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g n i h t e Som e n o y r e v for E
Parshat Bamidbar 4 Sivan 5776 10 June 2016
Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat
19:30
(Candle Lighting)
19:40
Shacharit
09:15
Leining
10:15
Mincha, Seudah & Yom Tov Programme
20:30
Shabbat terminates & Yom Tov starts
23:00
Weekday Shacharit
Mincha & Ma’ariv
Tues
07:00
19:30
Wed
07:00
19:30
Thur
07:00
19:30
Fri
07:00
19:30*
* Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat
Chayim Arukim
to all those who have Yahrzeit this week as follows שבת
June 115 Sivan
Sandra Jaffa
Father
Sun
Vivian Newgrosh Linda Braunstein
Father Father
Mon
Ben Solomons Sister Lady Beryl Steinberg Father
12 June 6 Sivan 13 June 7 Sivan
Tues
14 June 8 Sivan
Thurs
16 June 10 Sivan
Fri
d"sb
Basil Sufrin Larraine Wolff
Father Brother
Anita Rubin Debbie Isaacs
Father Father
Marsha Gee
Father
Security team: Yellow
Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz
Leining
Haftarah
726 848 567
1180 1444 584
Thought For The Week Strength In Numbers The book of Numbers, ‘Bamidbar’ acquires
each other for survival. Contained within
its name from the census which takes
it is the Love of Hashem to His people
place at the beginning of this week’s
that does not quiver or exhaust whether
Parsha.
at a time of miraculous joy such as the departing of Egypt or the inevitable Sin
Rashi explains that as a form of Hashem’s
imbedded in Man’s imperfection (but with
affection to Bnei Israel, He counts them
equal ability to repent and improve). It is
all the time. The first census occurred
this ‘core Jew’ that G-d is counting.
when the Jewish people left Egypt. The second after the sin of the Golden Calf,
As the festivities of Shavuot begin, we
and for a third time as G-d comes to rest
raise our heads in pride and actively take
His Divine Presence in the Mishkan.
part in internalising the Torah. Just as the transmitting of the Torah from generation
The significance of counting goes beyond
to generation enabled our ancestors to
the equality displayed by the census.
stay strong in their beliefs, Shavuot brings
Kiddushim
Hashem doesn’t just count the wealthy,
our true identity to surface.
11 June Unsponsored
pious or the famed. Nor is He counting
Shavuot 1 Nicola & Simon Fine
achievements. Rather G-d is counting our
Shavuot 2 Unsponsored
is shared by all of us. It’s this nucleus that
17 June 11 Sivan
18 June Nadine & Antony Wagman 25 June Rebecca & Craig Lewis
the individual based on their talents and identity; the ‘Jew’. There is a nucleus that makes us a nation that is dependent on
Rabbi Aharon Bloch Shabbat Weather AM Scattered Showers 18o High 12o Overnight Low
Parsha
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First Aliyah - 19 verses A census is taken of all Jewish men of military age. One member of each tribe is appointed as the tribal leader. Each leader would assist Moses and Aaron in taking a census of his tribe. This census also helped establish the tribal lineage of every Jew. Second Aliyah - 35 verses Each tribe is counted separately. The grand total is 603,550. The Levites are counted separately, and are assigned holy tasks of dismantling, carrying, and re-erecting the Tabernacle whenever the Jews traveled. They camped around the Sanctuary, keeping guard over it and its vessels. Third Aliyah - 34 verses The Jews are instructed regarding their camping formation. The Tabernacle was at the center of the encampment, surrounded by three tribes on each side. Fourth Aliyah - 13 verses The Levites are appointed to serve in the Tabernacle. Fifth Aliyah - 26 verses Moses is commanded to count all Levite males from the age of one month and older. The total is 22,000. The three Levite families; Gershon, Kehat and Merari, are counted, and a leader is appointed for each of the families. Sixth Aliyah - 12 verses All the firstborn Israelites are counted. The census reveals that there are 273 more firstborn than Levites. Each of these “extra” firstborns (as determined by a lottery) gave five shekel to the priests, and was thus “redeemed. Seventh Aliyah - 20 verses A census is taken of members of the Kehat family between the ages of thirty and fifty. Their job is described: When the Tabernacle was to be dismantled, the priests would cover all the holy vessels with specially designated sacks. The Kehat family would then take the covered vessels and carry them to their destination.
s are If 603,550 male census, counted in the e were that means ther people around 3 million Egypt who came out of in total!
S L E W
JE
M S I DA
U J F O
Delve into the deeper side of Judaism This week we take a look at what happened at the Giving of the Torah
Memories At The Mountain For twenty-six generations since Adam’s creation, Hashem had waited to transmit to mankind the precious Torah which had preceded the creation of the universe. Finally, He foudn a people willing to accept it. The great moment of its Revelation was awaited anxiously by the entire universe since it would thereby realise the spiritual goal of Creation. It was Shabbat morning, the sixth of Siva, 2448. Mount Sinai was atremble with excitement at the momentous event about to take place on it. The Jews were still asleep becasue the summer night had been short. They were woken up by thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai, and by Moshe calling to them. Moshe brought the people to Mount Sinai like the usher who leads a bride to the wedding. The Jewish People who assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai were joined by all the millions of unborn souls of their descendants and by the souls of all future converts. When Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai in a burst
of fire, surrounded by a host of 22,000 angels, the earth quaked, and there was thunder and lightning. The Children of Israel heard the sound of a shofar becoming continually louder, growing in intensity until it reached the greatest volume which the people could possibly bear. The fire of Mount Sinai rose up to the very heavens, and the mountain smoked like a furnace. The people trem-
Moshe brought the people to Mount Sinai like the usher who leads a bride to the wedding. bled with fear. Then Hashem took Mount Sinai and suspended it over the people, indicating to them, “If you accept the Torah, good, but if not, you will be buried under this mountain!” Hashem thereby forced the people to accept the Torah, although they had previously accepted it willingly. It is surprising that the Torah was not given amidst bright and dazzling lights but rather in the midst of a
mountain obscured by dark clouds. The reason for this is because He foresaw that forty days after the giving of the Torah, they would make the Golden Calf. When the Torah was given, the Children of Israel not only heard Hashem’s Voice, but actually saw the sound waves as they emerged from Hashem’s mouth. They visualised them as a fiery substance. Although the Jewish People had requested to see Hashem’s Glory and to hear His Voice, their souls departed from their bodies when they actually experienced the Revelation. However, Hashem wanted to ensure that the Jews would never be able to claim in the future that they violated laws because Hashem never granted them a direct Revelation. After the first two Commandments, the Jewish People were so frightened that they begged Moshe to transmit the rest of the Commandments rather than hear Hashem’s voice again. Based on ‘The Midrash Says’ by Rabbi M. Weiss
If you would like to share your words of wisdom, please submit your article of no more than 500 words to nick@hale-community.org.uk
Parsha Stats Bamidbar is the 34th of 54 sedras 1st of 10 in Bamidbar Written on 263 lines in a Torah 159 verses - ranks 3rd (3rd in Bamidbar)
Manchester UJIA Ethiopian Bar-Bat Mitzvah Twinning Programme Manchester UJIA Ethiopian Bar-Bat Mitzvah Twinning Programme evening UJIA of celebration for north and south groups Manchester Ethiopian –Bar-Bat Mitzvah Twinning Programme evening of celebration – for north and south groups evening of celebration – for north and south groups
Wednesday, 29th June Wednesday, June 2016 29th Wednesday, 29th June 2016 7:00 PM 2016 7:00 PM UJIA7:00 offices PM UJIA offices 72 Singleton Road, M7 4LU UJIA offices
72 Singleton Road, M7 4LU 72 Singleton Road, M7 4LU
Manchester UJIA Ethiopian Mitzvah Programme Please Bar-Bat RSVP by Monday 20 June forTwinning catering purposes: Sally.halon@ujia.org th
Please RSVP by Monday 20th June for catering purposes: Sally.halon@ujia.org
evening of celebration – for north and south groups Please RSVP by Monday 20 June for catering purposes: Sally.halon@ujia.org th
Wednesday, 29th June 2016 7:00 PM
UJIA offices 72 Singleton Road, M7 4LU
QA &
Please RSVP by Monday 20th June for catering purposes: Sally.halon@ujia.org
Read through the Parsha in English and find answers to the questions. LOLLIPOPS WILL BE AWARDED TO ANYONE WHO READS THROUGH IT, AND TELLS RABBI NICK THE CORRECT ANSWERS!
On which Hebrew date did Hashem command Moshe to take the census? Who was the leader of the Tribe of Gad? How many people were counted in the Tribe of Zevulun? Which Tribes were placed into the western encampment? Which items were the Tribe Kehat instructed to transport? What is Nachshon ben Aminadav known for?
1823 words - ranks 13th (4th in Bamidbar) 7393 letters - ranks 9th (3rd in Bamidbar)
Did You Know Of the 17 sedras in the Torah that do not contain a single mitzvah of the 613, Bamidbar is the largest. The top three sedras in the Torah with the largest number of verses all hail from the book of Bamidbar. The census of the Jewish People mentioned in this week’s parsha took place one year and two weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. The ethical standard of dealing with public funds is learnt from this week’s parsha. Since the census was counted by the donation of a half-shekel, and even though Moshe could be trusted to deal truthfully and honestly with the money, Hashem still insisted that two people collect the money. The leader of the Tribe of Reuven was Elitzur ben Sh’dei’ur, who ends up being a part of Korach’s group of rebels.
Just For Fun
Question: Why do Jews go on diets after Shavuot? Answer: Because they all have to cheddar few pounds!
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS: 1. 10,000. 2. Five. 3. Seven. 4. A female, between 20-60. 5. 15 Shekels. BONUS: Acting casually towards Hashem.
L
KING AHEAD
In The Spotlight
SHAVUOT
EDUCATION A Blossoming Bimah Mount Sinai is described to us in the sources as being a very plain and unexciting location. However, this was the place that Hashem chose to present the Torah to the Jewish People. The Midrash also tells us that on the day of the Giving of the Torah, Mount Sinai miraculously blossomed with flowers in eager anticipation of the special event that would be taking place. For this reason, there is a prevalent custom to decorate our homes and Shules with plants and flowers on Shavuot.
BEYOND HALE
We are grateful to Linda Price and Darren Pincus for making our Shule look so fabulous, and a truly worthy place for the community to ‘receive the Torah’ together this weekend. We also give thanks to Sarah Jordan of Jordan’s Displays who has offered her time and services. For more information, please contact Rabbi Aharon - 07817 780 193
If you would like to sponsor an edition of ‘Something For Everyone’, in honour of a simcha or for a yahrzeit, or for any reason, please contact the Shule office on 0161 980 8846 or admin@hale-community.org.uk
Remaining faithful to the sources, they have selected a colour scheme that represents the fires that appeared on the barren mountain, and the grass and flowers that sprang to life.