Page Zero of Torah Tidbits 786

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1 Page Zero of Torah Tidbits 786 Lead Tidbit cont. from front page only one spoken to directly by G d. (How then do we understand the fact that there were 7 prophetesses certainly, the others also communi cated with G d? COmmentaries distinguish between communication on "official business", so to speak, i.e. prophecies to be told to the People, and personal conversation, as G d had only with Sara.) On the other hand, there are two times in the sedra which lead us to "suspect" that Rivka had "prophetic powers". When Yaakov question her plan maybe my father will feel me and know that I am deceiving him... Rivka's answer is ALAI KIL'LATCHA B'NI, upon me shall be the curse (if there is to be one). Onkeles tells us that the word ALAI, upon me, means, to me it was told in prophecy (that we should do what we are doing). Yaakov immediately complies with everything Rivka asks. One can infer that what she was commanding him had "high" authority. Later, Eisav's reaction to having the bracha taken from him is to "say in his heart" that he was going to kill Yaakov, after Yitzchak passes away. Rivka is told what Eisav is thinking of doing. Rashi, quoting the Midrash, says that it was via Ru'ach HaKodesh that she was told. On the other hand, Rivka is not on the prophetesses list. Perhaps we have to distinguish between different levels of contact with and from G d. Ru'ach HaKodesh is not the same as prophecy, and there is Divine inspiration, and other levels. Certainly, the Avot and Imahot were no ordinary people! WORD of the MONTH cont. from p.2 A weekly TT feature to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby enhancing our appreciation of G d's gift to us of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... Rosh Chodesh Kislev is Sunday. It is a one day Rosh Chodesh 55% of the time, when Cheshvan has 29 days, as it does this year. :d afhßl l ` xßu i l M l rß e Epi l r ` A d ofw` x mfi ßA x g n d ißd i e lßq M y c g W` x The molad is early Shabbat morning, before we bench Rosh Chodesh (in Israel and westward, incl. all of Europe and North America), therefore we say HAYA when announcing it, rather than the common YIHYEH, as follows:.w n g i x g ` mi w l g i pßwe zfw c r Aß x `ße mi W n g,w cfw z A W,x wfa d d i d c lfo d This time corresponds to 5:33am Israel time. The announcement stays the same all over the world, but its equivalent clock time is adjustable to your time zone. In Australia, the molad sh/b announced thusly:...w cfw z A W,mFI d d ißd i c lfo d since, because of the time difference, they daven many hours before we do, which will be (or was depends when you're reading this) before the molad. B 0F

2 zeclez Nov. 9 10, '07 zyxt 786 zay g"qyz oeyg h"k e"dl This Shabbat is the 52nd day (of 383), 8th Shabbat (of 55) of 5768 We bench Rosh Chodesh Kislev Haftara is MACHAR CHODESH b:gk ziy`xa :mi O r l dßw l zi i dße LÆ Aß x iße Lß xßt iße Lßz ` K x aßi i C' W l' `ße Was She or Wasn't She? Only... (her hair dresser knows for sure! Just kidding, it's like the suggestion of starting a speech with a joke or words of praise of the host. Anyway...) You can smile and then ignore this first paragraph, or just ignore it. And the word "only" as well. The question is whether or not Rivka Imeinu spoke to G d, was spoken to by G d, communicated by G d directly, or via an intermediary. Towards the beginning of the sedra, Rivka becomes pregnant and she is having a very difficult time of it and she questions the value of being "with child". She goes LIDROSH ET HASHEM, to ask something of G d. The Torah tells us that G d said to her... and Rashi "jumps" to tell us that it was via a SHALI'ACH, an intermediary, namely SHEIM (son of No'ach) to whom G d spoke and he transmitted the message to Rivka. Torah T'mima (the original TT) suggests that the word LIDROSH is more remote than LISH'OL, to ask, and this indicates an indirect communication. Talmud Yerushalmi adds the point that we find that G d spoke only to one woman, and that was Sara, when He asked her why she laughed at the idea of having a child at her (and Avraham's) advanced age. The question is then raised about the punishments meted out to the Serpent Correct for TT 786 Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) 5:57pm 4:08 Yerushalayim 5:21pm 4:24 Raanana 5:22pm 4:24 Beit Shemesh 5:22pm 4:24 Netanya 5:22pm 4:25 Rehovot 5:23pm 4:08 Petach Tikva 5:22pm 4:24 Modi'in 5:22pm 4:24 Be'er Sheva 5:24pm 4:24 Gush Etzion 5:22pm 4:23 Ginot Shomron 5:21pm 4:08 Maale Adumim 5:21pm 4:24 K4 & Hevron 5:22pm 4:10 Tzfat 5:19pm 4:23 Giv'at Ze'ev 5:21pm B 1F in Gan Eden, Adam, and Chava, where we find EL HA'ISHA AMAR, and to the woman He said... The Yerushalmi claims that G d spoke through Adam (the only intermediary available at the time), this preserving Sara's unique status as the cont. p.0 Shabbat Afternoon Shiur This week 3:00pm (Mincha 4:00pm) Kalman Walker Motza'ei Shabbat at 8:30pm Ruach Revival Reunion Concert

3 Ranges are FRI FRI 28 Cheshvan 6 Kislev (Nov 9 16) Earliest Talit & T'filin 5:10 5:12am Sunrise 6:02 6:05am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 8:42 8:43am (Magen Avraham: 7:56 7:57am) Sof Z'man T'fila 9:35 9:36am (Magen Avraham: 9:05 9:06am) Chatzot (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 11:23 11:23am 11:53 11:54am 3:37 3:35pm Sunset 4:48 4:46pm (based on sea level: 4:43 4:41pm) Orthodox Union OU Kashrut NCSY Jewish Action NJCD / Yachad / Our Way Kharkov Synagogue Support Services IPA OURadio.org Young Leadership Project Areivim OU West Coast Stephen Savitsky, President, Orthodox Union Harvey Blitz, Chairman of the Board, Orthodox Union Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Exec. Vice President, OU Eliezer Edelman, Exec. Dir. Operations and Management Headquarters: 11 Broadway, New York, NY website: Produced, printed*, collated, and folded in house Phil Chernofsky (02) tt@ouisrael.org Advertising: Ita Rochel ttads@ouisrael.org (02) TT Distribution ttdist@ouisrael.org OU Israel and Torah Tidbits do not necessarily endorse the political or halachic positions of its editor, columnists, or advertisers, nor do we guarantee the quality of advertised services or products B 2F We announce Rosh Chodesh Kislev, which will be on Sunday, hence the special haftara this Shabbat of MACHAR CHODESH. OU ISRAEL Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center OU Israel Center programs Makom BaLev Lev Yehudi Pearl & Harold M. Jacobs ZULA Center Machon Maayan NESTO Beit Kharkov OU Israel Communities OU Kashrut in Israel... Yitzchak Fund, President, OU Israel Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Senior Vice President Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice President Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Vaad member Stuart Hershkowitz, Vaad member Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member Sandy Kestenbaum, Vaad member Zvi Sand, Vaad member Harvey Wolinetz, Vaad member More Month on p.0 Rabbi Avi Berman, Director General, OU Israel Menachem Persoff, Director of Programs, Israel Center Phil Chernofsky, Educational Director and TT editor 22 Keren HaYesod POB Jerusalem phone: (02) fax: (02) office@ouisrael.org website: Torah Tidbits and many of the projects of OU Israel are assisted by grants from The Jewish Agency for Israel

4 To l'dot STATS 6th of the 54 sedras; 6th of 12 in B'reishit Written on lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 36 4 Parshiyot; 2 open, 2 closed 106 p'sukim, ranks 29th (9th in B'reishit) Tied with Vayigash and Bo, but shorter than both in words & letters and length 1432 words, ranks 34th (10th in B'reishit) 5426 letters, ranks 33rd (10th in B'reishit) Its p'sukim are below average length MITZVOT none of the 613 mitzvot are in Toldot Aliya by Aliya Sedra Summary [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p tucha or s tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Kohen First Aliya 21 p'sukim 25:19 26:5 [P> 25:19 (16)] This is the history of Yitzchak b. Avraham; Avraham fathered Yitzchak. Rashi quotes the Gemara that tells that when Yitzchak was born, scoffers said that Avraham and Sara, who were childless for so long, had found a baby and claimed it as their own. Avraham invited the leaders of the nations, their wives and infants, and Sara miraculously was able to wet nurse all the babies. (The Gemara points to the plural "banim" in 21:7.) Then the scoffers accepted that Sara bore Yitzchak, but chided Avraham that Avimelech was the father (since Yitzchak's birth followed Sara's abduction). A miracle occurred and baby Yitzchak was the very image of his father Avraham, until the scoffers proclaimed, "Avraham fathered Yitzchak". Earlier, the Torah tells us of the generations of Yishmael b. Avraham. That seems to be in balance with the beginning of this sedra, which speaks of Yitzchak, except: [1] the Torah makes a point that Yishmael is the son of Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sara. In other words, Yishmael was NOT the real To'l'dot of Avraham; and [2] To'l'dot (in the Yishmael context) is spelled without a VAV, implying that something was missing. To'l'dot of Yitzchak b. Avraham; it was Avraham who fathered Yitzchak. And the word To'l'dot is spelled with its VAV. Yitzchak is 40 years old when he marries Rivka (3 years after the Akeida). The Torah emphasizes Rivka's family background. After 20 years of childlessness (10 until Rivka was of child bearing age plus an additional 10 years without a child), Yitzchak and Rivka pray to G d. G d hears their (actually his) prayer and Rivka becomes pregnant. She is having a "rough time" and goes to Shem b. Noach (who outlived Avraham, by the way) who tells her G d's message, that she will give birth to twins who will go in very different ways and become great adversarial nations. Commentaries say that Rivka was unaware that she was carrying twins; she thought the turmoil within her existed in a single baby THIS had her very upset; she was somewhat calmed by the Divine message of her carrying twins. Another commentator suggests that Rivka knew she'd have twins but did not see the benefit of bringing a Yaakov into this world if it meant also having an Eisav. Part of the reply to her question "why do I need this", is that her conclusion was wrong. Take a look at Rashi. Two great nations these are Antoninus and Rabbi (Yehuda HaNasi)... It can be suggested that the Divine message to Rivka, was that even though there will great tension and friction between the descendants of the twins she was carrying, Yaakov and Eisav, there will be an example of a Roman (from Eisav) and a Jew who will truly get along and that is the hope for the future when the nations of the world will all recognize Israel's role in the world and their special relationship with the One G d Who will then be univer sally recognized. Eisav and Yaakov are born, Yaakov clutching the heel of Eisav. The boys grow and develop different person alities Eisav is the hunter and outdoorsman; Yaakov, the mild, studious "tent dweller". Yitzchak loves Eisav; Rivka loves Yaakov. There are many different com mentaries on these relationships. Note that Yitzchak's love is based on Eisav's providing food for him. Rivka's love is unconditional. Pirkei Avot says that only an unconditional love will endure forever. Yaakov is preparing a lentil stew for his father. (The Gemara tell us that this was the day of Avraham's death; Yaakov was preparing the traditional mourner's meal for Yitzchak.) Eisav returns from the field in a state of exhaustion. He asks Yaakov for some of the food. In exchange for the food, Yaakov acquires the birthright, which is insignificant in Eisav's eyes, but meaningful to Yaakov. [P> 26:1 (33)] A famine hits the Land (like the one in Avraham's time this is one of the many similarities between the lives of Avraham and B 3F

5 Yitzchak) and Yitzchak goes to Avimelech in Gerar. G d appears to Yitzchak and reminds him that he must not leave the Land. G d also repeats his promises of the Land and of the large nation that will descend from him. Levi Second Aliya 7 p'sukim 26:6 12 Yitzchak dwells in Gerar. (This is one of the three word p sukim in the Torah. There are 13 or so such p'sukim, and they are occasionally a focus of attention.) Yitzchak and Rivka pose as brother and sister (as did Avraham and Sara, and for the same two reasons). After a while, Avimelech discovers that they are actually husband and wife and complains to Yitzchak about the deception. Avimelech orders his people to leave Yitzchak and Rivka alone. Yitzchak and family flourish in Gerar and G d blesses them. In last week's TT we referred to the dispute as to whether Sara and Avraham had a daughter or not. S'fat Emet suggests that something in this week's sedra seems to say that they had a daughter. Yitzchak and Rivka "pose" as brother and sister. Avraham was well known. Especially to the people and king of Gerar. He would know if Avraham had a daughter or not. Since Avimelech apparently accepted Yitzchak and Rivka as brother and sister, until he discovered otherwise, it seems reasonable to support the opinion that Avraham (and Sara) were indeed blessed with a daughter. TAKE A LOOK... The first famine that drove Avraham and Sara to Egypt, when Par'o discovers their true relationship, he sends them away. The second time, when they went to Gerar and said they were brother and sister, and then they were found out, Avimelech gives them many things and invites them to stay. (Par'o had given Avraham great wealth, but it was before he knew.) Yitzchak and Rivka also say they are siblings, but no one takes Rivka. When they are "found out", they stick around. Shlishi Third Aliya 10 p'sukim 26:13 22 Yitzchak thrives in Gerar, which creates jealousy among the locals who fill in the wells that Yitzchak has dug. (There is great symbolism in the Torah's account of the wells, their names, their failures, and then their successes.) Yitzchak is driven away from Gerar. A new well that Yitzchak digs (Eisek) is taken over by the shepherds of Gerar, as is yet another well (Sitna). Only the third well (Rehovot) permits Yitzchak to live in relative peace. (Some see this as a hidden reference to the 1st and 2nd Beit HaMikdash, which fell, and the 3rd which will stand forever. May we see it soon in our time.) Brachot 56: Rabbi Chanina said, he who sees a well in a dream, he will see peace... Yitzchak's servants dug and found a live spring, B'EIR MAYIM CHAYIM. This is immediately followed by the peace treaty between Avimelech and Yitzchak. Rabbi Natan continues in the same Gemara. He who sees a well in his dream has found Torah, as it says in Mishlei: He who finds Me, finds life... an equation is made between G d, Torah, and Life. R' Yehoshua b. Levi adds that one should verbalize the words B'eir Mayim Chayim before he encounters the words from Yirmiyahu 6:7 K'HAKIR BIYA MEI MEHA... "As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her wickedness; violence and destruction, grief and wounds..." Verbalizing a dream's interpretation is considered significant; an unexpressed dream is often open to opposite meanings and what is expressed first gives the dream its substance and direction. This is the tip of the iceberg of Dream Interpretation as presented by the Torah T'mima. Don't read too much into the comment here it is meant only as a brief comment. R'vi'i Fourth Aliya 7 p'sukim 26:23 29 Yitzchak sets himself up in Be'er Sheva. G d appears to him and reiterates the promises for prosperity made to Avraham. Yitzchak builds an altar to G d and continues to prosper. Avimelech, realizing that his own prosperity was due to the presence of Yitzchak, comes with a delegation to Yitzchak in order to enter into a covenant with him. (Not a rare experience through the generations Jews are expelled from a country, which subsequently regrets its actions because of the decline they experienced without the Jews in their midst. And we, somehow, kept going back.) Chamishi Fifth Aliya 33 p'sukim 26:30 27:27 Yitzchak and Avimelech partake of a meal and exchange oaths. Be'er Sheva is reaffirmed as "the city of the Avot" by Yitzchak's actions. Another example of the similarity between Yitzchak's life and Avraham's. [S> 26:34 (2)] Eisav marries at 40 years of age a (sub)conscious attempt to emulate his father. However wicked Eisav is, he is genuinely respectful and loving of his father. On the other hand, Eisav's choice of a wife disgusts both Yitzchak and Rivka. [S> 27:1 (55)] Yitzchak is old and blind and calls Eisav to prepare for him a special meal and then B 4F

6 receive a special blessing. While Eisav is in the fields doing his father's bidding, Rivka prepares Yaakov to receive the blessing instead of Eisav. She tells Yaakov to bring her two goats and she would prepare the dishes that Yitzchak loved. Yaakov hesitates for fear that Yitzchak will feel his smooth skin and realize that Yaakov has come to deceive him. Rivka dresses Yaakov in Eisav's garments and places a goat skin on his neck to give it a rough feel. She gives Yaakov the food to bring to his father. It seems obvious that Yaakov was punished measure for measure for his deception of Yitzchak. The Brothers not only deceived Yaakov concerning the fate of Yosef, but they used a goat and a garment (exactly the two items that Yaakov used to deceive his father) to bring about their deception. If we accept the idea that Yaakov was supposed to get the bracha that Yitzchak was going to give to Eisav, that it was G d's will, and even G d's command according to Onkeles, to Rivka to set it up, then why was Yaakov punished so severely? An answer might be suggested in the form of an analogy. When one has to take drastic, life saving treatments "serious" medication, radiation, etc., what is done might be absolutely necessary, but there are often harsh side effects. Continuing the analogy, was there not a "safer" way for Yaakov to get the b'racha? Apparently not. If there is a medication that is effective and without side effects, why would a person take the medicine that has serious side effects? For whatever reason(s), the way it went is how it was meant to go. When the Torah tells us that Yaakov gave his father wine to drink, the TROP note under the word LO (to him) is a MEIRCHA CH'FULA (double meircha). This rare note, suggests the Meshech Chochma, reminds us of the proper way to drink a cup of wine not gulping it down in one shot, but rather finishing it in two "installments". Shishi Sixth Aliya 23 p'sukim 27:28 28:4 The blessing invoked by Yitzchak upon Yaakov, for bountiful produce and respected status among nations, has been borrowed by us to be recited on Motzaei Shabbat V'YITEN L'CHA HA ELOKIM... As Yitzchak finishes blessing Yaakov, Eisav returns from the hunt. He prepares food for his father and presents it with a request (demand) of the blessing. Yitzchak trembles when he realizes that the bracha went to Yaakov. When Yitzchak explains to Eisav that Yaakov received (and rightly so) the blessing, Eisav bitterly cries out and asks his father for a blessing too. Yitzchak gives Eisav a blessing (not as exalted as Yaakov's). Eisav decides to kill Yaakov for this, the second time he has taken something away from him. Rivka hears (how? Ru ach HaKodesh, B 5F perhaps?) of Eisav's plans and encourages Yaakov to flee to Rivka's hometown until Eisav's wrath subsides. Rivka suggests to Yitzchak that he send Yaakov away to find a proper wife. Note that Rivka did NOT tell Yitzchak that Eisav wanted to kill Yaakov. Perhaps she felt that it would pain him too much to learn of Eisav's true char acter. Perhaps, Yitzchak would have refused to believe that his Eisav would contemplate such a thing. Instead, Rivka expresses another concern (legitimate) as her reason for wanting Yitzchak to send Yaakov away. Yitzchak calls for Yaakov and gives him another blessing and sends him off to Padan Aram to find a wife from Rivka's family. He gives Yaakov "the blessing of Avraham", thus providing for the continuity of the Chain that becomes The Jewish People. Sh'vi'i Seventh Aliya 5 p'sukim 28:5 9 Yitzchak sends Yaakov off to Padan Aram to Lavan b. B'tu'el, the brother of Rivka who is the mother of Yaakov and Eisav. (Unusual ID.) Eisav sees that their father has sent Yaakov to find a wife, because he does not want him to take a Canaanite wife. Yaakov goes on his way and Eisav takes as another wife, the daughter of Yishmael. And Eisav takes Machalat b. Yishmael... Talmud Yerushalmi exclaims that this is Bosmat, and asks why her name was changed. The astonishing answer is that all Eisav's sins were forgiven when he took a wife intended to please his parents. The Talmud generalizes and gives this as the source that the sins of a CHATAN (and KALLA) are forgiven when they marry. Strange source for an important concept. The final 3 p sukim are reread for the Maftir. Haftara 25 p'sukim Shmuel Alef 20:18 42 When Rosh Chodesh is Sunday (or Sunday and Monday), then the special Haftara for Erev Rosh Chodesh preempts the regularly scheduled Haftara of the week. (There are months when this is not so.) The connection between the Haftara and Erev Rosh Chodesh is obvious. The opening words are: And Yonatan said to him, tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh... The real question is why the Sages decided on a special Haftara for Erev Rosh Chodesh in the first place. No other "erev" gets a special reading. Why does Machar Chodesh? Perhaps it is because Rosh Chodesh is so

7 understated and often ignored. This became a way in addition to Rosh Chodesh benching to say: Hear ye hear ye, tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. Yom Tov, for example, needs no extra reminder. From this reading we see that Rosh Chodesh was celebrated with a special meal which was to be eaten in a state of ritual purity. Many have the custom today of marking Rosh Chodesh today with a special meal. The Haftara also serves as a source of the minhag of abstaining or reducing one's work on Rosh Chodesh... With Israel's history resembling the waxing and waning of the Moon, we see Machar Chodesh as a hope filled message of a brighter tomorrow. The cycle continues until the Complete Redemption, when the Moon (and Klal Yisrael) will be completely restored. Know Your Uncle The following comments about Eisav from the Talmud and Midrash are taken from the book ISHEI HATANACH by Yisrael Yitzchak Chasida The Midrash says that Eisav greatly resembled Yitzchak physically. The Gemara says that Eisav did not rebel during Avraham's lifetime (which was cut short by 5 years 175 and not the 180 that Yizchak reached so that Avraham would not see Eisav's wickedness). Targum Yonatan says that Eisav killed Nimrod (and took his special garment some say it was the leather garment made by G d for Adam & Chava). The Midrash says that Eisav en couraged his grandson Amalek to take revenge against the children of Yaakov, since he did not succeed in vanquishing Yaakov. The Zohar says that there was never a person who so honored his father as did Eisav. This earned him domination in this world. Targum Yonatan adds that Eisav's honoring of Yitzchak is what caused Yaakov to fear him, especially since he (Yaakov) spent so many years away from his father. The Zohar says that Eisav's tears at losing the bracha caused Bnei Yisrael to go into Galut. The Gemara says that he lived with two righteous individuals and didn't learn from their deeds. The Midrash says that Eisav's male offspring were circumcised during Yitzchak's lifetime, but then they stopped observing Mila. B 6F THE JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JEWISH LAW Rabbi Emanuel Quint, Dean Lesson #400 (part 3, final part) To Lend to the Poor The commandment to make loans We have seen that there are certain articles that Beit Din will not make a levy upon to secure the lender. At the time of the making of the loan, the lender may take utensils used in cooking food as collateral. Similarly, the borrower may voluntarily give the marshal or the lender himself these utensils used in food preparation in which case he cannot get these articles back. After the making of the loan, neither the lender nor the marshal of the Beit Din may seize these utensils as collateral, unless the borrower consents. The exemption of these utensils from seizure as collateral includes any utensil used in the preparation of food, such as a portable mill, a wooden kneading trough, a kettle used for cooking, pots and pans, bottles, a detached stove, threshing instruments, a slaughterer s knife, knives, forks, spoons, drinking cups and similar items. However, food itself is not included in this exemption. The exemption does not apply to realty or things attached to the realty, such as a stationary mill. The marshal may close down the mill. However, stones that grind the grain are in the exemption if they are portable. If Beit Din ascertains that the borrower is dismembering things to be considered as not part of the realty, and there will not be adequate assets to collect the debt after judgment, Beit Din may order the marshal to obtain the parts that were detached from the real estate. Items that are used for a livelihood that will result in the borrower obtaining money to buy food are not included in the exemption. If the borrower has and uses several of the same preparation articles, such as five pots, the marshal may not take even one of them. However, if the borrower uses only some of them, the marshal may seize those not used by the borrower. If food preparation articles were seized by the marshal or illegally by the lender himself, they must be returned to the borrower. At the time of making the loan, the lender may take necessities as collateral. Similarly, the borrower may voluntarily give the marshal or the lender necessities. The laws prohibiting seizure of necessities applies if the borrower does not voluntarily give the collateral to the lender, e.g., if it is seized by the marshal of the Beit Din, or it is illegally seized by the lender, or even if given voluntarily to the lender, if the borrower was so poor that he had no alternative but to give in, so that it is not really voluntary. The borrower may request that necessities not voluntarily given be returned to him. If the lender fails to return the necessities to the borrower, the borrower may apply for

8 an order from the Beit Din to compel the lender to return the item. Even if voluntarily given, necessities must be returned to the borrower when he requires them. Necessities are things that the borrower requires for the personal needs of himself or his wife or children who reside with him, or for earning a living. For example, a pillow, a bed, or night clothes must be returned to the borrower for his use at night, and daytime clothes are to be returned for use in the morning. be thought that it was worthless to have the marshal seize the necessities. It gives him the right not to have the borrower cancel the debts at the end of the seventh year. The topic of this lesson is more fully discussed in Volume IV, chapters 97 of a Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law. Copies of this volume can be purchased at local Judaica bookstores. Questions to quint@inter.net.il It sometimes becomes difficult for some people in the western world to understand this type of poverty. One need only read some of the novels describing life in the United States during the great depression of the 1930s. I remember in first grade there were twins in my class, that only one of them came on certain days and the other twin would come on alternative days. They had only one pair of shoes between the two of them. In the ten decrees that Ezra promulgated around the year 440BCE, one of them was that clothes must be washed at least every Thursday. It was not unusual to have one set of day clothes and one set of nightwear and perhaps, if one could afford it a special set of clothes for Shabbat and Holy Days. Similarly, if collateral is taken that the borrower needs for his work, such as saws and hammers, or farm animals, they must be returned to the borrower in time for him to use them during the work period. It does not matter whether the borrower is rich or poor; these things must be returned to him for his use. A person may have much real estate and be rich and yet have no cash to buy some of the things that are exemptions to the property that may be sized by the marshal. When the lender returns the collateral for the use of the borrower, he should do it in the presence of two witnesses and in their presence instruct the borrower that when he returns the collateral once again to the lender it should be done only in the presence of witnesses. This will prevent the borrower from alleging that he returned the collateral to the lender a second time without actually having done so, and also prevent the borrower, when he has the collateral in his hand, from alleging that the collateral was returned to him because he repaid the loan. If a creditor does take something that he is not entitled to take or takes something that he is enjoined to return to the borrower for his use, and these things are lost or destroyed while they are in the possession of the creditor, he is subject to flogging, nowadays by a fine. Those items that are included in the class of necessities may never be sold by the Beit Din, since the lender is always under the obligation to return the items to the lender. The lender can relieve himself from this obligation to continually return the necessities to the borrower by returning the collateral to the borrower with the understanding that the borrower may not take back the collateral without the necessity or having to return the collateral to the lender. Now that the collateral is solely within the control of the borrower, the lender can ask Beit Din to levy on the necessities to repay the debt due to the lender. Since the necessities must be returned it might Spiritual & Ethical Issues in the Stories of Sh mot by Dr. Meir Tamari Actions the Shape the Character [5] "In order that you shall remember the day that you came out of Egypt all the days of your life" (D'varim 16:3). How does a nation religion assure that the fundamental spiritual lessons of G d's intervention in the historical affairs of humans, the miracles He did for Israel and His Merciful redemption are translated into everyday awareness and behavior of the individual's and of the collective? "It shall be for you a sign upon your arm and a remembrance between your eyes, that with a strong hand Hashem took you out of Egypt" (Sh'mot 13:9). "Thereby we sanctify the site of our minds and the wellsprings of our energy to serve our Creator" (Kuzari 3:1). "It is the nature of the flesh to seek that which is pleasant, except for the fact that the soul implanted by G d keeps him back. However, that soul dwells in the confines of the flesh, which means that it cannot always muster the spiritual strength to maintain its supremacy. Consequently, it requires many guardians to preserve it from its evil bedfellow while it is in its jurisdiction and power. Therefore we meditate on the words of the Torah by day and by night, place tzitzit on our garments, put mezuzot on our doorposts and wear tefillin on our arms and heads. All this is to remind us to cease from the oppression that is in our hands, and go not astray after our eyes and the imaginings of our hearts" (Sefer Hachinuch). "Tefillin are a symbol of splendor, Tiferet, as the Targum translates the verse (Yecheziel 24:7) 'your splendid headdress', your tefillin totafot. Splendor refers to great spirituality, and just as the garments of the Kohen are to be 'for glory and splendor (Sh'mot 28:2) and the Temple is 'the House of My splendor (Yeshayahu 60:7), so too Tefillin are a garment of splendor for Israel" (Hak'tav v'haka bala). Wearing the tefillin is therefore a concrete action prompting the desired spiritual thoughts and behavior. "The tefillin are similar to what is written: ''the angel of the Lord is encamped round them that fear Him and saves them'' (Tehillim 34:7). As long as a person has tefillin on his arm and head he will behave modestly and fear Heaven. Idle chatter and careless behavior will not attract him and he will think no evil for his heart will be focused upon truth and justice" (Hilkhot Tefillin umezuza 4:25). B 7F

9 Our verse in Sh'mot and verse 17 in the same chapter relate Tefillin specifically to the Exodus from Egypt thereby giving this sign additional spiritual perspectives and significance. "G d brought them out with a strong hand as they were not willing to leave Egypt and its idolatry. Since extraordinary efforts are required to implant that which the human mind is reluctant to accept, He gave us many precepts and mitzvot to implant in us trust and faith" (Ha'amek Davar). These mitzvot of tefillin are a daily reminder of the Exodus, and our verses make it clear that that reminder is far more than merely of emancipation from slavery or of yetzi'at mitzrayim but rather: "That G d's teachings shall be the words of your mouth"; "To observe His precepts and laws because He is your Master who redeemed you from the house of bondage" (Ramban). "The word Tefillin stems from aflaya segregate, and the tefillin serve to segregate Israel from the nations. This distinction was made prominent by the Exodus [as also in Egypt during the plagues]" (Pri Megadim, Orach Chayim 25). "The weaker arm [in most cases the left one] is the arm on which we place the tefillin, rather than the stronger right arm. In Egypt our hands were weak so we were unable to rescue ourselves, only the strong and out stretched hand of G d redeemed us. We are constantly reminded therefore to subjugate our own strength, ability and powers to His service" (Kli Yakar). "It was not our own hand that redeemed us but the hand of G d, restoring to us our own strength, for the sole purpose that it should be subordinated to Him alone" (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch). "Yetzi'at Mitzrayim witnessed many signs and wonders in which natural forces were made to behave contrary to their normal natures, showing that the world has a deity, ever creative, all knowing all providing and all powerful. So these wonders and signs are a vital force in promoting faith and invigorating the soul of man. As G d does not perform signs and wonders in every generation, He commanded us to recreate a constant memorial and sign of what we had witnessed with our own eyes and write them on the doorpost of our houses and wear them on our arms and heads. Ipso facto we acknowledge the creation of the world by G d, His Providence and His prophecy, and bear witness to our belief in all aspects of the Torah" (Ramban). "The revelations of the Exodus must be engraved both in our actions [tefillin shel yad] and in our thoughts and feelings [tefillin shel rosh]. In this way the mundane and materialistic nature of people are spiritualized so that the law of G d will be in their mouths, as an integral part of their intellect. Such a preparation is essential since the basic idea of the Exodus was to fight the gross nature of existence which submerges man in the depths of the mundane. To do so it was necessary to bring Israel out of Egypt, the home of this gross nature [making the Exodus, not only redemption from slavery but above that, going out of the territory of Egypt, otherwise, as the Haggada relates we and our descendants would still be enslaved to Pharaoh and to Egypt]. This fight against the gross nature of the mundane existence has to continue until our holy natures are victorious, allowing the light of our holy natures to penetrate, so that a strong hand is essential. B 8F Furthermore, it is a struggle that requires great and constant effort. We require the holy act of placing the tefillin on our arms and head in order to ensure this transformation of our basic earthy drives into a force for noble living, majestic in holiness; so realizing what was achieved in Yetzi'at Mitzrayim with the strong arm". (Harav Avraham Hakohen Kook, Olat Re'iya on the Siddur). MISC section contents: [1] Vebbe Rebbe [2] Candle by Day [3] From Aloh Naaleh [4] Wisdom and Wit [5] Parsha Points to Ponder [6] Torah from Nature [7] MicroUlpan [8] from Machon Puah [9] Portion from the Portion [10] Treasures in the Sand [11] Divrei Menachem [1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE The Orthodox Union via its website fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah... My boyfriend and I went out to eat with my friend and her husband, who are Q much more religious than we. I made Hamotzi on behalf of everyone, but afterwards my friend s husband made his own Hamotzi. I was quite insulted. Is there a halacha that a man cannot fulfill his mitzva by answering Amen to a woman s b'racha? A Let us begin with a story, whose relevance should be clear later. An Ashkenzi boy got engaged to a Sephardi girl. At the engagement party, the girl s father wished the boy s father that soon he would have a grandchild named after him. The recipient of the blessing got upset, and the good wisher took it as a sign that he did not want to share grandchildren with the latter. It took some explaining

10 for the Ashkenazi to realize that Sephardim covet grandchildren named after them while they are alive and he intended to bless his new mechutan. The Sephardi learned the hard way that Ashkenazim do not name after live grandparents, explaining the negative reaction. The gemara (b'rachot 42b) spells out when a person can make a b'racha on behalf of others who are eating with him. Basically, there are two scenarios: they recline to eat together; they make a statement that they intend to eat together. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 167:11) points out that nowadays when people rarely recline when eating, the first criterion depends on whether they sit down to eat at one table. In your case, both criteria were apparently met (one is sufficient) and, therefore, you had reason to consider it appropriate that one person would make Hamotzi and the others would only answer and eat. In fact, when starting the meal as one group, there is a benefit in one making the b'racha on behalf of all, based on the concept of with a multitude of people, it is a glory for the King (Mishlei 14:28) (Bi ur Halacha to 167:11). (Regarding Birkat Hamazon after the meal, only if there is a zimun (three reciting Birkat Hamazon as a group) is it proper for one to listen and answer rather than recite separately (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 193:1).) May a woman make Hamotzi on behalf of others? Only one who is fully obligated in a mitzva can perform it on behalf of others who are fully obligated (b'rachot 20b). Women, who are not obligated in shofar blowing, cannot blow shofar for men to fulfill their mitzva (Rosh Hashana 29a). However, women are obligated (rabbinically, like men) to make b'rachot before eating and can exempt men. Indeed, in some fine families, the wife makes Hamotzi at the Shabbat meal. It is understandable then that you might feel that your friend s husband acted on an insulting social/political basis by making his own b'racha, but it may be similar to the story above. Without crawling into his head, it is likely that he just followed a broad minhag (which you apparently do not share), which is well over a century old, that people generally make their own b'rachot rather than suffice by listening to another. One reason given is that we fear that one will speak between answering the b'racha and eating (Shulchan Aruch Harav, Orach Chayim 167:18). A convincing reason for the general custom regarding many b'rachot is that we are afraid that people will not focus in a manner that enables them to be exempted by another s b'racha (Mishna Berura 8:13). Only on Shabbat and Yom Tov is it still widely practiced that one person makes the b'racha on everyone s behalf, and this is because there is usually only one set of lechem mishneh (double loaves) upon which the b'racha is recited. If one makes his own b'racha on a piece of bread, it is questionable whether he is connected to the two loaves (see Mishna Berura B 9F 274:8 and Sh'mirat Shabbat K hilchata 55:19). Even then, there are communities where people make their own b'racha after the central one was made (see ibid.). Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at or And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by weekly, by sending an to info@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Subscribe/English (for the English version) or Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel [2] Candle by Day We must not forget that though we have outgrown certain ideas a long time ago, they may yet be a perfect fit for those younger than we. From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein A Candle by Day The Antidote The World of Chazal by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein Now available at [3] CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not yet Olim respectively In Parshat Toldot we are presented with the blessing that Yitzchak gave to Yaakov "May Hashem give you of the dew of the heavens and the rich bounty of the earth" (B'reshit 27:28). What was so unique and important in this blessing that Esav began to cry that he had missed receiving it? Esav did receive what seems to be a similar blessing, albeit in reverse: "Behold of the rich bounty of the earth shall be your dwelling place and the dew of the heaven from above" what is the significance? The Kli Yakar in his insightful wisdom believes that Yitzchak was blessing each son with their own priorities. Yaakov whose emphasis was on G d's help and support, was blessed with dew coming from the heavens as the primary source of his well being, while Esav received a blessing attuned to his philosophy of life whereby the significant support in man himself, thereby "the rich bounty of the earth" is primary. I once read that the late Chief Rabbi Joseph Hertz referred to these blessings in homiletical terms that there is nothing wrong in requesting both spiritual and material achievement, but many times parents may put the emphasis for their children in getting a good job, and fulfilling their materialistic needs while pushing off the child's spiritual growth until it

11 is too late. For our unique people "the dew of the heaven" must come before "the rich bounty of the earth". This is why parents must realize that the holiness of Eretz Yisrael should take priority over " the rich bounty of the (Diaspora ) earth". Rabbi Chanoch Yeres, Jerusalem TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a [4] Wisdom & Wit In the 19th century, there was a major halachic debate regarding two competing printers of the entire Babylonian Talmud, the Widow and Brothers Romm in Vilna on the one side, and the Shapiro Brothers in Slavita, on the other. Numerous Responsa were written by great rabbis, some siding with the one party and some with the other. R Yisrael Salanter was very upset by the entire commotion, but for a reason totally unrelated to the dispute. It states in the Torah (D'varim 1:16), he noted, that 'you shall judge the small and the large alike.' Why, then, is there only such a fuss in regard to such major cases, when by rights every difficult case regardless of how small the sum involved is should be given the same amount of attention. ### When a person is judged in the World to Come, he is asked, Were you honest in your business dealings. That question, said R Yisrael of Vizhnitz, applies equally to a person who studies in a yeshiva or kollel, and who is supported financially in order to sit and learn Torah. If he does not sit and learn properly, for which he is paid, he will have to answer for it in the Future World. 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 Jewish bookstore (or should be). Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder [5] Parsha Points to Ponder TO L'DOT 1) G D appears to Yitzchak and tells him not to go to Egypt but to DWELL IN THE LAND WHICH I WILL TELL TO YOU (26:2). In the very next verse G D tells Yitzchak to LIVE IN THIS LAND, referring to Israel. Why did G D bother saying that first phrase that Yitzchak should live where G D tells him to go if right away He tells Yitchak where that place is? 2) Throughout the Torah we find cities being named for events that took place there. The Torah usually says, THEREFORE THE PLACE WAS CALLED..." Why does the Torah change the language after Yitzchak's meeting with Avimelech and state, THEREFORE THE NAME OF THE CITY IS BE'ER SHEVA UNTIL TODAY (26:33) without using the word CALLING (kara) as is usually done? 3) Why does Yitzchak begin his blessing to Yaakov (thinking that it is Eisav) with the word AND (27:28) if there were no previous words of blessing? THESE ARE THE ANSWERS Ponder the questions first, then read here 1) The Kli Yakar answers that the words WHICH I WILL TELL YOU in the first verse actually mean WHICH I CAN SPEAK TO YOU. G D was telling Yitzchak that he should make sure to live in a place where G D could speak to Yitzchak at any moment because of the holiness and Divine presence in that place. Where is that place? The next verse continues and explains that the only place for that kind of connection is right there in Israel and, therefore, Yitzchak should not leave. 2) The Meshech Chochma points to the fact that when Avimelech made a pact with Avraham (21:21 32) they called that place Be er Sheva because of their oath (shvu'a). So what is happening in our Parsha if it already had this name? When they threw Yitzchak out of the city (26:16), the pact was broken and the original city name became meaningless. However, once they came to Yitzchak and made peace with him and renewed their oaths, the name Be er Sheva was restored to this city with its original meaning. Thus, it did not have to be CALLED Be er Sheva anew but this verse is referring to the renewal of the old name. 3) The Ohr HaChayim explains that the words AND HE BLESSED HIM in the previous verse were actually words of blessing and the AND in this verse continues from those blessings. The blessings in the previous verse could have been the power to transmit blessings to others which Avraham had first conveyed to Yitzchak, or the previous blessings were of a spiritual nature and now with the AND he begins the material blessings. Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim, Tiferet, and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and RBS and is the author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith", just re published by Feldheim ppp@ouisrael.org B 10F

12 [6] Torah from Nature Goats Yitzchak says to Eisav: "Now take your equipment, your dangler and bow, and go out in the field to trap me some game. Make it into a tasty dish, the way I like it, and bring it to me to eat..." Rivka, hearing this, says to Yaakov: "Go to the flock and take two choice young kids. I will prepare them with a tasty recipe, just the way your father likes them..." Rashi explains that the taste of goat is like the taste of the tzvi. Let's not dwell on the translation of TZVI, but rather look at all goats. The website of the Int'l Kiko Goat Association, Inc. promotes the kiko breed of goat from New Zealand, but has a nice background piece on goats in general. Goats and sheep make up a tribe within the Bovidae family called Caprini that include six goat, six sheep and five related species... Goats and sheep have different number of chromosomes... The six species of goat include one species (with many types and breeds) of domesticated goats (including the ones Yaakov was likely to have taken from Rivka's flock) and five species (with varieties within each species) of wild goat (including that which Eisav was likely to have trapped for Yitzchak). The five wild goat species are the wild or bezoar goat of Near East Asia... the ibex... the markhor of Central Asia... the Spanish goat... and the Dagestan tur of the Caucasus mountains... The ibex might have been Yitzchak's favorite and Rivka probably was able to prepare domestic goat meat with just the right seasoning to make it indistinguishable from ibex. [7]Micro Ulpan Windshield Wiper = MAGEV or VICHER [8] From Machon Puah Testing Ovulation [1] Dear Puah, I am a Rabbi in California and have been following your articles. Many young couples ask me how then can test for ovulation, what is your suggestion? Are there any halachic problems with testing ovulation? I am glad to see that we have such a wide readership, and hope that we can help couples in your community. There are several ways to test ovulation, and some are more effective than others. In the past, couples were told to check basal body temperature (BBT) which means that the woman must check her temperature first thing every single morning. She should chart this over the course of a few days or even months. On the day of ovulation she should see a small rise in temperature of half a degree. If this is done carefully and properly it can be a useful check, however, it requires an exact temperature check which is difficult to get on a regular thermometer (there are special thermometers for this purpose that can be purchased) and many other things can cause a small rise in temperature, such as a mild cold. Due to this, in more recent years this method has been replaced by more exact and easier methods. However, one can employ this method for a couple who are not married too long and where everything appears to be normal. Since this sort of check can be performed at home with no cost, it can be good for couples who need to feel that they are doing something but are not yet interested in more high tech methods. Today the most common test is a home ovulation test that comes in the form of chemically sensitive dip sticks similar to those used in a pregnancy test. These are placed into the first urine of the morning and are sensitive to the hormonal changes that control ovulation. These kits can be purchased in any drugstore and contain five such sticks so that a woman can calculate more or less when she should ovulate according to her cycle and then can use these sticks around those days. The two disadvantages of this method is that it is really only useful for a woman with a regular cycle, since a woman with an irregular cycle can often not predict when she should ovulate and therefore five sticks are not enough for her. The other disadvantage is that these sticks can only be used once and then be discarded, so a couple can spend a lot of money just trying to found out when the woman ovulates. Recently several variations of this have gone on the market where the ovulation tester can be used many times, however, these are expensive and present quite a cost for couples who hope that they will not have to use them for many months as hopefully they will become pregnant soon. In addition, sometimes chemical changes can be detected that do not actually show that a woman is ovulating or when she is ovulating, what is called false positive, and so this should not be seen as a foolproof method. cont. The Puah Institute for Fertility and Gynecology in Accordance with Halacha is based in Jerusalem and helps couples from all over the world who are experiencing fertility problems. Puah offers free counseling in five languages, halachic supervision and educational programs. Puah has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Paris. To contact the Puah Institute please call in Israel or Visit our website at B 11F

13 [9] by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to THE GREATER ONE WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER ONE Anyone who has been pregnant or has been around a pregnant woman knows that along with the joy of a baby growing inside comes a bit of discomfort. But in this week's portion, it seems that Rivka got more than her share of pain. She was so anguished by how unusual she felt, she asked Why is this happening to me? (25:22) Finally she went to seek a message from G d to this question of hers. She was told that she had two nations growing in her womb, and The greater one will serve the younger V'RAV YAAVOD TZA'IR (25:23) It is from these words that she learns that it will not be her firstborn son Eisav (the greater one) who will continue the lineage, but the TZA'IR the young one, the one born on the EKEV, the heal, Yaakov, who will lead the family forward. Although we know that the first born is supposed to have special privileges (e.g. double portion in the inheritance) just because he was born first, we see throughout the Torah numerous first born sons who lost their rights. This starts from Cain and Abel. We see this also with Reuven, who should have been King and should have had a double portion due to his place in the family as Yaakov's first born, but because he defiled his father's bed the birthright was given to Yosef and the Kingship to Yehuda (Divre Hayamim 1 :5:1). Also the whole tribe of Reuven should have been the ones to work in the Temple, but since they sinned with the golden calf, this privilege was taken away from them and given to the tribe of the younger brother, Levi, who didn't worship the golden calf. Also with Yosef's sons we see that Yaakov switches his hands placing his right one (the stronger one signifying leadership) on Efrayim's head even though he is the younger son (48:19) and says the younger brother shall be greater ACHIV HAKATAN YIGDAL MIMENO. What does the Torah want us to learn from all these stories? It is true that the birthright is an inborn privilege that a person can receive independent of their deeds, but people should be careful not to lose these gifts they must work to be worthy of them. The Torah tells us the story of Reuven and his brothers, of his tribe and the tribe of Levi to show us that people can lose out on their birthright if they don't deserve it.this depends on a person's actions. B 12F Eisav not only sold his birthright but he actually ridiculed and belittled it. Eisav ate, drank, got up and left. He thus rejected the birthright (25:34)" I am going to die. What good is a birthright to me? (25:32)" He is not interested in an eternal life in the future but only in the actions and objects of a transitory world on this earth. For that reason he lost the birthright. From here we learn that everyone has to live up to their position of being the firstborn and not just take it for granted. The whole nation of Israel is also a first born. Hashem calls us BNI B'CHORI YISRAEL (Sh'mot 4:22). We do this by keeping the Torah and acting properly. And what if G d forbid we don't act as we should? Will we stop being G d's first born? Will He exchange us with another nation, like He exchanged Eisav with Yaakov? G d has promised us that He will not do that to us, but will punish us instead so that we will improve our actions and return to Him. We will always be his firstborn. For more on this topic see Rav Sabato Ahavat Torah Since the portion talks about the older one losing out to the younger one, here is a recipe for Eggfoo Young. EGG FOO YOUNG 6 eggs beaten 1 cup bean sprouts 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped celery Salt & pepper 1 cup chopped chicken or turkey 2 tbsp. oil or margarine for frying Beat eggs, mix in remaining ingredients. Spoon out onto greased skillet to make patties. Brown slightly on both sides. Keep hot until all are cooked. Serve with rice and either of these sauces. MUSHROOM SAUCE 1 cup mushroom soup 3 Tbsp. soy sauce Mix and heat. SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE 1 Tbsp. oil or margarine 1 lg. green pepper, cut into chunks 1 lg. can pineapple chunks, drained (save juice) salt to taste 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 tsp. ginger 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1/4 cup vinegar 1/4 cup pineapple juice 1 cup chicken broth

14 [10] Treasures in the Sand T'hilim 53 states that "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God..." It then says, ELOKIM MISHAMAYIM HISHKIF AL BNEI ADAM LIROT HAYEISH MASKIL DOREISH ET ELOKIM: "G d looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any who understand, who seek G d DOREISH ET ELOKIM." ours" (ibid 26:20). And only when this water dries up following Yitzchak's departure (cf. Targum Yonasan) does Avimelech conveniently decide to renew the earlier covenant with Avraham, implying that the treaty would, of course, be in the Jewish interest! Not surprisingly, however, were the controversial wells called Esek (contention) and Sitna (enmity). Now, in these times of precarious alliances, one thing remains clear: we too should be defending those very wellsprings, whether they are our physical sources of survival or our spiritual fare. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff And where do we find an example of a person who is intelligent and therefore seeks out HaShem (when troubled)? Let us find her in this week's sedra. VAYITROTZ'TZU HABANIM BIKIRBAH VATOMER IM KEIN LAMA ZEH ANOCHI VATEILECH LIDROSH ET HASHEM: And the children struggled together inside her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of (or seek out, LIDROSH) G d." These two p'sukim have the same gimatriya (3561). A person who does not believe in G d (and does not seek Him out) is a fool. A person with SEICHEL, intelligence, believes in and seeks G d. Oversimplified to be sure, but true, nonetheless. And this does not mean that this idea is "proven" or discovered by Gimatriya; the finding of this GM or GT (that's gimatriya match and gimatriya twin, both terms coined by the Gimatriya Division of the Torah Tidbits Statistics Department) is a nice bonus to highlight the point which stands well enough on its own two feet. The discovery of Treasures in the Sand is aided by Torah Education Software's Torah Codes 2000 CD. [11] Divrei Menachem One of the central episodes in Parshat Toldot concerns the confrontation between the shepherds of Yitzchak and the local Philistine shepherds. Not only did the Philistines close up Avraham's original water wells, they even argued over the ownership of new wells dug by Yitzchak's servants. There are several parallels between the Philistines' behavior and that of Israel's detractors today. Envy surely stirred the Philistine king Elimelech to declare: "Go away from us for you have become much mightier than we!" (Breishit 26:16). Echoes of these sentiments have reverberated right up to the Pale of Settlement and the Near East in our times. Then, after Yitzchak's "pioneers" find water, Elimelech's shepherds claim that this "Jewish" water "is B 13F Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading The Unusual Chataf Patach, For example: VAYITROTZETZU as in, "and the children clashed within her (Rivka)..." CHATAF PATACH usually is found under the letters ALEF, HEI, CHET, and AYIN. Under its usual letters, it is pronounced like a shortened/clipped/brief PATACH. It is SH'VA like, but the letter above it needs more than a SH'VA NA's very short almost vowel sound; the CHATAF provides that extra. (Note that there are times when a CHATAF vowel would be expected, but is not there again, an example from this week's sedra: VAYETAR as in, "And Yitzchak pleaded with G d for his wife's sake". That's a SH'VA NACH under the AYIN. Hard to pronounce, but it's there.) In the case of the CHATAF PATACH under "unexpected" letters, there are three different approaches: Some, (e.g. Minchat Shai) say they are to be pronounced as a SH'VA NA. Not more. (So why are they there? Good ques tion.) Some say to always pronounce them as the CHATAF PATACH they are. (Kind of logical, reasonable opinion). And some say that when the CHATAF PATACH is under the first of two the same letters, then it is pronounced like a CHATAF PATACH. And when the word's meaning is related to eating or the language of blessing, then it is pronounced like a CHATAF PATACH, but in all other cases, it is pronounced like a SH'VA NA. Taking our example, it would be VAYIT RO TZA TZU according to the first and third opinion, and VAYIT RO TZ'TZU according to the 2nd opinion. According to EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIM, most S'faradim follow the third opinion. It seems that many (most?) Ashkenazim follow the first opinion. So it seems.

15 SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH... A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash related topics by Catriel Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash. The Imperishable Legacy of Shiloh After the debacle at Even Ezer, the Aron Habrit remained in the Philistine's possession for seven months. During that time they were visited by calamities and misfortunes that so frightened them that they decided to return the Ark to Am Yisrael. It arrived at Israelite Beit Shemesh. From Beit Shemesh the Ark was removed to Kiryat Ye'arim where it stayed until the time of King David. When Shlomo Hamelech built Bayit Rishon in Jerusalem, all the archetectural elements of the Mishkan were adapted to fit the requirements of a permanent building and the Aron was placed in Kodesh Hakodashim until not long before Bayit Rishon's destruction. Once Bayit Rishon was built, those parts of the Mishkan for which there was no use were stored in subterranean tunnels under the Temple. The legacy of Shiloh in Jewish history is formidable. Despite Joshua's spectacular victories, the conquest of Eretz Yisrael was by no means complete at his death. Even in Joshua's lifetime, the stark dichotomy between the ideal Land of Israel promised to Abraham " from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River (Bereishit 15:18) and the Land of Israel's area of actual Israelite settlement "from Dan to Be'er Sheva" became painfully evident. And when the coordinated and inspiring leadership of Joshua ended at his death, national unity was soon replaced by a debilitating decentralization, though the tribes did continue to regard themselves as linked by a common destiny. It has been estimated that in western Eretz Yisrael, there are no less than forty different climatic and geographic units. Thus the very contours of the land were a major factor in breaking down national unity. The swiftly flowing Jordan dividing the land in half did not serve like the Nile or the Tigris and Euphrates as a unifying element, but, precipitous and unnavigable, it was a barrier between the tribes of western Eretz Yisrael and those in the east. Nevertheless, in the central highlands of Eretz Yisrael, in the tribal patrimonies of Yehuda and Efrayim, only Gezer and Jerusalem remained Canaanite. Only a few unconquered Canaanite cities dotted the territories of the northern tribes of Zevulun, Naftali, and Dan. However, in the mountainous territories of (western) Manashe, Efrayim, Binyamin, Yehuda, at the death of Joshua, there was already a continuous Israelite settlement. Broad fruitful Emek Yizra'el was not fully conquered until the time of Devora when her commander Barak defeated and expelled the Canaanite population. Before that, the entrances to the northern hill country were in the hands of the enemy and guarded by their charioteers, effectively cutting off the B 14F northern tribes, Zevulun and Naftali, from the southern tribes; Manashe, Efrayim, Binyamin and Yehuda. The time of the "Judges" was a chaotic time; a time "when there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes". Usually the local elders administered the affairs of the scattered tribes, clans, and families to the best of their abilities, though not always successfully. Periodically, waves of pagan influence would waft in from the surrounding peoples. These fascinating but debasing forms of alien religion undermined the moral stamina of the people. The increasing complexity of life in the new land gradually weakened their ethnic solidarity and with it their common faith and the purity of their worship. Exotic growths, like the schismatic shrine of Micha, flourished. Nevertheless, the feeling of religious and ethnic unity persisted among the tribes especially when a foreign enemy appeared. Eventually, when their political and military feebleness attracted the unwelcome attention and blows of aggressive neighbors, Am Yisrael would return to G d and beseech His help. During this time of spiritual confusion and continuous backsliding, the pure message of the Torah was nourished in Shiloh. A long line of Kohanim Gedolim, starting long before Eli was born and whose very names are lost to us, kept the flame burning. Even in the worst of times, a small but influential body of men and women remained loyal to the austere teachings of Moshe. Their rallying point was Shiloh. Olei Regel men and women of the caliber of Elkana and Chana continued to ascend to Shiloh to "worship the Lord". Despite the deleterious influence of Eli's corrupt sons Chofni and Pinchas, the meritorious Elkana and Chana and no doubt many like them continued to recognize Shiloh as G d's dwelling place. When the supremely righteous Chana gave her son Sh'muel into the care of the venerable Eli to be raised and educated in Shiloh, she knew exactly what she was doing. Spiritual giants like the prophet Samuel, whom Tradition compares to Moshe and Aharon, do not develop in a vacuum. After the catastrophe at Even Ezer when the Philistines decisively defeated Am Yisrael, the very existence of Am Yisrael as a nation hung in the balance. It was Shiloh trained Sh'muel of whom it is written, "And all Israel from Dan even to Be'er Sheva knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord", who rallied the battered nation. I always thought it strange that the victorious Philistines did not arrest Samuel when they had the chance! Here was a man revered by the people "from Dan to Be'er Sheva", going from city to town to village "judging" Israel and sending his sons (who unfortunately proved unworthy and unequal to the task) to do the same in Be'er Sheva. In Rama, he presided over groups of ecstatic Nevi'im "prophetic schools" whose members certainly could not be accused of "pro Philistine sympathies". The very knowledge able Marshal Lyautey, former governor of French Morocco used to say, "Every person in the East who manages to collect a crowd around him ought to

16 be watched!" And here was Samuel, passing through the country, teaching, raising national consciousness, and organizing resistance. It was only due to him that Am Yisrael did not become completely demoralized in the dark period of Philistine servitude which followed the capture of the Aron and the destruction of Shiloh. It was his statesmanship which guided the people in the transition from anarchy to monarchy. Under his sterling leadership, the disorganized tribes became a nation. Sh'muel's importance in the history of Israel cannot be over estimated. People tend to think that the Shiloh period in our history was ephemeral. It was not! The cradle of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael, the Mishkan in Shiloh was our spiritual center for 369 years. Bayit Rishon stood 410 years: Bayit Sheini stood 420 years. Just to compare: the United States declared its independence from Great Britain only 231 years ago and the entire period from the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock until today is 387 years. The Gemara (Yoma 39b) tells us that the fragrance of the Ketoret (representing Chesed, acts of kindness) lingered in the air in Shiloh long after it had vanished from Jerusalem even though chronologically, the burning of incense ended in Shiloh much earlier. There must have been a very good reason for this rare manifestation of Divine favor! And to this day there are people who can still "feel" the presence of the Sh'china in Shiloh! The Mishkan in Shiloh is indeed the "older sister" of the Beit Hamikdash! Let's relate to it accordingly! Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service Top left is Yaakov with his lentil stew. Next to him is one of Yitzchak's workers on a break from digging wells. Or, perhaps, it is Eisav coming in from the field exhausted. Continuing across the top, we come to a Seder plate. Rashi tells us that it was the first night of (the future) Pesach that Yaakov presented himself to Yitzchak for the bracha. Rivka told Yaakov to bring her two goats. Just to feed Yitzchak, you need two goats? Rashi answers that one was for the main dish and the other for Korban Pesach. Similarly, commentaries mention the wine that Yaakov gave to Yitzchak as being part of a "Seder", and that his cleverness (mentioned in Rashi) was feeding Yitzchak Korban Pesach, so he could not eat Eisav's food also. Realize that these ideas exist on a different level of Torah from plain P'SHAT. Upper right is a king on his father's back. The hand is pointing to the father, who would be AVIMELECH. This is not the only pun in this week's ParshaPix, as you will see. The rain cloud is part of the bracha that Yaakov received. The sword is part of the bracha to Eisav. B 15F The lion cub on the map of Israel is another pun GUR BAARETZ HAZOT. Actually, live in this Land... The tow truck is another pun Yitzchak lived in GERAR. The passport is for Yaakov who is being sent abroad by both Yitzchak and Rivka. Yitzchak never needed a passport, but Yaakov did. The teddy bear is holding aloft the number 7 in one paw and an upraised hand in the other. There are two meanings to the name Be'er Sheva. One is from the seven sheep that Avraham gave Avimelech as a token of the covenant between them, and the other is for the oath(s) that were taken in that agreement. SHEVA has both connotations. Lower right is the Davka Judaica Graphic of Yaakov, the studious ISH TAM, dweller in the tent of Torah study, and Eisav, the ISH SADEH, the man of the field, the hunter. Straus and Keren HaYesod are the streets on which the Israel Center was and is. They are Rechovot, as in the name of third well that Yitzchak dug and the one that was not contested by Avimelech's crowd. C is 100 in Roman numerals. With a gate inside the C, you get ME'AH SHE'ARIM. Above the truck is the emblem of NAHAL, a part of IDF. Combined with the truck it reads NACHAL GERAR, the place where Yitzchak settled after Avimelech kicked him out of Gerar. From the back of the tow truck is an arrow pointing to the computer icon for a DOS prompt. Together it gives the Ashkenazit pronunciation of the sedra, TOW L' (as in "to", that's the arrow) DOS.