two closest disciples, his son-in-law Rabbi Abraham Borenstein and Rabbi Yitzchak Meir of Ger, were major and prolific halachic writers.
Unusually, Rabbi Menachem Mendel would complete his davening speedily in order to facilitate maximum concentration.
6th Nisan 5639 - 30th MARCH 1879
It was on this date that the New West End Synagogue was consecrated. The Sermon was preached by Rev Dr Herman Adler, and he was assisted by the Rev Simeon Singer, who had already been appointed its Minister, and was to remain there until 1906.
The New West End has a colourful history. It has counted amongst its members the most prominent of English Jews, many of them titled. For about eight years Dr Chaim Weizmann was a seat-holder and attended regularly.
The New West End was never reticent about its communal responsibilities either. At one time, of the nine honorary officers of the United Synagogue, three, including the President Lionel de Rothschild, were members.
Within its splendid walls some 3700 weddings have been consecrated and still remains the most popular venue London in which to hold a Chuppah.
Considering its age, it is interesting that for more than 50 of its 125 years it was served by just two Ministers, the Rev Singer and his successor the Rev Ephraim Levine.
During the coming 12 months various activities will be held at the Synagogue to commemorate this milestone in its history. We do hope that we shall have the pleasure to welcome you on at least one of these occasions.
Take your Tenach and follow the story - Mount Tabor
Bringing the stories of the Bible to life amidst Israel's dramatic landscape is easy, and perhaps there is no easier place than Mount Tabor, in the Jezreel Valley. Read from Shofetim (Judges) Chapter 4 - and follow the story and battles here between Deborah, Barak and Sisera, sometime during the 10th century BCE. During this period, after the conquest of the Land, the twelve tribes had no king. They were ruled by a series of charismatic leaders (called Judges), who emerged in times of trouble to vanquish their enemies. At the beginning of Judges 4, the Israelites suffer at the hands of Yavin, a Caananite king ruling from the city of Hatzor, in northern Israel. He hired Sisera as his army commander, a military mercenary of Hittite origin, with nine hundred chariots equipped with the latest Hittite military technology - iron tyred wheels!
The Biblical account of the decisive battle, especially in the Song of Deborah, in Judges 5, gives us a clear idea of what happened. A torrential downpour in the heat of the battle turned the Jezreel Valley into a huge mud bath. Sisera's heavy iron chariots turned out to be useless; getting stuck in the mud as the Israelites advanced. Not for the last time, technology fails to deliver! Barak's army chased the Canaanite soldiers until they killed every one. Only Sisera himself escaped, fleeing to the tent of Hever the Kenite. The rest - as they say - is history.
You can reach Mount Tabor by driving east on Route 65 from Afula, turning left onto Route 7266 after about 10 km.
Last week's questions:
1. From the Ba'al Haturim:
Count the number of words in the opening three verses of today's Sidra before the concluding word - HaShaBbaT.
What does this allude to?
How does the word LA'ASoT (in verse 1) convey the same message (in a rather cryptic way)?
Answer:
There are 39 words corresponding to the 39 forms of labour carried out in the Sanctuary which are forbidden on Shabbat.
In the word LA'ASoT
making a total of 39
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE
A frum person on the moon will face many challenging halachic dilemmas.
There is one berachah which he might usually say which will now definitely be a berachah levatalah (an invalid blessing).
What is it?
Answer:
Kiddush Levanah (the sanctification of the moon) which can only be said when you see the moon from earth.
This week's question:
1. set by Jerome Cohen of Wembley.
Which four Sidrot that appear successively in the Torah have sections which are read on other occasions in the year?
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE
What am I?
Moses brought me down to size because he thought that he was small.
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