Shoftim
Aug. 21 - 22 2015 שבת פרשת שופטים בס"ד PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE www.18forshay.com For All Shul Info: Zmanim - Shiurim - Pics & Videos Bet Journal Archives etc "E PLURIBUS UNUM " LATIN FOR "OUT OF MANY, ONE "ACHDUS" Moe and Gittle Follman invite everyone to a ovid Malin y Rabbi D Pirchei b bbi Yossi Fried - 4:20pm and Ra oon 3:00 Kiddush in Shul ern abbos Aft 0 pm Every Sh arts at 4:0 st im ill ames! h Te osh & G Tehillim Stories - this Shabbos, Parshas Shoftim, in honor of the birth of their daughter Leora !! N SHUL SCHEDULE SHABBOS ZMANIM Candle lighting Plag Early Mincha Youth Minyan Mincha Shkiya Mincha Shachris Vasikin, Shachris Youth Minyan Shachris Pirchei Mincha Followed Pirkei Avos Mincha Shkiya Maariv Managed by our great gabbai Ephraim Yurowitz WEEKDAY MINYANIM EARLY MINCHA ON 7:29pm Friday AFTERNOON 6:10pm 20 Forshay at 1:40pm 7:00pm 20 Forshay 7:30pm in the tent 7:47pm 7:50pm Ohr Chaims “Bais Chabad 5:30am FOLLOWED BY A DAF YOMI SHIUR 9:15am Followed by Kiddush 9:15 am at 20 Forshay Rd 10:00am Ohr Chaims “Bais Chabad 3-4 & 4-5pm BNOS WILL RESUME PARSHAS NOACH By Daf Yomi 6:00pm 6:45pm 1:45pm - 7:25pm 7:45pm 8:25 & 8:30pm WEEKLY SHIURIM SUNDAY Daf 7:00am & 9:00am Shachris Vasikin 5:45am Shacharis 8:00am - 9:00am & 10:00am Minchah - Maariv 1:40pm - 6:05pm & 7:30pm Maariv 9:00pm 9:45pm 10:30pm 11:00pm MON-FRI Daf 6:00am & 9:00am Shachris Vasikin 5:45am Shacharis 6:25am 7:00am 8:00am 9 & 10am Minchah - Maariv 1:40pm - 6:05pm & 7:30pm Maariv 9:00pm 9:45pm 10:30pm 11:00pm BNOS FOR GIRLS AGES 6- 8 FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY - MEN & WOMEN RABBI YY JACOBSON Parshas Shoftim CHASSIDUS................................9:00 AM SERMON........................BEFORE MUSAF SHABBOS AFTERNOON.............6:00 PM SUNDAY MORNING....................9:30AM WEEKLY SHIUR FOR WOMEN REBBETZIN ESTI JACOBSON WEDNESDAYS MORNING - 11:15 AM 7 FIELDCREST DRIVE MONSEY NY BNOS WILL RESUME PARSHAS NOACH SPECIAL THANKS TO BRAD & MEILICH FOR DONATING THE PRIZES FOR AVOS U’BANIM Dear Kehilla, BET Parashot Shoftim haftarah 5775 There seems to be no real connection between the Haftarah and the Parsha. The Parsha discusses proper judgement while the Haftorah speaks about consoling the Jewish people on the loss of the Bais Hamikdash. The Haftorah begins with the words of Hashem saying “Anochi Anochi, Who comforts you”. Chazal quotes (see Yalkut Shimoni 474) Rebbe Abba in the name of Rav Shimon Ben Gamliel explaining the double expression of “Anochi Anochi”. They give a mashol of a king who became enraged at his queen. He was so annoyed at her that he rejected her and banished her from the palace. After some period of time he reconsidered his actions and desired to reunite with her. He informed her of his intentions to which she consented on the condition that he doubled the amount of her "kesubah' (marriage financial agreement). Chazal conclude that this same situation exists between Hashem and the Jewish people. Hashem established His initial relationship with them when they accepted His Torah. At that time Hashem revealed Himself to His nation and proclaimed, "I am your Hashem." However, this relationship suffered much abuse and was eventually terminated. The Jewish people's behavior was so inexcusable that Hashem reluctantly rejected them and exiled them from Zion. Now, after so many years Hashem is displaying sincere interest in their return. Recognizing their failure during their first relationship, the Jewish nation is doubtful if this second one will be any better. Even after all the magnificent revelations at Sinai they managed to stray and forfeit their relationship. What would ensure that things would be any different this time? Hashem responds that He would increase His revelations which would guarantee an everlasting relationship with His people. The double expression of “Anochi Anochi” stands for the double kesubah that Hashem will offer. This Chazal is very difficult to understand. Firstly, it is not accurate; Hashem did not banish us from the palace, he had the palace burnt to the ground. Next in the moshol we see some time passes and the king reconsidered his actions, yet with Hashem, it is really a very long time, and it is not over yet. We are still waiting in galus! But the biggest inconsistency is that the moshol illustrates the queen as a victim whereas it was us, the Jewish nation, that violated the agreement. We were not helpless victims but the cause for the destruction. How can we deserve not only to return to the palace, but receive a double Ketuba as well? A Ketuba is a privilege for a wife when she acts in accordance to her obligations. If a wife violates the conditions of marriage she loses her Ketuba. Yet here we see we can ask for double when Hashem is kind enough to take us back? What is the meaning of this Chazal? I believe this is an incredible lesson in the process of creating peace. It is the responsibility of the greater person or Being to accept the blame in order to push forward and rebuild. Even if one is in the right and taking responsibility will cost double, a real relationship with tranquility is worth it. Let the past be the past; forgive, forget and rebuild. We expend much energy on proving how we were wronged that we are left too exhausted to repair the relationship. Although Hashem was always there for us and we sinned against Him again and again, He is willing to look past our disloyalties. Hashem is willing to take us back and pay double for the sake of a tranquil and loving relationship. At the end of Shemona Esrei we take three steps back and say “the maker of peace in the elevated world, He should make peace on us and upon his entire nation Yisrael.” Clearly, peace is a creation and we therefore request that Hashem make it upon us. However, in order for peace to exist we need to be willing to take three steps backwards. May we all pursue lives of peace at all costs and enjoy the tranquility it brings. Amen. Aaron Lankry BY SHALOM BER MUNITZ KEDUSHA DOES NOT LEAVE ITS PLACE In Tanya he brings the Zohar that a Tzadik that leaves this world is found in all the worlds (including this world) more than when he was alive. It is understood how the Tzadik is found the worlds above now, more than when he was alive. But how is he in this world more than when he was alive? The Tanya goes on to explain that a Tzadik’s life is not a physical life, but a life that consists of faith, Fear and Love of Hashem. Therefore when the soul departs from the body, these three attributes are so much more powerful also in this world as there is no limitations of the body. It brings salvation to those connected to the Tzadik. The way to connect to him is to learn his Torah and follow the ways he taught us. ====Tanya Igeres Hakodesh The Rebbe explains in a Yud Shvat farbrengen reffering to his fatherin-law, the RaYYatz, that usually when a person enters Gan Eden, the pleasure is so that he does not want to have anything to do with this world. However, a person that most of his life he gave away not only his Gashmiyus but also his Ruchnious to help a fellow Jew even B’gashmious. Any Tzadik with such track record has a Chazaka that he will put his Gan Eden aside and help a Jew in need. ====Yud Shvat Farbrengen WeeklyQuote RON OSTROFF "People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates." Thomas Szasz "You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it's not a mistake, it's a choice." - Steven Denn Just taught my kids about taxes by eating 38% of their ice cream. Conan O’Brien You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop and what you reinforce. - Tony Gaskin Rabbi Lankry addressing the crowd at Shomrim Williamsburg Annual BBQ for Members & Law Enforcement We would like to wish a Warm Mazel Tov to our very own Eitzek and Dini Weinberg on the birth of a grandson, to their children Yudi and Eti Weinberg The Shalom Zachor will be I"h in our home 46 N Quince Ln. starting 9.30pm Snap Shot Parsha Rabbi Daniel Aron Coren DIPPING APPLE IN THE HONEY - IS THAT ALL IT TAKES? We are less than thirty days away from taking the dip into the honey. For many years I was zoche to be involved in kirov rechokim and now with kirov kerovim as well and throughout all this time, I have posed one of my favorite questions: What is the secret of the apple in honey? How does the apple dunking transform the coming year and make it sweet? When I ask this question, people are curious and are forced to think much deeper into the meaning of this act. In truth this question is not just a conceptual one. It’s an halachic one too. There is an prohibition called ניחושwhich means to create omens and attribute powers to them that may have an effect on one’s life. Yet the Gemara and the Shulchan Aruch offer a list of fruits and vegetables that one should eat on Rosh Hashana and the Rama adds the apple in honey. Surely these can be perceived as omens of sorts. How are reconciled? these two adaptations The answer is not so simple. One explanation is hinted at in the words of the Mishna Berura who writes that when eating these items one should be reciting a prayer. This indicates that the essence of the act really isn't the fruit and vegetables. Rather it’s the trigger that one receives from the items that inspires us to call out and pray to Hashem. This would be the simple explanation for combining the apple and honey. However R Shlomo Kluger in his commentary to the Shulchan Aruch entitled Chochmas Shlomo gives us a much deeper understating of the apple and honey combo. R Kluger says that the idea represents the concept of כל מה דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד-- whatever the merciful one does is for the best. In fact the Shulchan Aruch in סימן רלwrites that there is an obligation for a person to always say these words כל מה דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד. It is interesting to note that most people don't use these words, but say instead an abbreviated version of the words-- גם זו לטובה, this too is for the best. One could say that this is just easier and shorter to recite but the Baal Shem made a beautiful distinction between the two sayings. The difference is based on who said each statement. The first was said by Rabbi Akiva when he was alone in the forest with only a rooster, donkey and a candle. Slowly each item was taken away from him and in the morning that the flame went out, he realized that it had actually saved his life. He found out later that during the night a group of bandits looted and killed the entire neighboring village and if not for the light going out and the donkey and rooster making noise, his location would have been found and he too would have been harmed. The second statement, גם זו לטובה, is based on Nachum ish Gumzu who was Rabbi Akiva’s rebbi. The statement was mentioned following on a mission that he was sent on to save the Jews. He was given a box of precious stones to deliver to the king and on the way he stopped overnight to sleep at an inn. During the night, the innkeeper stole the precious stones from the box and filled it instead with earth. Nachum went on his way in the morning not suspecting a thing and when he opened the box in front of the king, it was earth he found and not precious stones. The king was quite upset with a present of earth and was about to send Nachum off to prison when one of the guards (who happened to be Eliyahu Hanavi) suggested that it might be the same earth that Avraham Avinu used to fight the 4 mighty kings and that it had special powers. The king agreed to try it out and he successfully vanquished his enemies. Nachum was rewarded with great wealth and on the way back to his home town, he stopped by the same inn and told the people there, including the innkeeper, what had ensued. They were, of course, shocked and decided to knock down their house and bring the earth to the king. Obviously it didn't work like they wished. What is the difference between the two great rabbis and why is it that the Shulchan Aruch tells us to choose Rabbi Akiva’s words? And how does this connect to Rosh Hashana and the dipping of the apple in the honey? Stay tuned. e on th by Lazer Scheiner PARSHAS SHOFTIM Mitzvah # 491 - To appoint judges Mitzvah # 492 - Do not put a ashrah tree in the Beis Hamikdosh Mitzvah # 493 - Do not set up a stage even to serve Hashem Mitzvah # 494 - Do not use a animal that has a blemish even a temporary blemish Mitzvah 495 and 496 - Listen to the big beis din and do not turn away from them Mitzvah 497 498 - Appoint a king and make sure he is from jewish descent Mitzvah 499 500 501 - A king can't have too much/many 1. Wives 2. Horses 3. money Mitzvah # 502 - The king must write a small sefer torah Mitzvah # 503 - Do not live in Egypt Mitzvah # 504 505 - Leviem do not get a portion of land in Eretz Yisroel Mitzvah # 506 - When you slaughter an animal you must give matnas kehunah to the kohan which includes the arm, the cheek & the stomach of the animal Mitzvah # 507 - You must give a kohan teruman Mitzvah # 508 - You must give the kohan the first shearing of the sheep Mitzvah # 509 - Every one serves and gets equal portions in the beis hamikdosh Mitzvah # 510 - Do not do fortune telling Mitzvah # 511 - Do not do sorcery Mitzvah # 512 - Do not be a snake charmer via magic Mitzvah # 513 514 - Do not look to get the future from speaking to dead people Mitzvah # 515 - Do not sleep in the cemetery hoping the dead people will tell you about the future Mitzvah # 516 - Listen to True prophets Mitzvah # 517 518 - Do not. Say false prophecy in the name of Hashem & do not say false prophecy in the names of idols Mitzvah # 519 - Do not be scared to kill a False prophet Mitzvah # 520 - Prepare Arei miklat Mitzvah # 521 - Do not show any compassion to a murderer Mitzvah # 522 - Do not steal from your neighbor field by pushing over the border Mitzvah # 523 - Beis din cannot do a psak based on the testimony of one person a single witness Mitzvah #. 524 - Do to the witnesses the eidem zonmim what they wanted to do Mitzvah # 525 - Do not be scared of the non jews in war Mitzvah # 526 - Appoint a special kohen for war Mitzvah # 527 - Before going to war try to do it peacefully Mitzvah # 528 - Do not let anyone of the 7 nations live if they want to stay in the land of Israel Mitzvah # 529 - Do not destroy fruit trees Mitzvah # 530 and 531 - To do the mitzvah of eglah arufah and you may not have benefit from that property PARSHA OVERVIEW The Torah gives us laws for the judges, the Torah also tells us the laws for the kings and the Torah tells us the laws of terumas and maser and how to deal with false prophets. At the end of the Parsha ,the Torah tells us the laws of engaging in warfare and the end of the parsha the Torah tells us the halchaot of eglah arufah. HAFTORAH OVERVIEW Haftorah is Isiah 51 and 52 - It's part of the 7 weeks of consolation פרשת שופטים בענין הכנה לראש השנה ויסודו של מלכויות וענין לימוד התורה ואופן לימודה בסדרה זו יש אחד מהשלושה חיובים של ישראל בבואם לארץ ישראל ,וזה למנות מלך לישראל " ,שום תשים עליך מלך אשר יבחר השם אלוקיך בו " וכ״ו , והיינו מאחר ובאו ישראל לפני הכהנים לויים והשופט שרוצים מלך ,שכן הוא סדר הדברים ,אז יש להם למנות מלך ,אם כל הדינים ככתוב בתורה . ויש הרבה לימודים מפרשת המלך ואפרט בס״ד כמה מהם . ראשית הערה אחת מהו הלשון ״שום תשים״ מהו הכיפול ? ושמעתי מאחד מרבותי שליט״א כמדומני השם השיטה מקובצת שפירש שמכיון שחפצא של מלך היינו שהעם מכבדים אותו ,כמו שרואים בגמרא קידושין שמלך שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול ,שאם אין כבוד אין מלך ,וממילא אמרה תורה שום תשים שני פעמים ,היינו מי שמבזה או אינו מכבד המלך אז צריך למנות אותו למלך שוב וזהו השים השני והיינו מינוי שוב . ולזה חשבתי שיש להעיר הערה בענין ההכנה לימי הדין וחיזוק בענין האלול שכתב האלתר מקאלם זיע״א שחלק ממלכיות ,וזהו שלושה עניינים א .הטבה ואהבת הבריות ב .הכנעה וענוה כעבד ג .כבישת התאוות עכת״ד ,ויש להבין מהו זה אהבת הבריאות הקשורה למלכיות ? ואלא ביסוד החפצא של חלות שם מלך הוא כשיש עם ההולך ברצונו ,וזהו הכבוד המלך קיום רצונו ,וכל פגיעה קטנה בביטול רצונו ,היינו מניעת כבוד ,וכביכול ביטול מהותו של מלך ,וממילא ענווה ושבירת התאווה ניחא ,אמנם חלק שני של מלוכה זה העם ,ועם ביסודו הוא גם בחפצא עושים רצון מלכם ,וממילא אוהב הבריאות זהו יחודיות של העם וממילא למלך יש עם העושים רצונו ,ועל ידי שאוהבים אחד את הזולת זהו המלכת מלכינו עלינו ,ופשוט שבית התאוה ,כמו שכתב הגר״א זיע״א שתכלית האדם בעולמו לשבר תאותיו ,וזהו עשיית רצונו והינו נמי מלכות . ועוד דין שיש חיוב למלך ללך אם ספר תורה על צוארו ויש לו איסור לרבות בשתית יין וכן אסור לו להרבות בסוסים ונשים , שלא יסור לבבו מהתורה אפילו לרגע שנאמר פן יסור מלבבך וכו ,וכתב האבן אזל מה שיש עוד דין למלך של שכחת התורה ביתר מסתם אדם ,שהרי סתם אדם כל איסורו של ביטול תורה היינו ללא סיבה כלל ,אבל מלך אפילו לזה אסור להסיח דעתו מהתורה שליבו היינו ליבן של ישראל . וחידוש הזה של האבן האזל אינו ח״ו התיר לסתם אדם להתבטל מהתורה ח״ו אפילו לרגע אחת ,שהרי חייב כל אדם מישראל ללמוד כל עת וכל רגע ,ורק אם אדם צריך לנוח ובלע״ז דאטצ׳ה כדי לנוח ,אז בכה״ג אמרינן ביטולו היא קיומו ,וכן האריך בזה רבינו ישראל סלנטר זיע״א שזהו קיום דין של ״ושננתם״ ,וכן שמעתי ממורי ורבי הגאון הרב פרץ תרשיש שליט״א בענין כמה אדם חייב ללמוד ,ומתי צריך להיות רגוע ,והביא משל לאדם המחזיק ציפור ,מידי חזק ימות הציפור מצי קל יעוף הציפור , אלא ברגוע ,וכן הדברים צריך ללמוד שיהיה כיף ללמוד שהתורה איז גשמעק ,ולפעמים צריך אפילו מיעוט שיחה . שיזכה כל אחד לעלות עוד ועוד בתורה ובלימוד התורה ובידיעת התורה ,ולהיות מתלמידיו של אהרון הכהן אוהב את הבריאות ועל ידי זה מקרבן לתורה ,וזהו יחודו של העם היהודי ,ובזהו ממליך את בראינו על כל הארץ בכבודך . דוד יהודה פיירסטון The Maggid’s Corner Rabbi Benzion Sneh ההתורה מתווה לנו דרך בעבודת השם :״תמים תהיה עם ה׳ אלוקיך״ לנהוג בתמימות אל מול מצוות ה׳ שבזה נגרם נחת רוח גדולה להקב״ה. משל למה הדבר דומה :למלך אחד ששלח אחד מדוכסיו בשליחות למדינה אחרת .תנאי אחד מתנה אני אותך אמר המלך לדוכס -כאשר תגיע לשם בשום פנים אל תסכיםלהתערבות עם אחד משרי המדינה .הסכים הדוכס לתנאי המוזר ויצא לדרכו .כאשר הגיע לאותה מדינה נפגש הדוכס עם שריה .וישב עימם לשיחה .אדוני הדוכס -שאל אחד מהם האם נכונה השמועה כי אתה גיבן? שקר הדבר -אמר הדוכס מעולם לא הייתי גיבן .הבא נתערב במאה אלף דינר שאכןגיבן אתה -אמר השר -פשוט את חולצתך וכולנו נראה אם גיבן אתה או לא .נזכר הדוכס באזהרת המלך אך מיד חשב בליבו :הרי איני גיבן ותוצאת ההתערבות ידועה מראש מדוע לא אסכים? הסכים הדוכס ופשט את חולצתו ואכן ראו כולם שאינו גיבן מיד שלשלו לידיו סכום של מאה אלף דינרים .כאשר הגיע הדוכס בחזרה בא לפני המלך וסיפר לו את כל אשר קרה. אבוי לי -אחז המלך בראשו -מה עשית? הן אני התערבתי עם שרי המדינה ההיא בחמש מאות אלף דינרים כי לא יצליחו לשכנע אותך להסיר את חולצתך ...כן הוא גם הנמשל -סיים רבי ישראל :על האדם מוטלת החובה לקיים את מצוות התורה בתמימות בלא מחשבות ובלא התחכמויות רק כפי הכתוב עלינו לקיים ותו לא! על מנת להבין את מעלת התמימות נביא סיפור שהתרחש בתקופתו של האר״י הקדוש :באחת העיירות הסמוכות למקום מגוריו של האר״י הקדוש נתמנה רב צעיר כרב קהילה .באותה קהילה חי איש פשוט ותמים שהתפרנס מיגיע כפיו .יום אחד שמע את דרשתו של רב העיר שעסקה אודות לחם הפנים שהיה בבית המקדש אמר לעצמו אותו יהודי: ״הרי גם בית הכנסת נקרא מקדש מעט אם כן ,בוודאי מצווה גדולה תהיה לי אם אביא לארון הקודש את לחם הפנים" .גמלה בליבו החלטה לאפות בכל ערב שבת שתים עשרה חלות ולהניחן בארון הקודש שבבית הכנסת השכונתי .אמר ועשה, יום שישי הגיע ומיודעינו אפה תריסר חלות קלועות ,הביאן לבית כנסת ,הניחן לפני ארון הקודש והתפלל בתמימות להקב״ה שיקבל את המנחה מידו -ואת לחם הפנים שהכין לכבודו יקח הקב״ה אליו לשמי מרום .לאחר שסיים האיש את תפילתו שם האיש את פעמיו לביתו להתכונן לקראת השבת המתקרבת .מה רבה הייתה שימחתו עת פתחו ארון הקודש למחרת והנה החלות אינם ״בוודאי קיבל הקב״ה את המנחה מידי״ חשב האיש ולא גילה את סודו לאיש .בליבו גמלה החלטה בכל שבת הוא ישמח את הקב״ה ויכין לכבודו את ״לחם הפנים״. שמש עני ולו שישה בנים היה בבית הכנסת ,ביום שישי האחרון כבר לא יכל לסבול את חרפת הרעב בה מצויים הוא ומשפחתו ,מה עשה? התפלל בכל מאודו לה׳ שלפחות חלות ימציא לו לשבת .בצהרי יום שישי ניגש לבית הכנסת על מנת לנקותו ריח החלות הטריות מילא את בית הכנסת .הוא ניגש לארון הקודש והנה 12חלות מוכנות לשבת. הוא הבין שה׳ שמע את תפילתו ושלח לו לחם משמים ...וכך בכל שישי זה מביא וזה לוקח .בשישי אחד התעכב הרב בביה״כ והנה מגיע היהודי התמים ושם פעמיו אל ארון הקודש שבידיו ״לחם הפנים״. לפליאתו של הרב הסביר בתמימות שבכל יום שישי הוא מביא לה׳ את לחם הפנים ...גער בו הרב וביקשו לחדול ממנהגו לאלתר. ביום ראשון הוזמן הרב אל האר״י הקדוש שצפה ברוח קודשו בנעשה .משהגיע הרב אליו גער בו האר״י ואמר לו :״תדע לך שמנעת מהקב״ה נחת רוח גדול שהיה לו בכל יום שישי מאותו יהודי תמים תמהה אני אם תשלים את שנתך...״ ואכן לאחר כמה חודשיםנפטר הרב לבית עולמו .זוהי כוחה של תמימות הבה נתהלך לפני ה׳ בתמימות ונגרום לו נחת רוח. Berach’sRCorner abbi Steinfeld Q A person suffers when he eats gluten with terrible stomach problems. What should he do during Pesach as far as matzah is ?concerned? What about the rest of year A The best-case scenario would be if the person would eat spelt or oat matza that do not contain gluten. What happens if he can’t get matza comprised of spelt or oats? On any given Shabbos the person should make Kiddush on wine, drink the cup of Kiddush wine and then drink another cup of wine so that he has made Kiddush in the location of the meal. He should also eat some rice or potatoes to be yotzei the opinion of the Yavetz who says that if one does not have bread, one can make a seuda after Kiddush on any other type of food. These foods serve as his meal since they are what sustain him. The situation is a little different when it comes to Pesach. On Pesach the person has to try to eat one kzayis of gluten matza if there is no gluten-free matza. This is so provided that there is no real health danger; as long as it will just cause the person’s stomach to be upset. “Shomer mitzvah lo yeida dovo ra” applies to this person and the mitzvah that he does will protect him. This matza should be eaten at the end of his meal since the Mishna Berura says that if one can only eat one kzayis of matza, it should be eaten for Afikoman. In this way the person fulfills both the mitzvah of matza and and the mitzvah of Afikoman. Readers’ comments are encouraged. Send your message to [email protected] Next Week’s Question: Erev Pesach fell out on Shabbos. The Klein family washed and ate bread on the porch. Afterward, they came into the dining room to eat the rest of the Shabbos ?meal. Should they have bentched outside Should they make a new bracha rishona on the food during meal since there will be no more ?bread at this meal KIDNEY DONOR-RENEWAL CORNER-THIS WEEK Case #3: Case #2: Case #1: Donor: Zev ben Gittel Donor: Alexander Gershon ben Mindel Donor: Yael bat Irit Recipient: Chaim ben Yachet Recipient: Mindel bas Alte Beila Recipient: Assa ben Sara The donor Zev is the eldest son of Chaim's eleven children. Zev went through the testing with full excitement at being able to do this for his father. His wife is extremely supportive and delighted that her husband has this zechus. The three recipient will now IY"H receive another lease on life due to their children's amazing selfless act. It was a beautiful sight to see all the family members discussing who would have the z'chus to help their mother. Sendy and his wife feel lucky to have been the ones given this unique opportunity. The kidney donor, Yael, is a young woman who is donating her kidney to her father Assa. This is what Assa had to say: Pray for us and wish us luck my friends. My Yaeli, my sweet, beautiful, wonderful, amazingly courageous, incredibly heroic Yaeli is giving me the gift of life. May God protect her and watch over her forever. May He bless her with health and happiness and share His richness with her. And may He show His generosity by allowing me to stick around for a while so that I can continue to love her and be able to tell her future children what an amazing mother they have. Steven Y. Szklarz, CSP Lets lose 30 lbs in 30 days! The season to enjoy sweet refreshing melons is here! Because melons are mostly water, they are low in calories but are high in bioflavonoids and carotenoids that help protect against cancer. Watermelon is an excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of prostate cancer. Cantaloupes are full of potassium which supports heart function and eases the high blood pressure placed on the heart from excess sodium. The fiber found in melons helps keep blood cholesterol levels in check. Puree honeydew chunks with white grape juice for a chilled summer soup, or watermelon chunks, spinach and crumbled feta for a delicious salad. Please feel free to email me any questions or for an updated healthful recipe book to [email protected] Wishing all a wonderful Shabbos! HEALTH IS HAPPINESS!!! -Steven Y. Szklarz, CSP by Leiby Fisher Sitting here in my hotel room in Buffalo made me quite hungry, so I headed out to local supermarket to see what was available. I found the cast-iron skillet and steak from Solomon's. It made me think about one pot meals and the necessity of them in such situations. This week I offer a one pot quick fix dinner can be ready in 10 minutes: Cast iron unagi spiced steak with wilted spinach and rice 1 20 oz ribeye steak 2 tablespoons of a oil Salt-and-pepper to taste 2 pounds of fresh spinach One cup of pre-cooked long grain rice Your favorite bottled sauce (mine is a Japanese soy glaze) Directions: 1) keep the cast-iron skillet to screaming hot 2) Salt and pepper steak and oil the pan 3) Sear the steak for 2 1/2 minutes then flip and Sear the other side 4) while the steak is in the pan apply glaze to the cooked side. 5) move the steak to the side of the pan add the spinach into the pan and allow to wilt for 45 seconds, move the spinach around to scrape the pan and flavor it. 6) add rice to the pan and enjoy Pair with a Stella cidre. בתיאבון לחיים Leiby P.s. If you have any questions regarding sourcing or anything else gastronomically inclined please feel free to contacted at [email protected] from Aish.com Current Events- Political Jokes on Twitter yesterday before it was official. Which isn't that big a deal until you realize the guy who almost had nukes is known for accidentally hitting 'Send.'" –Jimmy Fallon "You hear less about Hillary Clinton, she's not giving a lot of interviews because I think she's looking at everyone else who's running for president, and she's thinking, 'If I keep my mouth shut, I think I've got this thing.'" –Seth Meyers "Trump is running for president and he's wasting no time getting down to business. In fact, just after his announcement he demanded to see Jeb Bush's birth certificate." –Jimmy Fallon "Sources say the Obama administration is in the 'final stages' of planning the closing of Guantanamo Bay. The way it's gonna work is, they're going to put a Radio Shack sign out front and let nature take its course." –Jimmy Fallon "The only fun thing about filing your tax return is getting a refund. About 80 percent of taxpayers get money back, which is a weird thing to be happy about. That means you've been overpaying all year long. It's like if someone broke into your house and the police recovered the stuff and brought it back and you said, 'Oh, presents.'" –Jimmy Kimmel "The president of Iran prematurely announced the nuclear deal WOMEN’S CORNER BY TZVI FREEMAN C H A B A D. O R G B Y T Z V I F R E E M A N - C H A B A D. O R G From the Wisdom & Te a c h i n g s o f t h e Rebbitzen Mindy Lankry Be Something Women’s Corner-Parshas Shoftim The point is not to be a nothing. Mothers are cooks and doctors, bankers and therapist. Mothers are also judges. We decide who the toy belongs to now, who gets the best seat in the car and who deserves the time-out for starting the fight. Yet it is quite often when we render our verdict that one child will feel that he was treated unjustly by the judge, i.e. Mommy. It is imperative that we run our homes with justice and we, the mothers (and cooks and therapists and judges…) judge fairly. No healthy society can flourish without a justice system in place. The Torah commands the Jewish nation to appoint judges in every city, where they judge the people with righteousness. The judges must be neutral and unbiased. Each individual, no matter how important or insignificant they are, must be considered of equal worth before the court of law. And no judge may ever accept a bribe or favor even if they feel they will still render a truthful judgment. Justice is so important to Hashem, even more than the sacrificing of korbonos (Mishlei 21:3). When Dovid Hamelech was told by the Navi that his son Shlomo was to have the privilege of building the Bais Hamikdash Hashem consoled Dovid by saying “the justice that you carry out is dearer to My heart than the Bais Hamikdash.” Dovid was deeply involved with establishing justice and it says about him “Dovid did judgement and tzedaka to all his people” (Shmuel 8:15). When Dovid needed to impose a fine on a pauper, he required the poor man to follow the ruling despite his lack of means. Afterward, he reimbursed the pauper from his personal funds as charity. This is why the verse says Dovid did judgement and tzedaka. In fact, the Medrash tells us that Dovid Hamelech was known for his unique ability of convincing the guilty person of his accountability. Dovid was so effective in this that the guilty person would be happy to compensate the person he had wronged. Truthful judgment means that one is not motivated by honor or money and that he does not favor one of the litigants, nor does he sway judgment because he is afraid of one. R’ Shimon Ben Shetach the head of the Sanhedrin was judging a case concerning the king’s slave. King Yannai was present and acted in a brazen manner that warned the judges not to condemn his slave. R’ Shimon admonished the king and ordered him to rise while listening to testimony. He reminded him that he is standing not before them but before Hashem Who created the universe. King Yannai answered, “You are only one individual, let the entire court decide if I must stand”. All the other judges stared silently to the ground as they were afraid to disobey the king. R’ Shimon thundered at the judges “from your conduct it is evident that you never intended to judge truthfully! Since you are full of evil thoughts may He Who knows man’s thoughts judge you!” At these words the judges died immediately. Their punishment was so severe because truthful judgment is one of the pillars of civilization. As judges of our own mini cities- our families, we must ensure that we judge with righteousness. Like Dovid Hamelech, there are times we may need to incorporate tzedaka with our judgments. When our teenager needs to reimburse a friend for an item he broke, we must insist on him repaying the debt fully. We can however, reward him for good behavior or “job” he has done and help repay his monetary loss. Likewise, after concluding that Child B is responsible for cleaning the tub of melted ice-cream that he used last, we can offer our assistance to help him in his task. Tzedaka and Mishpat. And what does accepting bribes have to do with us, mommies and judges? It is human nature to lean towards the child that helps us and does favors for us. Though we are not ruling in a halachic court of law, we can learn lessons of fair judgement from the Torah. We must listen carefully to all the details and not fall in the trap of convicting the child that tends to misbehave more often. Each situation is different and when we assume that the challenging child is automatically wrong, he is not receiving a fair hearing. That feeling of injustice is painful for these children, and can be prevented. Then there is the Tantrum Child. We dread the start of one of those dramatic, earsplitting and thunderously intense episodes. Perhaps we are filled with such trepidation that we are unwilling to call him on a misdeed done to his sibling. It is easier to tell the Obedient Child, just ignore what Tantrum Child did. Though this will afford us peace and quiet, Obedient Child simmers at the unjustness. We can give Obedient Child the option to hold Tantrum Child responsible, or decide to let it go this time. You will be surprised how often a youngster will let his hurt go when it is his decision. Regardless, Obedient Child does not suffer for his amenability and his feeling are validated. Being a “judge” holds responsibility and it takes much effort to bring justice to our world. When we do, we make the world a better place to live. Even more so, our justice is dearer to Hashem than korbonos. That is worth it all. Lubavitcher Rebbe G‑d created something. you to be a But not a something because you are something. A something because purpose is everything. your Help From the Past All the souls of these generations have been here before. And they come with their baggage—both good and not so good. But there is a distinction: The good the soul has collected is eternal. It can never be uprooted, it can never fade away, for it is G‑dly, and G‑d does not change. But the bad is not a thing, it is an emptiness, a hollow in the light. As the soul makes its journey, through trials and travails, through growth and renewal, that darkness falls away, never to return. If you know yourself only as you are here in this life, the challenges of our times would be impossible to persevere. Reach deeper, tap into the reservoir of your soul from the past, and find there the unimaginable powers of millennia. Can you solve these RIDDLES? By Itzik Weinberg there are many brachos for מצוות עשה. But where is there a bracha on a ?מצות לא תעשה Last weeks Answer (what they learned in Yerushalaim already in ״ויצא״but Bavel learn only in ? ״ראה״ בבבל לומדים רק בפרשת. מה שבירושלים למדו כבר בפרשת "ויצא״.חידה ״ראה״. ? ) In the Talmud we find two different sources for the halacha "ain me'arvin simcha b'simcha". In Yerushalmi the source given is the pasuk in Parshas Vatyetzei in which Lavan says to Yakov "Malie Shavua Zos" . However the Bavli brings the pasuk in Parshas Re'eh "V'samachta B'chagecha" as the source for this very same Halacha. So we see that in Yerushalayim they were learning Parshas Vayetzi while in Bavel they were learning Parshas Re'eih! Hmmm...... "What I do today is important because I am paying a day of my life for it. What I accomplish must be worthwhile, because the price is high." 0 2 3 "Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, "I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me." 911 -A Glimpse into the "Chesed" life of Zvi Gluck Nachum Scheiner Ohr Chaim Night Kollel KOSHER FISH: As we read in last’s week parsha, the signs of a kosher fish are fins and scales. It is always essential to ensure that the fish have scales, because many fish have fins and not scales, but all fish that have scales, have fins, and can be presumed to be kosher. Unlike birds, where the halacha requires a clear mesora (a tradition) that this particular bird was eaten throughout the generations, fish have no such prerequisite and as long as they have the necessary fins and scales, they are permitted. Fins are appendages, used by the fish to maintain its position, move around in the water, change positions, and to come to a standing position. Different fish have their fins in different positions. [For example, there is a pelvic fin, which is located at the bottom of the fish; the dorsal fin is located at the top of the fish, and many more variations exist.] Rabbi Scales are a kosher sign, as long as they are there at any point or would grow later. Therefore, if they fall off when removed from the water, or when they get older, the fish are still kosher. However, if the scales are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye [known as spiracles], they are not halachically valid. This is a rule that we have had quite often, and most recently as far as insects as well as a black dot on an esrog: the halacha only authenticates something that is nir’eh l’einay’m (visible to the naked eye). Scales that cannot be removed without damaging the skin of the fish are not halachically considered a kosher sign. If they come off, but it is extremely hard to remove, there is a halachic dispute if it is kosher and will be discussed in a further article, b’ezras Hashem. Even a fish that has a minimal amount of scales (for example a tuna fish) is kosher. Scales are a sign of a kosher fish even when they are not round and look different than the typical scales. A common example of such fish is the blue marlin. COMMUNITY KOLLEL NEWS: As we have started the new zman in the kollel, the learning programs are back in full swing. The Kollel Boker is learning the halachos of Daled Minim, in preparation for the upcoming Yom Tov and the Night Kollel is learning הלכות דגים- סימן פ"ג, the halachos of fish.. We would like to extend a cordial invitation to anyone who would like to join us either in the morning or in the evening. Feel free to contact me and I will try to set you up with the best chavrusa possible. The entire community kollel would like to extend their warmest bracha to Eli Cherns, on the occasion of the bris of a baby boy, this past week. We wish them much nachas. We also wish a hearty mazal tov to the uncle, Eli Wiscentowski, who is also a member of the Night Kollel. We would also like to welcome our dear member, Eliyahu Lopian, who will be joining us. Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos, Rabbi Nachum Scheiner Story of the Week: Here are highlights of some of the cases Amudim tackled this week..... Y., a single mother of four who had been abused as a child, left an abusive marriage and started anew with the help of the right therapist.. All was going smoothly until her therapist went into private practice, making the cost of treatment unaffordable. We helped Y. apply for a grant, allowing her to continue her sessions with her trusted therapist. R.'s parents have been around sporadically this summer and he began hanging with the wrong crowd. Things came to a head when his friends stole his parents car for a cross country road trip and R.. found himself alone on the side of the road and under the influence of drugs. Realizing he was in trouble, R. called us. Thankfully, he got home safely, changed his phone number and disassociated himself from his former friends. With a new outlook on life, R. is hoping we can get his friends back on track as well. Taking brass knuckles on an airplane is a bad idea, as one yeshiva bochur found out when he passed through a TSA checkpoint on his way to Eretz Yisroel and was arrested immediately. Released several hours later, he flew out the next day. We are hopeful that the lawyer we got for him will take care of any issues and that he will be able to put this disturbing incident behind him. It was sadness and joy at almost the same moment as a new mother got word that her mother had died overseas. While the nursing mother's passport was valid, the newborn obviously didn't have a passport and couldn't be left behind. They called Amudim in a panic and we made the necessary arrangements so that the new mom could be there in time for the funeral. As you can probably imagine, with so many articles and questions flying around, there are weeks where it would be appropriate to get some chazura (review). I would like to share with you an article I wrote last year, which I would like to share again this week. Year after year, I find that one of the hardest positive thoughts to express is “what a beautiful summer this has been.” Although it’s not over yet, I am leaving this Sunday to the “other” holy land, Israel, for the year. (Round 2!) I would like to extend a big thank you for all those great BBQ’s I had at my friends, and family. You know who you are. I would also like to give a big thank you to everyone in the kehila for making my personal tefilas so enjoyable. Yes you! Every person/rabbi/chasid/ Lubab really makes our shul the best shul in the world! I love all the new faces that probably came with the tent and the kiddushes. It's a pleasure to see you all and I really appreciate all the positive feed back. For some reason, as I get older, every week, month MAY WE SHARE ONLY SIMCHOS and summer feels like it passes by faster and faster. WHY do days, weeks and months go by faster and faster as we age? People say "time goes by when your having fun,” but school isn’t fun (ok except wtby), and still as one gets older it still feels as though it goes by with increasing speed?!??! When we are first born, each day that we live is a huge percentage of our life. As we get older, every day becomes increasingly less substantial. Each day becomes a smaller percentage of the time that we have existed as a person. An appropriate analogy to illustrate this concept is the way that people relate to money. The first dollar bill that we earn as a child means so much to us. But the more money we accumulate, the less the value we attach to a single dollar. As we get older, time feels like it passes by faster because we increasingly accumulate more moments in the form of the passing days, weeks, and years. Something that we have so much of, makes that something seem less substantial. Live every day like it’s your first! Think about it, Yehuda Grodko Questions? Comments? We welcome your feedback! Email our editor at [email protected]
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