\hgnyfan q”q
NO 44
WE WISH LONG LIFE TO
DATE
14th
14th
14th
15th
16th
17th
17th
18th
18th
19th
MONTH
AUGUST
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NAME
HH B Appleby
Mr L Flitterman
Mr & Mrs D Litman
Mrs E Waggerman
Mrs D Chazan
Mrs M Rose
Mr G Topol
Mr K Liebling
Mr S Wise
Mr D Kissman
WE WISH YOU ALL SHABBAT SHALOM FROM
RABBI MOSHE PEREZ AND THE OFFICERS -
\yrbd
ds”b
PARASHAT DEVARIM
13th AUGUST 2016 - 9th AV 5776
SEDRA
HAFTARA
PAGE 736
PAGE 750
SHABBAT CHAZON
Introduction to Devarim (Deuteronomy) With the reading of today's Sidra of
Devarim we commence the fifth and final book of the Torah. In Rabbinic
literature the book of Deuteronomy is often referred to as Mishneh Torah - the
repetition of the Torah, as many laws previously stated are repeated. Moses knew
that he was destined to die shortly thereafter. and consequently during the last 36
days of his life (note - the numerical value of the opening word of the book. "Eleh"
in Hebrew is 36) he took the opportunity of teaching Israel the laws of the Torah
which-he had not yet mentioned, repeating those already known, and rebuking the
people for their past sins with the hope that they would not repeat the same.
Kiddush AFTER THE SERVICE
FOR MORE LEARNING
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE WEBSITE –
WWW.NOTTINGHAMRABBI.COM
Moses recalled how 40 years previously the people of Israel were destined to enter
the land of Israel, but as they had sinned in being convinced by the evil report of
the spies, they dwelt in the desert for 40 years.
Now the new generation were ready to enter the promised land. The Rambam,
Maimonides, in his "Guide to the Perplexed" explains why G-d felt that particular
punishment of a 40-year sojourn in the desert, would be beneficial and educational
to the people.
"It is not in consonance with human nature for the man reared in slavery, bricks
and mortar and the like to be able to make a sudden transition, cleanse his hands
from their dirt, and sally forth to fight with the progeny of Anak (the giants who
inhabited Palestine) ...Divine wisdom arranged that they should wander around the
wilderness till they became schooled in courage, since it is known that marching
through the wilderness under difficult physical
conditions, deprived of normal comforts, toughens. Conversely, the opposite
conditions produce faint-heartedness Besides, another generation arose not
accustomed to degradation and bondage."
Justice
Moses recalled that owing to the constant quarrelling and complaining among the
people, he felt that he was unable to bear the burden of leadership alone, and so
judges and administrators had been appointed to help him. Moses took the
opportunity of re-emphasising the duties of the judges and the fairness they were
to display.
Unlike modern day civil laws, Jewish law says that no distinction
should be made in cases involving major sums of money and those involving a
minor insignificant amount. as justice is a principle in itself, and is completely
unrelated to the amount of money involved.
Judges must be appointed on
TISHA B'AV
Tonight (Saturday night) is Tisha B'AV - the ninth day of the Hebrew month of
Av. Tisha B'AV is the saddest day of the year in the Jewish Calendar. It is also
the only fast day, apart from Yom Kippur on which we are required to fast for 24
hours. All things which are forbidden on Yom Kippur are forbidden on Tisha
B'AV. (e.g. eating, drinking, washing, etc.)
The Mishna lists five tragedies which befell the Jewish people on this day:
1. It was decreed that the Israelites would not enter Israel but would wander in the
desert for 40 years.
2. The 1st Temple was destroyed.
3. The 2nd Temple was destroyed.
4. The City of Betar fell
5. After the destruction, the city of Jerusalem was ploughed (See Jeremiah 26; 18).
Even in later history, Tisha B'Av has been a sad and destructive day for Jews.
For example, in the Jewish year 5252 (1492 CE) Ferdinand, King of Spain,
decreed that by the last day of July in that year, no Jew could remain in Spain.
He later extended the deadline by 2 days, to the 2nd of August. The 2nd of
August 1492 corresponded with the Hebrew day of the 9th of AV (Tisha B'AV)
personal merit and not through 'protekzia' of relatives and friends.
Apart from the general rule to deal justly, many detailed regulations of judicial
procedure are derived from every word and turn of phrase in the text by our
commentators.
Three Lands
During their travels, the people of Israel possessed the lands of Ammon, Moab
and Edom, they were however commanded not to engage in hostilities with any of
these three peoples as the territories of Ammon and Moab were reserved for the
Children of Lot (Abraham's nephew). Edom belonged to the descendants of Esau
and they too had been promised their land.
The Israelites however did achieve two miraculous victories,
against Sichon, the King of Cheshbon, who refused to allow them to pass through
his domain and also against Og, King of Bashan.
WHY?
WHY DO WE NOT PUT ON TEFILLIN ON THE MORNING OF TISHA
B'AV?
Our behaviour on Tisha B 'AV is very much similar to that of a mourner. A
mourner during his most intensive grief, i.e. the period of 'aninut', between death
and burial, does not put on Tefillin. During the morning of Tisha B'Av, we are at
our saddest, and Tefillin are considered a spiritual ornament which is inconsistent
with the spirit of the day. This is based on a play of words in the verse, "He has
cast down from Heaven unto the earth the glory of Israel (Tiferet Yisrael). (Eicha
2:1) The root of the word 'Tiferet' is Pe'er which means ornament.
During the second half of the day. we reduce the intensity of our mourning and
have comforting thoughts about the future, the rebuilding of the Temple, etc. It is
therefore customary to put on Tefillin at the mincha service on Tisha B'AV.