In loving memory of Chaim ben Moshe Bentzion

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1 5 May Iyar 5778 Shabbat ends London 9.25pm Jerusalem 8.01pm Volume 30 No. 33 Emor Artscroll p.672 Haftarah p.1176 Hertz p.513 Haftarah p.528 Soncino p.740 Haftarah p.761 In loving memory of Chaim ben Moshe Bentzion US Chesed cooking with Tikkun "You shall not desecrate My Name, rather I should be sanctified among the Children of Israel" (Vayikra 22:32). 1

2 Sidrah Summary: Emor 1st Aliya (Kohen) Vayikra 21:1-15 God instructs Moshe to tell the Kohanim not to come into contact with a corpse, with the exception of when burying specific close relatives. They are not allowed to shave their heads or wound themselves during a mourning period (Rashi). There are restrictions on whom Kohanim can marry. There is a mitzvah to show Kohanim specific forms of respect (Rashi). A Kohen Gadol is not allowed to bury a close relative, nor marry a widow. 2nd Aliya (Levi) 21:16-22:16 Specific types of physical blemishes on a Kohen disqualify him from bringing offerings in the Temple; however, he may eat from the offerings. A Kohen who is ritually impure (tamei) can neither bring nor eat an offering until he is pure (tahor). The laws of terumah, the first crop tithe given to the Kohanim, are stated. Whilst this tithe should not be eaten by a non-kohen, a Kohen s wife and his Cana anite servant are permitted to eat it. 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) 22:17-33 Offerings brought to the Temple must be free of certain blemishes which disqualify them. An animal cannot be brought as an offering until it is at least eight days old. Offerings have to be eaten within a certain time. The mitzvah to sanctify God s Name is given. Point to Consider: What is the reason why an animal can only be brought as an offering from its eighth day onwards? (22:27) 4th Aliya (Revi i) 23:1-23:22 Laws of Shabbat and the festivals are listed. On Pesach, which lasts seven days, we eat matzot. The first and last days are Yom Tov, on which we refrain from specific prohibited activity (melacha). On the second day of Pesach, the barley Omer offering is brought. There is a mitzvah to count 49 days from 16 Nissan (the second night of Pesach) until the night before Shavuot. On Shavuot itself, the double bread wheat offering (shtei ha lechem) is brought and melacha is forbidden. 5th Aliya (Chamishi) 23:23-32 Rosh Hashanah is called a day of shofar blasts. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting. On these days, melacha is also forbidden, but the punishment for doing melacha on Yom Kippur is more severe. 6th Aliya (Shishi) 23:33-44 On Succot we bring the four species (arba a minim) and dwell in temporary booths (succot). The seven days of Succot are followed by Shemini Atzeret. On the first day of Succot and on Shemini Atzeret, we refrain from melacha. 7th Aliya (Shevi i) 24:1-23 Moshe is told by God to instruct the people to bring pure olive oil for the daily Menorah lighting in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Moshe is commanded to provide flour for the showbread (lechem ha panim) that is placed on the table (shulchan) and which remains there for an entire week. A man is caught blaspheming and is sentenced and put to death. Question: What was the name of the blasphemer s mother? (24:11) Answer on bottom of page 6. Haftarah The prophet Yechezkel (Ezekiel) details the halachot which will pertain to Kohanim in Messianic times. Some of these laws are more stringent than those listed in the sidrah. United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Ilana Epstein, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley Available also via US website United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Loraine Young on , or lyoung@theus.org.uk If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please rabbigross@theus.org.uk 2

3 The Emoji Generation by Rabbi Mendel Lew, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue Some time ago, I was listening to a cricket discussion on the radio and there were references made to ODI. Being that I enjoy cricket, I knew that the presenter was referring to One Day International matches. This got me thinking about modern communication, in particular the increasing use of abbreviations and acronyms in text messages and beyond. In fact, as technology continues its momentum, even these shortcuts are in danger of being supplemented or replaced by emoticons - pictorial references to one s mood and feelings. The early emoticons [like the ubiquitous :-)] are gradually giving way to the more sophisticated Emoji images, with their lifelike expressions creatively and aptly capturing one s state of mind. Verbal interaction has decreased considerably, overtaken by virtual conversations through our digital devices. In this environment, the possibilities are endless. We can communicate with multiple individuals simultaneously, as well as to a seemingly interminable number of groups. Typing at speed is vital to keep up with the flow. Symbols and abbreviations help us express ourselves swiftly and directly. (Yevamot 114a) understands this as a clear instruction (emor) to parents and educators on their responsibility to educate (ve-amarta) youngsters about Judaism s eternal messages and how integral their involvement is to its future. This instruction must be clear and precise. Not simply a series of letters, symbols or acronyms, but legible, understandable and cogent spoken directions. To emphasise this, the Talmud employs the Hebrew word lehazhir. This is closely associated with caution and even warning. Education is a weighty matter, and strictness is necessary. However, there is an interesting twist, lehazhir also means to shine and dazzle. By employing this specific word, the Talmud is shaping an approach to education. It must be done seriously and honestly. Yet it must also be done with excitement and energy. Strictness will only work if children are praised and encouraged to express themselves, to shine and dazzle. Each approach, on its own, will not work. Only a good combination. So whilst we enjoy the fun of modern communication, we should also strive to fulfil our mandate of educating ourselves and the next generation in a clear and tangible way directly and lovingly. Technology, and this new way of communication, is enjoyable. However, discarding the spoken word in favour of the written - with all its abbreviations and cute symbols - carries risks. Will future generations still appreciate the true meaning and value of communication? Will the true importance of a message be downgraded - replaced by unintelligible symbols? In the opening statement of this week s sidrah, the word emor (meaning say ) appears twice emor and ve-amarta (Vayikra 21:1). The Talmud In memory of Malka bat Peretz 3

4 Solutions in the Sidrah: Returning the Cash by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community In November 2013, Rabbi Noach Muroff from Connecticut bought an office desk online for $200. After returning home, Muroff discovered that the desk would not fit through his office door. When he took it apart, he discovered a bag containing $98,000. Muroff later described how he and his wife immediately decided that they could not keep the money. When they called the original owner to return the bag, she was absolutely stunned. She had hidden the money in the desk and had not been able to find it once it had slipped behind a drawer. After Muroff and his wife returned the money, they received the following moving note from the previous owner: I cannot thank you enough for your honesty and integrity. I do not think there are too many people in this world that would have done what you did by calling me. I do like to believe that there are still good people left in this crazy world we live in. You certainly are one of them. This may seem like a demanding list. But perhaps the climatic phrase is the final one, others will desire to emulate him. Positive activities which inspire others to act in the same way are a yardstick for fulfilling the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem. The sanctification of God s Name made by the single decision by Rabbi and Rebbetzen Muroff to return the money was immense. They were interviewed on national and international television and received admiration from all quarters. People could not get over the story, and they were held up as a true example to others. Although many others may have acted in the same way, it is also true, as the owner of the money noted in her letter, that many others, unfortunately, would not have. Yet through the Muroffs actions that day, perhaps some of those others would desire to emulate them in the future. Every act of Kiddush Hashem demonstrates what human beings are truly capable of. Then, like in the case of the Muroffs, such actions become a tremendous force for good in the world, inspiring countless others to behave in a similar way. This week s sidrah contains the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying God s Name (Vayikra 22:32). In describing the essence of this mitzvah, the Rambam (Maimonides d. 1204) paraphrases a Talmudic passage: If a Torah scholar is careful about his behaviour, speaks pleasantly to people, acts in a friendly way towards them, receives them with a pleasant expression; if he refrains from retorting when he is insulted, honours even those who treat him with disdain, is honest in his business dealings, constantly devotes himself to Torah study, goes beyond the letter of the law, and avoids extremes and exaggerations, then he will be praised and beloved and others will desire to emulate him. This person has sanctified God. Rabbi Noach Muroff In memory of Avraham ben Yehoshua 4

5 Bein Adam Lechaveiro Part 32: The Ramban s Letter (Igeret HaRamban) VI by Rabbi Daniel Fine, Community Rabbi, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue We have been studying the Letter of the Ramban (Igeret HaRamban), sent by the Ramban (Nachmanides d. 1270) in the 13th century. Last week we cited the Ramban s point that removing anger leads to humility. We also noted the idea of focusing on controlling our responses to situations and not controlling the situations themselves. We shall explore this further. How does one develop this mindset? One suggested way is to go back to the philosophical basics. God created the world, runs the world and makes sure that all events are part of a grand plan; we are mistaken in thinking we can control all situations. Ultimately, He knows what is good for us, He manipulates events such that we are constantly being provided with messages and opportunities for growth and reflection. As the saying goes: Man plans, God laughs. He controls situations; we aim to control our responses to those situations. Our understanding could also be assisted by developing a thorough understanding of the Jewish definition of humility. Suppose that a teacher came into a class and asked, who is good at art here? I need help with an art project. There were two students in the class who were exceptional at art one boy and one girl. The girl decided to put her hand up but the boy did not. In standard terms, we would probably call the boy humble and the girl not. But from the Torah s perspective, the opposite may be true. In the words of Rabbi Elyah Lopian (d. 1970): The essence of humility is not that one should be unaware of one s capacities. On the contrary, a person should recognise his strengths. However, they should know that their skills and talents are a gift from God and that they are not fully their (own) doing. Rabbi Michoel Gourarie (a contemporary scholar in Sydney, Australia) illustrates this idea with a well-known Midrashic teaching. Mount Sinai was chosen as the location for the giving of the Torah because it was a low mountain, which symbolises humility. Yet if lowness was the criteria, why was the Torah not given in a valley? The answer is that a mountain has substance it symbolises having presence, having qualities, yet at the same time remaining humble; i.e. using one s qualities for constructive purposes. Famously Dayan Yechezkel Abramsky (d. 1976) was once called into court to testify about a certain case. When he stepped up to the stand, he was asked by the lawyer, Is it true that you, Dayan Abramsky, are the leading Jewish authority in the country and indeed on the continent? Dayan Abramsky responded, Yes, it is true, I am the leading authority. The lawyer quipped, What happened to humility? to which Dayan Abramsky responded, I m under oath! When one removes anger, one develops a sense of humility, inasmuch as one can take a more objective look at oneself, feel a little bit less self-contained and be grateful to God for providing skills and talents. This is the first step to then utilising these talents for the good. In memory of Harav Binyamin ben Harav Shalom 5

6 Spending a Year in Yeshiva or Seminary IV: Yeshivot for Post-Secondary School Students by Rabbi Gideon Sylvester, United Synagogue Israel Rabbi To mark the 70th Yom Ha atzma ut, which we recently celebrated, this series focuses on the various yeshivot and seminaries hosted by the State of Israel that are attended by young British Jews. Many of our British students looking to spend a year in yeshiva have not had an extensive education in learning Talmud (ie the Mishnah and the Gemara). They are not necessarily looking for a yeshiva which focuses on the philosophical basics of Judaism, nor are they ready for an Israeli yeshiva which in general caters for students who have already studied Talmud to an advanced level. Instead, they are usually looking for a place that will teach them the skills needed to study Talmud and other Jewish texts within the parameters of Jewish tradition. Fortunately, there are many yeshivot geared to these needs, offering introductory Talmud classes in English, alongside more advanced classes. For those who have not yet studied in yeshiva, Talmud study may seem very challenging. One of the basic reasons why Talmud study requires hard work is that much of it is written in Aramaic, with no vowels and no punctuation. In addition, its arguments depend on logical systems which themselves need to be explained and understood. The text also presumes considerable knowledge of Mishnah (the foundational text of the Talmud, sometimes studied by itself) and Tanach (the Hebrew Bible). themselves. The complexity of the Talmud explains why yeshiva students often devote most of their time to its study rather than to our more accessible texts, like Tanach. These yeshivot are used to dealing with English-speaking students. They are familiar with our culture and can accommodate our needs. For those spending extended time away from home for the first time, this is reassuring. Some students continue studying in these institutions all the way through Rabbinical studies, while others use the experience as a stepping stone to a more mainstream Israeli yeshiva. Yeshivot catering to beginners come in many types. Many of our United Synagogue gap year students come to Israel under the auspices of Bnei Akiva, who run Shabbatonim throughout the year and provide programmes during the yeshiva holidays. Those who come with Bnei Akiva will automatically be placed in specific yeshivot. For others, the range of options is impressive. Before one can plunge into the rich debates of the Talmud, one needs to learn how to crack its codes. The yeshivot which we are discussing specialise in teaching people "to learn how to learn", enabling them to read these texts for Answer: Shelomit Bat Divri In memory of Harav Yisrael ben Harav Uriah 6

7 United Synagogue Children s Service Leaders Training Tribe Webinar series 2018: Will James or Jemima be attending this week? HELP!: Strategies to help the leader look forward to welcoming every child into the service. Michael Cohen, Assistant Headteacher at Kisharon School, educational consultant, experienced Children s Service leader and initiator of the Special Education Needs Children s Service in Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue. 24th April pm Story Telling: How to engage the children in a world of imagination. Dina Erlich, Early Childhood Educator 14th May pm Different Learning Styles: How to tap in to the mind of every child in your Children s Service. Rabbi Lister, Rabbi of Edgware United Synagogue 19th June pm To register interest and to receive further details for these free of charge sessions, please contact sharonnakar@tribeuk.com Tribe Tribe is part of The United Synagogue Reg Charity No.

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