Fast of Tammuz - Sunday July 13th
Three Weeks - Thursday July 17th to Sunday Aug 3rd
Rosh Hodesh Av - Saturday July 26th
9 Days of Av - Saturday July 26th to August 3rd
Tisha'a b'Av - Saturday Aug 2nd (evening) to Aug 3 (afternoon)
UPCOMING THIS WEEK
CELEBRATIONS
MABROOK!!!
Armand Levy & Maggie (Magdalena) Levy
on their wedding Anniversary
MABROOK!!!
Samara Sayegh
on her Hebrew Birthday
MABROOK!!!
Michelle Sasson
on her Birthday (past week)
MABROOK!!!
Sasha Guindi
on his Birthday
HAZKAROT
HAZKARAH
YOACKIM SHEM TOV BEN MERCEDES z'L
Nephew of Saadia Israel
2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) By Hazzan David Azerad -
The Three Weeks - Peninei Halacha -- Peninei Halacha
3) Holy Jokes!
4) For KIDS
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Balak- “Ma Tobu Ohalecha Yaakob” – Blessing or Curse?
Among the blessings proclaimed by Bilam in Parashat Balak is one of the most famous verses in the entire Torah – "Ma Tobu Ohalecha Yaakob, Mishkenotecha Yisrael" – "How good are your tents, Yaakob, and your residences, Yisrael!" (24:5). This blessing is so significant that it is customary in our community to sing this verse as we accompany a bride and groom to the Hupa. Ironically, a blessing uttered by Bilam, a vicious foe of Am Yisrael, became the words sung at the most significant and auspicious moments of Jewish life.
The Gemara teaches that nearly all of Bilam’s blessings were fulfilled also in the reverse. The blessings themselves materialized, but in addition, there were occasions when the converse of every blessing was realized, when we suffered calamities that were the direct opposites of the blessings conferred upon us by Bilam. The one exception, the Gemara says, is this verse - "Ma Tobu Ohalecha Yaakob, Mishkenotecha Yisrael." As opposed to all of Bilam’s other blessings, this one never reverted into a curse.
The Ketab Sofer (Rabbi Abraham Shemuel Binyamin Sofer of Pressburg, 1815-1871) suggested a fascinating, though sobering, explanation of the Gemara’s comment. He explained that this blessing was never turned into a curse for the simple reason that it did not have to – it is already, in a certain sense, a curse!
The Sages interpreted this Beracha as referring to our religious institutions, mainly our synagogues. While synagogues are certainly a great blessing, Bilam speaks here of an overabundance of synagogues, the scattering and distillation of Jewish communities into countless little "subcommunities." The Ketab Sofer lamented the situation he witnessed in his city, where there were dozens of small little synagogues, rather than one or several large, centralized congregations. He perceptively noted that the plethora of synagogues resulted from infighting and quibbling, from the townspeople’s inability to get along with one another. First a group breaks off from the major synagogue because they disapprove of the Hazan, and they establish a new congregation with their own Hazan. Then a group of people decide that they do not like the new congregation’s Rabbi, so they start their own synagogue. Then people disagree over the Minyan schedule, the protocols, the décor, or whatever else, and before they realize it, one synagogue has divided and subdivided itself into dozens of small congregations.
In this sense, Bilam’s blessing is actually a curse. He wasn’t blessing us with spiritual success; he was wishing us disunity and conflicts that would result in a plethora of "dwelling places" and "residences," in many different institutions that resent and look disdainfully upon one another.
Although our community can legitimately take pride in our unity and cooperation, there is plenty of room for improvement in this regard. We must work together as one community – notwithstanding the many differences that exist among its different segments – rather than forming different factions and parties. This will help ensure that "Ma Tobu Ohalecha Yaakob, Mishkenotecha Yisrael" remains a blessing and not a curse, that our religious institutions will be a source of Beracha that bring us all closer to Hashem, rather than a focal point of strife and contention.
Halachot this week are selected and Translated by Hazzan David Azerad
The Three Weeks -Peninei Halacha
The Three Weeks, which begin on the night of Shiv’a Asar Be-Tamuz and continue through Tisha Be-Av, are a painful time. This period is often known as Bein Ha-metzarim, recalling the verse, “All her pursuers overtook her in the narrow places (bein ha-metzarim)” (Eikha 1:3). Therefore, the Sages recommended that we take extra precautions on these days, which are prone to calamity. For example, even though one must always be careful and vigilant, those who go on a hike or swim in the sea must be even more careful during this period (see Eikha Rabba 1:29).
To signify the nature of this period, the Sages instituted the reading of special haftarot that deal with calamity on the three Shabbatot of the Three Weeks. On the seven Shabbatot following Tisha Be-Av, we read seven haftarot of consolation (SA 428:8, based on Pesikta).
Even though the Sages did not make any special enactments to mark the suffering and mourning of the Three Weeks, the Jewish people adopted the custom to refrain from music and dancing, and to avoid reciting She-heĥeyanu during this period. 1
There are other customs of mourning that various communities have adopted.
Ashkenazim and some Sephardim, including Jews from Morocco and Djerba, refrain from cutting their hair during the Three Weeks. Other Sephardim are strict about this only during the week of Tisha Be-Av. Ashkenazim, Yemenites, and most Sephardim do not conduct weddings during the Three Weeks. Other Sephardim are more lenient, only avoiding weddings from the beginning of the month of Av (see below, section 7).
In the following sections, we will discuss at length the customs of the Three Weeks, the Nine Days, and the week of Tisha Be-Av.
Even though Shiv’a Asar Be-Tamuz begins at daybreak, the customs of mourning of the Three Weeks begin the night before. As we learned above, the fast was originally supposed to begin at night. The reason we begin fasting in the morning is that there are no harsh decrees against the Jewish people today. Therefore, it is up to the Jewish people to decide whether or not they want to fast, and they have decided to fast only from daybreak. However, the Three Weeks begin on the night of 17 Tamuz. Ĥida writes in this vein in Responsa Ĥayim Sha’al 1:24, based on Ramban. R. Moshe Feinstein, in Igrot Moshe oĥ 1:168, however, rules leniently, permitting weddings on the night of 17 Tamuz. Elsewhere (oĥ 4:112:2), he allows one to cut one’s hair then, if there is a great need. Tzitz Eliezer 10:26 disagrees, forbidding even weddings–through which one fulfills a mitzva–on the night of the seventeenth, because the Three Weeks have already begun. This seems correct.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day
4) FOR KIDS
Click on the image to open the youtube video
LIFECYCLE EVENTS
Celebrate a lifecycle event with us by sponsoring a Kiddouch
Fast of Tammuz - Sunday July 13th
Three Weeks - Thursday July 17th to Sunday Aug 3rd
Rosh Hodesh Av - Saturday July 26th
9 Days of Av - Saturday July 26th to August 3rd
Tisha'a b'Av - Saturday Aug 2nd (evening) to Aug 3 (afternoon)
UPCOMING THIS WEEK
CELEBRATIONS
MABROOK!!!
ELLIE MOSSERI
On her 1st birthday -ad 120-
Proud Parents: Dani & Joshua MOSSERI
Grand Parents: Carla & Rick MOSSERI, Murielle & Mayer SASSON
Great Grand Parents: Vivianne & Leon MOSSERI, Andrée& Selim SASSON
MABROOK!!!
Samara Sayegh
on her Birthday
MABROOK!!!
Noah Sasson
on his Birthday
HAZKAROT
SHLOSHIM JOSEPH ANTEBI z'L
Les prières des Shloshim de Joseph Antebi z''l auront lieu le mercredi 9 juillet à 18h45 à la synagogue Or Hahayim, à Côte St-Luc. Une seouda suivra le limoud. Merci
NOTICES
THE COMMUNITY IS OFFERS IT's SUPPORT TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL - AM ISRAEL CHAI __________________________________________________
THE COMMUNITY IS OFFERS IT's CONDOLENCES TO THE ANTEBI FAMILY ON THE PASSING OF JOSEPH ANTEBI z'L
2) Halakhat Hashavoua (Halakhot related to day to day life) By Hazzan David Azerad -
An Eruv That Becomes Invalidated on Shabbat - Peninei Halacha -- Peninei Halacha
3) Holy Jokes!
4) For KIDS
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Hukat: Moshe’s Stick
The Torah in Parashat Hukat relates an episode that is among the most misunderstood stories in the Torah – the story of Moshe and the rock. Most of us probably learned in school that Moshe was punished because he was told to speak to the rock to produce water, but he hit the rock, instead. If we think about it for a moment, however, this seems very difficult to accept. Moshe was the greatest prophet that ever lived, who had the clearest perception of G-d of any person at any time. Is it conceivable that G-d would tell him to do one thing and he would knowingly do something else? Imagine that G-d spoke to us and told us to speak to a rock in order to produce water. Would we hesitate for a moment? Of course not. If G-d gave us a clear instruction to do something, we would do it. Can we imagine Moshe Rabbenu being less obedient than us?
It stands to reason that this episode and Moshe and Aharon’s mistake are far more complicated than how it might first appear, and for this reason, many different approaches have been taken to explain this most enigmatic episode.
One particularly fascinating explanation was suggested by Rav Shimon Schwab (1908-1995), in his work Ma’ayan Bet Ha’shoeba. Rav Schwab writes that when G-d instructed Moshe to bring the stick to the rock when he assembled the people, He did not tell him to bring his own, personal walking stick. Rather, this was the staff of Aharon which had miraculously blossomed as a Heavenly sign of his status as G-d’s chosen Kohen Gadol. After the rebellion of Korah, G-d commanded Moshe to collect the staffs of all twelve tribal leaders – including that of Aharon, the leader of Levi – and said that the one whose staff blossomed would be determined as G-d’s chosen Kohen Gadol. Sure enough, Aharon’s staff blossomed, whereupon G-d instructed Moshe to place Aharon’s staff inside the ark so it can serve as a sign "for the rebellious ones" ("Li’bneh Meri"). When the people would challenge Moshe and Aharon’s authority, they would be shown the stick which proved that everything Moshe did was in accordance with the divine command.
When the people complained at Meh Meriba, Rav Schwab explains, G-d told Moshe to take the stick and show it to Beneh Yisrael. He was not supposed to use the stick at all; he was simply told to show it to the people in order to silence the voices of protest and rebellion against him. Moshe, however, used the stick for a different purpose, beating the rock with it to produce water. He was thus guilty of the prohibition of "Me’ila," which forbids misusing sacred property. This is why when Hashem announces His punishment for Moshe and Aharon’s mistake, He says, "Al Asher Me’altem Bi," referring to the violation of "Me’ila" which they committed. This also explains why Aharon was included in the punishment. As this was his stick, he was held responsible for its misuse.
Rav Schwab further explains that Moshe and Aharon were punished for angrily scolding the people before hitting the rock, and calling them "rebels," saying, "Shim’u Na Ha’morim" – "Listen, now, O rebellious ones!" G-d had instructed Moshe to show the people the staff which would have the effect of silencing their complaints and protests. But Moshe and Aharon, it seems, did not trust that the staff would have this effect, and angrily called the people "Morim" even after showing them the stick. And it was for this reason that they were punished. Rather than trusting that the sight of the miracle staff would quell the nation’s rebellion, Moshe and Aharon instead continued berating the people even after producing the staff, and G-d thus punished them and decreed that they would not enter Eretz Yisrael.
Halachot this week are selected and Translated by Hazzan David Azerad
An Eruv That Becomes Invalidated on Shabbat - Peninei Halacha
Sometimes it becomes apparent during Shabbat that a wire from the eruv has snapped in a
certain place, thus invalidating the eruv. Two questions then arise: 1) May the eruv be fixed
On Shabbat? 2) If it turns out that the eruv cannot be fixed, do all the residents need to be
Informed that the eruv is down, so they know not to carry?
Le-khatĥila, if a non-Jew is available, he should fix the eruv. Although asking a non-Jew to do melakha for Jews on Shabbat is rabbinically prohibited, nevertheless, when there is a great need to save the masses from the prohibition of carrying on Shabbat, the Sages permitted asking a non-Jew to fix the eruv, even if this will involve melakhot that are prohibited by Torah law (MB 276:25; above 9:12).
However, if no non-Jew is available, a Jew certainly may not violate Torah prohibitions to fix the eruv. For example, if a pole has fallen over, a Jew may not stand it back up by jamming it into the ground. Similarly, if the wire has snapped, one may not tie it back together with a permanent knot, as tying this type of knot on Shabbat is forbidden by Torah law. However, the poskim debate whether one may tie a bow knot (the type used to tie shoelaces), as tying this type of knot on Shabbat is permissible.
Some argue that fixing the eruv on Shabbat is forbidden. Even though it is permissible to tie a bow knot on Shabbat, in this case, tying it would permit carrying on Shabbat. This means that by tying it, one constructs a meĥitza ha-materet (above, 15:4), which is forbidden on Shabbat. In other words, the Sages prohibited making a wall that serves to permit something that was previously halakhically forbidden. In this case, before one tied the knot, it was prohibited to carry, while afterward it was permitted.
Others maintain that although the Sages generally forbade constructing a meĥitza ha-materet, nevertheless, to save the masses from sinning by carrying on Shabbat, one may create a meĥitza ha-materet by tying a bow knot. This is the common custom (ResponsaMahari Ashkenazi §13; Panim Me’irot 1:30; Sho’el U-meshiv, Mahadura Tinyana 1:89; SSK 17:34).
If the eruv cannot be fixed, this should not be announced publicly. This information is withheld out of concern that some people will carry anyway, desecrating Shabbat knowingly, and they should transgress unknowingly rather than knowingly. The only people who should be informed are those who will follow the halakha and refrain from carrying.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah or current events, to brighten your day
4) FOR KIDS
Click on the image to open the youtube video
LIFECYCLE EVENTS
Celebrate a lifecycle event with us by sponsoring a Kiddouch
