Shabbat-B'Shabbato



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Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Va'eira

No 1606: 28 Tevet 5776 (9 January 2016)

AS SHABBAT APPROACHES



"Let My People Go, and they will Serve Me" - by Esti Rosenberg, Head of the Midrasha for Women, Migdal Oz
Morning and night, when we describe the unity of G-d's name with our love, we remind ourselves and we remember the Exodus from Egypt. It was a wondrous journey, giving birth to a unique nation, but which had much more than that, in that it led to the appearance of the Shechina, the Holy Presence, in the real world and in human history.
When the Creator commands Moshe to go to Pharaoh, he spreads out before him the Divine plan for the redemption of Yisrael. "This is what G-d says: Yisrael is My firstborn... Let My son go and he will worship Me. But you have refused to send him. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son." [Shemot 4:22-23]. The original plan is an attempt to redeem the people, and it focuses on the Plague of the Firstborn. If Pharaoh refuses to give the slaves their freedom, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will in one fell swoop kill Pharaoh's firstborn. And the result will be that in the end Pharaoh will release Bnei Yisrael.
Most of the commentators wonder why it was necessary for G-d to strike at the Egyptians with Ten Plagues in order to take Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt. In fact, it seems from the above quote that the original plan was to have only the Plague of the Firstborn.
Moshe went to Pharaoh, who reacted with two stark statements: "I do not know G-d, and neither will I send Yisrael away" [5:2]. Pharaoh's statement that he does not recognize the Creator of the World is what turns the tables around. The goal of the Exodus from Egypt becomes not only to free the nation of Yisrael from slavery but to serve as the basis through which the entire world will encounter the Creator and get to know His behavior. From this point on, the redemption from Egypt has two goals – not only the release of the slaves but also to reveal the Shechina to Pharaoh, to his slaves, and to the entire world. "And Egypt will know that I am G-d, when I wave my hand over Egypt, and I will take Bnei Yisrael out from among them." [7:5].
And that is why Ten Plagues are necessary, as part of a long process leading to knowledge of the Creator and His ways.
The learning process is gradual, consisting of stages which reveal various aspects of the Shechina in the world. The goal of the first set of Plagues – "By this you will know that I am G-d" [7:17] – is to show His existence in the world, and it is aimed towards the components of the powerful forces of Egypt – the river and the sorcerers. The second set of Plagues help to strengthen the message, "So that you will know that there is nothing else like Me in the entire world" [9:14]. The Holy One, Blessed be He, is not only the Creator and Almighty, He is also active, and guides our day-to-day living.
What is unique about the Plagues in the Torah portion of Va'eira is that they upset the normal flow of life and are very disturbing and irritating, but they do not interfere with government operations. They are meant to oppose the words of Pharoah, "I do not know G-d." And indeed the portion ends with Pharaoh's recognition – "G-d is righteous, and I and my nation are evil" [9:27]. The portion of Bo will concentrate on Plagues which destroy Egypt and completely, so much so that Pharaoh's slaves will cry out, "Don't you know that Egypt is lost?" [10:7]. The last Plagues will bring about the final result – the release Bnei Yisrael.
"Let My people go, and they will serve Me." [7:16].
POINT OF VIEW

Increasing Production: The Challenge for the Next Budget Year - by Zevulun Orlev


Predictions
There is a national custom, which is also practiced worldwide, to calculate budgets on the basis of the secular calendar, one year in advance. No day passes during this period without a conference/gathering/event/discussion with the objective of economic "predictions" for the coming year. The entire elite of national economics, the Minister of the Treasury, the Governor of the Bank of Israel, the leaders of the national economy, the private sector, banks, investment companies, successful businesses, professors of economics, and newspaper reporters - all widen their gaze to ask what will happen, and should happen in the future. None of the speakers wants to be considered fools or babies, as is indicated in the well-known source: "Rabbi Yochanan said, From the day that the Temple was destroyed, prophecy was taken from the prophets and handed over to fools and babies" [Bava Batra 12b]. And so every speaker begins with the declaration, "I am not a prophet," and then continues with laundered cautious declarations: "I expect/estimate/assume, my prediction is..."
The people who understand analyze what happened in Israel in the financial realms in the past year – such matters as inflation, interest, growth, investments, the shekel and the dollar, housing, cost of living index – and from this try to build up a prediction for the future. Wiser people analyze changes that took place in the world, such as a decrease in growth rates, increased unemployment, the sharp decrease in the price of oil, the increase in interest rates in the United States, the increase in world terrorism, the migration of peoples in Europe, crises in awakening markets such as China, the retreat of the United States from its worldwide leadership role while Russia gained in strength, and other factors which might have an influence on the Israeli economy.
All the experts agree that this past year was not a good one in economic terms, to put it mildly. The indications are clear: The interest rates are very low, there are almost no investments, there is no growth, there is a negative inflation rate, poverty is on the increase, apartments are becoming more expensive, the stock market and the investment markets are just managing to maintain their positions, and there are other issues too. In the end, no single person correctly predicted the dramatic economic events of the world and of Israel during the past year. The economic reality in Israel and in the world changed so rapidly that it was not possible to predict them in advance. It is quite reasonable to assume that the same thing will happen in the future.
A Formula for Economic Strength
In order to advance and to prepare for the future in a proper way, it is necessary to understand the process of cause and effect. What came first, the chicken or the egg? This is true at both the national and the personal levels at the same time.
An analysis that is not very complex can show us that the basic question is the following: "How big is the cake that can be divided?" How much economic growth is to be expected? If the population of the country grows every year by 1.9%, it is clear that if the economy does not grow any faster than this the quality of life will not improve. If the growth rate decreases the quality of life will go down, and if the growth rate increases the quality of life will rise at the same rate as the gap between the population increase and the economic growth rate. In the last twelve months, the net economic growth rate was close to zero (just about 2%). And that is a brief summary of the economic situation of our country.
How can we go about increasing our economic growth rate? There are two main factors: (1) Investments to be used for building new factories, development of infrastructures and technologies, and more. (2) Increasing productivity – GDP, the Gross Domestic Product per person. This means that every worker must produce more (products and services must be provided more efficiently than before), and the number of workers must be increased. In the United States, the average production of a worker is more than $50,000, in Europe the number is about $40,000, and in Israel it is only $30,000. That is, the average worker in Israel produces less than other workers in the Western World. In addition, we have fewer workers than other countries in relation to our total population.
Economic investments will depend on government policy. Increasing worker productivity also depends on the government, but not only the government. It also depends on each and every individual, since it is linked to education, knowledge, skill, and professionalism of the workers. The way to improve all of these elements is through education and professional training in addition to recognizing the proper work ethic. Budget cuts in the resources for education, study, and professional preparation is the responsibility of the government, and they can have severe consequences in terms of the quality of life of all the people. But every person can still accomplish a lot within his home, concentrate on being more professional in his or her work, and achieve a higher level of knowledge and efficiency.
The start of a new budget year gives us an opportunity to strive for higher productivity at the national and individual levels even if global conditions are not encouraging and the economic data within Israel do not provide any support. Increasing the level of productivity is the main factor that will enable us to enlarge the national economic "cake" and to grow. Such an increase will help raise the level of available personal resources for education and degree study, and at the national level it will provide a basis for larger investments and a reduction of poverty levels and the social gaps – and therefore to a higher standard of living.
This is not a vision. It is established fact!
SWEETNESS FOR THE SOUL

Calming the Soul, and Advice in Serving G-d - by Rabbi Itiel Gilady, Lecturer in the School for the Soul and Editor of the Writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginzburg


This week, on the twenty-fourth of Tevet, is the anniversary of the death of the Alter Rebbe, who wrote the Tanya, which can be considered the "written Torah" of Chassidut. In the introduction, the Tanya describes the unique traits of the book in that the text is based on "therapeutic experience" of many years, in answers to questions brought to him by his disciples in personal consultation. He writes that "a person will find calm for his soul and good advice for whatever is difficult for him in his service of G-d."
Two Sides of the Coin
The secular form of therapy, even if performed by a religious therapist, does not usually bring the Holy One, Blessed be He, into the picture, and it is not aware of the Divine soul. It therefore separates between spiritual healing and the worship of G-d. On the other hand, one of the basic principles of Jewish psychology is to form a link between spiritual healing ("calming the soul") and serving G-d ("whatever is difficult for him in his service of G-d"). Every spiritual problem can also be defined as difficulty in serving G-d (for example, sadness/depression/despair are a difficulty to the joy of serving G-d), and every difficulty in serving G-d can be viewed as a need for a deeper spiritual relationship (for example, a difficulty with prayer can stem from problems in the relationship between parents and children). There are advantages to looking at both sides of the coin, and a good therapist will know how to switch from one mode to the other as needed.
Treating a problem as something that is "difficult in the service of G-d" can help to release the person from an image of being unfortunate and mentally ill. After all, we all have to cope with "difficulties in the service of G-d" – otherwise this would not be called "avodah" – labor. This is true for both the therapist and the patient, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives us the strength to serve Him. Using the definition of a difficulty in serving G-d also forces the person to take action, and this can sometimes encourage and push him forward more than standard therapy or attempts at rehabilitation.
One the other hand, identifying the difficulty in serving G-d as the result of a deeper spiritual problem shows that not every problem can be solved by brute force – by applying a greater effort and more strength – but that it is necessary to delve into the depths of the problem and to find a true and efficient solution. (This in itself entails a more internal service of G-d, since the Holy One, Blessed be He, also expects us to improve our ways and not only to perform the positive acts of the service of G-d.) And before a solution is reached, the fact that a person recognizes his own limitations is an important aspect of the treatment and the progress – both in spiritual healing and in the service of G-d.
What is Under my Control and What is Not?
To be precise, we should note that the Tanya defines spiritual healing as "calming the soul" and proposes "the proper advice" for difficulties in serving G-d. When the two realms are looked at separately, the approach is usually the opposite of this idea. A patient will be told that he should "calm down" somewhat in his Divine service and focus on finding advice for the treatment of spiritual healing. (It is true that "a danger should be approached more seriously than a prohibition," which also includes a danger to a person's mental health, and there are times when a spiritual problem is so serious that the person will be defined as a "fool" who is not obligated to perform mitzvot, but this is only in extreme cases which are relatively rare.)
In the end, "everything is in the hands of heaven, except for the fear of heaven." Our mental health is in G-d's hands, and it is up to us to calm down and to depend on Him. Many times we feel tension because our mental state causes harm to the personal image which we have created for ourselves, and the internal calm is an acknowledgement that "I did not make myself." (See Tanya, Chapter 31.) On the other hand, the service of G-d is our duty, and it is under our control – always matched to our powers, since "the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not severely criticize His creatures about their behavior." It is our task to search for good and helpful advice. Only a feeling of calm, with which the therapy begins, can allow us to build a positive path in the service of G-d, and to implement the advice in a "clean" and helpful way.
The Tanya ends the sentence that we quoted at the beginning of this article with the following: "And his heart should have faith in G-d, who wants to finish in the best way for us." Bringing G-d into the therapy room reminds both the patient and the therapist that in the end "everything is in the hands of heaven" and gives a feeling of calm and confidence that the treatment will succeed – with the help of G-d, who wants to finish in the best way for us.
Reactions: itiel@pnimi.org.il
A PARSHA INSIGHT

Enough Tolerance! - by Rabbi Asaf Harnoy, Post-Graduate Beit Midrash for Torah and Leadership, Jerusalem


Tolerance is a very good characteristic. It means to be patient while on the road and in a queue in a store, and at home it is a great trait which every person should pursue. However, there are times when tolerance is not a virtue – there are circumstances and events where tolerance is not the best option.
How often do we show tolerance to ourselves when we don't wake up as soon as the alarm clock rings? How often do we show tolerance for the fact that we arrived late for the daily prayers? How often do we show tolerance for not eating the healthiest foods, and how much tolerance do we show for our own bad traits in general, which should be worked on and improved?
A tolerant person, by definition, is one who can accept difficulties. He can show acceptance and cope with delays in many different realms and matters. However, there are times when what is needed is more care and a sense of haste. There are times when we show tolerance for something even though we should not be tolerant at all!
Oppressed in Egypt
For many long years, Bnei Yisrael performed heavy labor in Egypt. In the beginning, when the oppression began, we may assume that there protests and resistance against this process. It stands to reason that the transition from respected citizens who lived in the land of Goshen, which was good and inviting, to a status of slaves engaged in heavy labor could not have been accepted at first without some objections. However, as years passed, Bnei Yisrael became accustomed to the harsh suppression in Egypt. Generation after generation, from father to son, the people began to "understand and accept" that this was their fate, and this the way they were meant to live for all the generations to come. Waking up every morning into a harsh regime of slavery must have been difficult and bad, but any attempts to change the situation were completely beyond the scope of the thoughts of these people.
To put it another way – Bnei Yisrael learned to be patient and tolerant. As time went by, year after year, they became accustomed to the situation and they accepted the harsh conditions. When Moshe finally came to redeem them from Egypt, they "did not listen to Moshe, because of impatience and because of the harsh labor" [Shemot 6:9].
The first and greatest miracle that the Holy One, Blessed be He, performed for Bnei Yisrael was the fact the He "took them out from the 'tolerance' of Egypt" [6:7]. The Holy One, Blessed be He, changed the people, so that they would no longer tolerate the existing oppression. He caused the people to wake up and understand that they were tolerant in a situation where this was not a good trait. He pushed them into eliminating their acceptance and their tolerance for oppression, and that brought hope for change and a desire for redemption.
They Sighed – the Beginning of the Redemption
According to Chidushei HaRim, the beginning of the redemption took place when the people let out a great sigh and a cry against the oppression. That was it. They were no longer able to tolerate the harsh labor, they no longer had any patience, and therefore they cried out to G-d. "And Bnei Yisrael sighed because of the labor, and they cried out. And their cries rose up to G-d" [2:23].
Cautious Tolerance
Each and every one of us has some good traits that should be developed and maintained, and we also have traits and behavior patterns which we should improve and fix.
One of the important points that can be learned from this week's Torah portion is the need to wake up and cry out against our patient acceptance of the negative things. First and foremost, and this is the most important insight, we must realize that just as the trait of tolerance is good with respect to many positive realms, it can also be dangerous and harmful with respect to negative things. The redemption from Egypt began first of all with the rejection of the trait of tolerance – that is, the rejection of the tolerance for the oppression which the people had learned to accept.
As is true for all of the characteristics of the soul, every person from Yisrael must learn to channel the trait of tolerance to its proper place. This would be patience and tolerance on the road and in the street, patience in the family and in the relationship between a couple – in all of these cases, this trait should be practiced expansively and in a large measure. However, there are times when the right thing to do is to limit this trait. Self-tolerance of improper behavior, which we should work at to improve, is not a good thing. In such cases we must act promptly and not be tolerant, and then we can hope for salvation.
NOTES FROM THE HAFTARAH

Kingdoms at War - by Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation, Jerusalem


The main message of the Haftarah for this week's portion (Yechezkel 28:25-29:21), aside from the discussion of the punishment that will befall Egypt which is similar to the plagues in the Torah portion, is the lesson it teaches us about international struggles. This includes the story of the rise and fall of various empires. In ancient times, the status of Babylon and Egypt were similar to the current positions of Europe and the United States. The final form of human civilization as a whole depended on which one of the two nations would be victorious. Soon after the events described in the Haftarah, Persia would reshuffle the deck and completely change the situation in the Middle East, but at that time the great struggle was between Babylon and Egypt.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, is "the master of dreams." That is, He utilizes historical events as a way to advance the broad events in the world on the way to "tikun," moral improvement. He is not interested in having wars, which cause the greatest destruction that has ever been designed by man in his evil ways, but after the fact the Divine guidance utilizes them to build up a more advanced stage (see Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Orot, page 13).
Egypt was the arch-type of a rich world power which makes a political and military covenant with the nation of Yisrael. The prophets are united in their opposition to the idea of depending on "reeds for support" (see 29:6), insisting that Egypt will not be reliable during a crisis. Egypt maintains an unchanging form of human society and thus blocks the way for a new world to develop. However, the Babylonian alternative is not very encouraging from the moral point of view. Babylon conquers other nations in order to satisfy its own needs, so much so that the prophet paints a sarcastic picture of the conquest of Egypt by the King of Babylon as financial compensation for the conquest of Tzor! (29:18-20).
With the success of Babylon in the background, the alternative of Yisrael breaks out and rises up, a possibility that is very necessary in order to bring humanity back to an ethical basis. The prophet predicts what will happen when Babylon is victorious: "On that day I will cause the strength of the House of Yisrael to blossom, and your speech will be heard among them, and they will know that I am G-d" [29:21]. And in fact Babylon was conquered by Persia, and Koresh made his declaration, which established the return to Zion during the days of the Second Temple.
Only prophecy that is necessary for later generations is written down, and Yechezkel's prophecy is relevant for our time. As our exile came to an end, we saw how the Balfour Declaration was given as huge empires fell, when the other nations formally recognized our right to return to the land of our fathers and to establish our country, as in ancient times. This is an example of what we were taught by the sages: When you see governments struggling against each other, know that the feet of Mashiach are not far behind (Bereishit Rabba 42:4).
Let it come quickly, in our time.
Rabbi Cherki is the head of Brit Olam – Noahide World Center, Jerusalem
KLEZMER MELODIES

"And I will be Sanctified through them in the Eyes of the Nations" - by Moshe (Mussa) Berlin


(The above verse is the beginning of this week's Haftarah - Yechezkel 28:25.)
* * * * * *
Back in the mid-nineties a Jewish advertising executive in New York came up with what seemed to be a very wild idea. It would be a great sanctification of G-d's name if the New York Times – considered the world’s most prestigious newspaper – would list the Shabbat candle lighting time every week.
The man thought about his idea and consulted with some friends, and then he got in touch with a Jewish philanthropist and sold him on the idea. It cost almost two thousand dollars a week. But he did it.
And for the next five years, each Friday, Jews around the world would see "Jewish Women: Shabbat candle lighting time this Friday is ..." This was followed by a listing of various cities.
Eventually the philanthropist had to cut back on a number of his projects. And in June 1999, the little Shabbat notice stopped appearing in the Friday Times. And from that week on it never appeared again.
Except for one time.
On January 1, 2000, the NY Times ran a Millennium edition. It was a special issue that featured three front pages. One had the news from January 1, 1900. The second was the actual news of the day, January 1, 2000. And then they had a third front page, projecting future events of January 1, 2100.

This fictional page included things like a welcome to the fifty-first state, Cuba, as well as a discussion as to whether robots should be allowed to vote. And so on.


And in addition to fascinating articles, there was one more thing. Down on the bottom of the Year 2100 front page was the candle lighting time for January 1, 2100. Nobody paid for it. It was just put in by the Times.
Everybody was surprised by the decision of the production manager of the New York Times – an Irish Catholic – to publish this list, and for free! When he was asked about it, his answer was amazing. And it speaks to the eternity of our people, and to the power of Shabbat.
He explained: "We don’t know what will be in the year 2100. We cannot know what will happen with Cuba, and if or how robots will have the right to vote. But of one thing you can be certain, that in the year 2100 Jewish women will be lighting Shabbos candles."
[Quoted widely on the internet.]
* * * * * *
Check and see what day of the week January 1, 2100 will be. I checked, and I found that it will be Friday, on the eve of Shabbat for the Torah portion of Shemot. Our sages have taught us that Bnei Yisrael were redeemed from Egypt because of the merits of the righteous women (who are mentioned in the Torah portion).
What merits did they have? Among other things, they maintained, over and over, the proper time for lighting Shabbat candles!
Here is something for you to check: When was the last time that Friday was January 1, and the Torah portion was Shemot?
See the answer below:


It was last week: The Torah portion of Shemot.

To see this story told (in Hebrew) at an evening of women's prayer and to hear the song, "Vezakeini Legadel," click here.
For reactions: sulamklezmer@gmail.com
HALACHA FROM THE SOURCE

Can I Visit a Friend for a Meal? - by Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Director of the Center for Teaching and Halacha and a Teacher in Yeshivat Har Etzion


Question: In my house we are very stringent about the food we eat. I have been invited for a Shabbat meal in a friend's house, and it seems to me that his family does not observe the strict kashrut laws the way we do at home. Examples would be that they might not wait a full twenty-four hours between heating meat and milk in an oven, or immersion of their dishes in a mikveh, or checking rice for contamination – and other matters about which we in my house are very stringent. What should I go?
Answer: The Talmud tells us that in spite of many disputes between Rav and Shmuel, Rav visited Shmuel and was confident that Shmuel never gave him anything that was prohibited according to Rav's approach. "Clearly the offspring of his grandfather would never give me anything that I think is forbidden" [Chulin 111a].
The RAMA accepts this ruling as halacha (Yoreh Dei'ah 111:2). Thus, when a person who maintains regular kashrut (all year round, not including Pesach) invites a guest who insists on a more stringent "mehadrin" level of kashrut, it is clear that the host should make an effort to raise the kashrut for this meal, so that the guest can eat food at the level which he usually eats. Otherwise it would be as if a host invites a vegetarian to a meal and gives him meat. In general, a host is responsible to provide food that the guests will consider tasty and at the proper level of kashrut. He will therefore raise the level when necessary to accommodate all of his guests.
When a Guest can Deviate from his or her Usual Custom
What should a person do if he fears that he will be given something that would be forbidden according to his normal standard? If this entails something that is halachically forbidden, one is not allowed to treat the matter leniently (see Shulchan Aruch and the RAMA, Yoreh Dei'ah 112:13,19, and the SHACH). However, if it is a stringency, the guest can temporarily relax his standard and eat what his host gives him. We therefore customarily eat at the home of a friend who is religious (during the year), even though some of our usual customs might not be observed. Specifically:
Waiting 24 hours between meat and milk to use an oven: Since after the fact food cooked in this way can be eaten (Responsa Tuv, Taam, Vadaat, 1:176; Igrot Moshe Yoreh Dei'ah 1:59), we can be lenient in this matter.
Dishes that have not been immersed in a mikveh: Since food placed in dishes that have not been immersed is not prohibited, and since there are many reasons to allow a guest to eat from such dishes (Igrot Moshe Yoreh Dei'ah 3:22; Responsa Beit Avi, and more), we can be lenient.
Rice or flour that was not fully checked: Since the infection of rice is not usually very great, it is possible to be lenient after the rice has been cooked. (Contamination of rice is usually at a minor level, and the Rashba feels (Torat Habayit Hakatzar 2,3) that one can be lenient after the rice has been cooked. The same is true for flour that was not sifted – after the fact, one can be lenient.
Kashrut of the Host's Dishes
Should the guest worry in a case that the host accepts relatively lenient rulings (that the guest usually does not accept) that the dishes have been contaminated?
The Shulcha Aruch rules that a specific type of fat found near the intestine is forbidden, but the RAMA notes the following:
"This is the custom everywhere, except for the sons of Reimus, some of whom allow eating it. And they should not be scolded for this, since this is what they have been taught by a wise man. And wherever it is considered as forbidden it can be ignored as usual if it comprises less than one-sixtieth of a mixture. But the dishes of the sons of Reimus are not prohibited, since they feel that this is permitted."
That is, in spite of the dispute about kashrut, their dishes are not considered unkosher. Thus, one who is stringent about a specific halacha is allowed to eat in the home of a friend who does not observe the halacha. Similarly, it is the usual custom to be lenient and eat at a friend's home, even when one of them eats only "glatt" meat and the other does not observe this stringency (as long as the host provides "glatt" meat for this specific meal). In this case, the dishes are not considered to be unkosher (since in general dishes are not used within 24 hours of their last use). (See Darchei Teshuva Yoreh Dei'ah 122:27).
This ruling implies that when the host relies on a lenient approach, his or her dishes are not considered to be unkosher even for those who are more stringent in the matter. This is also the ruling with respect to Shemitta of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchat Shlomo 1:44), and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu (Shemitta Guidebook for Consumers, 5754, page 3, note 18).
The Importance of Eating at a Friend's Home
Aside from the discussion of detailed halachic considerations, it should be emphasized that it is very important to encourage having people eat at the home of friends. It is written in the Talmud, that "an individual witness can be believed in matters of prohibitions" [Gittin 2b]. Rashi explains:
"If this would not be so, nobody would be able to eat at a friend's home and no person could ever rely on the people in his own home." [Yevamot 88a].
If we could not rely on a single person as a witness, nobody would ever be able to be invited to a friend to eat. It is true that the matter we are dealing with is different, because in our case we know that the host does not fully understand some of the laws (such as the halacha of checking for worms and how serious a matter it is, or that he relies on his feeling that maaser must have been taken from all fruits and vegetables in the open markets). However, the above quote from the Talmud can teach us one principle: It is important for a person to visit a friend and to eat in his home! The ideal is for Jews to eat in the homes of their friends.
Summary
One is permitted (and even encouraged) to visit a religious family even if there is a possibility that their level of kashrut is lower than what the guest usually observes. A priori, the host should make sure to raise the level of kashrut to what is normally observed by the guests, but if he or she has not done so, many different types of food can be eaten. (It is not necessary to worry about problems with the oven or the dishes.) One should be wary of leafy vegetables which have not been grown under special bug-free conditions or were not washed properly. However, rice that was not fully inspected or cake and bread made from unsifted flour can be eaten.
There are other matters to which we should pay attention, but this is not the place to go into detail - such as the kashrut of meat and chicken, setting aside teruma and maaser, and challah.
NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION

The Tanin - by Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for Women


"When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, make for yourselves a sign, then tell Aharon: Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, let it become a 'tanin'" [Shemot 7:9].
The name "tanin" has three different meanings in the Bible and as used by the sages. (1) A huge ocean mammal, the Whale (Leviathan), which the sages call "orzila d'yama" – the "ram of the sea." (2) The crocodile, which was very widely distributed in Egypt, and was the most feared beast of the land. (3) A snake or a mythical serpent. This is seen in the miracles performed by Moshe and Aharon in this week's Torah portion, but it will not be discussed further because of a lack of space.
The "Tanin" as a Whale
The "tanin" is the first creature that appears by name in the Torah, as opposed to all the other creatures, which are described in the story of the Creation only as part of a broader group to which they belong (that is, assuming that the word "tanin" in the Torah refers to a specific species). In the Torah portion of Bereishit, it is written, "And G-d created the great 'taninim' and all the living creatures which roamed in the water according to their species, and all of the winged birds, by their species" [Bereishit 1:20-21]. Rashi explains: "'Taninim' – large fish in the sea. In the Agaddah this is taken to refer to the Leviathan and its mate. They were created as a male and a female, and G-d killed the female and salted it away for the righteous people in the distant future, because if they had been fruitful and multiplied the world would not have been able to continue to exist." And RADAK writes, "Some say that all of the large 'taninim' are called the Leviathan..."
Why were these animals mentioned by name as part of the Creation? The Maharsha gives the following answer: "'Taninim' – 'orzili d'yama,' the ram of the sea. As is written in Chulin, equivalents of all creatures on land also appear in the sea. And since the largest creature mentioned on the land is the ram, as noted above, we must say that the very largest of the animals created in the sea, the 'tanin,' is also related to the ram. And the reason that the 'ram of the sea' is mentioned by name and not the 'ram of the land' is that the ones in the sea are larger by far than the ones on the land." [Insights into the Midrash, Bava Batra 74b]. Thus, according to the Maharsha, the "taninim" (that is, the Leviathans) and all the creatures of the sea were created before the land creatures because of their notable huge size. Indeed, the largest creature that has ever existed on the earth is the blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, which can reach a size of 170 tons, while the largest land animal is the African elephant, which can reach a size of 7 tons.
It is very tempting to identify the 'tanin' as a whale, since many sources in the Bible and in the literature of the sages imply that the tanin is the largest animal in the sea. Here is how Iyov refers to the Leviathan: "Can you pull a leviathan with a hook, can you pull its tongue with a rope?" [40:25]. "Smoke comes from its nostrils, like a seething pot, or a cauldron" [41:12]. On this second verse, Metzudat David comments, "'From its nostrils' – A large amount of air is blown from its nostrils, appearing as smoke because of its great heat, and this is compared to the air flowing out of a pot or a cauldron which is boiling and gives out a large air flow." This is typical of the image of a whale exhaling when it comes to the surface for air.
The "Tanin" as a Reptile
On the other hand, a verse by Yechezkel describes the "tanim" as a crocodile: "I am coming to you, Pharaoh, King of Egypt, the great crocodile, crouching in his rivers, who says: The river is mine, I made it." [29:3]. Pharaoh, who took on the role of a deity, chose as his symbol the crocodile, which was the largest and most dangerous animal in the Nile. Clearly, this is not a whale, which lives in the open ocean and not the Nile River. In addition, the verb "crouch" is fitting for the crocodile, which spends most of its time in a swamp or on a riverbank and not in open water. Malbim comments: "'The great tanim' – The Egyptians believed that the Nile was holy, and that the large crocodiles in it were divine. They thought that there was one crocodile bigger than all the others which ruled over them all, and he had created himself and the Nile. And Yechezkel compared Pharaoh and his mighty power to this."
Many archeological finds show that the crocodile played a very important role as a deity in Egypt and also for some of the surrounding nations. Hundreds of crocodiles were preserved as mummies at the Kom Ombo site on the banks of the Nile. This is a temple dedicated to Sobek, a god who controlled the city of Crocodilopolis, and who was depicted in hieroglyphics as a man with the head of a crocodile. As part of the worship of this god in some of the Egyptian temples, crocodiles were fed and decorated in pools.
Another indication of the habitat of the 'tanin' can be found in a letter by Rav Sharira Gaon. "In the time of religious persecution, which was decreed by Yizdegard, who was followed by Rav Sama, the son of Rava, and at his time and that of Mar Bar Rav Ashi, we heard from the early rabbis and we saw written in their memoires that they asked for mercy, and King Yizdegard was swallowed up alive by a crocodile (tanin) at his home, and the persecution ended." [Translation of Rabanan Sevorai, 105]. Such cases happened (and still happen) in settled areas that are close to rivers, where groups of crocodiles may wander over great distances in order to hunt. The northern border of the habitat of the crocodile was in the Lebanon Valley, and there is testimony from the Middle Ages that they could be found in the swamps of the Ornat River. In Israel, several sites are named for crocodiles, which lived here until the beginning of the twentieth century. One example is Nachal Taninim.
For more information in Hebrew and for pictures, and to regularly receive articles about plants and animals linked to the Daf Yomi, write e-mail to: raananmoshe1@gmail.com
STRAIGHT TALK

Why is no Cultural Alternative Available? – by Rabbi Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim Makshivim" Website


Two hundred years or more ago, if you had stopped a person in the street at random and asked, "Excuse me, sir, what do you do with your leisure time?" – You would have been met with a blank stare. He would not have understood the question at all. "Leisure time" was a precious commodity that was available only to the very wealthy. Most people never had the privilege to encounter any such thing. Just to be able to survive and bring food home every day, people were required to work all day long, using up all their energy, six and often seven days a week.
The Industrial Revolution brought with it the tidings of a new era. The world had progressed, technology was developed, and manpower was replaced by machines. The result was that productivity increased by orders of magnitude, while the number of hours it was necessary to work was drastically reduced. We can add to this the socialist movements and the trend towards a "welfare state," which together brought great changes and a shorter work week of six or possibly even five days. And even on a workday there was a large amount of free time between the end of the working day and the time for bed.
The large empty gap that was created was quickly filled by a new entity: the world of entertainment. This has become a mammoth industry with a turnover of billions of dollars, which constantly churns out enticing products: movies, performances, plays, books, and music. The driving force for this industry is not moral values or education. The fuel on which this industry runs is economic power. The higher the "rating" the more money is available. And for this "holy" objective, anything goes. The main technique used is to aim for the lowest common denominator. Whatever is yellowest, cheapest, and juiciest will grab a larger audience, many more internet clicks, or more "likes."
The influence of the concept of leisure time goes way beyond what most people have in mind on this subject. This is not a neutral method for having a good time. Rather, it is a powerful tool that shapes, influences, and "educates" an entire culture. Its messages percolate openly and covertly into the souls of adults, and even more so into the souls of the young, whose mechanism for filtering out the bad and for critical analysis are less developed.
What Alternative can we Offer?
We have all heard lectures about the dangers of the internet. We all know how to explain beautifully that it is necessary to watch things with a critical eye, and it is vital that we carefully choose the culture that we consume, even if this means that we must give up on seeing some interesting items.
The problem is that one who attempts to follow this line of reasoning is liable to discover that large fractions of existing modern cultural products are rejected out of hand. They may show an outrageous lack of modesty, they may be full of violence and intrigue, apostasy and materialism, and a broad band of values that are totally contrary to the educational path in which we believe. So we are left with a simple question: What alternative is there? Reality shows and American soap operas are out of the question. Modern literature is fraught with garbage, and Israeli shows do not even deserve being mentioned. Then what is there? How is an average religious boy or girl supposed to spend their leisure time? We can assume that they have finished all their homework, and that reading through the weekly Torah portion is not their favorite activity. As a replacement for everything that we have taken away and forbidden, do we have anything else to offer?
Filling the Void
It is not easy to say this, but the general answer to all of the above questions is negative. If we divide the known realms of culture into five categories, we will be able to see that in sum total we are barely worthy of a passing grade for our efforts.
We start with the positive side. The two best-developed areas are journalism and music. It took many years to happen, but today whoever wants to read printed or online news can find alternatives that are valuable, clean, and up-to-date, without any need to go through the portals of large newspapers. (Does most of the religious community take advantage of this option, or do they continue to read the secular outlets? This is a worthy question in its own right...) In the realm of music, we have seen in the last few years many artists (quite a few of them have recently repented) who have published albums and songs which have even gone beyond the boundaries of our own sector and are included in the general playlists. The realm of poetry has also developed well, and it has given birth to a large number of high-quality creations. However, this is more elitist and it doesn't attract very large crowds.
As opposed to this, the other three realms – theater, literature, and movies – leave much to be desired, and they are sorely missed. The best developed one among the three is the theater. Religious acting schools (with special credit to the pioneer, "Aspaklaria") have taught a large number of actors in the last two decades, and they have performed many plays. The crop is still small, but there is a beginning of a period of blooming. This can best be seen in the world of children. Whoever searched during Chanukah for quality performances for children was able to satisfy their desire. And even when there is no holiday there are a number of options. The most prominent of these is the television channel "Arutz Meir" for children, which has presented a large number of quality productions. In the realm of comedy, everybody is familiar with the talented "Underdoss" group, but aside from them and a standup comic here and there, no good alternatives exist for clean humor.
In the realm of literature the situation is not much better. In this area of writing, which should in theory have been an important realm for us, the level of supply is low, and the number of religious authors for youth and adults is embarrassingly small. It must be admitted that in the visual world in which we live, the "screen" generation much prefers to watch a film clip than to actually pick up a book and read it, and all over the world the value of the printed book has dropped dramatically. The Chareidi sector is the last one that is keeping the fire going, and it has succeeded in developing a broad industry of leisure-time books, but most of its products are openly educational and are not suitable for other sectors.
The last realm for us to discuss is movies, where the gap between the attractive form of the medium and what can be found in the markets is huge. Research shows that the religious community leads all the others in direct surfing of the internet, leading both Chareidim and the nonreligious. American shows are the bread and butter of many religious youths, but whoever wants to search for a worthy series of full-length movies on Jewish topics will quickly find his or her way to a parched desert, where a dry bush can be found growing here and there, but nothing more. The religious movie schools "Maaleh" and "Torat Chaim" have begun to pave the way for religious movie-makers. But if you try to think of examples of full-length movies (Ushpizin, To Fill the Void, etc), you will find that they were all produced by penitents who had a nonreligious background in movie-making.
How did we get into such a situation? How can we create real alternatives, and what obstacles stand in our way? With G-d's help, we will continue with these questions in our next article.
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EXHIBITION ABSTRACTS

A Talit that Survived Fire, Water, and the Sword - by Keren Chakak, Heichal Shlomo Museum


David Ben-David was born in 1920 in a small village in the Carpathian Mountains. On the fifteenth of March, 1939, when the Nazis burned synagogues in the Czech Republic and in Moravia, Ben-David managed to save his tallit from the flames.
When the "illegal ship" Patria was blown up, the tallit sunk with the ship, but it was found by divers and returned to its owner. It was also rescued from "the sword" when it survived the surrender of Gush Etzion.
Ben-David's daughter embroidered the story of the tallit on it. Every day, on Holocaust Memorial Day, Ben-David asks to wear his tallit. Therefore it is taken from the Heichal Shlomo and brought to him in Nir Etzion.
This tallit, the tool of a mitzva which is closest to the body, has become part of Ben-David's body, and we send him our wishes for many more pleasant and enjoyable years.
RIDDLE OF THE WEEK

by Yoav Shelosberg, Director of "Quiz and Experience"


Va'eira

Who is it whose second half of his father-in-law's name is that of his son?
Answers for last week, Shemot - The riddle was: We read that Tziporah circumcised her son: "And Tziporah took a sharp stone and cut off her son's foreskin, and she threw it at his feet..." [Shemot 4:25]. What Hebrew idiom (which in a literal sense is not relevant at all to this event) can be used describe Tziporah's action?
- Milah B'Sella – Taken literally, this could mean "circumcision using a stone" – which is exactly what Tziporah did. As an expression, "milah b'sella, shetika b'trei" is the equivalent of "silence is golden."
Our thanks to the one who sent us this riddle, Yissachar Sharaub, from Moreshet.
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SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin

distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is

published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices

of the National Religious Party.

Translated by: Moshe Goldberg

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