Korach 5777

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KING AHEAD THIS SHABBAT

In The Spotlight Daniella Pash & David Rosenthal This Shabbat, Beverley and Neil are hosting kiddush in celebration of David’s forthcoming marriage.

COMMUNITY

David and Daniella have known each other since they were 15 (they are now 29), but they only started dating 14 months ago, when David adjusted the seating plan at a wedding, because he didn’t want to have to talk to the person he was sat next to! They got engaged shortly after. David runs an online business, and Daniella works in recruiting for Barclays. They will be settling in Hale, close to David’s three brothers who also live here. They will be celebrating this Shabbat with friends and family, including Daniella’s parents, Julia Pash and Mike Pash. We wish the happy couple Mazaltov and a life filled with health and happines, and we thank Beverley and Neil for their hospitality.

Mazaltov to

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

Sara & Raymond Crammer, and to Shirley Horwich, on Hannah’s marriage to Josh Woolf. Hadassah Fagleman on the occasion of her engagement to Hudi Sherer. David Rosenthal on the occasion of his aufruf and forthcoming marriage to Daniella Pash. Beverley & Neil Rosenthal on the occasion of David and Daniella’s forthcoming marriage.

Sponsored in loving memory of Lawrence Gordon z”l Chaim Gutman ben Baruch Meir z”l

Service Times

g n i h t e Som e n o y r e v for E

Shabbat (Rosh Chodesh) Kabbalat Shabbat

19:30

(Candle Lighting)

20:00

Shacharit

09:00

Leining

10:00

Summer Seudah at the Portnoys

20:30

Shabbat Ends

23:00

Weekday

d"sb

Parshat Korach 29 Sivan 5777 23 June 2017

Security team: Pink

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Leining 820 969 639

Maftir 890 1062 695

Haftarah 1208 1489 944

Shacharit

Mincha & Ma’ariv

Sun*

08:45

19:30

Mon

07:00

19:30

Tues

07:00

19:30

Wed

07:00

19:30

‘On’ The Ball

Thur

07:00

19:30

Fri

07:00

19:15**

Throughout the Tanach (Bible) we see rela-

ship role. According to a Midrash, Datan and

tionships where women gave their hus-

Aviram were the original trouble-makers

bands positive advice and saved them from

in Egypt who threatened to expose Moshe

making serious mistakes. Tzipporah and

for killing an Egyptian, causing him to flee

Moshe, Sarah and Avraham, Rivka and

to Midian. Another Midrash tells us that

Yitzchak are examples of this, and in our

the wife of On persuaded him to withdraw

Parasha the wife of On ben Pelet plays an

from the revolt, which is why he was not

important facilitating role.

punished when the earthquake swallowed

Candle Lighting

20:00

* Rosh Chodesh ** Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Chayim Arukim

to all those who have Yahrzeit this week as follows

Thought For The Week

Beverley Rosenthal Brenton Walshaw Alan Becker

Brother Father Wife

26 June 2 Tammuz

Sybil Weisberg

Mother

Wed

Marcia Lister Ian Knopf Daniel Maslin

Father Brother Mother

At the beginning of the story of Korach’s rebellion, we find On mentioned alongside

Just as the Jewish women kept the faith in

Bernard Cohen Barbara Rothburn Liz Blaskey

Mother Mother Father

Korach and Datan and Aviram, together

Egypt, and at Har Sinai refused to donate

with 250 elders of Bnai Yisrael. Each of

their jewellery to the Golden Calf project,

30 June 6 Tammuz

Charles Levine

Father

these groups had a different grievance

On’s wife was loyal to Moshe as Hashem’s

‫שבת‬

Ian Halpern Larraine Wolff

Mother Mother

against Moshe and Aharon.

chosen leader. By encouraging her husband

‫שבת‬

24 June 30 Sivan

Mon

28 June 4 Tammuz

Thurs

29 June 5 Tammuz

Fri

1 July 7 Tammuz

The Unveiling for

Mati Hart, Jeremy Hart’s brother will take place on Wednesday at 6.00pm, at Zichron Menachem Cemetery.

Kiddushim

24 June Beverley & Neil Rosenthal 1 July Variety Kiddush 8 July Nursery Leaver’s Shabbat

Datan, Aviram, On and the 250 elders came from the tribe of Reuven, who was the oldest of Yaakov’s sons. Leadership usually vested in the firstborn and his descendants,

the other rebels.

to stay out of the ‘broiges’ she saved his life; he was immortalised in the Torah as the model Jewish husband who listened to his wife’s advice!

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

but Moshe and Aharon were from the tribe of Levi, and this jealousy was the basis of their challenge. Korach was from a senior branch of Moshe’s family and resented the fact that he had not been given a leader-

Shabbat Weather AM Partly Cloudy 18o High 13o Overnight Low


Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 13 verses Korach, Datan and Aviram, and On ben Pelet challenge Moshe’s authority. Korach enlists 250 men to publicise the cause. Moshe proposes a test to indicate who G-d chooses. Datan and Aviram refuse to listen to Moshe’s summons. Second Aliyah - 6 verses Moshe angrily asks G-d not to accept the incense offerings of Korach’s group. Korach gathers the People to witness the “showdown”. As part of the test, the 250 people and Aharon will place a glowing coal on a special vessel, onto which they will put the incense. Third Aliyah - 24 verses Moshe asks for a unique death to be brought to all those who rebel, which will show that G-d did not approve of their test. Moshe pleads with the People to not side with Korach. The earth swallows Korach and his company, and a Divine fire consumed the 250 people. The copper from the incense pans was used as a cover for the Altar. Fourth Aliyah - 7 verses As a result of Moshe and Aharon’s quick thinking, a plague is stopped after already claiming 14,700 lives. Fifth Aliyah - 9 verses G-d tells Moshe to take 12 staffs from all the Tribes and place them in the Ohel Mo’ed with Aharon’s staff. The one that blossomed would be chosed as Kohen Gadol. Aharon’s staff blossoms. Sixth Aliyah - 24 verses G-d reiterates that the Kohanim and Levi’im hold special positions. There were several gifts that were given to Kohanim. Seventh Aliyah - 12 verses Several gifts were given to Levi’im, and there is also a rule that they will not receive land when the Land of Israel is divided amongst the Tribes.

When the earth swallowed Korach & co. all their possessions were swallowed too.

S L E W

JEUDAISM

J F O

Embracing Our Differences This week’s Parsha relates the story of the mutiny staged by Korach against Moshe and Aaron, who were chosen by Hashem to serve as the Prophet and as the High Priest respectively. The Rabbis in the Midrash make an interesting observation. “Korach was clever,” and therefore ask “why did he commit such a folly”? How did the Rabbis know that Korach was clever? Neither Korach nor his wisdom have been mentioned in the Torah before. The Rabbis must have discerned the wisdom of Korach from his rationale for staging the rebellion. On the surface, the mutiny seems to be a symptom of ego, craving power and fame. However let’s analyse Korach’s words carefully. “The entire community is holy, and G-d is within them. Why do you exalt yourselves above the community of G-d?” Korach’s argument focuses on why any person should consider themselves spiritually superior to anyone else. Truth and holiness are rooted in each and every soul; so why is Moshe telling people what Hashem wants? Why is Aaron serving as the exclusive High Priest? Why can’t we realize our relationship with

Parsha Stats

Delve into the deeper side of Judaism

Korach is the 38th of 54 sedras 5th of 10 in Bamidbar Written on 184 lines in a Torah (ranks 32nd)

This week we analyse Korach’s mistake

Hashem on our own, without teachers, leaders and priests? Korach argues against all forms of spiritual authority and leadership, and against any restricted role in the spiritual community. Korach aspires to create a society free from distinctions, borders and categories. We are all divine, we are all one.

definitions create barriers, and barriers cause hatred. We are convinced that to be spiritual means to have no borders. Creation was the act of making borders. From unity came diversity. From a single undefined God, came a complex and diverse universe. No two snowflakes are alike and no two people are alike.

Korach’s message touches a chord in us and resonates in our hearts. This is because Korach was right (which is why the Torah wants us to know about his ideol-

Hashem did this because the deepest unity is the unity found within diversity. If we are all the same, unity is no achievement. True unity is achieved when differences are imposed upon oneness, and each is given a distinct role in existence, complementing each other. Like notes in a song, each of us represent a unique and distinct note, and together we express a Divine masterpiece. In this world we must achieve unity within diversity.

The deepest unity is the unity found within diversity. If we are all the same, unity is no achievement. ogy.) But also wrong. We all come from one source. Before creation, there was only undefined unity. There were no borders, definitions or distinctions. On our deepest level, we crave to recreate this wholesomeness in our lives. Each of us, in our own way, yearns to go back to that pre-creation model of unity. The idea that all souls are the same was Korach’s mistake. We are accustomed to thinking that

When each individual fulfils his or her role in existence, sharing with others their unique contribution, and learning from others the wisdom they lack on their own, Hashem’s unity is complete.

Rabbi Aharon Bloch

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

95 verses - ranks 39th (9th in Bamidbar) 1409 words - ranks 36th (9th in Bamidbar) 5325 letters - ranks 35th (9th in Bamidbar)

Did You Know There are three mitzvot in this week’s parsha - two positives, and one prohibition. A Kohen was entitled to 24 gifts from different sacrifices, but did not receive any portions of the Land of Israel. Korach actually saw a vision of great people descending from him, including Samuel the Prophet. That is what drove him to challenge authority in this week’s parsha.

Tip #34 To Say Or Not To Say

TEFILLAH TIPS

The Talmud teaches that when Israel recites the Scriptural order of the offerings, Hashem will consider it as if they had brought the sacrifices and He will forgive our sins”. This section includes passages detailing the washing process, the removal of ashes from the Altar, the daily ‘Tamid’ offering, and the bringing of the Incense Spices (Ketoret). In order to accomodate those who typi-

cally go straight to work after Shacharit, the prevalent Anglo-Jewish custom in Ashkenazi communities is to only recite the passage of the Tamid offering. However, Sefardi communities continue to include this section in its entirety. Theyalso follow the original halachic position, which was to recite it at the end of Shacharit. However, Ashkenazim omit the passage at the end, for the same reason as above.

On ben Pelet was one of Korach’s gang, but ended up dropping out before the test because his wife stopped him from taking part!

Just For Fun Question: What is the difference between an argument and a knife? Answer: A knife has a point!


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